UND at Fresno State

[JohnboyND7]

Fresno State has too much speed and talented athletes for UND. However, UND will not be out-coached by Fresno. It is Fresno's first home game of the season so there should be a reasonable crowd.....after a long hot, boring summer Fresno fans are always anxious for the first home football game excuse to party. Those UND fans coming-out for the game I wish you a great time in Fresno. Fresno has a great variety of ethnic restaurants and the people are of mid-western culture and the the stereotypical Southern Cal glitz and yuppies or the Bay area liberals and eco-freak hippies.

In summary I don't see a snow-ball chance in hell UND defeating Fresno, but what the heck you never know? Ya'll losing to Idaho and by the amount you lost to Idaho (Idaho is a terrible, terrible D-1 team) makes me wonder if even the money is worth it.

From what the UND fans have been saying bro, is if one thing is certain, it is that Muss will get out-coached. Honestly though, he could coach a perfect game and I can't imagine it helping, Fresno will probably be looking to lash out on someone this week after that 4th quarter in Lincoln, can't imagine this being very pretty.

And yes guys, 1%! He is saying there's a chance!

[Fangdog]

From what the UND fans have been saying bro, is if one thing is certain, it is that Muss will get out-coached. Honestly though, he could coach a perfect game and I can't imagine it helping, Fresno will probably be looking to lash out on someone this week after that 4th quarter in Lincoln, can't imagine this being very pretty.

And yes guys, 1%! He is saying there's a chance!

LOL, Well I guess it gets down to who can be the most out-coached. So as I get it, the difference in this game will have nothing to do with the coaches but the team with the most talent. Fresno being located in the middle of 37-million population is going to get players who can walk and chew-gum at the same time by default if nothing else. This is one of those games you hope everyone has fun and a good experience. Either team sure doesn't want to waste an injury on this game.

I really have no idea what this game is supposed to prove other than I guess a team can make money at about anything when it comes to college football. One thing for sure, after Fresno gave #10 Nebraska something more than an after-game party to worry about and if UND were to upset ...it would make news somewhere. One thing to consider, I am sure this will be the first trip to California for a number of players. I would hope the UND players would get to visit Yosemite Park about 85-miles North of town.

In the interest of time and being able to visit Yosemite, I would suggest just playing half-a-game. The Fresno fans would be okay with it. It would just give them more time to party which all this game represents for most of them anyway. Whatever crowd shows-up most the fans will be leaving in the 3rd-quarter so either start early so the UND players can visit Yosemite or start later so the UND players can see Yosemite before the game.

[dmksioux]

LOL, Well I guess it gets down to who can be the most out-coached. So as I get it, the difference in this game will have nothing to do with the coaches but the team with the most talent. Fresno being located in the middle of 37-million population is going to get players who can walk and chew-gum at the same time by default if nothing else. This is one of those games you hope everyone has fun and a good experience. Either team sure doesn't want to waste an injury on this game.

I really have no idea what this game is supposed to prove other than I guess a team can make money at about anything when it comes to college football. One thing for sure, after Fresno gave #10 Nebraska something more than an after-game party to worry about and if UND were to upset ...it would make news somewhere. One thing to consider, I am sure this will be the first trip to California for a number of players. I would hope the UND players would get to visit Yosemite Park about 85-miles North of town.

In the interest of time and being able to visit Yosemite, I would suggest just playing half-a-game. The Fresno fans would be okay with it. It would just give them more time to party which all this game represents for most of them anyway. Whatever crowd shows-up most the fans will be leaving in the 3rd-quarter so either start early so the UND players can visit Yosemite or start later so the UND players can see Yosemite before the game.

Actually UND recruits quite a bit of talent out of Cali. Haven't checked the roster for numbers, but we do have a few Cali kids. UND is also in the same conference as Cal Poly (in San Luis Obispo) and UC-Davis so our team has been out there before and will continue to when we move to the Big Sky Conference next year.

[darell1976]

Actually UND recruits quite a bit of talent out of Cali. Haven't checked the roster for numbers, but we do have a few Cali kids. UND is also in the same conference as Cal Poly (in San Luis Obispo) and UC-Davis so our team has been out there before and will continue to when we move to the Big Sky Conference next year.

There are 10 players on the roster from Cali, 11 if you include Joey Bradley who played JUCO in Cali.

[Wilbur]

UND will not win this football game, however it would just be nice to see them get better in certain (hopefully all) facets of the game.

~Shore up the penalties...

~Shore up the secondary...

~Try some different things on offense in the passing game and play action.

~GIVE THE BALL TO GARMAN.....I can't believe they pulled his red shirt....they use him so little.....

I think this is a big game for the coaches too. Lets look like a DI coaching staff and make the adjustments as they come during the game.

I'll say Fresno 42....UND 14.

[Fangdog]

Actually UND recruits quite a bit of talent out of Cali. Haven't checked the roster for numbers, but we do have a few Cali kids. UND is also in the same conference as Cal Poly (in San Luis Obispo) and UC-Davis so our team has been out there before and will continue to when we move to the Big Sky Conference next year.

Excuse me for my ignorance. I knew absolutely nothing about UND and originally thought it was the other North Dakota team we were playing. One way UND may have a chance is if they can run enough to slow the game-down. I don't know, Fresno looked absolutely terrible against Cal, but looked good against Nebraska. Fresno usually plays-down to their competition so maybe UND can sneak-up on something. It would be great if it turns out to be a good game.

[JohnboyND7]

While the Sioux may not be anywhere near where I would like them to be (ranked among the top 25 of I-AA) that does not mean they're awful. Objectively speaking you would have to admit that they're somewhere in between "top 25" and "awful". North Dakota is an average middle of the pack caliber I-AA team at this point in time. If you want to see what awful teams look like, just check out NDSU's two most recent opponents.

I'd consider picking Lafayette against UND. Middle of the pack is currently being pretty nice to UND. Losing to Idaho over the last two seasons by a combined 70-something points is not what middle of the pack teams do. Hell, NDSU's 3-8 year I think it was they played kept it relatively respectable against Iowa St. UND should probably be middle of the road in a year or so, but right now they aren't. 16 points against Drake is not good enough.

[WYOBISONMAN]

While the Sioux may not be anywhere near where I would like them to be (ranked among the top 25 of I-AA) that does not mean they're awful. Objectively speaking you would have to admit that they're somewhere in between "top 25" and "awful". North Dakota is an average middle of the pack caliber I-AA team at this point in time. If you want to see what awful teams look like, just check out NDSU's two most recent opponents.

Oh yes Davey......and Drake was such a quality opponent. The Sioux fans all got a woody over that one. That is why your attendance was so massive for that game. LMAO!

[WYOBISONMAN]

Yes, because attendance is so much more important than the quality of the product on the field.

You can be such a tool.

So, you are claiming Drake is a quality opponent? And....you are claiming that UND has a better product on the field than NDSU? Such stupid statements as that even make UND fans shake their heads....LOL. Damn.....I am glad you are not a product of North Dakota Higher Education. It would be an insult to any ND school.......

I do think that it is tough to judge either team based on the competition faced so far. The patsies tell us very little. All need to see how the season develops and how the teams do in conference play.

[Herd]

During the first half of the Mason era the Gophers did have some success, more so than they had at any point in my lifetime. He started out as a successful Gopher football coach but by the end he had let things unravel to the point where there was a huge mess waiting for Brewster when he took over. That isn't to give Brewster a free pass as he was inept at cleaning up that mess, but it was under Mason's watch that the program went into a rapid decline immediately following the Marion Barber/Laurence Maroney era.

I do not agree that Mason's program was in rapid decline. In Mason's last year, he had a .500 record and went to a bowl. Mason was a decent and confident coach, who had a fairly stable coaching staff. Mason's main problem was that he was arrogant and preferred to recruit outside of MN, not making the effort on in-state talent. That said, he knew how to coach on Saturday, he new how to win and his team competed.

Contrast that with Brewster who was a terrible on-field coach, a terrible communicator with the media, and gave the opinion of someone that was completely delusional and fake. It took MN fans 4 years to figure it out, but he was the emperor with no clothes. His teams lacked preparation, confidence, effort, unity . . . basically everything required to be successful. The telling thing for me was when Brewster's assistant coach won games after Bewster was gone. Brewster's 1-11 team would have been .500 or better under Mason . . . easily.

[clh741]

In Mason's last year his team got outplayed by NDSU and was lucky to escape with a win. There is no excuse for that. The Barber/Maroney era Gophers would have destroyed the Bison by 50+ points, so yeah they had declined massively. That decline is what led to Mason's dismissal.

The Barber/Maroney era Gophers could barely walk away from a 4-7 Illinois State with a two score margin of victory. It's doubtful that they would destroy anyone by 50+ points.

[JohnboyND7]

In 2003 they beat Tulsa 49-10, Troy 48-7, LA-Lafayette 48-14, and Indiana 55-7. They could have named their score against NDSU that year, yet a mere three years later they were lucky to even beat them at all.

You are aware you are talking about probably the best Gophers teams of the past 50 years right? Thats like UND being happy with the fact that their team from '01 probably could have rocked the Sioux Falls team that beat them.

PS you just named 2 Sun Belt Teams, a conference USA team, and the worst team in the Big Ten......thats great that they beat those teams by that much.

Back to UND vs. Fresno.

[lakessioux]

My predictions have been spot on, so for you betting fans out there, Fresno State 88 Frothing Sue 11.

[darell1976]

My predictions have been spot on, so for you betting fans out there, Fresno State 88 Frothing Sue 11.

93-5 Idaho

95-6 Drake...yep spot on.

[bincitysioux]

No, I am not claiming that Drake is a quality opponent. I don't think they're quite as weak as Lafayette or St. Francis, but they are weak.

IMO, Drake is better than St. Francis, but Lafayette is better than Drake.......................

[forumcrew]

Yes, because attendance is so much more important than the quality of the product on the field.

You can be such a tool.

You are the most unobjective person on this board. Good football teams can put butts in the seats.

I say 50-0, Fresno cruises.

[WYOBISONMAN]

No, I am not claiming that Drake is a quality opponent. I don't think they're quite as weak as Lafayette or St. Francis, but they are weak. I don't know yet who has a better product on the field between UND and NDSU this year as we have not seen enough of either team vs. similar caliber competition. Last year NDSU was clearly better while UND was clearly better the year before, this year remains to be seen. If NDSU proves to be the better team this year I will have no problem admitting it, just as I admitted that they were better last year.

What I was claiming is that only an idiot would use attendance as a measure of who is the better team. The Chicago Cubs sell out every game while the Tampa Bay Devil Rays can hardly give tickets away, yet the D-Rays have clearly been a more successful team than the Cubs on the field in recent years. So take your snide remarks about attendance and stick them where the sun doesn't shine.

Hell Davey.......I agree with the first part of your quote. No need to be such a testy feller......

[WYOBISONMAN]

IMO, Drake is better than St. Francis, but Lafayette is better than Drake.......................

But.....if either UND or NDSU had a team that was the quality of any of those 3 we would all be bitching about our team. They are the warm ups.....and a warm up game or two has its place. But, they could come back and bite you if you are lacking in quality wins and that keeps you out of the playoffs.

[Bison Dan]

IMO, Drake is better than St. Francis, but Lafayette is better than Drake.......................

I would say you are about right in your assessment. UND needs to get it's O in gear - 1 offensive TD per game isn't going to do it.

[SooToo]

I would say you are about right in your assessment. UND needs to get it's O in gear - 1 offensive TD per game isn't going to do it.

Damn, Dan. Every day I read SiouxSports. And every day there are more and more posters from the AC. Right away I get my underwear in a bunch expecting more snide, smart-ass cheap shots that add nothing to the conversation. I'm rarely disappointed. Then you post a reasonable comment like this.

Cut it out. You're effin' with my preconceptions.

[The Sicatoka]

UND needs to get it's O in gear - 1 offensive TD per game isn't going to do it.

It would help two ways:

- more points

- more rest for a defense that seems to fade late

[The Sicatoka]

My predictions have been spot on, so for you betting fans out there, Fresno State 88 Frothing Sue 11.

Again with the eleventy-billion to two prediction?

[Let'sGoHawks!]

It would help two ways:

- more points

- more rest for a defense that seems to fade late

Bingo

[JohnboyND7]

No, I am not claiming that Drake is a quality opponent. I don't think they're quite as weak as Lafayette or St. Francis, but they are weak. I don't know yet who has a better product on the field between UND and NDSU this year as we have not seen enough of either team vs. similar caliber competition. Last year NDSU was clearly better while UND was clearly better the year before, this year remains to be seen. If NDSU proves to be the better team this year I will have no problem admitting it, just as I admitted that they were better last year.

What I was claiming is that only an idiot would use attendance as a measure of who is the better team. The Chicago Cubs sell out every game while the Tampa Bay Devil Rays can hardly give tickets away, yet the D-Rays have clearly been a more successful team than the Cubs on the field in recent years. So take your snide remarks about attendance and stick them where the sun doesn't shine.

Enough with the clearly better in '09 garbage. NDSU '09 was bad but a 6-5 UND who had losses to SFA by 35, Southern Utah by 25, Sioux Falls by 15 is not any better than struggling through the Missouri Valley. I'm not going to do the typical UND thing and claim moral victories but NDSU had 2 losses by 3 points and 2 by 4 points. Once you are playing a full slate of D1 teams for a change, maybe you will see that it is a bit harder to get wins on a down year than it was in D2. And this year does not remain to be seen, NDSU is flat-out better. You can try and say Drake is better than Lafayette all you want and it doesn't change the fact that they are more than likely pretty comparible. UND has 29 points in 2 games. NDSU has 98 points.

UND will struggle at Fresno, then get a few easier games or whats the deal

[Dagger]

I am not defending anything about UND but I think as the year goes on it will become quite evident that Drake was better than Lafayette ( and maybe a lot better). It doesn't really matter anyway but it is still too early to assess the strength of either team yet. Neither team has played the part of their schedule that will really tell how good either team is.