BELLEVILLE, MI. – The Belleville Tigers (5-0) dominated the Fordson Tractors (1-4), with quarterback Bryce Underwood throwing three touchdowns in the first half to help the Tigers roll to a 56-7 rout on Friday.

The Tigers looked to continue their undefeated season by facing the Fordson Tractors, and their 2021 matchup resulted in a 21-19 victory for the Tigers.

However, opposite the Tigers, the Tractors looked to find their footing following a shaky 1-3 start, coming off a 20-25 loss to John Glenn High School.

Three takeaways from the game:

The Tiger’s offense looks untouchable

The Tigers' offense looked as close to the 2008 Patriots as possible. Whether a deep fly route or a simple draw out the shotgun, the Tigers executed with minimum effort and to great success. With top prospect Underwood under center, he dominated the Tractors' defense without looking uncomfortable.

While Underwood’s performance did have its fair share of dropped passes, one could argue that every drop was the result of a ball slipping through the hands of the receiver or simply a cornerback being in the perfect position to deflect the pass.

Whether it was through the air, where Underwood completed three touchdowns, or on the feet, where he began the game running for a touchdown, Underwood helped this offense end the game before it began, scoring a touchdown on the first five possessions.

Defense wins championships

On the opposite side of the ball, the Tiger defense sent a statement to the at-times hapless Tractors offense. The Tractors were able to execute some gritty drives, which resulted in a touchdown during the second quarter.

However, the Tractors were dead in the water from the beginning of the second quarter, finding themselves down 28-0. This game concluded 56-7 because of the Tiger’s defensive prowess, which found ways to blow past the Tractor’s offensive line every down.

While the Tigers only had one interception to conclude the first half, every play felt demoralizing to the Tractor’s offense, as their quarterback found himself scrambling for his life every play.

Only the Tigers can beat the Tigers

The Tigers continuously shot themselves in the foot with costly penalties. Whether it was a facemask or a crucial holding call, penalties kept the Tractors' drive alive. The Tigers' unfortunate timing of penalties could haunt them in the future.

Ultimately this game was all Tigers. They dominated the game from start to finish, without seeming out of place or out of their depth.

Coach Said

Jermain Crowell was confident as ever following the game.

“We wanted to establish running the ball early.” Crowell said. “All in all, I think we’re getting a little bit better.”

The game never seemed in danger for the Tigers, yet Crowell praised his opponents for their toughness.

“Their team will always be physical. This is a down year for them, but even in their down year, they’re really good.” Crowell said. “Give hats off to them because they came to play for all four quarters.”

With the Tigers set to play an away game against John Glenn High School, we’ll see if the Tigers can continue their winning ways.

Bryce Underwood, Belleville football roll over Fordson - Scorebook Live