Blinn College head football coach Ryan Mahon stressed to his team all week the importance of putting its emotional homecoming victory over then-No. 4 Trinity Valley in the rearview mirror ahead of another key conference tilt against Tyler on Saturday.
It's likely the Buccaneers will need to put this one in the rearview, too.
The Bucs were unable to move the ball effectively against a game Apaches ballclub, and the Blinn defense had a hard time containing a pass-heavy offense commandeered by Tyler quarterback General Booty in a 42-14 Southwest Junior College Football Conference road loss in Tyler.
"It is frustrating, especially after a big win like that," Mahon said of his team stumbling against Tyler after upsetting Trinity Valley on Oct. 16. "But good teams learn to flush that, and we have to learn from that. You can't live off things you've done in the past, and I think we've lost light of that. But this is something we can learn from."
Mahon said that while the Blinn defense "played really well in the first quarter," frustration mounted through a combination of a stagnant offense and Tyler's own offensive adjustments against the Buccaneer defenders.
"We just couldn't run the ball -- at all," the coach added. "That was probably the worst game up front we've played all year long.
"So, there was a sense of frustration throughout the game, and that led to some big plays (by Tyler)."
The loss dropped Blinn to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the SWJCFC. Tyler moved to 4-3 and 3-2 in conference play.
A win would have greatly improved the Buccaneers' conference playoff outlook, but Saturday's result now leaves the team with some work to do, and a playoff bid could also rely on the help of others within the conference.
"We still have an opportunity to make the playoffs," Mahon explained. "But it's going to come down to the very last game. We have to take care of our own business and hope that some other conference results play out in our favor."
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
About the Blinn College District
With innovative programs and award-winning co-enrollment partnerships, Blinn's academic transfer rate ranks No. 1 among Texas community colleges. Courses are available online and at five Central Texas campuses, and students save 43% in tuition and fees compared to the average state university. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
