Santa Barbara shows its might in 4 OT victory

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Even though I knew the Santa Barbara-Buena game was one of the best matchups of Week 6, I never would have guessed it’d take four overtimes to settle.

Thanks to a 29-yard field goal by Vincent Alvarez (aka Mr. Clutch) in quadruple overtime, the Dons not only picked up their fifth win of the season with a 23-20 victory, but also opened Channel League play with a win -- something the boys on the so-called California Riviera haven’t done since 2001, the year of their last league championship.

Now I’m not going to say anything crazy like SB is going to give St. Bonaventure (next week‘s opponent) a run at the league title or anything, but this team is pretty darn good. They’ll definitely challenge for a playoff spot and second place behind those Seraph titans isn’t out of the question.

And to think I had these guys pegged for dead last in the Channel League at the beginning of the season. What was I thinking?

But more than anything, the Dons proved by surviving a four-OT, rain-soaked, fumble-fest (the Ventura County Star reported 15 fumbles in the game) they have a big piece of good ol’-fashioned gumption under their shoulder pads.

It takes a ton of character to stay in a game like this, especially when three field-goal attempts in overtime fail because of a variety of reasons (of course, you’re bound to hit one sooner or later). SB is definitely one of the surprises of the season and a team to watch.

If I were them, I’d go celebrate by peddling one of those tourist-friendly cycling contraptions that you see all over the place near the pier on Shoreline Drive. That’s almost as fun as playing football in the rain.

- Austin Knoblauch