AJS

Win and this team has the inside track for a seed with a week remaining. It won't take a perfect game, but it will take most likely their second-best effort of the year to accomplish. Prove (almost) everyone wrong and get this one!

Counts as a win for your record, but it’s not a full win in the PWR, think it’s 66%

These F lines. 18-14-17 26-22–9 13-21-28 8-27-24

Quick thoughts. This team can play with anyone. Impressed with this team defensively & in net. F lines need a shakeup. I’d like to continue to see Montgomery as 15F, Ness as 14F, Kunz as 13F. Emerson needs to play and develop. “Demote” Schmaltz and Jamernik. Roll w/ a 4th line of 8/27/24. Mix up the others. Talent is there at F. 2nd / 3rd line both have extremely low ceiling F guys. Hurts the line. There are guys on this team that can be responsible defensively, but have much better offensive talent. Big game tonight.

Just win. To me it's fairly simple. Just be even on Special Teams and play up to their ability either offensively or defensively. The other can be average. That would be good enough to win. Of course, we all want all solid three phase game. Sell hope that this is a legitimate playoff type of team.

Here's my thought. The NDSU game unfortunately was this teams Super Bowl. That's the only thing that makes sense with the drastic left turn this season has taken. The good news is this team is exactly where many thought it would be at this time. A successful season is still in reach. On both the coaching staff and players to get this thing turned around. Extra emphasis to the Offensive Coordinator.

How much of the offensive issues are solved if Danny gets out of his own way? That was a terribly called game. Defensively, the concern continues to be their inability to actually get to the QB when they bring pressure. Phenomenal last drive / ot performance! Here’s to that being the spark and we see a rejuvenated team the rest of the year!

Listening to the 360 pod on this weekend's game. Good news, they don't think Ziebarth will be out long term (although out this weekend). Bad news sounds like a skeleton crew at RB with Smith potential out as well. Wilson might be out as well.

What feeling does everyone have with Ziebarth's injury. Clearly not playing this week. We thinking more week to week or potentially season ender?

Currently 15/17 in the national polls at 4-3. An important note, the highest 3 loss team in either poll.

It might not feel like it today, but there’s still a realistic chance at a program building season. Starts next week, but realistically break the rest of the season into two sets. (1) Next two (2) Last two. Start with the next two. Two sound wins and assess where you’re at in the conference / national landscape.

Turning it off. Beyond pathetic.

Switch Emerson for Schmaltz. Give Emerson minutes and see what he can do. If he struggles, go back to it next Friday. Put James 2nd / Emerson 3rd / Schmaltz extra. My point is make guys earn spots. Give opportunities to young players. I know it feels like I’m picking on Schmaltz, but he’s not the only one. This year will be better than last (better talent level), but there’s still some guys who are big minute “locks” that are baffeling

I’ll watch my words here. Schmaltz is fine, but I don’t see him as a Top 6/9 forward. Incredibly low offensive ceiling. I don’t understand why he’s a Top 6 / PP fixture.

Win today and you’ll see an ushering in of a new era of UND football. Get this one!

One of my major takeaways from the 360 pod was that defensively they made zero checks against NDSU. Trust the play call, keep it simple, play fast. Tough not to be extremely confident in this group. Momentum of course, but the confidence these players have to have right now. At the beginning of the year you saw these two games and sort of cringed. Didn’t appear to be ideal. I love it now. Gives this program an opportunity to double down on itself. Win and you graduate to the next FCS level.

It is UNI's homecoming game. Not sure if they usually have a large walk-up crowd, but still quite a few tickets available.

8 things to know about UND football's next opponent Northern Iowa - Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, East Grand Forks news, weather & sports

ESPN3 is not part of ESPN+ (neither is ESPN / ESPN2). ESPN3 is strictly through your internet provider I believe. If you have Midco internet for example, you get ESPN3.

Two guys on defense that continue to impress that might not be the usual suspects. Cole Davis and Devin Hembry.

Tough game in a tough environment. I think it's fair to say that up to this point, UNI has underperformed compared to pre-season expectations. From that perspective, I feel better going into this game than I would have predicted. I am worried about UND have an emotional letdown following the NDSU win. Here's what a win would mean. Solidified as a Top 10 team going into the easier portion of your schedule. Inside track for a seed Move UNI / NDSU into a potentially "loser out" game the last weekend of the year. For UND you essentially win the tie breaker over UNI / NDSU. Watching the way this season is playing out, 7-4 might not be good enough to make the playoffs. If this team plays like they did against NDSU, fundamentally sound in all three phases, they will win this weekend.

One thing I will say is I'm not sure I've ever been less confident in my "what kind of team is this" feeling thru 5 games. That should be enough of a body of work to have a good sense. I really don't have a good one.

I like this question. For me. Nightmare Loss: 22+ Bad Loss: 14-21 Not sure what to make of it loss: 8-13 What could have been loss: 1-7

Why I’d double down on this. Take the UND perspective out. Let’s look at this from an NDSU point of view. IF they lost this game. 2 FCS losses, before they go to Brookings / Cedar Falls. We’re talking a very good chance of no seed / playing on Thanksgiving weekend. A UND win would not only vault UND up a tier, but also knock NDSU down a tier. We’re talking a decade + of frustrations gone. Am I off base here? That’s why UND winning seems virtually impossible.

There are some games that are so big that they can change the narrative for a program. This is another “big game” opportunity. My prediction? Until they actually win a game like this, most likely outcome is NDSU rolls. Whatever your worst case scenario for this game is how it’ll end up.