North Dakota State vs Richmond

[JohnStOnge]

But BTW hopefully Bison fans are hoping the Bison are thinking about Richmond right now because Richmond looked extremely good in its first two playoff games. If I'm a North Dakota State fan I'm thinking I've got a tougher opponent in the semifinal than I'm going to have if i get to the championship game and the team had better focus on the Spiders.

[YoUDeeMan]

We don't have any data on Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State but we do on Sam Houston State vs. North Dakota State.

In 2011 Sam Houston State averaged 39 points per game going into their championship match up with North Dakota State. They got 6 against the Bison.

In 2012 Sam Houston State averaged 42 points per game going into their championship match up with North Dakota State. They got 13 against the Bison.

In 2014 Sam Houston State averaged 44 points per game going into their semifinal against North Dakota State. They got 3 against the Bison.

In three playoff games against the Bison Sam Houston State has managed a total of 22 points.

I know Sam Houston State has had two different coaches during that time. But the fact is that their high flying offense has been totally punked each time it's played North Dakota State in the playoffs. It's going to be the same scheme. It's still going to be really good players on defense.

I could understand expecting it to be different if North Dakota State had fallen off the charts this year in terms of having a top FCS defense. But they haven't. Maybe not QUITE as dominant on defense as in years past. But still very dominant on that side of the ball.

Meanwhile, when they're on offense, the Bison would be playing a defense that's currently rated 78th among 123 FCS teams in rushing defense. Do you think North Dakota State would like playing a game against a team that's below average in terms of rushing defense? Gee. I wonder. And BTW Sam Houston State is rated 72nd in total defense.

At least Jacksonville State is also rated fairly highly on defense. That's got an asterisk by it because most of their games were in the OVC. But at least they are rated 16th in FCS run defense and 11th in total defense.

The difference between those other teams and the 2015/2016 SHSU team is that this team is balanced. Anytime you face a predominantly run team, or a predominantly passing team, they can be shut down.

As far as last year's game went, it was 7-3 at half...and SHSU should have had at least 14 more points if Johnson could throw the ball because their WR's were WIDE open behind the NDSU defenders. Johnson simply can't throw an accurate long ball...as NDSU figured out. That is a totally different game if SHSU goes into the locker room up by 10 points.

This year, JSU or SHSU doesn't have to face NDSU in the dome. They should both score on NDSU's D...and if it is good weather, goodbye NDSU.

[TheHerd]

We don't have any data on Jacksonville State vs. North Dakota State but we do on Sam Houston State vs. North Dakota State.

In 2011 Sam Houston State averaged 39 points per game going into their championship match up with North Dakota State. They got 6 against the Bison.

In 2012 Sam Houston State averaged 42 points per game going into their championship match up with North Dakota State. They got 13 against the Bison.

In 2014 Sam Houston State averaged 44 points per game going into their semifinal against North Dakota State. They got 3 against the Bison.

In three playoff games against the Bison Sam Houston State has managed a total of 22 points.

I know Sam Houston State has had two different coaches during that time. But the fact is that their high flying offense has been totally punked each time it's played North Dakota State in the playoffs. It's going to be the same scheme. It's still going to be really good players on defense.

I could understand expecting it to be different if North Dakota State had fallen off the charts this year in terms of having a top FCS defense. But they haven't. Maybe not QUITE as dominant on defense as in years past. But still very dominant on that side of the ball.

Meanwhile, when they're on offense, the Bison would be playing a defense that's currently rated 78th among 123 FCS teams in rushing defense. Do you think North Dakota State would like playing a game against a team that's below average in terms of rushing defense? Gee. I wonder. And BTW Sam Houston State is rated 72nd in total defense.

At least Jacksonville State is also rated fairly highly on defense. That's got an asterisk by it because most of their games were in the OVC. But at least they are rated 16th in FCS run defense and 11th in total defense.

The difference between those other teams and the 2015/2016 SHSU team is that this team is balanced. Anytime you face a predominantly run team, or a predominantly passing team, they can be shut down.

As far as last year's game went, it was 7-3 at half...and SHSU should have had at least 14 more points if Johnson could throw the ball because their WR's were WIDE open behind the NDSU defenders. Johnson simply can't throw an accurate long ball...as NDSU figured out. That is a totally different game if SHSU goes into the locker room up by 10 points.

This year, JSU or SHSU doesn't have to face NDSU in the dome. They should both score on NDSU's D...and if it is good weather, goodbye NDSU.

If NDSU were to play SHSU, how balanced on offense they are is not gonna matter, because NDSU would have the ball for 37-40 minutes of the game! This means your super high powered balanced offense is sitting on the sidelines......can't score from there! JSU I have not looked at there D stats, but do know whatever they are, you'll have to factor in that most of the competition was OVC. I am way more worried about the Spiders than I would be the Bearkats....gonna be a tough game tomorrow. Now if we are fortunate enough to get by the Spiders I sure hope we get to play JSU, as I think it would be a much more competitive game.

[JohnStOnge]

The difference between those other teams and the 2015/2016 SHSU team is that this team is balanced. Anytime you face a predominantly run team, or a predominantly passing team, they can be shut down.

I will concede that they are much more effective throwing the ball with Briscoe at quarterback and they seem to have figured out that he gives them the best chance to win. Frankly, I think that if they didn't have Briscoe and would've played McNeese with Johnson again we wouldn't be talking about Sam Houston State being in the semifinals and it wouldn't have come down to McNeese screwing up with penalties after getting into a first and goal at the one late in the game..

However, I don't see a lot of difference in how balanced they have been between running and passing this year and how balanced they were last year. Last year they averaged 242 yards per game rushing and 205 yards per game passing. This year to date it's 264 per game rushing and 287 per game passing.

Better on both counts this year. But I really don't think it's that different. For instance: When they played Villanova in the quarterfinals last year they couldn't run the ball all that well and finished with 303 yards passing and 151 yards rushing.

Also I think they played more really good defenses last year as they played LSU instead of Texas Tech in their FBS game and Colorado State Pueblo, which finished #1 in D-II total defense last year, and played Texas A&M Commerce, which finished 113th in D-II total defense this year.

In my opinion they need to be able to have the threat to run the ball in order for their passing game to work. That's what it is. They run the ball, run the ball, run the ball, then play action. They are not like a drop back passing team. If they can't threaten a team with their running game it seriously compromises their passing game.

If they play somebody like North Dakota State and North Dakota State is able to snuff their running game without having to get out of its comfort zone Sam Houston State is screwed. And I think that's what would happen.

[StonewallD]

NDSU defeats Richmond 49 to 17.

[Grizalltheway]

NDSU defeats Richmond 49 to 17.

Unless your defense is just god awful, no way do they put up 49.

[StonewallD]

They put up 35 against Montana in the first game. With the crowd behind them noway NDSU loses.

[Mvemjsunpx]

Can Richmond prevent North Dakota State from moving to 16-0 at home in the playoffs? Probably not, but they've got a shot if they they they can continue the defensive turnaround we've seen over the past 3 games. They also need to avoid the dumb mistakes that plagued Montana & Northern Iowa. I doubt it'll happen, but I'm really hoping…

Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:

• • • Quarterbacks -- Richmond
      
      Running Backs - North Dakota St.
      
      Receivers/TEs - Richmond
      
      Offensive Line - North Dakota St.
      
      
      Defensive Line - North Dakota St.
      
      Linebackers --- North Dakota St.
      
      Secondary ---- (push)
      
      
      Kicking ------ Richmond
      
      Punting ------ North Dakota St.
      
      Return Teams - North Dakota St.
      
      Kickoffs ------ North Dakota St.
      
      
      
      
      
      • Richmond 17-28 North Dakota St.

[Grizalltheway]

They put up 38 against Montana in the first game. With the crowd behind them noway NDSU loses.

No they didn't. They put up 35, and Wentz started that game.

[StonewallD]

Can Richmond prevent North Dakota State from moving to 16-0 at home in the playoffs? Probably not, but they've got a shot if they they they can continue the defensive turnaround we've seen over the past 3 games. They also need to avoid the dumb mistakes that plagued Montana & Northern Iowa. I doubt it'll happen, but I'm really hoping…

Here's my assessment of the matchups & my pick for the game:

• • • Quarterbacks -- Richmond
      
      Running Backs - North Dakota St.
      
      Receivers/TEs - Richmond
      
      Offensive Line - North Dakota St.
      
      
      Defensive Line - North Dakota St.
      
      Linebackers --- North Dakota St.
      
      Secondary ---- (push)
      
      
      Kicking ------ Richmond
      
      Punting ------ North Dakota St.
      
      Return Teams - North Dakota St.
      
      Kickoffs ------ North Dakota St.
      
      
      
      
      
      • Richmond 17-28 North Dakota St.

I beg to differ. NDSU kicking is far superior to Richmond. With all of these advantages for NDSU, how can the Spiders compete?

[Mvemjsunpx]

I beg to differ. NDSU kicking is far superior to Richmond.

You haven't been watching NDSU's playoff games, have you?

The Bison are 1/5 on field goals in the postseason and are now just 9/18 on the year. Richmond is 13/17.

[htownbearkat]

Nonsense.

NDSU is moving on because they were in the dome and they played some pretty weak teams. They beat a silly Griz team that just reminded everyone that they can't play outside Grizzyworld. Then they beat a one dimensional UNI team. Take NDSU out of their dome, and the UNI game turns out differently...and we saw how porous the NDSU defense was in Grizzyworld.

That dome is a HUGE advantage. Teams can't change plays at the LOS, so they are stuck with the play they called even if the D is set against them. That is a huge tactical advantage. Richmond has an O that would carve up NDSU (just like the Griz did earlier)...but they won't in the dome because of the communications limitation.

Spoken like a guy who's jealous that an FCS team can actually have a home field advantage. There are only TWO in the entire division: Fargo Dome and Wa/Griz.

Don't forget they have home field advantage in Frisco as well.

[Gil Dobie]

I beg to differ. NDSU kicking is far superior to Richmond.

You haven't been watching NDSU's playoff games, have you?

The Bison are 1/5 on field goals in the postseason and are now just 9/18 on the year. Richmond is 13/17.

Bison missed some long FG's, just wondering what the distance of made FG's for each team has been over the season. The current kicker, Peterson, is 9 for 16 and was 0-2 with 2 kicks over 50 in the last game. I don't think Richmond has tried a 50+ FG this year. Richmond is 1-3 over 40-50 yards, NDSU 4-7. 5 of the 7 Peterson misses are over 40 yards.

[Mvemjsunpx]

You haven't been watching NDSU's playoff games, have you?

The Bison are 1/5 on field goals in the postseason and are now just 9/18 on the year. Richmond is 13/17.

Bison missed some long FG's, just wondering what the distance of made FG's for each team has been over the season. The current kicker, Peterson, is 9 for 16 and was 0-2 with 2 kicks over 50 in the last game. I don't think Richmond has tried a 50+ FG this year. Richmond is 1-3 over 40-50 yards, NDSU 4-7. 5 of the 7 Peterson misses are over 40 yards.

Richmond is 2/4 on 40+ field goals.
NDSU is 4/11 on the same (including LeCompte's 2 attempts). Pedersen also missed a 34-yarder against Montana.

[dbackjon]

Good Lord ESPN sucks having to wait until high school fucking basketball game is done

[dbackjon]

Bison take opening hook up down the field and score

[dbackjon]

Missed PAT

[dbackjon]

Kicked out of bounds

[dbackjon]

Richmond goes 3 and out

[dbackjon]

Long punt return

[dbackjon]

Bison miss 44 yard FG

[dbackjon]

Bison score again

[dbackjon]

Richmond doing for it on fourth and one

[dbackjon]

Didn't make it

[JohnStOnge]

Are you guys starting to get the impression that North Dakota State, at this point, has another really good defense?