Gameday: UND vs NAU 1pm

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

2 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Valid point....no it wasn't.

It took many years for the Bizon to have a playoff game in the Fargo Dome after they started playing in the Dome in 1993.

UND moved into the Alerius Center in 2001 and that year started with home playoff games.

Bizon are on a roll now, but they could slip this year.

We are rebuilding are fan base and look forward to bigger crowds next year.

If Bubba keeps improving this team, soon there'll be posts on here how the Alerius isn't big enough.

[Cratter]

3 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

We just had a game that got people talking. My mom went to the hockey game after and commented today about how much of a let down it was after the football game was so crazy. I think more experiences like this will help us get the next 2000/ game. Hopefully for the playoffs if we get a home game. 

It really was quite a difference. Football was constant yelling standing and cheering, especially in the last half.

In hockey there was only two reasons to stand the entire game. It is a great atmosphere...for chatting with my neighbor.

[Wilbur]

First game at Alerus in years for me.  Have to figure out how to get students back involved.  The section used to be the difference against teams like NDSU and Northern Alabama.  

Last time UND played the Bison in GF the Bizen were cocky coming in and you could tell by the way their fans walked in and the tailgating.  During the pregame the NDSU faithful started a "Let's go Bison" chant.  I saw a ton of our players look around and they were kind of surprised at how many Bison fans were there.  Within ten seconds the UND student section started a perfectly timed and splendid "FUC& THE BISON" chant that echoed throughout the Al and shut up all the SU rubes.  Best part was a few players on our side got smiles on their faces and knew who was there for them all day.  

No, I don't have the answer, but we need the student section back to full strength. 

[Sioux95]

4 hours ago, Rock Chalk Fighting Hawk said:

One thing I think the Alerus can do to make the game experience  better for the fans is to show more replays on the big screen. Including replays from plays that are being reviewed. A lot of people around me were frustrated that they couldn't see what the refs were reviewing.

Agree.  Yesterday I thought to myself more than once that if I had stayed home, st least I could be watching some replays.  I think they used to show replays of every play a few years ago.  Maybe they don't want the opponent's coaches to be able to study what we did on a good play?

[Cratter]

Really, we need to complain about the one or three replays that would have been nice to see.

The basketball teams haven't even played a full season in UNDs entire history having any replays available. The football team had it for 15 years and have some of the nicest HD displays around. There will always be some missed replays. Comes with the territory.

[LeaveNoDoubt]

Having had to watch the game at home on the BigSky app I will say that the crew at the Alerus that puts on the tv part of it is by far the best I've seen all year compared to other away games I've watched. The camera work was great, the commentators were great and you got to see a lot of replays. Makes it hurt a little less not being able to be in the Alerus

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Just stopped in to say I went to 2 games this year... South Dakota and NAU.

Sitting there in the 3rd quarter on Saturday down 31-10 I was just thinking "There's no way Bubba can pull this off again, right?"

This team is never out of a game and pulled off a fantastic finish to this season! Congrats Bubba and the team!

Now I'm getting greedy and want to take down the Bison in the playoffs

[Siouxperfan7]

Wow!!  What a game!!  Still recovering from it!  Woke up Sunday morning and could barely talk!  Totally worth it.  Can't say enough about Bubba and this team.  They sure have grit.  Studs showed why is is a leader on this team.  How could you not want to go out and play hard after seeing what he was doing on Saturday by coming back again and again after being dragged off the field.  This team is definitely special.  Got to feel great for the Seniors to go from where they started 4 years ago to where they are now.  One of the best games I have attended at the Alerus!  Gotta give it up to Bubba for building this team into the team he knew could succeed in this conference and the players for sticking with it.  Big SKy Champs!!  Man, it feels good to say that!!

[siouxfan512]

I'll admit that there was a point on Saturday where I had lost hope. I figured the game was over, and even with a playoff spot in our future, what were our chances with our team playing like that, and Keaton struggling and being so beat up. Wow, what a game! Even though I figured it was over, I found myself trying to map it out, as though if we hurried up and got 1 TD, there was still time to try to get a few more to tie it up. Seemed pretty far fetched.

Studrud is tougher than nails. Very impressed with that kid and his determination to not only stay in the game, but also make an impact and make the difference with his arm.

Mercer picked the right time to step up and create some chemistry with Keaton. This could be HUGE going into the playoffs.

Big teams make big plays, and none were bigger than the Deion Harris pick 6. Almost exactly like the one he had against USD, and you could see it coming from a mile away. As soon as the QB looked that way, Harris stopped back pedaling and moved up to jump the route. The interception factor has been absolutely unreal, and so much fun to watch this year. Credit to the player, and credit to Stepps. He has done a tremendous job.

I'm a little wary about having such a long break now, going into the playoffs; but the truth is, there probably isn't another team that needs it more. These guys need to heal up. And I'll trust the coaches to keep the kids prepared so they don't get too rusty. It will be really nice if we can go into our game at the AL with a healthy QB and a healthy O-line. Get Taj back on the field and so on. Holidays are coming up, but these kids need to stay focused, and stay out of trouble.

Can't wait, and so excited for what is left for this team.

[UNDColorado]

3 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

I'll admit that there was a point on Saturday where I had lost hope. I figured the game was over, and even with a playoff spot in our future, what were our chances with our team playing like that, and Keaton struggling and being so beat up. Wow, what a game! Even though I figured it was over, I found myself trying to map it out, as though if we hurried up and got 1 TD, there was still time to try to get a few more to tie it up. Seemed pretty far fetched.

Studrud is tougher than nails. Very impressed with that kid and his determination to not only stay in the game, but also make an impact and make the difference with his arm.

Mercer picked the right time to step up and create some chemistry with Keaton. This could be HUGE going into the playoffs.

Big teams make big plays, and none were bigger than the Deion Harris pick 6. Almost exactly like the one he had against USD, and you could see it coming from a mile away. As soon as the QB looked that way, Harris stopped back pedaling and moved up to jump the route. The interception factor has been absolutely unreal, and so much fun to watch this year. Credit to the player, and credit to Stepps. He has done a tremendous job.

I'm a little wary about having such a long break now, going into the playoffs; but the truth is, there probably isn't another team that needs it more. These guys need to heal up. And I'll trust the coaches to keep the kids prepared so they don't get too rusty. It will be really nice if we can go into our game at the AL with a healthy QB and a healthy O-line. Get Taj back on the field and so on. Holidays are coming up, but these kids need to stay focused, and stay out of trouble.

Can't wait, and so excited for what is left for this team.

Great thoughts, I would only add that getting Stanley back will also be huge. He catches almost everything thrown his way but almost more importantly he is a heck of a run blocker. 

[siouxfan512]

Just now, UNDColorado said:

Great thoughts, I would only add that getting Stanley back will also be huge. He catches almost everything thrown his way but almost more importantly he is a heck of a run blocker. 

absolutely! I knew I was forgetting someone. Stanley has stepped up nicely this season.

[Dustin]

I know how this is gonna make me look now that the game is over and won, but because I was at the game, not paying attention to TV or radio announcers (or even looking at this site), I never had the doubt that would have normally kicked in had those outside sources been a factor.  I didn't necessarily think UND would come back to win, but I figured they could still make it interesting.  When we finally made it to 31-17, I told my friend next to me, "if they offense can get one more, I think the defense has a score in them today."  Well, the offense actually got two more, and then the defense got theirs to win the game.

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

Congratulations to the Fighting Hawks! They are probably the best team in the country in the 2nd half? That was a championship run come back. Bizon are starting to get worried, they know we will be in their path.

[geaux_sioux]

FWIW I told my wife the d would give up a max of 9 points in the second half. Glad they made it look like it was more than  a coping mechanism.

[77iceman]

1 hour ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

Congratulations to the Fighting Hawks! They are probably the best team in the country in the 2nd half? That was a championship run come back. Bizon are starting to get worried, they know we will be in their path.

I doubt they are worried.

What a great season, though!  Some very entertaining games, for sure.

[fightingsioux4life]

3 minutes ago, 77iceman said:

I doubt they are worried.

Then why the obsession with us from their fans, to their media and so on?

They shouldn't care what we are doing, but they obviously do.

[UND92]

17 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

Dome wasn't filled in a day.

FArgo metro population is 230,000+  GF/EGF = 70,000+  NDSU football very successful last 5 years  UND not so much.  Anyone who ever thinks UND will rival SU in attendance, it will never happen.  GF just doesn't have the population.  Will slowly increase if UND football continues to improve and WIN but will never draw as Su does.

 

[MoSiouxFan]

16 hours ago, shep said:

Or the NAU fumble in the 3rd quarter that was called an incomplete forward pass. I did not see anything but a fumble on that one.

Would love to see a replay of that play.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but, to the naked eye, it was one of the worst calls that I've ever seen.

[siouxfan512]

4 minutes ago, UND92 said:

FArgo metro population is 230,000+  GF/EGF = 70,000+  NDSU football very successful last 5 years  UND not so much.  Anyone who ever thinks UND will rival SU in attendance, it will never happen.  GF just doesn't have the population.  Will slowly increase if UND football continues to improve and WIN but will never draw as Su does.

 

Agreed, UND will continue to improve, but will never have the attendance that SU has, no more than we will ever have the attendance that the Griz have. Just need to focus on continuing to improve attendance and game day experiences within the AL, and not focus too much on keeping up with NDSU in that way.

If we could get 11-12k in there consistently, and even a few more for Big games, I'd be thrilled. Not sure what the limits are with standing room, but if it ever came down to it, I would think they could add some sort of risers in the catwalk to create additional standing room.

Again, this doesn't turn around overnight. We've made huge strides this year. Undefeated in conference and winning the big sky will certainly make some noise, and should increase season ticket ownership next fall. Making some noise in the playoffs would be the next step. Assuming we pick up a seed, we should avoid the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, some fans will be out of town for the UND/BC game, but we should still be able to put together a nice showing in a playoff game.

 

[fightingsioux4life]

15 minutes ago, UND92 said:

FArgo metro population is 230,000+  GF/EGF = 70,000+  NDSU football very successful last 5 years  UND not so much.  Anyone who ever thinks UND will rival SU in attendance, it will never happen.  GF just doesn't have the population.  Will slowly increase if UND football continues to improve and WIN but will never draw as Su does.

This was the same song and dance I heard when REA was being built. We will never, EVER fill a 12,000 seat arena. E-V-E-R. Well, how did that work out?

We need to stop thinking small and start thinking big. There are several Slummit League schools in large metro areas that are virtually invisible in their own communities; metro area size is not the end all and be all of attendance. Think small and that is what you will be. Think big and you will meet and even exceed your goals. We need a second revenue-generating sport on campus and FB has the most potential upside of all the non-hockey programs.

[77iceman]

9 minutes ago, MoSiouxFan said:

Would love to see a replay of that play.  Perhaps I'm wrong, but, to the naked eye, it was one of the worst calls that I've ever seen.

The qb pitched the ball forward to the guy in motion . . . a forward pitch is considered a pass.  So technically he "dropped a pass".  From where I was I really didn't see every angle and detail, so unless #10 grabbed the ball out of the air (as in and interception), that ball is dead.

i know.  bummer, right.

 

 

[Dustin]

The difference between Fargo, Missoula, and Bozeman, is that football is their cash cow sport, whereas Grand Forks has hockey.  And it has hockey 2 nights on a weekend.  And a season that lasts 5 months.  That's a lot of games.  If Grand Forks didn't have 11-12k going to every hockey game (over 200,000 people for a full season), there would be 11k at football games.  So you say, "can't people do both?"  Sure, they CAN.  But that's a pretty big commitment.

[Dagger]

Remember Fargo doesn't have hockey.  We have 12,000 fans that sink a lot of their money into hockey  every game.  You just have to be realistic about how many fans we can regularly put into the football games.  We definitely can build our fan base for football but it is only going to grow in relation to the size community we have.  There is only so many fans and businesses to go around.  What a great time be a UND sports fan though.  If NDSU had another sport on campus that was regularly putting 12,000 fans in the seats their football ticket sales might be affected too.  Go UND.

[Hambone]

5 minutes ago, 77iceman said:

The qb pitched the ball forward to the guy in motion . . . a forward pitch is considered a pass.  So technically he "dropped a pass".  From where I was I really didn't see every angle and detail, so unless #10 grabbed the ball out of the air (as in and interception), that ball is dead.

i know.  bummer, right.

 

 

They did actually show a replay right away on the big screen for this play (as they wanted to replay the fumble recovery), and he definitely pitched it forward.  To the naked eye it did look like it was a bungled hand off, but it was the right call.

[Westside]

SFI just posted a replay of the play...