The Bulldogs saw off the Owls 38-24 in their regular-season meeting on Sunday evening. It was a result that put the home side further ahead in the race for playoff positioning. The Owls, meanwhile, found themselves looking for answers after another defeat.
Three hundred and twenty-two points were thrown around on the night, with the Bulldogs' attack proving too much to handle. And here's the thing about these games — you don't need possession statistics to work out who won. The scoreboard doesn't lie.
The home side came into this having won two of their last three outings. They beat the Spartans 26-10 and the Hornets 49-3 before that heavy 39-0 loss to the Trojans. To be fair, they've been inconsistent at times, but this performance suggested they're finding their rhythm.
The Owls' recent run has been far less encouraging. They lost to the Broncos 28-21 and went down 52-0 against the Fighting Irish before managing a 31-3 victory over the Huskies. By then, you could see the pressure mounting on their coaching staff.
What this means is straightforward: the Bulldogs extend their unbeaten run while the Owls cannot afford another slip. The table goes out of the window in these games, but the gap between sides is growing. One team is building momentum; the other is searching for stability.