Momentum Play

[CaBisonFan]

There were many big plays...but the fumble on our first drive? Priceless :(

Changed the whole game. We lost control and home-field advantage right there. They answered...and the cycle didn't stop. WIU is very good.

[Kevin]

I couldn't help but feel like we beat ourselves. And that's certainly not to take anything away from an obviously good WIU squad but that fumble and the consistent shoot-yourself-in-the-foot penalties just took all the wind out of the sails.

[semobison]

We didnt beat ourselves. We didnt show up in the first half...again! Our d was getting beat at the line of scrimmage, They were getting a push from their O line all day! We played better the second half, but when you cant finish drives?? Every team in the MVFC has good athletes. If your not ready to play every quarter, every saturday, your not going to have much success!

[jaystus]

So your saying this team could not get over 1 bad play at the beginning of the game?

[semobison]

That one fumble didnt give them 260 yards of first half offense. It did set a tone however!

[CaBisonFan]

So your saying this team could not get over 1 bad play at the beginning of the game?

Of course not...but WIU seized the opportunity and really never gave it back. WIU is a seriously solid team. To beat a team like that, you 'must' take the game immediately. We had a 'chance' to do that.

The more I watch the MVFC games...the more I think that ball control is the #1 factor in the outcome of a game. They controlled it and didn't do us any return favors. They were hard-nosed, fundamentally strong, and their QB has it totally together.

No real shame here.

[HerdBot]

There were many big plays...but the fumble on our first drive? Priceless :(

Changed the whole game. We lost control and home-field advantage right there. They answered...and the cycle didn't stop. WIU is very good.

Like I said if our offense plays like it did against USD in the first half we would get blown out. We played the entire game like the first half.

Western Illinois could run the ball at will and we gave up 3rd down conversions all day. We did not make good adjustments at half.

Too tough of a team. We could have changed the outcome by eliminating stupid errors.

Close game. I think WIU is a better team.

Youngstown is just as good. I expect to lose next week by 17 points.

[stevdock]

I saw two teams that were almost identical today. Both teams scored 4 times. Difference one team had 4 TD's, the other had 1 TD. Yards were with 4 yards of each other I think I heard.

Differences though I thought WIU controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides. Obviously the turnover, changed the whole game. If we get 7 right away, defense more aggressive, crowd louder, etc.

THe last thing I thought we ran the ball WAY TOO MANY TIMES. I know that's not the Bison way, but it wasn't there tonight or really all season outside of the second half last week. Outside of Jensen's run at the end of the half, and DJ's one long run, we weren't able to do much. This is a team that is going to need to set up the run with the pass. This is not a team that can just go out there and pound the ball and eventually it will work. The deep ball was open all day long. And it would have been there whether we ran it 4 times in a row or not. Middle of the field passes weren't there, but if we could have overloaded a section of the field the underneath route would have been there.

[BadlandsBison]

I saw two teams that were almost identical today. Both teams scored 4 times. Difference one team had 4 TD's, the other had 1 TD. Yards were with 4 yards of each other I think I heard.

Differences though I thought WIU controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides. Obviously the turnover, changed the whole game. If we get 7 right away, defense more aggressive, crowd louder, etc.

THe last thing I thought we ran the ball WAY TOO MANY TIMES. I know that's not the Bison way, but it wasn't there tonight or really all season outside of the second half last week. Outside of Jensen's run at the end of the half, and DJ's one long run, we weren't able to do much. This is a team that is going to need to set up the run with the pass. This is not a team that can just go out there and pound the ball and eventually it will work. The deep ball was open all day long. And it would have been there whether we ran it 4 times in a row or not. Middle of the field passes weren't there, but if we could have overloaded a section of the field the underneath route would have been there.

Yep. Every team in the MVC comes into the game knowing they have to stop the fun against the Bison as a first priority. If the opponent crowds the LOS, they have a great shot at beating NDSU.

[HandoEX]

We had more yards: 403-298, but lost pretty much every other statistical category...
1st Downs: 21 for WIU to 14 for NDSU
Rushing yards: 223for WIU to 164 for NDSU
Penalties: 6-44 for WIU to 8-50 for NDSU
3rd Down Conversions: 7-13 for WIU to 3-13 for NDSU
Turnovers: 0 for WIU to 1 for NDSU
Possession: 32:08 for WIU to 27:01 for NDSU

[semobison]

Total yards were almost even 403 to 398. It was 260 to 180 at the half, not bad but its tough to come back from a 21-3 deficit in this conference! I think the coaching needs to do some ass chewing before the game. Maybe we will play a decent first half of football. Every game on our remaining schedule is winnable, but if we dont play 4 quarters, we could lose them all too!

[Bison"FANatic"]

Stat if the game for me was WIU 4-4 in the red zone, NDSU 2-5.

Our D is bend but don't break and today they broke

O has to punch them in for TD

No turnovers hurt on D also but giving up one should be able to be handled

I thought 3rd down conversions were more lopsided but only WIU 7-13 us 5-13(I think) but our D needs to get off the field on the money down.

[MinotBison]

Is there someone out there who can give a players perspective on what preparation you do for an upcoming opponent?

It baffles myself and everyone else on this board that they seem like they are just not ready to play for much of the first half of a game.

[bisoningrandforks]

maybe it was best I didnt see the game..had to move.....HEY CALBISON!! should I watch the replay, or is it to painful?...

[CaBisonFan]

maybe it was best I didnt see the game..had to move.....HEY CALBISON!! should I watch the replay, or is it to painful?...

Nah...I'd watch it. There's some good stuff. I'd maybe suggest a couple of beers before you start though...and continue.

[CaBisonFan]

Is there someone out there who can give a players perspective on what preparation you do for an upcoming opponent?

It baffles myself and everyone else on this board that they seem like they are just not ready to play for much of the first half of a game.

I'm the wrong person...but I'd say that the opposing coaches know how to get to us early. They see stuff that's easy to prepare for. So we're always adjusting...or trying. It's like playing from a defensive posture most of the game. It wears a team down.

[Bison"FANatic"]

Here is a interesting stat break down of scoring first half and total end of game points

________________First Half________________________TOTAL____________

Year ________us___________ them,_____________us,_______________ them

2010 _______ 33 ____________55 _____________ 104_______________ 72

2009________149 ___________176 _____________321________________ 315

2008 ________157 __________109 ______________329________________ 211

2007 ________226 _________ 151 ______________435 ________________245

2006 ________178 __________96 _______________374 ________________147

2005 ________174 __________80 _______________ 320_______________151