NDSU: Gopher Week Starts Now!

[DJKyR0]

Week 3 almost over, and NDSU heads to Minneapolis with clear upset intentions and, I think, a solid chance at walking out of TCF with a W. Gophers' D has been awful and the offense has been pretty sketchy. Add in a bad loss to NMSU and close win over Miami-OH and the table is set for a big win for the Bison.

[Twentysix]

I want it so bad. Gonna be heart broken if we lose.

[Professor Chaos]

The plot of this game will be decided in the first few posessions IMO. If NDSU jumps out to a lead after the 1st quarter watch out because I think the NDSU offense has the ability to wear down the Gopher D if they pound DJ and Ojuri at them 40 times. If it's tied, I think it'll be a close game throughout. If the Goophers jump out to an early lead, it may turn out to be a lopsided affair because the Bison O thrives on the run game and the play action pass and neither of those are nearly as effective when you're trailing. I don't think the Bison O is built to play catch up.

[TheBisonator]

Time for the Bison to trample and stomp over a bunch of Gophers!!!!

[DJKyR0]

I don't think the Bison O is built to play catch up.

I dunno, we had to do it once or twice last season...xoopsx

I like the matchup we have and I really think our defense can contain Gray.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I dunno, we had to do it once or twice last season...xoopsx

I like the matchup we have and I really think our defense can contain Gray.



Agree.

Our LBers are very athletic and can run. If our front 4 can get a good push upfield and keep our LBers free, we will contain this very mediocre offense.

Gophers will stack the box and make the Bison pass the ball. If Jensen can move the chains with our short passing game, the Bison will win this game.


Bison 31-13

[FarSouthBison]

Its all on Jensen, if he can connect with the WR. Not so much the short passing game but go down field 30 yards or so. Really need to spread the D out.

[Twentysix]

Welcome to the board. FarSouth are you a product of Matt Jones or Ryan Stanford?

I would also suggest bisonville.com to you.

[Gil Dobie]

This is the least confident I have been the week before a Bison - Gophers game. Kill goes for the weekness of the other team all day. He is still using Brewster players, but he is getting more out of them. If the Bison strength is running, then he'll try and make them pass all day, if he finds a weakness in the defense, you'll see plays directed that way all day. I'm picking the Bison in a close one.

[Professor Chaos]

I dunno, we had to do it once or twice last season...xoopsx

I like the matchup we have and I really think our defense can contain Gray.
Fair enough but Youngstown State is a different animal than Minnesota. As athletic as NDSU is at an FCS level even a bad Big Ten team like Minnesota is still going to have more and better athletes. If the Bison can come out right away and prove to themselves and the Gophers that they're gonig to be in it to win it there will be a good chance we're heading home on Sunday with a W.

[Pards Rule]

The plot of this game will be decided in the first few posessions IMO. If NDSU jumps out to a lead after the 1st quarter watch out because I think the NDSU offense has the ability to wear down the Gopher D if they pound DJ and Ojuri at them 40 times. If it's tied, I think it'll be a close game throughout. If the Goophers jump out to an early lead, it may turn out to be a lopsided affair because the Bison O thrives on the run game and the play action pass and neither of those are nearly as effective when you're trailing. I don't think the Bison O is built to play catch up.

I thought I saw at Bisonville DJ was out? Get those Goofers - I mean Gophers!

[BisonFan02]

I thought I saw at Bisonville DJ was out? Get those Goofers - I mean Gophers!

DJ was held out against St. Francis as a precaution. With two weeks off, he'll be ready for this Saturday.

[Squealofthepig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv87T1CQF8E

[Pards Rule]

DJ was held out against St. Francis as a precaution. With two weeks off, he'll be ready for this Saturday.

OK someone probably was still cycling that old thread - I didnt read it just saw it. Good deal, he's instrumental against the Gophers (who would name their team the Golden Gophers - WTF!!)

[Twentysix]

OK someone probably was still cycling that old thread - I didnt read it just saw it. Good deal, he's instrumental against the Gophers (who would name their team the Golden Gophers - WTF!!)

I believe he wasn't really hurt. He had a minor sprained ankle. SFU was dealt with without him, it was in our best interest to rest him anyway.

The last RB we had that tweaked an ankle early had to play on it all year and he was not nearly as explosive as he was the year before.

I am refering to this man....Tyler Roehl, Big Diesel.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebkIpa1DCfc

[Drblankstare]

Kill knows the fcs well. He understands how big games like these are for smaller schools, I think he'll make sure the gophers understand this point. I think the bison have the talent to make this a good game, but my gut says not this year. Hope I'm wrong. UM 27 Bison 20

[LakesBison]

Ok, this is a current thread. Can underage people get into the NDSU tailgate parties at fairgrounds and Sally's Saloon?

[MplsBison]

DJ was held out against St. Francis as a precaution. With two weeks off, he'll be ready for this Saturday.

Then again - why risk him further hurting his ankle against Minnesota in a game that doesn't mean anything.

NDSU's season should always be: win 5 MVFC games = playoffs, win <5 MVFC games = don't deserve playoffs.

MVFC is everything.

[MplsBison]

Ok, this is a current thread. Can underage people get into the NDSU tailgate parties at fairgrounds and Sally's Saloon?

I don't see why you couldn't go to the fairgrounds, no idea if there are patrols looking for underage drinking or what.

Obviously Sally's you ain't getting in without a fake at least, it's a bar.

[Twentysix]

Ok, this is a current thread. Can underage people get into the NDSU tailgate parties at fairgrounds and Sally's Saloon?

Getting arrested in another state is a really terrible idea. You..... good luck.

[frozennorth]

in a game that doesn't mean anything.

Means quite a bit when it comes to recruiting. Ndsu showed up on a few recruits radar because of bcs wins in the past.

You seem to have a sioux fans attitude toward football.

[TheBisonator]

Means quite a bit when it comes to recruiting. Ndsu showed up on a few recruits radar because of bcs wins in the past.

You seem to have a sioux fans attitude toward football.

You do realize he's a Sioux fan disguised as a Bison fan, right??

[THE HERD]

I worry about containing Gray. We have had problems with qb's like this running out of the spread offense, case and point....Tirelle Rennie last year at UNI totally ripped us a new one. I do believe we are getting better at defending this type of player, but it still worries me, plus Gray is just as fast as Rennie, but about 50+ lbs bigger.......guy is a freak! We better be wrapping up and not trying to arm tackle this guy.

[THE HERD]

On the other hand the D did very well against MSU'S qb last year in the playoffs and he is a similiar duel threat qb.

[Jacked_Rabbit]

The line has been released:

MINNESOTA -9.5

You can see it for yourself on 5dimes.com.

[THE HERD]

I wonder what the line was in 07? Anybody know? I would guess more.

[Gil Dobie]

I wonder what the line was in 07? Anybody know? I would guess more.

Sid's line was 40-0 ;)

[Gil Dobie]

Some pre-game hype from the Strib. xthumbsupx

Strib Link (http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/130320293.html)


As many as 20,000 North Dakota State fans are expected to descend on the Twin Cities on Saturday when their Bison take on the Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium.

The hordes of North Dakota State followers -- more than 20,000 bombarded the Metrodome when the Bison upset the Gophers in 2007 -- will make the Twin Cities look like Packers country with their green and gold apparel.

"We've heard numbers between 15,000 and 20,000," said Sherri Schmidt, the school's alumni association's associate executive director.

For NDSU's alumni and supporters, many of whom reside in the Twin Cities metro area, Saturday night's matchup isn't just a game. It's an event.

They've booked more than 1,000 nights at five downtown hotels, according to the Minneapolis Convention and Visitors Association

It's not uncommon for a school such as Wisconsin to command a similar presence in the Twin Cities when its football team travels to Minneapolis. But North Dakota State has an enrollment of 14,000 students, not 42,000 like the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The lofty numbers who will attend Saturday night's game will be the result of several factors: The Bison travel extremely well, especially with a drive of only 235 miles to face the Gophers; the Twins Cities is the closest major metro area to Fargo; and the multitude of alumni living in the Twin Cities

[Squealofthepig]

will make the Twin Cities look like Packers country with their green and gold apparel.

Ouch. They must REALLY dislike you guys!

Another interesting note:


According to admissions director Jobey Lichtblau, 58 percent of NDSU's current freshman class is from Minnesota

[JSUBison]

Here is part of the Minneapolis local radio show talking about the game. One thing I like about playing the Gophs is that they always give NDSU run on their programs.

http://www.kfan.com/player/?station=KFXN-FM&program_name=podcast&program_id=KFAN_PADubay.xml&mid=21427671

[DJKyR0]

I worry about containing Gray. We have had problems with qb's like this running out of the spread offense, case and point....Tirelle Rennie last year at UNI totally ripped us a new one. I do believe we are getting better at defending this type of player, but it still worries me, plus Gray is just as fast as Rennie, but about 50+ lbs bigger.......guy is a freak! We better be wrapping up and not trying to arm tackle this guy.

Rennie did get just under 100 yards on us last season, but the real damage was done by Anderson, who got 158 on 14 carries. Two weeks later NDSU faced USD and QB Daunte Warren, who'd gashed Minnesota the previous week, and held him to 83 yards on 19 attempts (with most of that coming on the first two drives, and the defense clamped down hard in the second half). McGhee (MSU's QB) isn't a dual-threat guy to the degree the above two are, and while he certainly can scamper he's a much more lethal pocket passer.

Long story short: we haven't done THAT badly against dual-threat QBs. Granted, we got shredded against UNI, but that was more of a by-committee thing than anything else. Of course, save for Rennie none of those guys are in the league Gray is in, so take the observations for what they're worth.

[Gil Dobie]

Bison - Gophers Watch parties around the country

NDSU Alum Link (http://www.ndsualumni.com/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1157#Minnesota)

[Twentysix]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9B58Cjxe4g

[bisonnation]

Will be a great game. Flip a coin on the winner. I predict 13-10. Hopefully a BIZON win!

[UNIFanSince1983]

I see this as similar to our game against ISU this year. I think the Bison may be capable of pulling off the win, but I just don't think it will happen. Jerry Kill will have them ready, but they are not so much more talented than NDSU that it will be a blowout.

My prediction:
Minnesota 24
NDSU 17

[UNIFanSince1983]

Oh and 2 things about that video:

1) What were those horrendous yellow jerseys?
2) Were the Bison students doing the Interlude?

[BisonFan02]

Oh and 2 things about that video:

1) What were those horrendous yellow jerseys?
2) Were the Bison students doing the Interlude?

1) Special third jersey for one game. Mixed response from fans (I personally hated them). I don't think they will wear them again, but it would only be once a year if they did (probably during an OOC game).

2) Assuming you are asking about the dance, video below (after a score, before kickoff).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIc1l-pIgSQ

[DJKyR0]

1) What were those horrendous yellow jerseys?
2) Were the Bison students doing the Interlude?

1.) Gold jerseys as part of the "Gold Rush" promotional campaign encouraging fans to wear gold/yellow for the home opener. Had mixed results, but I thought the jerseys were cool.
2.) The student section, band, and cheerleaders do the monkey side-to-side during kickoffs when NDSU is on coverage. Kinda tough to see, but here's the best video I can provide on it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIc1l-pIgSQ

[MplsBison]

Per Jeff Kolpack twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/fgosportswriter), NDSU starting safety Daniel Eaves and back-up wide receiver Trevor Gebhart are out for the Minnesota game.

GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those guys are crucial cogs that NDSU will need if it wants to win 5/6 MVFC games this year! The MVFC season is too important to lose these guys for a meaningless game.

You all know what happened when Tyler Roehl tried to "tough it out" for the Wyoming game - cost us the win at Youngstown the next week when he couldn't go. Don't need to repeat history here!!


If the coaching staff has any brains, they'll restrict DJ McNorton or keep him out altogether.

Not worth it.



Plus NDSU can beat the Gophers with the other players they have. xthumbsupx

[Pard4Life]

I thought those gold jerseys looked sharp for the Lafayette game. They were more enjoyable to watch than our offense.

[BisonFan02]

I thought those gold jerseys looked sharp for the Lafayette game. They were more enjoyable to watch than our offense.

Haha, ouch. I think the jerseys were kinda a love/hate thing for a lot of Bison fans. IMO anyway, definately not as much of a disaster that was Maryland's unis or a few others so far this year.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Haha, ouch. I think the jerseys were kinda a love/hate thing for a lot of Bison fans. IMO anyway, definately not as much of a disaster that was Maryland's unis or a few others so far this year.


I liked the yellow jerseys!

Most comments I have heard about them has been positive.

[BisonFan02]

I liked the yellow jerseys!

Most comments I have heard about them has been positive.

I heard some positive too, but for every person that liked it, I heard the exact opposite from someone else. Probably just a case of people not liking change.

[LakesBison]

I couldnt believe all the NDSU fans in the cities this weekend, everywhere I turned I saw a jersey or shirt. maybe there was 15,000+ at the game, but I guarantee there was 25-30,000 in general out and about around town.