The Bottom Line - Week 1
By Chris Kelly
When Brandon Rice caught a one-yard touchdown with just over minute a half remaining, things looked very promising for the Aggies to move to 1-0. Less than two minutes stood between them and a win over #7 ranked team in the nation. But New Hampshire had other ideas - one of the most explosive offenses in all of I-AA marched on a six play 74- yard scoring drive thwarting any ideas of an upset.
Two teams known high-powered offenses mustered just a combined nine points in the first 56 minutes of the game. Then the fireworks stared with three touchdowns in the final four minutes of the game. Trialing 6-3 New Hampshire's quarterback Ricky Santos drove his team down the field culminating in a John McFoy 6-yard touchdown. The Aggies responded, however, with a drive of their own moving 85 yards on ten plays. After Rice's touchdown it appeared to be the Aggies' night, considering how well the defense had bottled up the potent Wildcat offense. But Santos and Co. were not to be denied as the sophomore found All-American David Ball on a key 40-yard completion, and then a four yard score to seal a dramatic win in Davis.
Both quarterbacks threw for over 300 yards, and three interceptions. The game was highlighted by strong defensive play, and a whole lot of turnovers. Nine of them to be exact, with UCD responsible for five of them. Tony Kays had 12 grabs for 135 yards, while Ball went for 137 on nine receptions.
CK's Take: Perception. That's what the first week of a football season is all about - trying to understand what is what. Are the Aggies really as good as the number seven team in the land? Did UNH have an off night? Or perhaps are they a tad overrated? The coming weeks will provide the answers to some of those questions but there are a few things we can gleam from week one.
-First, all the talk from the Aggie camp about the tremendous speed on defense and improvement in the secondary was obvious. They impressed by shutting down an all star caliber offense, and holding them to just three points for 56 minutes. If this group can stay healthy (and lockdown corner Andy Sullivan returns after the Stanford game) they will keep UCD in every game no matter how the offense plays.
-Tony Kays will have a monster season, especially if Daniel Fells stay healthy.
-The Aggies at least ran the ball with some success. The offensive line opened up some holes and protected Jon Grant for the most part. Alex Garfio emerged as the possible go-to back that might be the guy to make the play action a viable threat in the Aggies offense again.
-Quarterback Jon Grant continues to have inconsistent performances. He made some poor throws at inopportune times that really cost the Aggies the game. Remember, going back to last season, he was pulled in the finale against Portland State after struggling. His job may not be in jeopardy yet, but his play certainly has the attention of Coach Bob Biggs, who has shown he's not afraid to make a switch if needed. The question resides: is there someone capable to step in?
-The kicking has to be better, period.
In other action Cal Poly lost 27-10 to Troy in their first battle against a I-A opponent in two years. The Trojans jumped out to an early 17-0 first quarter lead converting two fake punt attempts into 14 points. After that the Mustangs settled down, as the scoring was 10-10 over the final three quarters. Cal Poly held Troy to 278 yards, but mustered just 139 themselves. Chris Gocong had two tackles for loss, including his first sack of the season, while Kenny Chicoine picked off a pass.
CK's Take: Just what I expected - a whole lot of defense, and not much offense. Same thing we saw from the Mustangs last season a few times, but it's hard to gauge if this will become a trend in `05. First, the Troy defense is by far the best unit the Mustangs will face all year. Also, the quarterback situation is still being worked out. Anthony Garnett, the Mustangs starting quarterback, was held out with an injury. (Fractured finger) Jon Mende did start and did and finished four of five for 35 yards. Matt Brennan who ran the ball 10 times along with throwing 10 passes replaced him. This week's quarterback carousel should be interesting as to who gets the nod.
The two fake punts inside his own 30 is certainly not Rich Ellerson's style, but he knew he needed some trickery to juice the offense. Neither paid off, and made the score look more lopsided than it actually was. I know Poly fans probably scratched their head and cursed Ellerson's name - but you take a backup quarterback against a darn good I-A defense and try to win. I can't blame the Coach for the trickery, which might be considered questionable in a different situation. Finally, the Jonah Russell experiment at running back didn't get off to a great start. This is not to say he won't be the guy toting the rock for big numbers this season. Because of the nature of the opponent, it's hard to say. We should have a much better feel after the Mustangs take on what appears to be an improved Sacramento State defense this weekend.
Other Games
North Dakota State 59 Arkansas-Monticello 7 - The Bison had their way with D-II UAM, in a game that was over before it started. Quarterback Steve Walker threw for 160yards and threw scores, while Kyle Steffes went over the 100-yard mark. Three other Bison back combined for over 140 yards averaging at least seven per carry. Linebacker Joe Lardinois led the defense with two and half stops for loss, and a sack. Kole Zimmerman added a fumble recovery, and interception.
Quick Hit: Did anyone expect anything different? UAM is a bottom of the barrel D-II team. The level of competition increases exponentially this weekend against Northwestern State. The Bison better bring there A game.
Idaho State 38 Southern Utah 13 - The Bengals had their way with the T-Birds posting 28 first half points and converted all six chances in the red zone en route to a convincing win over Southern Utah. Idaho State scored two touchdowns in their first three drives, while holding the SUU offense at bay. The Thunderbirds only managed 117 yards of offense in the first half. Zac Connors threw for over 230 yards for SUU, along with two scores, and picks. Joey Hew Len had a big day receiving with just three grabs going for over 100 yards and two scores.
Quick Hits: Southern Utah closed out the 2004 season with a 45-38 win over Idaho State. Only nine months have passed yet we see a completely different outcome against a team that hasn't improved that much. The T-Birds will be hard pressed to keep this from becoming a rebuilding year.
Northern Colorado 52 Colorado Mines 31 - Northern Colorado's offense got off to a huge start last Saturday putting up 52 points against D-II Colorado School of Mines. Nick Hager, making just his second career start, threw for over 300 yards, and five touchdowns. Both of these numbers were career highs. After CSM scored in the 2nd quarter to close to within 17-10, UNC scored three times putting the game out of reach, 38-10. All three were Hager touchdown passes, two to Cory Sleeth, and one to Andy Birkel. Sleeth and Birkel combined for 329 yards, and five touchdowns. Jake Duren, Matt Thomas, and Reed Doughty combined for 31 stops.
Quick Hits: Vincent who? Cory Sleeth at least made UNC fans forget about the all-American turned San Diego Charger for one day. Sleeth turned in career highs in catches (7), yards (231), and touchdowns (3). For his efforts, he earned a well-deserved conference offensive player of the week accolade.
South Dakota State 42 Wisconsin Lacrosse 13 - The South Dakota State Jackrabbits didn't waste time in getting their `05 campaign off to an auspicious start last Saturday. Anthony Watson took the first handoff of the game and raced 55 yards on the first play of scrimmage for a score. Watson's big run was just a part of his 183-yard performance. In fact, SDSU ran for over 300 yards on the night, as Kory Koenig chipped in 93 as well. In total the Jacks were good for over 500 yards of offense, while surrendering 390. Standout corner Hank McCall led the defense in tackles, while also chipping in a half tackle for loss, a fumble recovery, and a pass defended.
Quick Hits: Great start for Watson and the ground game, but more consistency from Kardoes and the pass defense will be needed before the trip to Montana on the 17th. The schedule looks ideal now, as the Jacks get one more game to fine tune before the hit Missoula.
Players of the Week (as announced by the Great West Conference)
Offense - Cory Sleeth, WR, Northern Colorado - 7 catches, 231 yards, 3 touchdowns (51, 80, 6) The total was the third highest in UNC history.
Defense - Nevan Bergan, CB, UC Davis - The junior tallied 6 tackles, as well as picking of two passes in the Aggies loss to New Hampshire. He returned one of the picks 25 yards.
Special Team - Tim Chicoine, P, Cal Poly - Chicoine punted eight times for an average of 48.5 yards, including a career high boom of 62 yards. He also added kicks of 52, and 53 throughout the night.
Week 2 Games
The second week of the season involves some intriguing games - out are the cupcakes we saw in week one and in are some quality opponents - five of them to be exact. The GWFC gets their battle started with the Big Sky in two of this weekend's game, but the highlight is a battle between two teams ranked in the top 20. Even though there was no column last week, I still posted a 6-0 mark in my picks on another site. This week will be a little tougher....so let's get to the games.
Thursday: Northern Colorado @ Western Illinois
The Bears travel to WIU in a rare Thursday game that can be seen on DirectTV 610, CSTV. The game marks the first meeting between UNC and the Southland conference foe. After last week's offensive performance, the question is whether the Bears can sustain the dominance they showed last week? They should find things a little more difficult this week as they step up from the previously ranked #20 team in D-II. The Leathernecks return six offensive starters from a season ago, including a solid skill player core in quarterback Steve LaFalce, running back Travis Glasford, and wide receiver Reggie Grey. Glasford, is probably the most concerning player to the Bears. The junior back is just over 600 yards away from becoming the leading rushing in WIU history. He ran for over 1,000 last season, and was one of 16 players names to the Walter Payton watch list in 2005. The Bears will need to key on Glasford, and plug the run. He's the type of player that can control a game if he's not corralled. I expect Glasford to clear 100 yards on Thursday. Still, the Bears will need to force LaFalce to beat them to keep Western Illinois from putting up a big tally. The issue is that the Bears, who are thin at experience at linebacker, had their troubles with the CSM offense. Yes, the Orediggers are more wide open in their passing attack, but the talent is stronger for WIU. The fact that UNC allowed nearly 500 yards of offense to CSM has to have WIU licking their chops. The pass defense for the Bears had better improve this week - because it won't get any easier from here on out. The good news is the youngsters last week, are a week older this week. Experience brings improvement, and they eye will be on this defense to see how they perform against the WIU offense.
The other side of the ball is an area I'll be watching closely on Saturday night. The Bears, albeit against a sub-par defense, impressed with some new faces last Saturday. Nick Hager, who is more experienced than his two starts might indicate, performed well in finding his rhythm early. Cory Sleeth, and transfer Andy Birkel have demonstrated, at least through one game, to be capable replacements for Jackson, and Farbes. The line is pretty experienced, and oh yeah, they have a kid by the name of Andre Wilson, who can grind it out against opposing defenses. He and Jamir Waterman combined for 229 yards last week. The jury is out, but this group looks to be fairly improved - which is scary considering Vincent Jackson is gone. They'll face a defense, which gave up 62 points to a good Toledo offense team led by Bruce Gradkowski. WIU is better than what CSM brought to the table defensively, but the Bears will still move the ball against this group. The key is that Hager can keep the same chemistry with his wide receivers this weekend. This game has all the makings of a shootout, so if you like offense find a way to the TV on Thursday. Most fans outside of the Great West will look for WIU to put up a strong showing against the Bears. I think WIU wins this game, but by the closest of margins. The Bears offense will keep them in this game, as Hager is quickly making everyone forget Tony Christensen. Western Illinois 31 Northern Colorado 28
Valparaiso @ South Dakota State
The only "for sure" game of the weekend is in Brookings where South Dakota State takes on the Dakota whipping boys, the Valpo Crusaders. Last season, NDSU pounded Valpo into submission by halftime, and ended up 52-0 winners. The biggest question this year is will Valparaiso break their scoreless streak against the Great West. The answer: Yes. A defensive touchdown gets them on the board. Go ahead and chalk up the W, get Watson his second 100-yard game, work the kinks out, then rest your starters Coach Stiegelemeier. A trip to Montana is on the horizon. South Dakota State 47 Valparaiso 7
Southern Utah @ #23 Texas State
For the Thunderbirds things don't get any easier following their loss last weekend as they travel to take on the 23rd ranked Texas State Bobcats. TSU is fresh off a win over D-II's 9th ranked Delta State, 32-25. This game marks the 7th meeting between the two teams, as the T-Birds won the last time out 31-28.
Back to lead the Bobcats offense is speedy quarterback Barrack Nealy, who finally gets to runs the same offense for consecutive seasons. Two seasons ago, TSU threw the ball all over the field in a very wide-open "tripleshoot", no-huddle offense. With the departure of Manny Matsakis went the wide-open offense, in favor of David Baliff's more run focused scheme. The Bobcats feature more of a multiple offense, rather than the pass happy offense of two years ago. They traditionally feature one back, but quite often go to a two back set, and are not afraid to spread teams out with no backs, and four or five wide receivers. While switching and adapting to a new offense is never easy, Nealy did it pretty well last season as he raised his pass efficiency to 144, and his completion percentage to 59%. The Bobcats do benefit greatly from returning most of the skill players from last season, including tailback Douglas Sherman (622 yards last season), and a good stable of wide receivers. In all, nine starters return on offense. Quarterback Barrack Nealy, a transfer from Houston, is the easily leader of that group having just moved into 2nd place all-time on the passing charts at TSU. Nealy's been around for a few years piling up the stats, and has seen his numbers improve as he has matured within his offenses. This season he's primed to have a big year, which makes him a tough assignment considering his athleticism. Southern Utah will have their hands full this weekend. Remember, this is still a team trying to replace the best trio of linebackers in the conference so some growing pains are expected. Steve Smith and the boys need to come together quickly. This game comes down to containing Nealy, who is a more athletic version of Casey Reher; the T-Birds multi-dimensional quarterback last season. If Coach Wes Meyer can't spy Nealy, and keep him from moving all over the place and making plays with his legs, Texas State could jump out early and never look back.
The other side will be a challenge as well, as much of the pressure will fall on Zac Connors, making just his second start, to deliver a big outing. The Bobcats return 10 starters on defense, including pre-season All-American DE Fred Evans. With all the attention paid to Evans last weekend, his line mate, Travis Upshaw, delivered 1.5 sacks. The strength along the line is one of the reasons that Delta State was held to negative rushing yards last week. To boot, the T-Birds playmaker in the backfield Ryan Filipe has not returned to school. Thus it is up to some new faces to jump start the running game which went for a grand total of six yards last week. In part, that could be attributed to the youth movement along the offensive line. This group is fairly inexperienced and struggled with Idaho State. It may take a few weeks before they begin to gel. With TSU likely shutting down the run, Zac Connors' line must somehow give him time to find star Jerome Eason, and emerging wide-out Joey Lew Hen. In all likelihood, the T-Birds don't have a ton of room for error on this side of the ball - they can't turn it over. The chips are stacked against the Southern Utah this weekend, and don't appear to have enough to get over on a team returning as much experience as Texas State. Texas State 34 Southern Utah 17
Sacramento State @ #19 Cal Poly
This game starts a run of three very intriguing games involving Great West team as Sacramento State travels to Cal Poly. Both team come off games against a I-A opponent, and while the Mustangs kept the game closer in the long run, the Hornets definitely left the stronger impression in my mind. These two teams are pretty familiar with each other - 29 meetings, with the Mustangs winning the last two handily.
Defense. Defense. Defense. That's what this game is all about, which is typically the case when Cal Poly is involved. However, Sacramento State's performance backed up what I had heard going into the season: this team will be much improved on defense. Their showing against Cal did nothing to disprove that theory. Yes, Cal was plagued by a ton of mental errors, but Sac St held their own. Defensive end Jacob Houston, and linebacker Matt Logue lead Sac St. Sacramento State. This group may not be able to help but play another strong game on defense if not for the questions around the Cal Poly offense. Anthony Garnett is getting better but still a question mark for Saturday. If he can go, he will, but how effective will he be? The other options are Jon Mende and red-shirt freshman Matt Brennan. Scoring on the Cal Poly defense might be easier than getting Coach Rich Ellerson to tell you who's starting. Coach Ellerson's always seems to have quarterback injuries/competition, and always plays his situation close to the vest. My gut says the duo of Mende, and Brennan handle the duties once again, but that Brennan takes the majority of snaps in the end. I also think that this combo will probably have some trouble sustaining consistent drives, which will increase the pressure of recently converted running back Jonah Russell to make plays. Might be too much to ask of Russell in just in his second start to shoulder the load.
These two teams seem to be mirror images of each other. They appear to both be sound on defense with much room for improvement on offense. Cal Poly might solve their issues if they can get Garnett back, but Sacramento State is still trying to find a quarterback. Much like Cal Poly, the Hornets also worked two quarterbacks in the first week. The starter will be either Bret Tredway, or transfer Chris Hurd. Both will see time, and neither may be the answer. The good news is the Hornets return a veteran line and running back Ryan Mole, who was coming along at the end of last season. The bad news is Cal Poly didn't appear to be hurting too much last week on defense despite the losses at linebacker. The `Stangs held their own on defense against Troy in just allowing 278 yards, including a disgusting 1.5 average against the run. Expect more of the same against Mole, which will put the pressure on the inexperienced quarterback to throw into a good Mustang secondary. There is no doubt that the gap of 58-13 (last season's score) has narrowed. Cal Poly's offense is in a state of flux, and Sac State is improved on defense. However, this Cal Poly defense trumps anything that Sac St can run out on the field. Even if the offense doesn't score (and they will find a way into the end zone) the defense will. Closer game, but the Mustangs still get the win, and their first defensive score of the year. Cal Poly 20 Sac St 10
Portland State @ UC Davis
These two teams just met at the end of the 2004 season, and now find themselves facing off again, just in a different location. Last season the Vikings handled the Aggies 38-21 in the 6th meeting between the teams. This game is the second of the GWFC/Big Sky battle and can also be seen on DirectTV channel 656 Saturday evening.
The Portland State offense didn't get much of a chance to show its stuff last week facing the Pac-10 Oregon State Beavers. They hope the familiar face of the Aggies will ignite their offense the way it did last season - in rolling up 28 first quarter points. The feel for the Vikings this season is the same in that they want to establish the run. It's just that the man leading the way is Joe Ruben, who takes over for departed for Ryan Fuqua. However, Ruben should have been considered back #1A rather than #2, as he rushed for 825 yards last season. The game plan will definitely be to pound the ball with Ruben even with the losses of two starters along the line, and All-American center Antonio Narcisse out with injury. Ruben was able to rush for over 100 last week, as the line opened holes, and kept their new quarterback from being sacked. The question revolves around quarterback Saywer Smith, who came into the season without much experience and didn't perform all that well last week. The Aggies defense, however, will be a different group than what the Viks faced last year. As seen last week against one of the top offenses in all of I-AA, the Aggies team speed and play in the secondary is very improved, although thin in certain areas. They should be very good against the run, which bodes well for at least containing Ruben and forcing Sawyer to show something. The toughest matchup for UCD will be against the speed of the talented Viking wide receivers. The key for UC Davis will be the return of safety Jonathon Barsi, who left early last week. Had Barsi been in the game after the first quarter, chances are very good the Aggies win that game. His status is questionable this week.
The Aggies offense certainly has the weapons the put up some big numbers but the big questions is really which Jon Grant will show up. The Aggies quarterback has thrown six, yes, six interceptions in his last two games dating back to last season. But at times he's been as solid can be, specifically against Cal Poly's stellar defense. If Grant is on, he has weapons all over the field in wide receiver Tony Kays, tight end Daniel Fells, and newbie Brandon Rice, who will see more balls every week. The question is whether the Aggies can run the ball. They looked better last week, and had one of their best games last season against this PSU team. However, Portland was stingy against the Beaver rush holding them to under 80 yards on the ground. I expect that UCD will have similar success as last week, especially against a line working in two new starters. It will again come down to Jon Grant making good decisions, and smart throws into a solid Viking secondary. He can't afford untimely interceptions. Expect his play to be better as he starts to peek over his shoulder. This game will be a totally different game than last season's game at PGE field. The Aggies are at home, and their defense will be the difference in this game. Look for Jon Grant to rely much more on Daniel Fells this week as he rights the ship a bit. UC Davis 24 Portland State 20
Game of the Week
#20 North Dakota State @ # 9 Northeastern State
This week's game of the week pits two teams ranked in the top 20, who meet for the second time in as many years. Last season the Bison struggled in the first half before roaring back in the final 30 minute set to top the ranked Demons, 30-17. This game, however, is away from the friendly confines of the Fargo Dome to be played in Natchitoches, La. It marks the first of two games against a Southland foe.
Northwestern Offense vs. Bison Defense - The Demons offense is led by strong group of running backs including Shelton Sampson, A.J. Franklin, and Greg Skidmore. Even despite the loss of All-conference performer of Derrick Johnese, this group may be as talented as the group of last season. And that's saying something considering that team ran for over 264 yards a game, including 5.6 per rush. The Demons are a team that focuses on running the ball via the option, but can throw the ball when needed with offensive leader, and all-conference quarterback, Davon Vinson. For the first time in four seasons, Coach Scott Stoker doesn't have a quarterback controversy, Vinson is his man, and he proved so last weekend. Despite some struggles in the first half, Vinson led his team back (230 yards passing, 81 rushing) from a 23-point deficit against I-A Louisiana-Monroe. Last season Vinson threw for over 1100 yards, and averaged 5.6 per carry. The Bison should continue to be extremely potent on defense, but are still working out the kinks along the defensive line where three new starters are getting acclimated to their new roles. This game will be a major test for that group, as not much can be taken from last week's blowout of Ark-Monticello. Northwestern State's strength is the running game and going right at the opposition, which leans as a slight advantage to the Demons, specifically with the new faces along the Bison's D-line. It will be interesting to watch the effectiveness of the Demon offense if the Bison can slow the run. Do the Demons have the talent to move the ball via the pass if the run is shut down? Vinson proved he could do so last week, but history says he'll make some mistakes if the Bison can contain the rush. NDSU has to force Vinson into some bad throws.
North Dakota State offense vs. Demon Defense - These teams are similar in that both relies on the run to set up the pass, but the Bison are much more balanced in throwing the rock. Last week, the Bison running game got off to a big start as with four running backs combining for over 220 yards, including another 10-yard effort by Kyle Steffes. This week the news for this talented group of runners is even better, as Cinque Chapman, the Bison's stud backup, is expected to return from injury. The one-two punch of Steffes, and Chapman will be looked to deliver big games to move the ball against a tough Northwestern defense. The Bison also are adapting to three new starters along the offensive line, who will be a huge key to protecting quarterback Steve Walker. It was just a season ago that the freshman Walker starred (8-11, 131 yards) in a 2nd half comeback against these same Demons. The vaunted Purple Swarm defense held opponents to just 76 yards rushing a game in 2004, and held La-Monroe to just 128 yards on 36 carries. This is a talented group that placed six of its players on the all-conference team including linebacker Paul Mefford, and three of members of the secondary. The biggest name to remember is All-American lockdown cornerback David Pittman, who picked off his 11th career pass last weekend.
Key Matchup. Demon defensive line vs. Bison Offensive line. It's so trite, but line play always determines the outcome of the game despite the talent as the skill positions. The Bison front five last season pushed the Purple Swarm around, en route to a dominating final 30 minutes. This season three new faces anchor the line that has yet to face stiff competition. In just a couple days time, they'll get their chance. The NSU defensive line is a physical group that can flat out play and excels at stopping the run. Ed Queen and Tory Collins are the two biggest concerns having combined for 21 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks last year. Collins, whose family lost their home last week due to flooding in the New Orleans area, delivered an inspired performance with three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The Bison offensive line will need a strong performance this weekend to give their running backs a chance to control the game. If they can't, the pressure will fall on Steve Walker. And Walker's never been in a game when the line hasn't controlled the game, making his job easy. If that happens, can he make the plays with the pressure entirely on him? Travis White is gone, so start corner Pittman will be on Marques Johnson. It all rests on the offensive line to keep the Swarm at bay.
X-Factor. Toby Ziegler, WR/KR, NSU. The Bison will have to find a way to contain Zeigler, who enters play as the most dangerous threat on the field. Ziegler, an all-American kick returner, averaged 16 and 26 on punts and kick returns last year, respectively. He took one punt back for a touchdown. Last week, all he did was catch an 85-yard pass for a touchdown to ignite the NSU offense, and also returned a punt 54 yards, and a kick 34. He is the speed "demon" the Bison have to slow.
The Roundtable Says:
Jeff Kolpack, Fargo Forum (0-1): This will be a physical game. NDSU's got
Northwestern's attention last year when the Bison rallied from a 17-7 halftime
deficit to win 30-17 at the Fargodome. NDSU won't sneak up on the Demons
this time around. Northwestern is too tough at home against non-conference foes
(an 11-year unbeaten streak). Northwestern 23, NDSU 14.
Kent Schmidt, I-aa.org (1-0): The revenge factor has to be taken into account in this game for the Demons in my opinion after the Bison beat the Demons in Fargo last year, 30-17. This game is likely to be a very physical battle and likely the winner will be the one that better controls the line of scrimmage.
Given how the Demon "Purple Swarm" defense and Davon Vinson and the Demon
offense performed last week in an upset of I-A Louisiana-Monroe, I think that
Northwestern State will grind out a low scoring game. I will take the Demons
by a touchdown.
Mike Mirer, Davis Enterprise (1-0): Sure, 59-7 is an impressive score, but Arkansas-Monticello is a bad team, and word is that the Bison were not particularly crisp. Certainly NDSU will be better this week, if only because of the traditional Great Leap Forward between games one and two. But you have to go with the home team here. The Demons beat a I-A team last week with only one half of decent football and return a ton of talent from what grew into a very good team last year. This looks like a thriller, though not one with a happy ending for the Bison.
Northwestern State 27, NDSU 21
Chris Solari, Argus Leader (0-1): Clearly another watershed moment in the
brief history of the Great West, as the Bison head to Louisiana with their
No. 22 ranking to face the 11th-ranked Demons. NDSU thumped Northwestern two
years ago in Fargo, but winning in Natchitoches, La., is about as impossible
to do as stopping at just one spoonful of gumbo. The Demons haven't lost at
home to a non-Southland Conference foe since 1994, a streak of 22 games. Expect this
game to be a slugfest won on the ground in the final minutes.
Northwestern State 17, NDSU 10.
The Bottom Line: The second week of the season, and a game of this caliber is great exposure for the Great West. The Bison proved they are ready for primetime in `04 with some big wins, including their convincing victory over the Demons. A year later, however, the Bison are younger along the lines, which means that the veteran Northwestern team gets the physical advantage. And for two teams that are prided on physical play that is huge. The Bison lines will probably be very good in time, but winning this game on the road, with revenge playing a role may prove to be a big obstacle. There's a reason that Northwestern State hasn't lost a non-conference game at home in 22 outings. They play strong, physical, slam the door on the run defense. And this defense may be the best they've had in a few years. I expect this week will be the first time we see a chink in the Bison offensive armor as Walker will be asked to do too a bit too much leading to his first career interceptions. I picked the Bison in an upset last season, but this year the Demons have too much. Northwestern State 28 North Dakota State 13.
Comments. Questions. Email Chris at gwfcfootball@hotmail.com
