Mann and Defense Take Care of BusinessFerrum Dispatches LaGrange 34-20

Fan appreciation day gave anyone at yesterday's game a discounted ticket price, and better than average seating as students are on fall break. If you were at the game yesterday, you got to see a show. This was a really good game as Ferrum took it to the LaGrange Panthers 34-20.
Offensively, Ferrum was led by sophomore running back Brian Mann. Mann carried the ball 24 times for 254 yards and a school record 5 touchdowns. The 254 yards equaled his single game rushing mark set last year against this same LaGrange team in Georgia.The offense needed a big game, and Mann and Co. came through.
On the defensive side of the ball, Ferrum's secondary, which in my mind was a question mark coming into the season, continued to be very impressive as they added 3 more interceptions to their total, giving them 10 on the year, and with four games left, could set them up to contend with the 2005 Ferrum team which had 18 INT's.

With his performance yesterday, Mann has 795 rushing yards for the season. This time last year, Mann had 825 yards.....a difference of only 30 yards. This is very important as Mann had his worst games last year against N.C. Wesleyan, and Maryville. Well the Bishops are out of the way, and Maryville is not the same team this year, so I look for Mann to end the season strong. I believe that every effort should be made to get him the carries necessary to break his own record of 1453 rushing yards in a season. Next season in the ODAC could be a more difficult path.

So Ferrum did what they needed to do, but Huntingdon did not lose, and Averett did not play. The window is closing quickly as Huntingdon has to lose three of it's next four games for Ferrum to win the conference........not likely to happen. A somewhat more likely scenario is for Ferrum to keep winning, and for Averett to lose two more games, but this too is highly improbable. Averett has N.C. Wesleyan, and Maryville both at home, and finish the season on the road against Brevard (non conference), and Greensboro.
I believe Ferrum can win out, but this will not give them the conference title. They need a miracle at this point, but all they can worry about is what they control. Keep winning Panthers.....I think an 8-2 season sounds pretty good, and I believe you can do it.