NDSU BISON* @ Montana State Bobcats

[JBB]

The first step is out of the way. There are four more games to win to be national champions. As The BISON defense continues to improve I am starting to see the kind of play it takes to go all the way.

The BISON will win. Here is why:

The Bobcats have a very productive offense. #4 in the nation. The best offense NDSU has played was #12 Missouri State. NDSU is ranked #89.

What’s wrong with the Bobcats offense? Its not physical. Its a finesse offense. They have breezed through an easy league never dominating but knowing how to win.

A) The Bobcats cant find a way to win a close game against Washington. The NDSU BISON stop the Kansas Jayhawks in a tight defensive battle.

NDSU has a very physical defense. Early in the season some of the “more expert” commentators here were suggesting no team speed. The BISON defense has both speed and strength. Ive never seen a team hit this hard so consistently. As the game wears on the team gets stronger, similar to a great heavy weight fighter.

B) The NDSU BISON are #2 in the country for TDs allowed at 20 for the season.

That's the matchup I want to highlight: The NDSU BISON Defense against the Bobcat offense.

There is confidence in Bison City. Some of the simple folk are coming in from the village to join the legions of BISON fans realizing a village isn't enough. It takes a City and a Network. Planes will be boarding in Fargo, the Twin Cities and possible points beyond. Buses are being outfitted as we speak. Travel arraignments are being made.

The NDSU Football Conglomerate has taken some valuable time out of its game planning to extend the warmest wishes to the Bobcats, their fans and community.

The fans are gathering in Bison City. As the week goes on a migration will begin westward across the prairie. The Mighty BISON are on the move!

THE MARCH IS ON!
.

[Gil Dobie]

[CatBlitz22]

Yeah there's no confidence in Bozeman. The whole stadium will be Bison fans. We have no chance.

[kalm]

Yeah there's no confidence in Bozeman. The whole stadium will be Bison fans. We have no chance.

Not to mention your stadium is statistically not nearly as fabulous as the Bizon's Fargodome, and your inability to close the deal against the coug...er I mean Huskies pales in stupendousness to the epic triumph over the battle hardened 3-9 Jayhawks who clearly failed to keep their ears to the ground in anticipation of the 1000 hoofbeats and hanging of 6.

It was nice knowing ya. RIP Cats.

[JBB]

I wouldnt be so hard on myself if I were you CatBlitz22. You have a chance. The NDSU Football Conglomerate is taking this one seriously.

[JBB]

When you talk about the Jayhawks you have to keep your comments in context: Pre NDSU BISON loss or Post NDSU BISON loss. They were a different team going in and got the stuffing knocked out of them. Its was a crushing defeat for a Charter Big 12 team. The Gophers are now trying to get out of the NDSU game next year because of it. I dont see any FBS teams ducking the Bobcats.

The BISON know the Bobcats are a capable team, relying on the pass. Very competitive.

WSU was not confronted with the same type of overwhelming physical game. They simply won and moved on.

[Willie]

Not a Cat fan by any means, but I hope they win by 30+...which they should.

[kalm]

When you talk about the Jayhawks you have to keep your comments in context: Pre NDSU BISON loss or Post NDSU BISON loss. They were a different team going in and got the stuffing knocked out of them. Its was a crushing defeat for a Charter Big 12 team. The Gophers are now trying to get out of the NDSU game next year because of it. I dont see any FBS teams ducking the Bobcats.

The BISON know the Bobcats are a capable team, relying on the pass. Very competitive.

WSU was not confronted with the same type of overwhelming physical game. They simply won and moved on.

No kidding. The MVC should kick you ouuta the conference for being that good. How ever did UNI, WIU, ISU, and MSU withstand your physicalcalliityness?

[EWURanger]

What’s wrong with the Bobcats offense? Its not physical. Its a finesse offense. They have breezed through an easy league never dominating but knowing how to win.

You're obviously high. MSU will win this one by at least 2 td's, probably more.

[catbob]

When you talk about the Jayhawks you have to keep your comments in context: Pre NDSU BISON loss or Post NDSU BISON loss. They were a different team going in and got the stuffing knocked out of them. Its was a crushing defeat for a Charter Big 12 team. The Gophers are now trying to get out of the NDSU game next year because of it. I dont see any FBS teams ducking the Bobcats.

The BISON know the Bobcats are a capable team, relying on the pass. Very competitive.

WSU was not confronted with the same type of overwhelming physical game. They simply won and moved on.

Yes, we are a pure passing, finesse team. I hope your players feel the same way. We don't rush for 170 yards a game or anything, just pass pass pass.

[JBB]

The Prestigious Venue from which the BISON hail is undoubtably one of the top football venues in the FCS both statistically and esthetically. We are accustomed to playing in less prestigious yards some as small at 12,000 seats or so. Those type of parks can be challenging because they are something of a throw back: Modern football in a quaint venue. Interesting contrast, but not an advantage for the Bobcats. NDSU has won on the road in the nations top football Stadiums.

The MFVC was fairly competitive this year. As each week played out the BISON got better. There were setbacks, of course, ask the folks from SIU about setbacks, but the BISON rolled on.

I dont know how many hurries the NDSU defense has in the past 4 games, probably 30 or 40. Tackles for a loss? Maybe a record. QB sacks? a lot. TDs allowed very few.

The BISON are healthy, the offense has been slowly putting it together. The defense seems to be reaching a peak in their play. Its something not often seen at this level of football. Thats the advantage of having a D1 Head Coach as opposed to a lateral transfer. As far as coaching goes NDSU has the advantage.

[CatBlitz22]

Yeah 7-4 and barely making the playoffs is GREAT coaching. How did you guys fare the last time in Bozeman?

[ming01]

Not a Cat fan by any means, but I hope they win by 30+...which they should.

will they be able to score that much on our D?

[JBB]

We are a freshman loaded team. Second year of a rising football dynasty. Our FBS seasoned Head Coach, Craig Bohl, has molded a highly recruited young team into a national championship contender. Montana State is also a National Championship Contender.

The BISON are in the tournament because of the expansion. They are in as solid as the #1 team. They hosted the first round you know?

Last time in Bozeman NDSU lost. That Bobcat team may have been better than this one, you would know more about that than I would, but the BISON team you are going to see is much better and getting better on both sides of the ball.

[cats2506]

When you talk about the Jayhawks you have to keep your comments in context: Pre NDSU BISON loss or Post NDSU BISON loss. They were a different team going in and got the stuffing knocked out of them. Its was a crushing defeat for a Charter Big 12 team. The Gophers are now trying to get out of the NDSU game next year because of it. I dont see any FBS teams ducking the Bobcats.

The BISON know the Bobcats are a capable team, relying on the pass. Very competitive.

WSU was not confronted with the same type of overwhelming physical game. They simply won and moved on.

Yes, we are a pure passing, finesse team. I hope your players feel the same way. We don't rush for 170 yards a game or anything, just pass pass pass.

Not only that but we cant finish close games

[cats2506]

Not a Cat fan by any means, but I hope they win by 30+...which they should.

will they be able to score that much on our D?

Your d LOOKS pretty good, but really they are rated 65th in the FCS

We scored 64 on the #39 defense and 21 on the #10 defense, both games on the road

But dont worry about it because we are a finesse offense

[houndawg]

We are a freshman loaded team. Second year of a rising football dynasty. Our FBS seasoned Head Coach, Craig Bohl, has molded a highly recruited young team into a national championship contender. Montana State is also a National Championship Contender.

The BISON are in the tournament because of the expansion. They are in as solid as the #1 team. They hosted the first round you know?

Last time in Bozeman NDSU lost. That Bobcat team may have been better than this one, you would know more about that than I would, but the BISON team you are going to see is much better and getting better on both sides of the ball.

Buried deep in the half-witted jabbering we come to the truth.

The MVC has never been weaker and the FCS as a whole is experiencing a down year when marginal 7-4 teams with seven conference losses between them are in the field. If the field hadn't expanded, the MVC would have only it's AQ in the playoffs and be out of the running already, eliminated by Lehigh. That's the difference this year, most years the MVC is closer to the CAA than the Patriot league. This year, not so much. Next year the MVC will be back up as UNI and SIU return to prominence from the middle of the pack. Until then, good luck, and pray for shi**y weather. You're the only hope we have.

[Willie]

Why would shitty weather HELP the Bison? The Cats play in it all season. NDSU plays indoors 5/8 of the time. Practicing on your old field won't help any.

[FargoBison]

Why would shitty weather HELP the Bison? The Cats play in it all season. NDSU plays indoors 5/8 of the time. Practicing on your old field won't help any.

Have you seen our offense? Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow...

[houndawg]

Why would shitty weather HELP the Bison? The Cats play in it all season. NDSU plays indoors 5/8 of the time. Practicing on your old field won't help any.

Hurts a speed team worse.

[JBB]

will they be able to score that much on our D?

Your d LOOKS pretty good, but really they are rated 65th in the FCS

We scored 64 on the #39 defense and 21 on the #10 defense, both games on the road

But dont worry about it because we are a finesse offense

You are using the wrong measure. Everyone scored points on those defenses. Heck, one of them scored 61 on the Bobcats defense. Nobody scored points on NDSU. The BISON held a powerful FBS offense to 6 points, shut down a legit 400 yd/game SIU offense and allowed only 2 FGs. Held the nations #12 offense Missouri State to 3 pts. Yds/game is not the only measure or the true measure of how effective a defesne is.

"The purpose of a defense is to stop the opponent from scoring." (Basics of Football Defense, 1st addition, NDSU BISON Lore archives.)

Further study of the subject tells us yards rushing and passing are ways to measure the critical elements of this strategy but the final measure is and always has been points allowed. In that measure NDSU is up there with the likes of Deleware, Penn and William & Mary. They are stingier than the nations #1 FCS defense.

NDSU is allowing 1.6 touchdown/game. Montana State is about 3.2/game. Thats a 10 point differential in NDSUs favor. You could probably take out a few of the horrible MSU games, but whats the difference? You cant adjust this critical game advantage away.

The Key of course is strength of schedule. I think its been clearly pointed out that NDSUs SOS is rooted in one of the nations most powerful conferences and the OOC schedule included a charter Big 12 member. If you apply a proper SOS adjustment coefficient to the stats every advantage NDSU has will get larger. MSUs advantages will get smaller. It all adds up to a BISON win.

[JBB]

"Bad weather will favor the physical football team. The finesse team is at a disadvantage." (Football game planners guide, 8th edition, NDSU BISON Lore archives.)

NDSU has compiled some amazing resources on "game plan preparation for inclement weather." There is a whole section of it in the Football Conglomerates secret liar, deep under the stands at the Fabulous Fargo Dome. The NDSU regional community and the campus itself are impacted by inclement weather on a regular basis. Winter is our friend.

[houndawg]

Your d LOOKS pretty good, but really they are rated 65th in the FCS

We scored 64 on the #39 defense and 21 on the #10 defense, both games on the road

But dont worry about it because we are a finesse offense

You are using the wrong measure. Everyone scored points on those defenses. Nobody scored points on NDSU. The BISON held a powerful FBS offense to 6 points, shut down a legit 400 yd/game SIU offense and allowed only 2 FGs. Held the nations #12 offense Missouri State to 3 pts. Yds/game is not the only measure or the true measure of how effective a defesne is.

The purpose of a defense is to stop the opponent from scoring. Yards rushing and passing are ways to measure the critical elements of this strategy but the final measure is and always has been points allowed. In that measure NDSU is up there with the likes of Deleware, Penn and William & Mary. They are stingier than the nations #1 FCS defense. NDSU is allowing 1.6 touchdown/game. Montana State is about 3.2/game. Thats a 10 point differential in NDSUs favor. You could probably take out a few of the horrible MSU games, but whats the difference? You cant adjust this critical game advantage away.

The Key of course is strength of schedule. I think its been clearly pointed out that NDSUs SOS is rooted in one of the nations most powerful conferences and the OOC schedule included a charter Big 12 member. If you apply a proper SOS adjustment coefficient to the stats every advantage NDSU has will get larger. MSUs advantages will get smaller. It all adds up to a BISON win.

Not this year unfortunately. Our conference champion lost at home to the Patriot league. Pray for snow, my son.

[Willie]

NDSU will not win.

[JBB]

I think the argument about the strength of the MVFC has been convincingly won in the other thread about this game. MgBison has elevated that argument and it appears beyond reproach. The conference was weaker last year. How else can you explain its dismal playoff record?