Western Illinois concerns me now.

[TheBisonator]

I know this game isn't for another 4 weeks, but when reading about SDSU's close loss to Western Illinois last night, someone mentioned that WIU has a 31 game home winning streak. Yet in the past 3 seasons, their combined record is 14-19. This is something that baffles me. Does this mean they always win all of their home games and lose all their road games?? They went 4-7 in 2004. Did they only play 4 home games that year??

If this is the case, this makes me more concerned about how we'll be able to do against them at their place. Does anyone have more info on how WIU does at home??

[X-Factor]

Northwestern State had something similar until we showed up.

Look at who WIU plays non-conf...

Morehead State
Kentucky Wesleyan
Northern Colorado
Iowa Wesleyan
Cheyney
Quincy

that's right, only 1 scholarship FCS team (if you want to believe UNC fits that mold).

that is every non-conferance game in the last 3 years. It is no wonder they have a 31 game winning streak. By all rights NDSU should have this game put away by halftime with Mertens getting some reps under center.

[Bisonguy]

Must be a 31 game non-conf winning streak. They've lost to a couple Gateway teams at home the last couple of years.



If you look at last year's WIU schedule, they stayed within two scores of all their Gateway games. I believe that they'll be one of those pesky teams that keeps the close, and NDSU won't be able to blow out. Something like SFA last year, or Mankato (at least some years) back in the NCC.

[56BISON73]

I know this game isn't for another 4 weeks, but when reading about SDSU's close loss to Western Illinois last night, someone mentioned that WIU has a 31 game home winning streak. Yet in the past 3 seasons, their combined record is 14-19. This is something that baffles me. Does this mean they always win all of their home games and lose all their road games?? They went 4-7 in 2004. Did they only play 4 home games that year??

If this is the case, this makes me more concerned about how we'll be able to do against them at their place. Does anyone have more info on how WIU does at home??

I was only the first game. Chill out. PL

[sambini]

You take them one game at a time. We will be just fine.

[TheDoctor]

You take them one game at a time. We will be just fine.

++++++++++++++++;)

[Scooter1]

If SDSU could have limited their turnovers they would have won this game. The thing that kept SDSU in all those games last year was the phenominal play of their quarterback. Well, he's gone and it sure showed on thursday night. If SDSU can't get their QB house in order it will be a long season for them.

NDSU will beat the leathernecks by at least 17 points.

[tony]

Time to bump this thread to the top.

[NWNDBison]

Western Illinois beats SFA 34-13.

Tied at the half, WIU put 21 unanswered points on the board in the 2nd half.

This is cause for concern!

http://www.wiuathletics.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=50026&SPID=4963&DB_OEM_ID=12000&ATCLID=1246959

[Gully]

They are a good team and we'll have to play well to win. We certainly won't be sneaking up on anybody.

[I'mWithNOSIB]

As most stated, we need to worry about one game at a time.

The reason we didn't BLOWOUT SFA was for the fact that we had 5 turnovers. This will not happen again as the team looks like they have found their groove again. This game will be no contest after watching yesterday's show of dominace.

NDSU 24 WIU 13

[jeffdaryl3rd]

NDSU is golden as long as we can put the rock in Tyler Roehl's hands 30 times again next week and let Steve Walker do what he does and just pick up first downs all game. NDSU 34, WIU 16.

[X-Factor]

WIU should get some more votes in the polls this week. On the AGS poll they were sitting at #25 so probably a few spots higher with Lafayette losing and Cal Poly deserving to be dropped from the poll.

WIU is a decent team, but they are very one dimensional with a questionable defense. Their offense consists of Herb left, Herb right, Herb up the middle, and Matt Barr tucking it and running every once in a while. This will be a nice change of pace after the last few QB's we have faced that can throw downfield! I don't think Herb gets much against Mays, Maresh, and Humber, so if we don't cough up the ball like SFA I think we'll do just fine.

[CaBisonFan]

I know this game isn't for another 4 weeks, but when reading about SDSU's close loss to Western Illinois last night, someone mentioned that WIU has a 31 game home winning streak. Yet in the past 3 seasons, their combined record is 14-19. This is something that baffles me. Does this mean they always win all of their home games and lose all their road games?? They went 4-7 in 2004. Did they only play 4 home games that year??

If this is the case, this makes me more concerned about how we'll be able to do against them at their place. Does anyone have more info on how WIU does at home??

I worry more about games that we're supposed to win...like this one. The game that I'm the most concerned about this year is at SDSU. The other one was Central Michigan. I was shocked yesterday. We might lose at Minnesota, but somehow I'm not stressed about it. For them it's lose-lose, and for us it's win-win...unless we get blown out.

[Scooter1]

Here it is, our first game against our sister school Western Illinois. The leathernecks are having a good season so far. But, as I stated on the first of september, NDSU should win this game by at least 17 points. And, here is why....

1. SDSU took this team into overtime on their field, I kept track of this game, and SDSU played terrible. It frankly was another Wisconsin LaCrosse performance by the Jacks. We are much better than the Jacks. Sorry Jacks, but it's the truth

2. The SFA game may have a few of you worried because they shut out SFA in the second half. The thing is this, SFA turned the ball over three times and had horrid special teams play, that is what killed SFA. We beat SFA by nine points. We did everything possible to give them the game with turnovers, assignment mistakes on defense and stupid penalties. Yet the Bison still won this game. The reason is because NDSU is much better than SFA. When is the last time a team was -5 in the turnover department and won by 9? I think anyone will be hard pressed to find an example.

3. Western Illinois is not going to spread out the Bison defense. They run almost exclusively on first down and only pass when they get into a second or third and long situation. After three games of seeing the spead offense the Bison looked pretty damn good on Saturday. And, I don't think it was because the CMU quarterback had a terrible game. The truth of the matter is the Bison defense took a big step forward last week and kicked the crap out of a solid FBS team. This is a game that is perfect for the linebackers we have at NDSU. Mays, Humber, and Maresh are the three best linebackers that the leathernecks are going to see this year. I'll be surprised if the leathernecks put up 20 points in this one. Just a thought, how good would the NDSU defense be if Dahl and Frick would have red shirted their freshman year? Kind of scary isn't it?

4. Yeah, they have a long winning streak against non conference opponents but I guarentee you that NDSU is by far the toughest non conference opponent that they have faced in the last ten years.

5. Walker has found his groove and the offense is running pretty well. And, we still have some wrinkles that people are expecting to see that haven't been unveiled yet.... this will not be the game that we need them.

6. CMU surprised me with their men up front on defense. It took longer than expected to wear these guys down. However, Walker had good protection all day long. I don't think that the W Illinois defensive front is as strong as CMU's. I have a fealing that Roehl is going to have a good day running the ball.

7. This game is the one to watch. There will be questions answered about this team on Saturday. How will they handle a second week on the road? How are they going to perform on the road against a Gateway team? If last year is any indication, the answer is... pretty good. I think that the coaches are going to be stressing that this is the game that the Bison need to come out and make a statement. With UNI, S Ill, and Youngstown all in this conference, NDSU needs to put this game away before the fourth quarter and send a message to the rest of the FCS. Coach Bohl will have these guys ready to play.

8. If anyone hasn't noticed it yet... there is a confidance level with this team that hasn't been seen for a while at NDSU. For a while, there was an attitude that we could play with anyone. That's great. Remember when Northwestern came to play at the dome? The radio team was commenting on Northwestern having more talent that the Dome has ever seen before. Now, does anyone even refer to that game in any context? This team is markedly better than the product that was being put on the field when Bohl started at NDSU. And, the attitude of the players has evolved from "we can play with anyone" to a "we can and will beat everyone". These guys expect to win, peroid.

Prediction... NDSU 37 Western Illinois 17

[KC Bison]

I'd like to think this could be analyzed further but Scooter1 nailed everything he touched. I would think we could get to looking ahead but I hope their score against SFA should keep them focused. Last week's game with CM sort of reminded me of last year when we traveled all the way to Georgia Southern. From the outset, it looked like a scary game and the Bison crushed them and I think it gave them confidence for the rest of the year.

[Scooter1]

I'd like to think this could be analyzed further but Scooter1 nailed everything he touched. I would think we could get to looking ahead but I hope their score against SFA should keep them focused. Last week's game with CM sort of reminded me of last year when we traveled all the way to Georgia Southern. From the outset, it looked like a scary game and the Bison crushed them and I think it gave them confidence for the rest of the year.

Reason #7 is why the Bison will be focused this week. This is a message game (1 of 2) that may define the season for the Bison. With S Ill, Youngstown, UNI and Ill St in the Gateway, pollsters will be comparing the scores of (NDSU / W Illinois) and (NDSU / Illinois St) with those of the top of the Gateway. NDSU needs to put this game away early. Rest assured that Coach Bohl and staff will have these guys ready.

[tony]

It'd be a tall order to put this one away early, I think. Western Illinois looks very physical - keep an eye on their linebacker, Jason Williams.

One of the things I like most about the move to DI is that every week we seem to play respect-worthy opponents (opponents that could rear up and deliver a 2005-Cal-Poly-style whooping if there is any letdown. Anyway, this is a preview of the Gateway. I kind of expect a low-scoring, very physical war in which mistakes like personal foul penalties can be killers.

Hehe, the Gateway is a great conference and my main worry about the Gateway is that the teams are so physical that they wear themselves down by the time the playoffs roll around. It'll be interesting to see how the Bison deal with this. I still remember that Southern Illinois game (ouch).

[BigBison]

One thing no one seems to be talking about is this team only lost to Illinois 21-0 which isnt a blow out by a Big Ten team, we cant overlook them. just my 2 cents

[jeffdaryl3rd]

I don't think we are overlooking them and most importantly I know the coaching staff won't allow the players to overlook them. I think any of the teams on our schedule can beat us if we don't play well, but I'm predicting we do play well and if we play like we did last week this game shouldn't be real close in the fourth quarter.

[Scooter1]

The more I look at this team the more I think that we will win by more than two touchdowns. This game is taylor made for a Bison win.

[WYOBISONMAN]

I think that this is a game the Bison should win handily, however, we have to keep the turnovers in check and watch those penalties. I believe that barring issues with those two things, the Bison will cruise to a solid WIN.

[NDSUstudent]

If WIU had a passing game I might be concerned, you have to have balance if you are going to move the ball on our defense. As long as NDSU keeps the mistakes in check we will win by 10+.

[tony]

#3 v #17 this week!

Western Illinois just seems like a "Bison-like" team; I mean, their guys are eager to play NDSU and are fired up about being the underdog - although with two ranked teams and one at home for their Homecoming, it's hard to say that the Leathernecks should be that much of an underdog.

By the way, I can't believe how quickly the Bison program has changed perceptions. One year + one week ago, a WHOLE lot of people were saying that NDSU would never beat an FBS team. Two years ago, NDSU would have been the underdog going into a game against ranked opponent (well, not to Bison fans, of course).

http://media.www.westerncourier.com/media/storage/paper650/news/2007/09/28/Sports/necks.Face.Homecoming.Test-2999155.shtml

http://www.wgem.com/Sports/index.php?ID=17190

The second link has some video of the Leathernecks.

[extremerouge]

i am really excited about this game. it's their homecoming, they have a fantastic running game, and we have a fantastic defense against the run. should be a lot of hard hits and emotion on the field saturday!

[Gully]

i am really excited about this game. it's their homecoming, they have a fantastic running game, and we have a fantastic defense against the run. should be a lot of hard hits and emotion on the field saturday!

I agree, I don't know that this game will be as easy as a lot of people think. It's going to be a very, very physical game. I hope we throw a lot to loosen them up.

[Bison_Pride]

The weather looks good, maybe not as windy as last week. I think that is a good sign for the Bison.

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. Warm. High 84F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.

[jeffdaryl3rd]

I agree, I don't know that this game will be as easy as a lot of people think. It's going to be a very, very physical game. I hope we throw a lot to loosen them up.

If NDSU can slow down WIU's running game (which we have done a good job of, with the exception of QB's) and not turn it over this game won't be close. Of course, running the ball and creating turnovers are things at which WIU is in the top 5 in the country, so we'll see what happens. I'm saying 34-13 good guys.

[IBleedYellow]

I'm a firm believer if you have a good running game, you will win the game. And WIU has a very good running game. But we also have a defence that can stop almost every running back in his tracks, or at least very darn near the line of scrimage. Only thing that we can't stop is QB's that are good with the option. Like SDSU's last year, and Sam Houston's last weekend. So if we stop the run, we win the game, hands down.

[99Bison]

http://www.macombjournal.com:80/articles/2007/09/28/sports/sports2.txt

[Tatanka]

Patterson knows the NDSU program well and is equal in his respect for the Bisons.

"I'm sure the players recognize they we're going up against one of the best teams in all of I-AA and it's going to take an 'A' game from us to have a chance to win the game," said Patterson. "This is one of the best I-AA football teams that's come to Macomb in recent years. I wouldn't have voted them number-one in the polls if I didn't believe that as of last Saturday, they were the best team in I-AA."

Got to like that!!!

Except the "Bisons" part. Oh well, at least they didn't spell it "Bison's".:smh:

This is not going to be a walk in the park tomorrow...

[Gully]

I don't know folks, I'm nervous. They're going to have a huge crowd on hand....very important for us to start fast and not let them get the momentum.