UND-FB-FAN

If I had to predict, I'd say SDSU wins just because I don't think the UND offensive and defensive lines are capable of playing at a high enough level. Of course, I hope UND surprises and I think they can because this is their first real test of the season. This game will be like the NAU game last year, where a big time back by the name of Bauman, who we will see again this season down in Flagstaff, came to the Alerus. Only thing, SDSUs defense is better than NAUs and UND now has a freshman QB. South Dakota State 38 North Dakota 24

From article in Grand Forks Herald: "I think we're on our way," Faison said of the football team. "We've seen significant progress. Obviously we're in a very competitive conference. But at the end of the day what gets you into the playoffs is wins." Lets see them W's! Starting this weekend with SDSU!

Could care less what the bison "faithful" think/thought, because Bohl had the team once ranked #1 before the 09 and 2010 season issues even started. He obviously had produced well before the spoiled Ag School fans got pissy during the '09 season. Lets wait and see this year on Mussman; no reason with the HOME schedule he's been given that this should be another blown season.

No way it's that lopsided. 2 TDs at the most. Now, if it is that lopsided, well, then....

I think to a certain degree acting like a confident leader makes a difference, but it certainly isn't everything. With that said, Mussman hasn't produced and his timid coaching style has led to losses vs. DII teams and blowouts vs good FCS teams. Not to mention that elephant in the room that is no FBS wins while NDSU has knocked off 4 in a row. Like I've said before though, lets get through these next 5 games and see then where he's at for this season.

The problem is he hasn't got the job done. I'm not saying he won't eventually get it done, but how long do we wait? 10 years? 15 years? He hasn't delivered yet. It's fine if supporters are optimistic for this season, as am I, but don't commend the man for doing nothing so far. He's obviously on a different level (in a bad way) compared to Bohl. Now, hopefully this season is the year Mussman takes a big jump as a leader/coach by getting us into the playoffs and it starts this weekend vs. South Dakota State.

Couldn't agree more. If we make the playoffs this season, it will be despite of Mussman.

IF we win the next 4 home games along with the 1 road game (everyone keeps overlooking Idaho State in Pocatello), then we definitely will be ranked in the top 10 because we would be undefeated and 2 current top 5 teams (MSU and EWU) will have a loss. Unfortunately, I don't think there is anyway we can go 6-0 to start this season. I'm just hoping for a 4-2 start - that's my best case scenario. Now, until we see this team play against real competition like what will happen this weekend vs. SDSU, there is no way to know if UND is really capable of going 6-0 or 4-2 in the first 6. Based on last season, it would seem that 2-4 is the most probable start. This weekend's game will be a great measuring stick!!

Unfortunately, Fargo with 19,000 is easily just as loud as the Alerus with 10,000. Noise will help, but ultimately UND has to just come out and play a good football game to win this one.

This thread is labeled "congrats to NDSU" for a reason; give credit where credit is due. Now lets move on and look forward to our awesome matchup vs. South Dakota State this weekend. Gonna be a good one and I'm looking for UND to come out on top!

WIN. Playoffs or bust this season. That simple.

Apparently QB Johnson is going to make a huge difference this season. And their defense must be quite improved also. Looks like Montana is back to their old self, which isn't good for UND.

Winning the Big Sky is going to be one heck of a feat this season. Montana State is darn good like we already knew, but Montana is evidently back as their victory over Appalachian State proved and Eastern Washington downed a ranked FBS team to prove they're no joke either. It's very possible UND could be 2-4 going into week 8 of the season (Week 4 of the Big Sky conference schedule). Hope Mussman and Co. prove me wrong!

If UND wins: 1) Offense has big day through the air connecting to Hardin, Golladay, Jackson and company, and forces SDSU to play catch-up 2) Defense contains Zenner and forces SDSU to throw If SDSU wins: 1) Zenner goes off for another big game on the ground 2) UND's young QBs struggle with turnovers and the UND running game can't get going Those are the simple keys to the game in my opinion: UND's passing game and SDSU's running game

Congratulations to NDSU and their football team - they have a darn good one. Not only are the players talented, but they are also extremely well coached, which I find to be the most impressive component of their team. As far as FCS football goes in the Dakotas, NDSU has set the bar very high. If UND football wants to make progress and start climbing the stairs so to speak, they could help out their fan base with a win against South Dakota State this weekend. No more moral victories along with stagnant seasons; time to produce! Since moving up to DI, UND football has yet to have a season or a signature victory that truthfully can make their supporters/alumni proud. I find that to be quite concerning, but I'm hopeful this is the season we break through.

Well, nothing but respect for NDSU's program and coach Bohl. As a realist, a football fan, and a lifelong native of North Dakota, what NDSU just did and has recently done is quite spectacular.

Intro was spot on. Crowd was really into it when the team hit the field. No complaints here. Now just need to have a good turnout and a lot of volume DURING the game next week vs. the bunny rabbits.

Thoughts on game: 1) I thought Bartels looked better than Mollberg. Of course, Bartels played longer with the first team offense. Bartels should be the starter going into the South Dakota St. game and if he plays well, I think he should be named the starter for the rest of the season. 2) Running game looked okay against inferior competition but I just can't get over how small and light-weight Miller and Garmin are. Just like I thought last year, I think Sparks and Shaugabay should play a lot more. 3) Defense still needs to improve against the run. Too many long runs right up the middle tonight. Right now, I'd predict Zenner goes off for well over 150 yds next weekend. 4) Special teams looked very weak. On the one long snap for a punt, it was low and bobbled. And Garmin produced the only turnover of the game with an all to characteristic muff on a punt return. Golladay or someone else needs to be a punt returner full time and Larson needs work on his snaps. Even ol' reliable Zeb Miller missed a field goal. In a more positive note, Hardin and Golladay were awesome returning kicks and punts, respectively. Next weekend, with the hopeful return of Jameer Jackson, I feel our only chance to pull out the upset vs. SDSU is to pass all over their defense and "contain" their running game. Tonight didn't prove to me we can consistently stop the run and run the ball on offense. Bartels did look good though. I'm still hopeful though that we can get a big win on Sept. 7th.

Update: Jackson wasn't running routes with the team in the Alerus so it looks like he won't be playing tonight. Hope he's still on the team...

They won't have the homecoming game against Eastern Washington in HD either because hockey is at home against Vermont. That's cute I guess...

Umm, yeah, builds excitement in the building for both the fans and the players. If the fans get excited then the players get excited also. Last year's entrance video barely got the fans off their feet. It was just too quiet and the song (Back in Black) didn't fit as a "build-up" song.

I certainly agree. NDSU is a "football university" whereas UND is a "hockey university"; there's really no way around that. Now, with that said, I am a bigger football fan than hockey fan and I most certainly would love to see UND just win a single FCS national championship in the next decade. Unfortunately, I will have to see it to believe it. UND has been nothing but mediocrity ever since they moved up to DI; NDSU showed signs of dominance early on in their transition. In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure what the exact reason for that is. Perhaps NDSU's Bohl is that great of a coach, or maybe the emphasis on football down there makes the difference, I don't know. But one thing is certain, NDSU has their sh*t together and UND is working on doing that. I'm a realist and for that reason I'll be the first one, even as a die-hard UND fan/alumni, to admit that. Now, getting to this season, given the 2013 schedule with those 7 home games, it should be playoffs or bust for the UND football team. I don't care if we have a redshirt freshman QB, we have quite possibly the best receiving corps in all of FCS football and 7 home games!! All we need to do it go 2-2 against SDSU, Montana, Montana State, and Eastern Washington - if we do that, we're in the driver seat. If we go 1-3, I'll be one of the first people on here to voice my displeasure. A short while back, possibly last spring, Faison even voiced his opinion in that we, as fans and supporters, should be seeing results this season given the schedule the athletic department came up with for the football team. If we go 2-2 against SDSU, Montana, Montana State, and EWU, we would be 4-2 with presumed wins against Valpo and Idaho St.; furthermore, we would be allowed to lose only one or two more games to still have a shot at the playoffs. Bottom line: I expect 7-4 or 8-3 this season along with playoffs. If those two wins during the "grind stretch" are against MSU and EWU, we have a chance to win the Big Sky due to the fact Montana is a non-conference game. Now, as you can see, there are so many scenarios here but they all end up the same: get into the playoffs! I'm tired of mediocrity and Mussman and crew should be looking to change that. I'll refrain from mentioning the word "remove" or "fire" or "relived of duties" until after we've played Eastern Washington - I, as well as everyone else, will have a very good idea where this season is going at that time. GO UND Hopeful 2013 FCS Playoff Participant

Just need a song that builds excitement in the building, not only for the fans but also the players. It shouldn't be that hard to come up with. By this time, the intro video is likely already revised and solidly in place for tomorrow nights game; I just hope they fixed what they needed to and got it right. Personally, I think Enter Sandman or Boom would nicely. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J_P7o10EBk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqWZqQXk_Ao

Valpo is good for the schedule because they are a lower-tier team that will allow UND to ease into the major grind that is this season's schedule. Four of the next five games are against ranked teams, so playing a non-scholarship FCS team will allow the young players to get into a rhythm and see how game day goes while also working out the kinks on the overall units (offense, defense, special teams). Not to mention, Valpo is still an FCS team and not a pitiful D2 team like we have scheduled in the past, so a win against Valpo still counts towards the FCS playoffs. I believe a single lower-tier FCS team to start the year is perfectly fine for the aforementioned reasons, especially this year considering the strength of our schedule after the Valpo game (SDSU, Montana, Montana State, Eastern Washington, NAU, and Sacramento State are darn good teams).

Both QBs will see considerable playing time. Whoever plays the best, should be named the starter for the rest of the season. If the SDSU game is set-up as a QB audition and both are rotating, neither player will get into a rhythm and SDSU will win handily. Also, it's important either Bartels or Mollberg plays the majority/all of the SDSU and Montana games so that they are best prepared for the conference schedule. So, nobody should be alarmed when both QBs play a ton in this game vs. Valpo, but if Mollberg and Bartels are still splitting time against SDSU, UND will lose.