nd1sufan

Not sure why anybody is overly concerned about this game, home or away. If you watched the Nicholls/SELA game Thursday or followed the UNDFOOTBALL360 guys tweets during the game, neither of those teams deserved playoff consideration. This game should not be close.

i think I said 40, but whatever. And yes, NDSU only scored 21 and 22 against MSU and SIU. It is hard to get up for every game when even if your opponents see it as their biggest game of the year. I know UND fans mock that, but ask most of NDSU's opponents and they would tell you it is. I would guess you could ask most of UND players and they would say the same. They did not play exceptionally well in either game. But UND allowed 38 points and almost 500 yards to Northern Colorado just a couple of weeks ago with their season on the line at home. If UNC can score 38 my guess is NDSU will also. NDSU will be favored by 28 and UND fans will be offended and say there is no way they can lose by that much, until Sunday morning.

It looks like UND has one on the All Metro team (Robertson), who I hear is a very good player. I heard some think he has enormous potential for development and was under-recruited. I think "Juice U" actually has 3, including The Metro player of the year.

Just saying I wouldn’t play Holm unless he wanted to and preserve his year of eligibility. Don’t question his heart if he wanted to play another year. Even if they get by NDSU, the chances of UND winning a national title THIS YEAR, not saying ever, are not very good.

That NDSU offense wasn't the same as the one playing now. Lance and Watson are playing much better than they were week 2. And they will let Lance run as often as necessary in the playoffs. And watching the last couple of weeks of the UND defense, it hasn't improved much from the beginning of the year.

And I know any given Saturday is possible. There is always that 2% chance of a huge upset. I just don't think I would risk a year of eligibility of my best player in the secondary, his fifth and probably most productive year, on a 2% chance.

NDSU scores at least 40 against UND with or without Holm. You better hope Mr. Freund can find a way to score more than 40 or maybe Holm should keep his redshirt.

So you are saying now that Bubba made the playoffs that everything is back on track and he should get an extension? I don't know the sentiments of UND fans. Maybe that is how UND fans think. If he makes the playoffs and only has 2 years left on his contract and doesn't get an extension, that doesn't exactly show confidence in the head coach.

My guess is he was suspended for questioning anything about UND football. UNDBIZ has a bit of a problem if a word questioning the Bubba era is uttered.

I don't think you would make it through to a third. Although those tunnel screens are scary.

I know they try to eliminate rematches in the early rounds (particularly in the first round). With both UND and SDSU being a rematch for NDSU whoever wins, they may have the UND/SDSU winner going to UNI. That could be a bus trip also.

I watched parts of this game, and UND has some good young pieces in place. I am not sure they will go very far this year with Stewart at point. His numbers will be ok, but his leadership is lacking. How many times a game does he miss a shot or think he was fouled and sulks about it rather than getting back on defense? Is there a second option at the point for UND?

How many games has Skokna played?

If UNI were to be your opponent, they may be able to bid higher. But that may be a favorable draw. UNI is very inconsistent and are prone to lose early playoff games.

I thought the question was how much to pay for a cupcake non-conference game. You are right, NDSU has only had to bid for a playoff game the first year they were in.

I think the $130,000 is a bit low. I think NDSU has had to pay between $200,000 and $250,000 the last couple of years.

Does that get UND in the playoffs? Will they take 5 or 6 Big Sky teams? Will the Big Sky rep argue UND would be 6th in the conference standings if they were actually in the conference and do they lobby for the actual top 5 members to get in? I have no idea. And will a playoff appearance get Bubba an extension? Are UND fans good with that?

While the Bison want to win this game to have a perfect regular season, they really have nothing else to go gain other than a perfect season. They are locked into a a top 2 seed after this weekends results, so they will have home field as long as they are playing. Even though they said starting LB's Cox and Mercadel could probably play against SIU, I would be surprised if they do. Any body that is a little nicked up will probably be left at home. This game will be much bigger for SIU than for NDSU.

Maybe with any luck you will get UNI in the first round of the playoffs. It sounds like it should be a cakewalk for the Fighting Hawks. Also, do you have a prediction for the UND record in the MVFC next year? 7-1, 8-0? Maybe 6-2 worst case?

You are very welcome. And I do think 16 playoff teams would be plenty.

CP killed themselves by getting behind the sticks with penalties. If they don't have several false starts to put them from 3rd and 2 to 3rd and 7, UND doesn't win this game.

More like a D2 team beating another D2 team on the road. If either of those teams are FCS playoff teams, the NCAA needs to rethink the number of teams in the FCS playoffs. I think 16 is plenty.

I think he would be a great slot guy if you had someone that could stretch the field. He looks an awful lot like some of the guys you already have in the program. You don't have a lot of guys that have the speed to separate, and I am not sure Wright is the guy that can do that either.

probably a pretty good assessment. NDSU could finish first but a VERY good chance they won't. I would certainly take the field vs NDSU to finish first, but I do think they have the best chance out of everybody else. They lose nobody (other than Deng) and have a year more experience. I think the Griesel kid will be much improved and they may have the best point guard in the league.

But there will be a game or two this year when it will be tied or less than a one score game and 3rd and two and he will run up the middle to a ten man box and won’t get it, and do the same on 4th and one.