UND92,96

Yes, it's a very big line. But they're pretty inexperienced and predictably immobile as you'd expect from linemen so large. I listened to some of the SCSU-Mankato game, and it sounded like the huge SCSU tackle, Scott Peters (6'10" and about 300), had a lot of trouble pass blocking a speedy defensive end for the Mavericks. I would expect that they'll have some problems with the crowd noise, not to mention some of UND's faster pass rushers, i.e. ZBJ.

What I like about this year's team is that the margin for error seems to be much greater. By that, I mean that last year, you kind of knew it would be challenge for the offense to score more than 20 against good teams, which obviously meant that the Sioux defense had a lot of pressure on it to limit the opposing offense to less than 20. This year, it looks like the UND offense/special teams can score 30-plus against nearly anybody if they play the way they have so far. And of course, it's going to be a very tall order for anybody to put those kinds of points up against the Sioux defense. If UND doesn't go too conservative offensively, they should be able to win this one without it going down to the last second like the past few games against the Huskies have.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that a 9-2 NSIC team would be in the top 10. You'll probably have UND, USD, SCSU, UNO, Grand Valley, Saginaw Valley, Northwood, Michigan Tech, and if they were to run the table, Central Washington. That leaves either one or two slots open, depending on what Central Washington does the rest of the way, and I don't see a fifth NCC team or GLIAC team with probably four losses ranked ahead of a 2-loss NSIC team. Maybe I'm wrong, but even Bemidji State last year with an 8-3 record and a soft non-conference schedule finished just outside the top 10 at number 11.

I didn't want to start a new thread for this, but there's potentially going to be a real injustice when the playoff selections are announced this year. With Bemidji State losing to Concordia-St. Paul yesterday, the last chance for an NSIC team to go undefeated went out the window. That likely means that the winner of the Winona-Concordia game at the end of the regular season will get into the playoffs via "earned access," i.e. so long as a conference has a team ranked in the top 10 in the region, they get a playoff bid. So either a Concordia team that lost by 21 at Duluth, and managed just a 3-point home win over Augie gets in, or a Winona State team that lost to one of the worst teams in the MIAA, and got absolutely blown out on their home field by the Sioux gets in. I realize that in the past few seasons Winona deserved to get in so "earned access" never came into play, but this season, I don't think there's any way that an NSIC team belongs in the playoffs. I just hope UND isn't sitting with two losses or the prospect of getting passed over in favor of Winona State is a very real possibility.

Yes, I'd have to say USD is legit. The questions I still have about them are whether they can really stop or even slow down the pass against a decent passing team (gave up 350-plus vs. Mines), whether they can win on the road against a legit opponent (they haven't really played one yet), and what would happen to them if Logan went down with an injury. Their biggest test prior to UND will be playing at SCSU, and the Huskies will be looking for revenge after getting blown out in Vermillion last year. USD reminds me a little bit of Pitt State last year in terms of having a very high-scoring offense. To beat them, you need to have a great defense, and an offense that is better than adequate because you know they'll probably score more than 20 against anybody.

MSU stopped on 4th down. Game over. SCSU pulls it out by the skin of their teeth. Not sure if weather kept this one close or SCSU just didn't play well, but I'm very surprised that they struggled with MSU as much as they did considering MSU was coming off two very poor performances in losses to NSIC teams.

Touchdown SCSU. They now lead 18-14.

SCSU quickly drives 60-plus yards to the MSU 3. Timeout.

MSU punts with 4:50 to go. SCSU takes over at their own 35.

SCSU has a 4th and 6 from the MSU 30 in a driving rainstorm. INT MSU! 7:40 to go.

It's now 14-11 MSU with 14 minutes to go in the 4th.

MSU-Mankato is leading SCSU 14-3 early in the 4th quarter in Mankato.

I've heard they may be recruiting one more player. Fortunately, there don't appear to be any glaring needs for the next couple of years.

This was from an article in the Star Tribune on area college football games this weekend:

Solum is just a junior, so it's probably too early to draw any conclusions, but he'd have to be considerably faster than he was last spring to be a dI player. He was nowhere near Ryan Chappell in the 100 when the two ran against each other. At about 5'9", 175 pounds (give or take a few pounds), he'd have to be an absolute burner to be considered a true dI prospect. He may get there, but I don't think he is at this point. I'm sure UND will be interested in him, though. He's obviously a very productive back.

The Herald finally had an article on the Jossy Bergan commitment today.

The week of October 3, according the NCC release from yesterday.

UND is at number 2 behind GVSU in the coaches' poll: link.

6'0", and around 175 to 180. Pound for pound, he had to be one of the most durable running backs ever at any level of college football considering his frame and the huge number of carries he had week after week for most of four years. As a sophomore, junior and senior, it seemed like he averaged well over 30 carries per game, and I don't recall him ever missing a start due to injury.

If I remember correctly, Roebuck said on one of the last coaches' shows last spring that she was nearly 100% at that point, so barring some sort of aggravation or re-injury, she should be ready to go now.

None that I could tell. I don't recall seeing anybody leave the field in obvious pain anyway.

He was also one of the signers of the letter from a group of football letterwinners to Kupchella a year or two ago regarding the dI issue, the response to which ended up in the Fargo Forum.

Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I think the starting defense has only given up 10 points this year. Against CWU, they had a defensive td in the third quarter, and the two td's were in the last 8 minutes against the reserves. West Chester had a td in the second quarter, so that's 7. Winona State had a field goal in the first quarter, and their other field goal was after the starters had come out, so that's a total of 10 against the starters. And Westen Washington's only td came well after the starters had been removed. Also, 132 of Western Washington's 208 total yards yesterday came in their last three possessions, which again occurred vs. the reserves (many of whom were third-stringers).