(7) Towson Tigers vs (1) NDSU Bison Frisco TX

[aresef]

lol this is great! So William and Mary played vs the CAA so they have a tougher schedule!!! Last I checked NDSU made one of the top CAA teams look like a NAIA team last weekend. Also NDSU has played 3 non conference playoff teams and a Bowl team in Kansas St. Oh P.S. New Hampshire got 1/3 of their total yards vs NDSU's C-squad.

I stand by my comment.

Now I'm starting to understand why people hate NDSU fans so much. I say you have the best defense in FCS and you guys get butt hurt. Unreal. What the **** is wrong with you people? You can't give one other team due credit for having a great defense while playing in a better conference? You act like a spoiled kid who complains about your Christmas presents. What a bunch of bitches. I guess I was wrong to give you all the benefit of the doubt the past several years. You really are as shitty as everyone else says. I was already pulling for Towson as a conference mate, and I believe NDSU will win, but I honestly hope Towson destroys you and sends your coach out with a loss to give you creeps what you deserve - a small dose of humility.

Amen, brother.

[93henfan]

In reality, this National Championship features a top-5 FCS team vs. a top-35 FBS team. If Torson can dethrone NDSU, I'll consider it one of the most remarkable CFB upsets of all time.

Agreed.

Be careful though. NDSU fans consider praise an insult. Put on your flame suit.

[Gil Dobie]

In reality, this National Championship features a top-5 FCS team vs. a top-35 FBS team. If Torson can dethrone NDSU, I'll consider it one of the most remarkable CFB upsets of all time.

Agreed.

Be careful though. NDSU fans consider praise an insult. Put on your flame suit.

WTF are you guys talking about, Top 25 at least

[The Kicker]

lol this is great! So William and Mary played vs the CAA so they have a tougher schedule!!! Last I checked NDSU made one of the top CAA teams look like a NAIA team last weekend. Also NDSU has played 3 non conference playoff teams and a Bowl team in Kansas St. Oh P.S. New Hampshire got 1/3 of their total yards vs NDSU's C-squad.

I stand by my comment.

Now I'm starting to understand why people hate NDSU fans so much. I say you have the best defense in FCS and you guys get butt hurt. Unreal. What the **** is wrong with you people? You can't give one other team due credit for having a great defense while playing in a better conference? You act like a spoiled kid who complains about your Christmas presents. What a bunch of bitches. I guess I was wrong to give you all the benefit of the doubt the past several years. You really are as shitty as everyone else says. I was already pulling for Towson as a conference mate, and I believe NDSU will win, but I honestly hope Towson destroys you and sends your coach out with a loss to give you creeps what you deserve - a small dose of humility.

I'm a fan of the FCS football but come one now how can you say W&M had a harder schedule? Can you please list who they played and who NDSU played and do the X is better than X to prove why? Both will play New Hampshire and Towson so those are a wash. Are you telling me Maine, Delaware, Villanova and others are better than top MVFC schools (SDSU, Northern Iowa, Youngstown St) and other non conference teams like Coastal Carolina, Furman and Kansas St?
Who is the better conference CAA vs MVFC could go both ways because both are near the top in FCS. But they are very close if anything it's not like we are saying the CAA is the SEC and MVFC is the Sun Belt here. Both are good but one is not hands down better than the other. This is why I jumped on your post. Saying a middle of the pack CAA team had a harder schedule than a team that has played 3 playoff teams and also played against good conference competition is just silly.

[YoUDeeMan]

As an Eastern Washington fan, I don't really care who wins. NDSU will be tough to beat, Towson could do it, but very unlikely. They are only there because EWU stopped themselves, not the Towson defense. We all saw it on ESPNU. Towson has NO answer for the Eastern offense in the 2nd half, just a 1 foot short on the goal line in the 1st half before halftime or a 6 inch overthrow to a wide open wide receiver in the late 4th, and Towson is done, they got very fortunate. I would have loved to see NDSU vs EWU in the NC, but next year. Good luck to both teams.

See, this is where the idiots, who probably never played an organized sport in their life, come out with their false sense of reality.

The only reason EWU got 31 points is that Towson's QB got hurt. It took some time for the back-up to get settled. Otherwise, that starting QB, who was 8-9, would have continued to roll the EWU defense while keeping the EWU offense off the field. Instead, Towson's D had to get back on the field after a few short offensive series (a 4 and out, a three and out, and a four and out...with a silly "blocked" kick, in which the kicker pretty much screwed up, after the second of those series). In addition, EWU was forced into several fourth down positions (and tip the hat, because they converted) but EWU needed to take those fourth down chances because they knew they were completely outclassed by Towson's O-line and needed to keep Towson's O off the field.

In the end, the true test of both teams came when Towson decided to just beat the snot out of EWU's D-line while giving the Towson D a rest. They simply forced EWU's defensive players to eat sh*t and give ground for nearly seven minutes of punishing football. Physicality baby...and EWU could not match up. 12 running plays, each for a minimum of 3 yards, destroyed any confidence your coach and players had in stopping Towson.

After that, EWU was forced, once again, into a fourth down play. They all knew if they gave the ball up, they would lose. EWU's luck ran out, and Towson, with EWU's D completely gassed and outclassed, gave up the winning drive. Watch the last TD and everyone will understand how helpless the Eaglets were. 71 pushes several EWU players out of the way, as does the rest of Towson's line. Men against boys.

EWU got lucky against Jacksonville State. That says a lot about the Eagles. They needed a QB injury to win, at home, against an OVC team that was a distant second in their conference. Towson's QB went down, but Towson, even with a back up QB, was better than EWU on the red carpet. Holy cow, don't bring up any story that the Eagles could have won if they didn't get unlucky or didn't miss a couple plays. EWU gets destroyed if Athens didn't go down. "Yeah, but we don't let people score in the second half." Towson pushed the little EWU line back with ease and scored 14 points in two consecutive drives. Cripes, they only had one third down on the second drive.

Towson was the better team without a doubt. If Athens is healthy, they have a good shot against he Bison. Athens has been even more efficient than NDSU's QB.

[Grizalltheway]

Towson's backup was 6/10 with 98 yards passing and 98 rushing. Clearly the drop off wasn't that great.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I thoroughly enjoy how butt-hurt CluckU still is over the 2010 NC.

[93henfan]

I thoroughly enjoy how butt-hurt CluckU still is over the 2010 NC.

And we thoroughly enjoy how butt-hurt all the EWU fans are after losing to a CAA team on Saturday.

[Screamin_Eagle174]

I thoroughly enjoy how butt-hurt CluckU still is over the 2010 NC.

And we thoroughly enjoy how butt-hurt all the EWU fans are after losing to a CAA team on Saturday.

The only butt-hurt EWU fan I've seen over the loss is BF. Everyone else knows we had our chances and didn't capitalize. Hats off to Towson State for making the most of their chances.



EWU is still 2-1 vs. the CAA. Merry Christmas!

[kalm]

As an Eastern Washington fan, I don't really care who wins. NDSU will be tough to beat, Towson could do it, but very unlikely. They are only there because EWU stopped themselves, not the Towson defense. We all saw it on ESPNU. Towson has NO answer for the Eastern offense in the 2nd half, just a 1 foot short on the goal line in the 1st half before halftime or a 6 inch overthrow to a wide open wide receiver in the late 4th, and Towson is done, they got very fortunate. I would have loved to see NDSU vs EWU in the NC, but next year. Good luck to both teams.

See, this is where the idiots, who probably never played an organized sport in their life, come out with their false sense of reality.

The only reason EWU got 31 points is that Towson's QB got hurt. It took some time for the back-up to get settled. Otherwise, that starting QB, who was 8-9, would have continued to roll the EWU defense while keeping the EWU offense off the field. Instead, Towson's D had to get back on the field after a few short offensive series (a 4 and out, a three and out, and a four and out...with a silly "blocked" kick, in which the kicker pretty much screwed up, after the second of those series). In addition, EWU was forced into several fourth down positions (and tip the hat, because they converted) but EWU needed to take those fourth down chances because they knew they were completely outclassed by Towson's O-line and needed to keep Towson's O off the field.

In the end, the true test of both teams came when Towson decided to just beat the snot out of EWU's D-line while giving the Towson D a rest. They simply forced EWU's defensive players to eat sh*t and give ground for nearly seven minutes of punishing football. Physicality baby...and EWU could not match up. 12 running plays, each for a minimum of 3 yards, destroyed any confidence your coach and players had in stopping Towson.

After that, EWU was forced, once again, into a fourth down play. They all knew if they gave the ball up, they would lose. EWU's luck ran out, and Towson, with EWU's D completely gassed and outclassed, gave up the winning drive. Watch the last TD and everyone will understand how helpless the Eaglets were. 71 pushes several EWU players out of the way, as does the rest of Towson's line. Men against boys.

EWU got lucky against Jacksonville State. That says a lot about the Eagles. They needed a QB injury to win, at home, against an OVC team that was a distant second in their conference. Towson's QB went down, but Towson, even with a back up QB, was better than EWU on the red carpet. Holy cow, don't bring up any story that the Eagles could have won if they didn't get unlucky or didn't miss a couple plays. EWU gets destroyed if Athens didn't go down. "Yeah, but we don't let people score in the second half." Towson pushed the little EWU line back with ease and scored 14 points in two consecutive drives. Cripes, they only had one third down on the second drive.

Towson was the better team without a doubt. If Athens is healthy, they have a good shot against he Bison. Athens has been even more efficient than NDSU's QB.

The team that gave 580 yards sure did manhandle...

[Pwns]

I think this matchup is more interesting than many give it credit for. Things that work in Towson's favor here.

1. NDSU will be on a neutral field and not in that aircraft hangar that's as loud as an aircraft carrier when planes are lifting off. NDSU fans do travel well but it won't be close to the same thing.

2. Best RB-OL combination NDSU will face all year by a significant margin...even better than SDSU (who only had 8 carries either because he was underutilized or because he just got hurt).

3. Coaching - no offense to Bohl, but Ambrose is simply the best in FCS. He will have the team ready to play emotionally and schematically.

[GannonFan]

I think this matchup is more interesting than many give it credit for. Things that work in Towson's favor here.

1. NDSU will be on a neutral field and not in that aircraft hangar that's as loud as an aircraft carrier when planes are lifting off. NDSU fans do travel well but it won't be close to the same thing.

2. Best RB-OL combination NDSU will face all year by a significant margin...even better than SDSU (who only had 8 carries either because he was underutilized or because he just got hurt).

3. Coaching - no offense to Bohl, but Ambrose is simply the best in FCS. He will have the team ready to play emotionally and schematically.

Wow, I almost choked when you said #3. No doubt, Ambrose is a good coach, but he's had a lot of times when his team's have not shown up for games. And schematically, how hard is it to give the ball to West a lot of times? A player like West, behind a big and experienced OL (4 seniors on that line), makes play calling much easier for the head coach.

[Grizo406]

NDSU can't score if they don't have the ball.

TU has an excellent OL, and West. If TU's OL controls the line of scrimmage and the clock, and there are no TOs, NDSU may be in for a long and disappointing afternoon.

No disrespect to Towson, they have a VERY GOOD, strong, smash mouth football program!

But, by saying: "NDSU may be in for a long and disappointing afternoon.", you think NDSU will only win by 11 points?

[Gil Dobie]

I think this matchup is more interesting than many give it credit for. Things that work in Towson's favor here.

1. NDSU will be on a neutral field and not in that aircraft hangar that's as loud as an aircraft carrier when planes are lifting off. NDSU fans do travel well but it won't be close to the same thing.

2. Best RB-OL combination NDSU will face all year by a significant margin...even better than SDSU (who only had 8 carries either because he was underutilized or because he just got hurt).

3. Coaching - no offense to Bohl, but Ambrose is simply the best in FCS. He will have the team ready to play emotionally and schematically.

The Best defense in the CAA held Towson to 15 points and shutout UNH. Bison reserves gave up 7 points to UNH at the end of the game, while Towson gave up 20 points to UNH in the first quarter. I see Towson as a little better than SDSU, but less than UNI as a complete team at the time NDSU played them. Game will be close until Towson's defense gets worn down, ala Kansas St.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I think this matchup is more interesting than many give it credit for. Things that work in Towson's favor here.

1. NDSU will be on a neutral field and not in that aircraft hangar that's as loud as an aircraft carrier when planes are lifting off. NDSU fans do travel well but it won't be close to the same thing.

2. Best RB-OL combination NDSU will face all year by a significant margin...even better than SDSU (who only had 8 carries either because he was underutilized or because he just got hurt).

3. Coaching - no offense to Bohl, but Ambrose is simply the best in FCS. He will have the team ready to play emotionally and schematically.

The Best defense in the CAA held Towson to 15 points and shutout UNH. Bison reserves gave up 7 points to UNH at the end of the game, while Towson gave up 20 points to UNH in the first quarter. I see Towson as a little better than SDSU, but less than UNI as a complete team at the time NDSU played them. Game will be close until Towson's defense gets worn down, ala Kansas St.

Sounds like Ryan Smith (WR) will be ready for the NC game. This will definitely help the Bison passing attack.

[Gil Dobie]

1983 Tigers vs Bison

Bison, Tigers ready for playoff rematch

Members of the 1983 Towson State football team may watch the Division I FCS national title game on Saturday and see a familiar name. A lot has changed since then, including the last name of the school – now Towson University.

But there’s still a Van Voorhis in the Bison secondary. Senior A.J. Van Voorhis is a backup safety and starts on special teams for NDSU, which is gunning for its 11th national championship.

The fourth came in ‘83 and one of the playoff victims that season was Towson, the suburban Baltimore school which came to Fargo on a cold November day and left on the wrong end of a 24-17 score.

“They were pretty highly-touted coming in,” said Tom Van Voorhis, A.J.’s father. “It was one of the classier groups we ever played. It was a good, hard physical game, one of those games where you knocked somebody down and then they would help you up.”

A crowd of 5,600 showed up at Dacotah Field and watched NDSU running back Chad Stark run for 164 yards. Defensively, the Bison defense shut down Towson quarterback Bret Rogers, who later had an NFL tryout.

Offensive lineman and former Fargo city commissioner Dave Piepkorn said his unit rolled up its sleeves and wore their uniform like it was 70 degrees.

“And they thought we were crazy,” Piepkorn said, referring to the Towson players. “My arms were blue at the coin flip. We said we were thankful it was a nice day and we thanked them for coming.”

[andy7171]

I'm calling it now. Towson wins 31-27. Who's in for an avatar bet?

[Grizalltheway]

Townsend scored 35 on EWoo's mediocre defense, what make you think they'll put up 31 on NDSU's?

[andy7171]

Townsend scored 35 on EWoo's mediocre defense, what make you think they'll put up 31 on NDSU's?

Piss off. They're gonna do it.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I'm calling it now. Towson wins 31-27. Who's in for an avatar bet?

I'm in.

I'm confident the Bison defense will slow down West in this game. If Towson cannot pass the ball, they will have no chance in this game.

Bison win 35-17

[kalm]

I'm calling it now. Towson wins 31-27. Who's in for an avatar bet?

I'm in.

I'm confident the Bison defense will slow down West in this game. If Towson cannot pass the ball, they will have no chance in this game.

Bison win 35-17

Towson can pass the ball.

[Bronco]

Any news on who the Towson QB will be?

What was the injury the 1st string QB had? Was it a Knee?

[Bronco]

I saw that it was a shoulder and NDSU is preparing for both QB's
So we'll have to tune in to find out

[Gil Dobie]

Story from a Griz Alum

Bison Seek Perfection Link

Jon Kasper was a college student the last time there was an unbeaten FCS national champion, and watched the title game from a fraternity house.

Kasper was in his senior year at the University of Montana as the Grizzlies played Marshall for the 1996 national title, in what was then-called Division I-AA.

Both teams had yet to lose, but Marshall had one talented player who stuck out above everyone – wide receiver Randy Moss.

“You took one player in Randy Moss and that turned the whole tide,” said Kasper, now the assistant commissioner for media relations in the Big Sky Conference. “I remember he was wearing like the ‘Cat in the Hat’ socks. He had no business being on the field at the FCS level.”

Marshall rolled to a 49-29 victory in that title game, which was played on its home field in Huntington, W.V. Moss, a future NFL superstar, caught nine passes for 220 yards and four TDs. The Thundering Herd ended the season with a 15-0 record.

North Dakota State will be chasing that history at 1 p.m. Saturday when it plays Towson University (Md.) for the FCS national title in Frisco, Texas. The Bison (14-0) are trying to become the first undefeated FCS national champion since that Moss-led Marshall squad.

“It wasn’t almost fair that year with Marshall,” said Kasper, pointing out that Marshall moved to Division I-A (now FBS) the following season.

Moss was a transfer from Florida State. Marshall’s senior starting quarterback Eric Kresser was a transfer from the University of Florida. Montana had defeated Marshall 22-20 in the 1995 national title game.

“The thing about Marshall in ’96 is they already knew that they were moving up. … Were they truly an FCS team?” Kasper said.

“Looking back at it ‘Was it even right that they were in the playoffs?’ ”

Under the current rules, teams like Georgia Southern and Appalachian State weren’t eligible for the FCS playoffs this fall, their final season in the division. Both are playing in the FBS next season.

Marshall rolled through the 1996 postseason. The Thundering Herd outscored their opponents 193-57 in that four-game playoff run. Marshall’s closest playoff win was a 31-14 victory against Northern Iowa in the semifinals.

“I don’t know if we are the best team ever in I-AA,” Kresser said after the title game. “But we should be considered when there is talk of the best ever. We proved that today.”

NDSU has had a stellar playoff run so far this season, having outscored its opponents 138-35 in the three games to advance to Frisco.

The Bison have won 23 consecutive games and have a chance at a third national title in a row.

“It’s an honor to represent Towson against one of the greatest football teams in the history of history,” said Towson head coach Rob Ambrose.

Appalachian State is the only FCS team that has won three consecutive national crowns, winning championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

“Marshall won the national title on its home field,” Kasper said of that 1996 team. “North Dakota State doesn’t have that advantage.”

Marshall is the second team in FCS history to go unbeaten en route to a national title. Georgia Southern also went 15-0 in 1989. The Eagles defeated Stephen F. Austin 37-34 in the championship game on their home field in Statesboro, Ga., to complete that perfect season.

After he finished college, Kasper went on to cover Grizzlies football for the Missoulian newspaper. He covered the Montana team that tied a division record with 24 wins in a row, a mark NDSU can tie with a victory against Towson.

Kasper, who was born in Minot, N.D., said he grew up an NDSU fan before he moved to Montana in his early teens. If the Bison win a third consecutive national crown, Kasper thinks this run would rank among the best in FCS history.

“This may be the most impressive of all those streaks,” Kasper said.

[Gil Dobie]

2 key players will be in the game Saturday.

Player Status link

It will be the last college game of his career and Ryan Smith would probably play in the Division I FCS title game even if his hamstrings were surgically removed. As it is, the North Dakota State receiver said he’s good to go for Towson University (Md.).

He was taken out early in the semifinal game against New Hampshire, although he said he could have played if needed.

“It was something minor and the coaches were taking precautions with it,” Smith said. “It was kind of a blowout so they held me back.”

Smith said he’s been doing some workouts that have him at near full speed. He expects to go full speed on Wednesday.

Head coach Craig Bohl said a decision hasn’t been made yet if Smith will return kickoffs and punts. Junior Christian Dudzik has been handling the punt duties in practice.

Meanwhile, it appears Towson starting quarterback Peter Athens will start against NDSU. He injured his throwing shoulder in the semifinal win at Eastern Washington.

Tigers head coach Rob Ambrose told The Sports Network that Athens has been taking repetitions with the No. 1 offense. Athens started all 15 games throwing for 3,194 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Even so, Bohl said the Bison will prepare for Athens and backup Connor Frazier, although he hinted he fully expects Athens to play.

“When you have a national championship game on the line and everything’s out there, your adrenaline gets running as a player,