NDSU @ Montana State

[Northcoast]

Should be a fun one. I think the Bison have a shot at winning if the weather is cold and very windy like last week in Missoula. If the weather in good for passing the ball I think the Bobcats roll.

[cats2506]

long range forcast right now says

Saturday: A slight chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 28.

NDSU looks to have a pretty good D, offense is good run and inconsistent passing. Bobcats will be OK

[eagle1]

I like the Cats big time in this one. Go Eagles!!!

[SeattleGriz]

Yep. Unless MSU pulls their one crappy game a year, they roll.

[FargoBison]

I think next week will be very interesting. In this game our QB was shaking off rust from being out for six weeks, we also get two of our key LBs back from injury. MSU is the favorite but the Bison defense will keep the game close.

[Gil Dobie]

I think next week will be very interesting. In this game our QB was shaking off rust from being out for six weeks, we also get two of our key LBs back from injury. MSU is the favorite but the Bison defense will keep the game close.

Heard that Anderson is still questionable for next week.

[bpcats]

It should be an interesting match up, the battle along both offensive and defensive lines and turnovers should determine this game.

[houndawg]

They got all they could handle from a team with 30 fewer scholarships. If I'm a Bison fan I'm praying for the worst weather possible.

[BisonBacker]

If our QB can get the rust off as Gil says and hit an open receiver we will be just fine. While the first half yesterday was close that was in fact due to the QB's inability to hit an open receiver. NDSU even being down this year was a much better team than RMU. Cats won't roll in this one like many think as our Defense is the strength of this team. I"m still concerned though about our QB's time off and coming back and playing like he has. I do know we can't have a first half next week like we did this week or the Cats will win.

[Gil Dobie]

They got all they could handle from a team with 30 fewer scholarships. If I'm a Bison fan I'm praying for the worst weather possible.

If you are going to play a team, you don't want any excusses, like I've heard from you about SIU all year. Either beat them or go home. RMU was a well coached team and was very competitive with some decent players, just not as strong overall as a MVFC team.

[FargoBison]

RMU wasn't bad, they had a ton of seniors which helps when you have limited scholarships. They did wear down but they had more talent then I had thought. Much better than the NEC teams we had played in the past.

[houndawg]

They got all they could handle from a team with 30 fewer scholarships. If I'm a Bison fan I'm praying for the worst weather possible.

If you are going to play a team, you don't want any excusses, like I've heard from you about SIU all year. Either beat them or go home. RMU was a well coached team and was very competitive with some decent players, just not as strong overall as a MVFC team.

I think that says more about the MVC this year than RM. Just sayin'....

[native]

They got all they could handle from a team with 30 fewer scholarships. If I'm a Bison fan I'm praying for the worst weather possible.

Robert Morris was game, but hardly gave North Dakota State "all they could handle."

The Bison dominated possession (33:10 to 26:50) by establishing a solid, ball-control running game (48 rushes for 253 yards, avg 5.3 ypc) which eventually allowed their otherwise mediocre passing attack to contribute some big plays (9.5 yd avg per pass, 2 TDs).

The same NDSU game plan will not yield equivalent results against Montana State. OBTW, the Bobcats have won their share of games in Bozeman's sh!tty weather, so praying for snow won't help much. While it is true that MSU relies on a superb passing game, they also have a good rushing offense and rushing defense.

[mgbison]

How was the mvfc any better last year? SIU won a first round robert morris type game and then got blown out at home the next game. While SDSU lost the first round to Montana. I don't get your point saying the mvfc was down this year. If anything the MVFC was better this year. Teams didn't have any guarantee wins like last year with WIU and ISUb.

Also, I don't think any MVFC team beat a FBS team last year either.

I like the Bison at MSU. It seems MSU gives up a lot of points. If MSU can't stop the run, the Bison will win. Jensen at least throws the ball down field, which really opens up the running lanes.

NDSU's defense is clicking right now. We have the right mix of speed and toughness that a defense needs. We also have depth in the dline and linebacking corp's.

[FargoBison]

I think next week will be very interesting. In this game our QB was shaking off rust from being out for six weeks, we also get two of our key LBs back from injury. MSU is the favorite but the Bison defense will keep the game close.

Heard that Anderson is still questionable for next week.

Bohl just said Willson will play and Anderson is probable so our defense should be at full strength for MSU.

[Gil Dobie]

Heard that Anderson is still questionable for next week.

Bohl just said Willson will play and Anderson is probable so our defense should be at full strength for MSU.

I hope he plays, hate to see a Sr sit out their last game.

[cats2506]

Bohl just said Willson will play and Anderson is probable so our defense should be at full strength for MSU.

I hope he plays, hate to see a Sr sit out their last game.

We agree that it will be his last game

[kemajic]

Yep. Unless MSU pulls their one crappy game a year, they roll.

The NAU game already qualified for that, but they usually pull more than one. NDSU better be practicing outside this week; it's not likely to be nice in Bozeman Saturday.

[Bronco]

Long forecast looks pretty good but they don't know and will likely change.

"Saturday
Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs 20 to 25."

The best thing the cats have done is put in the new turf. Without it they would have been in the field house.
They'll be able to practice on the field all week

[FargoBison]

NDSU put in a practice field with field turf for this very reason. So we'll be practicing outside in the elements all week.

[Gil Dobie]

I hope he plays, hate to see a Sr sit out their last game.

We agree that it will be his last game

It's a tough road going against the #1 team, at least #1 IMO.

[kemajic]

. While it is true that MSU relies on a superb passing game, they also have a good rushing offense and rushing defense.

The latter is questionable; Montana had trouble running the ball all year, yet put up 260 rushing yards against MSU, in spite of Reynolds having a separated shoulder and being behind most of the game. You can run the ball effectively against MSU and it keeps the ball away from McGee, just don't turn it over, as they are good ball hawks.

[big_meowski]

the cats will present many more match-up problems for the bison defense than RMU did, weather be damned. MSU WILL RUN THE BALL. defensively for MSU, more bend-but-don't-break. aside from the two big screen passes the NDSU QB looked rather average to me(possibly due to injury). not bad, but i don't think he's capable of taking over AND winning a game by himself. the key to this game is getting him into some 3rd and longs where he has to make a play(or a mistake). getting a 2 score lead on NDSU wouldn't hurt either; don't know if they have the guns to get into a shootout.

[mgbison]

NDSU will stop MSU's running game. The only chance MSU has running the ball on us is if their QB can scramble after the pocket collapses. Our d-line and linebackers will control the line of scrimmage. Its gonna be what happens when MSU;s QB scrambles thats gonna determine the success of MSU's offense.

[native]

. While it is true that MSU relies on a superb passing game, they also have a good rushing offense and rushing defense.

The latter is questionable; Montana had trouble running the ball all year, yet put up 260 rushing yards against MSU, in spite of Reynolds having a separated shoulder and being behind most of the game. You can run the ball effectively against MSU and it keeps the ball away from McGee, just don't turn it over, as they are good ball hawks.

Your point is well taken, kmajic, but these strengths and weaknesses are relative. Montana State was average in both rushing offense and rushing defense against Big Sky opponents this year, while NDSU was below average in both categries in the Missouri Valley, a weaker conference thank the Big Sky in 2010.

Although I am not predicting an outcome, I do not think that NDSU will be able to either run at will against the Bobcats or stop the MSU running game as well as they did against Robert Morris.