SDSU at UND

[108498]

I call for a loss. I think the offense will have a slow second qurture which will force us to play cech up. I also call for a dead fan-base in the second half. change the second prediction and maybe they can pull out the win. I spoke with a student, and he said "students leave early because of how long games are. It is also almost tradition for the students now." Lets change that around this week.

[UND92,96]

I'm curious as to theories of how SDSU has managed to have more success as an FCS program than in dII?

[Oxbow6]

I'm not going out on a ledge or calling for a coach's head on a public forum if they don't go 11-0.

No one has said that...but at this stage for Muss another 6-5 season won't be palatable for most FB fans around here & co-champs of the GW banner doesn't go far anymore!!

[fightingsioux4life]

I'm sure that is the team's goal also and mine but I'm not going out on a ledge or calling for a coach's head on a public forum if they don't go 11-0.

Okay, first of all, nobody is talking about an undefeated season. You are the first poster to even bring it up, even in jest. Second of all, there are a good number of posters (I won't call anyone out, you know who you are) who are just fine and dandy with what our FB program is right now and that everything will just fix itself over time. What some of us find disturbing is not losing games (the road to winning is often paved with tough losses), it's how we've been losing them. We have been getting blown out by 40-50 points on the road against good teams far too often. Once something negative happens on the road (a turnover, a dropped pass, a penalty) the team gets discouraged and folds like a cheap piece of lawn furniture. That is the biggest thing that worries some of us. Losses like that are bad enough on the road. Getting blown out at home would be even worse. God help us if we have recruits in the stands watching.

Nobody is expecting a long playoff run. But I think people expect us to have a solid winning season with 7 games at home and no FBS money game. And if we don't accomplish that, I think Muss is definitely on the hot seat.

[UNDvince97-01]

Hopefully Jackson plays!

Barring an unforeseen incident or injury, he will play this week.

[bisoninnwmn]

Sumner is a very capable QB for SDSU. He had a thumb injury a lot of the season last year and supposedly it is 100% healed.

SDSU is very much like NDSU in that they run the ball and play very good defense. I think they were a top-10 defense last year.

Muss needs a win over a top team. 7 home games is huge, now UND needs to take advantage of that.

[geaux_sioux]

I'm curious as to theories of how SDSU has managed to have more success as an FCS program than in dII?

Timing. Had we moved up at the same time they wouldn't have had the pick of the litter with recruits along with NDSU. We were behind the 8 ball up until this last class with recruiting against them and ndsu. Now that we are starting to look more like a D1 program the cream of the crop recruits from common areas shared by the dakota schools will be dispersed between the 4 schools instead of those two taking them all. Basically we screwed the pooch on timing and its set us back at least 5 years and we're just now getting out of that.

[geaux_sioux]

SDSU is very much like NDSU in that they run the ball and play very good defense. I think they were a top-10 defense.

And the year before their defense sucked. Alot can improve in a year if a couple guys step up.

[UNDColorado]

And the year before their defense sucked. Alot can improve in a year if a couple guys step up.

Good point. After 2011 I would have never guessed that our D would have been so bad last year. A lot can happen in a year.

[petey23]

And how is that general scenario different than last season?

Unfortunately, it is the same. I went to the Valpo game and was hoping to see major changes in our defense.....I did not.

[bisoninnwmn]

And the year before their defense sucked. Alot can improve in a year if a couple guys step up.

They played a lot of young guys on defense. Players mature for sure.

[CMSioux]

Looking at the schedule I would also like to see a solid winning season and that is accomplishable even with an SDSU loss. I'm not trying to justify or prepare for a loss or defend medocrity - with the toughest schedule in the country there are going to be bumps along the way. What I think is idiotic is starting up a Fire Mussman thread after the first loss and feeding the thread the entire season. Not seeing how that helps the team or it's future.

[jodcon]

I didn't realize 4 of the next 5 games were against SDSU, Montana, Rodeo U, and EWU...holy crap that is brutal even at home.

If they could come out of that mess 4-2 they would be be in good shape for a playoff run, 3-3 would make it tougher but still possible.

This will be a big weekend to see where the defense is at.

[BigGame]

Fire the coach threads are some favorites of both UND hockey and football fans. I find them stupid because they can't do anything but be a negative for the sport and team and I am pretty sure they will not fire a coach based upon all of the experts hiding behind computers.

[geaux_sioux]

Unfortunately, it is the same. I went to the Valpo game and was hoping to see major changes in our defense.....I did not.

I recorded the game and watched it again. The defense hardly ever blitzed and played pretty conservative overall. I assume Kotelnicki being the smart dude he is was not willing to show his best cards for sdsu to have on film when he knew full well they didn't need it to win.

[jodcon]

I recorded the game and watched it again. The defense hardly ever blitzed and played pretty conservative overall. I assume Kotelnicki being the smart dude he is was not willing to show his best cards for sdsu to have on film when he knew full well they didn't need it to win.

I think you're spot on, no reason to show anything special on either side of the ball against that caliber opponent, play straight up and save everything past page 2 of the playbook for the real competition.

[UND92,96]

Timing. Had we moved up at the same time they wouldn't have had the pick of the litter with recruits along with NDSU. We were behind the 8 ball up until this last class with recruiting against them and ndsu. Now that we are starting to look more like a D1 program the cream of the crop recruits from common areas shared by the dakota schools will be dispersed between the 4 schools instead of those two taking them all. Basically we screwed the pooch on timing and its set us back at least 5 years and we're just now getting out of that.

I agree that timing is probably the biggest factor, along with continuity and competency of the head coach--which may explain why timing did not help UNC. Still, I can't help but think that being the only regional FCS program to still play outside is generally a recruiting disadvantage, especially for any recruits from outside of the immediate area. That is probably one of the reasons UND was able to win recruiting battles for kids like McGill and Sparks, even while not being playoff eligible at the time.

[108498]

I would rather play outdoors and watch games outdoor then indoors; however, it is nice when it gets cold.

[fightingsioux4life]

I would rather play outdoors and watch games outdoor then indoors; however, it is nice when it gets cold.

The problem with going back outside is that a bunch of people would dump their season tickets because they have become spoiled with having football indoors. I like the idea of outdoor football (heck, I wish the Vikings would go back to that!), but our society has come to accept and expect football to be played in indoor comfort. That ship has sailed.

[mg2009]

SDSU should be able to maintain their program. They have a solid lock on their states available fanbase and look to be in a pretty strong position there for the foreseeable future. USD easily came out the worst in realignment, including UNO. While UND will be able to put a dent in their MN and WI recruiting, I think SDSU will have a built in advantage with Nebraska, Iowa and KS. Their rise seemed to match the timing of UNO dropping FB pretty well.

[darell1976]

This game needs to be won not only to continue our quest for a playoff berth but to gain respect. Of course FU fans won't respect us not even if we were go perfect and win a NC, but gain respect in the FCS world. South Dakota got votes in the polls, UND got zero. UND is not a name in the FCS...YET, but a win against SDSU, a ranked team from the almighty MVFC, will gain a little respect. A Bison fan even posted on AGS that fans who picked UND over SDSU may be thinking UND is playing USD ( I know typical Bison fan), so lets show the FCS, Big Sky and those jokers at FU that UND is for real by beating the Jacks!!

[Herd]

Style of play will be the key to this game. If UND gets an early lead and the game turns into a wide open passing game, advantage UND. SDSU will likely be the more physical of the two teams, and their key is to win a batlle in the trench dictated by the running games. UND will challenge the SDSU secondary and could put up some early points to dictate play. SDSU will try to win the TOPoss battle, and wear down the UND defense.

Should be a good contest. Being at home will help UND. SDSU probably favored, but it will be a good contest. Passing efficiency and Turnovers will also be a key. I predict a 2/1 ratio ND/SDS with pass attempts. SDSU passing > 30 times equals a UND win.

[NewUNDAlum]

Anyone know the defensive strengths of SDSU? How do our receivers match up against their secondary and how does our oline match up against their dline?

[The Sicatoka]

SDSU will likely be the more physical of the two teams, and their key is to win a batlle in the trench dictated by the running games.

This is touching on something that I've wondered about: Of late, UND looks smaller than many opponents. Maybe it's the black uniforms. Maybe it's the Hardin factor. He's not big (neither is McGill). Maybe it's TV. But to my eyes UND's legs, and many of the players in general, are smaller than the opposition.

[JohnboyND7]

Anyone know the defensive strengths of SDSU? How do our receivers match up against their secondary and how does our oline match up against their dline?

Solid front 7 last year. Tough to compare two teams though when they don't play similar teams.