UND-FB-FAN

After watching yesterday's ISU-NDSU game, there is no question NDSU should again be the favorite to win the FCS National Championship. Their administration does what it takes, but ultimately they've just kept on recruiting the right players and developing them. Of course, they again have a large senior class that would be considered one of Bohl's classes. Be interesting to see what Klieman actually comes up with in a few years. In terms of UND, they just need to improve each and every game. There's no reason UND shouldn't be a top FCS school, other than the administration being obsessed with hockey and not wanting to better emphasize football. If UND is on track, which I'd like to think they are, then Bubba should have them a winning season within a couple years (2015 or 2016). Otherwise, UND's program is officially garbage under the Faison administration. I'm sorry, but under Faison and the DI era, I think every UND football supporter has has their patience yanked at in some way, shape, or form.

Saturday's Big Sky scores (NO FBS WINS) ______________________________________ Nevada 28 - Southern Utah 19 Wyoming 17 - Montana 12 Oregon State 29 - Portland State 14 Stanford 45 - UC Davis 0 Arkansas State 37 - Montana State 10 San Diego State 38 - Northern Arizona 7 Sacramento State 49 - Incarnate Word 13 ---------> FWIW, NDSU will end up crushing Incarnate Word Eastern Washington 41 - Montana Western 9

Agreed. UND's athletic administration needs to show that they're even serious about winning at the FCS level, first. Even if everything goes according to plan, it will take two to three years before UND is competing for a conference championship.

Opponents don't draw crowds, at least not in Grand Forks. A culture of winning and being in contention, on the other hand, does.

Last year's Montana game was a home and home non-conference agreement for the years 2010 and 2013. 2012 and 2014 are conference games that were scheduled as UND home conference games by the Big Sky Conference.

Attrition due to graduation affects every college football team, even almighty NDSU.

Umm, if you're referring to NDSU, that's not true. NDSU has a ton of seniors in the starting lineup.

Not now SDSU 18 Mizzou 21 3rd qtr South Dakota State is playing real well... Edit: now 28 -18

Iowa State 14 NDSU 7 2nd qtr

I didn't think so. Technically our offensive line is bigger than San Jose State's offensive line.

Both sides of ball are important in terms of the lines. If Bubba can keep adding up quality offensive and defensive linemen, the team will improve year after year. Remember, Francis is a young offensive lineman in the program and we get another year with LG Brandon Anderson and RT Sean Meehan; they will improve over the course of the season with footwork and leverage. That will increase the physicality of the oline. Same goes for defensive line with young players like Dranka, Greeley, Harris Carrothers and Hinojosa. This team is young; slow but sure improvement will happen.

Although UND definitely was blown out, I like the way the team looked under Bubba in terms of the attitude and philosophy. I love the physical ground and pound approach on offense and the aggressive mindset on defense. By the end of the season, those "almost" interceptions and "almost" big runs will actually happen, and the team will be much improved … I hope.

Going 6-6 is still definitely a possibility, especially with so many young players that may improve exponentially after only a few games. With that said, going 3-9 or 4-8 is a real possibility too. Hopefully, like you mentioned, the team keeps improving, because the whole squad will basically be back in 2015.

After last night's game, I'm in no position to jump to any conclusions with this game, but I'd like to think this game is just what Bubba and crew need. After San Jose State ran UND down pretty good, its time to get back to "home sweet home" and have some success.

No, the offense looked great; exactly what it needs to be like. Yes, the production needs to be much better, but the type of offense is perfect. Ground and Pound with some play-action

Yeah, well, I was wrong. Nothing else to say about that. Guess my optimism/homerism overtook my ability to be realistic.

Thank you for the kind words. I wish you guys the best of luck moving forward. No one exactly knew the kind of squad UND would have, and well, this team is going to have to improve slowly but surely for a ways. Nevertheless, you guys have a chance to be good this year; good luck!

Can't bullsh*t out of this one; the game hasn't been good. Gonna be a rough year I think and Bubba has work to do...

Well, here's to a SLOW but sure progression to the top. This game is worse than I expected, I admit. May be a bad year this year. At least 2015 will be better, for sure.

Utah 21 Idaho State 7 2nd qtr

In 2011, after losing to Idaho 44-14, no one gave UND a chance against Fresno State. In 2012, not many had UND playing San Diego State close. Point is, UND can play with Mountain West teams. Tonight's game will be close.

Idaho State tied with Utah in the 1st, 7-7

Nice! Go Sioux!

I don't agree that this year is lost, though. Yes, UND will improve from 2014 to 2015, but what's the starting point going to actually be here in 2014? Some college football programs are unable to change "overnight"; that is, it takes a few years to acquire the necessary talent to change the program around in terms of success. However, there are many coaches across the country that can immediately change a team's outlook by changing both discipline and philosophy in the short-term. Last season, in the FBS, the most specific example that comes to mind is Auburn. In 2011, Eastern Illinois (FCS - Ohio Valley Conference) went 2-9; in 2012, after hiring Dino Barbers, Eastern Illinois went 7-5. The point is, substantial turnarounds can occur via coaching changes due to a change in philosophy and discipline. How do you know it will take more than an attitude change to change this team? UND has talent, whether you want to believe it or not. QB Joe Mollberg, RB Cedric Simmons, WR RJ McGill, TE Zach Adler, LG Brandon Anderson, NG Jordan Hinojosa, LB Will Ratelle, LB Marcus Jenkins-Moore, CB Alex Tillman, S Cole Reyes, etc. etc. etc. The only question mark is whether or not the youth can play big time football right away or not. Also, the degree of discipline that Bubba has tried to instill. If UND commits less turnovers and penalties than they did last year, they will instantly be a better team - that is the kind of thing that Bubba and his staff can do to make an immediate impact. It's not like UND was playing perfect football (no turnovers, no penalties) last season and still got blown out; in actuality, UND was shooting themselves in the foot in 2013.

Check with some sports bars; if the bar is willing, they can stream the game from a computer onto TVs. I'm sure at least one bar in GF will be doing this....