The Weight of 5 Straight Championships

[DM05]

The only "weight" is the expectations of us fans.

Fan expectations aren't the only thing weighing on the players. Not one player on the roster has ever not won a conference championship, played four home games in the playoffs, and won a national championship as a college football player. A lot of pressure is just based on the recent past history of the program and not wanting to make a mistake that ends these streaks.

Fully agree that we fans are ridiculously spoiled and many do not realize it.

[Bison Loaf]

I have ZERO anxiety during and after games. The Championship streak will end eventually. All of them do. I can live with that.

For me personally, it would be disingenuous to say that I have NO anxiety before, during, and after games. I still get nervous before games, I still get mad during games and I still get bummed out after losses or even close, less-than-expected victories. Those are, at least, SOME form of anxiety, regardless how mild. So it would serve no purpose to say that it isn't. I STILL very badly want this run to continue and invest a lot of time and emotion into it.

I will say, however, that after 5 straight Championships................a feat that no other college football team in history has accomplished............. I do get OVER my frustrations VERY quickly these days, and I do optimistically look forward to the next game extremely soon after that. That, I think, is an acknowledgement and understanding that the streak will end sometime, as they all do, and that I can live with the very contentment that "the streak" provides to fanatics like me.............at whatever point that streak may, or may not, end.

[devin45k]

Let's be real...we aren't the same team as we were for all the championships. We have numerous weakspots and are lacking in the pass game. You can say we are run first but we are a bottom half passing team that underthows a lot of passes.

I don't want the streak to end but if we aren't the best team in the FCS that year, then it stings a little less knowing a team that is playing better won.

[tolnabison]

Let's be real...we aren't the same team as we were for all the championships. We have numerous weakspots and are lacking in the pass game. You can say we are run first but we are a bottom half passing team that underthows a lot of passes.

I don't want the streak to end but if we aren't the best team in the FCS that year, then it stings a little less knowing a team that is playing better won.

And are 6-1, with an FBS win, and far from a finished product. Don't post much on here, but I can not get over how spoiled we are. People can rip me for saying this, but last year after a loss against USD, we scratched out wins against ISU-B, SIU, and YSU. Each games had people saying we struggle in many different aspects of the game. I know it was the first 3 games without Carson, but obviously loosing 2nd pick in the draft is a big adjustment. People were tickled pink with these close wins on the road. I don't see what the difference should be this year? Wins are wins. Get us to the playoffs with as many home games as possible and see where we end up.

One game people are calling for someones head, the next they are calling for a different guys head. Lets just ride this thing out and see where it takes us. Obviously it hasn't been easy this year. Much rather be in our situation than a lot of other teams.

[thundarsdaddy]

ok lets review...

2015...close game with UNI, then USD beat us, then close game with YSU, then only close game in the playoffs was with UNI.

2014, only close regular season game was with UNI, when we lost 23-3, but playoffs had 3 of 4 close games.

2013, UNI..only close game all year.

2012, UNI close game, then ISU-B beats us, close game with SIU, close w/Mo. State, SDSU close....only close game in playoffs was Georgia Southern.

2011, ISU-R, fairly close, SIU close, UNI close, ISU-B, close, YSU beat us 27-24, then no real close playoff game until Sam Houston with fake punt and T-Beck interception...fairly close.

point is...relax...once we get beyond the Mo. Valley regular season, things change

[devin45k]

And are 6-1, with an FBS win, and far from a finished product. Don't post much on here, but I can not get over how spoiled we are. People can rip me for saying this, but last year after a loss against USD, we scratched out wins against ISU-B, SIU, and YSU. Each games had people saying we struggle in many different aspects of the game. I know it was the first 3 games without Carson, but obviously loosing 2nd pick in the draft is a big adjustment. People were tickled pink with these close wins on the road. I don't see what the difference should be this year? Wins are wins. Get us to the playoffs with as many home games as possible and see where we end up.

One game people are calling for someones head, the next they are calling for a different guys head. Lets just ride this thing out and see where it takes us. Obviously it hasn't been easy this year. Much rather be in our situation than a lot of other teams.

Not calling for anyone's head. I am saying we have weak spots and our passing game isn't that great. We can be positive all we want but statistically we are 88th out of 122 teams in passing yards.

I am a positive person, I am just pointing out an observation. I don't get why NDSU fans get so defensive about it.

[Vet70]

Not calling for anyone's head. I am saying we have weak spots and our passing game isn't that great. We can be positive all we want but statistically we are 88th out of 122 teams in passing yards.

I am a positive person, I am just pointing out an observation. I don't get why NDSU fans get so defensive about it.

Just another observation. To this point we have had 461 plays with 151 (32.75%) of those being passes. Of those 60.9% have been completed. That 88th ranking has to be looked at within the context of two of every three plays being runs---we rank 15th in that category.

[Bison03]

Championships aren't won in October, they are won in December and January. Every championship year, we have peaked at the end of the season and played our best football of the year.

[SC_TX]

The "weight" is that we can do nothing but go down. 5 straight titles, 2nd pick in NFL draft, beating Iowa. There is nothing we can do to grow the product anymore at the FCS level

[Vet70]

For me personally, it would be disingenuous to say that I have NO anxiety before, during, and after games. I still get nervous before games, I still get mad during games and I still get bummed out after losses or even close, less-than-expected victories. Those are, at least, SOME form of anxiety, regardless how mild. So it would serve no purpose to say that it isn't. I STILL very badly want this run to continue and invest a lot of time and emotion into it.

I will say, however, that after 5 straight Championships................a feat that no other college football team in history has accomplished............. I do get OVER my frustrations VERY quickly these days, and I do optimistically look forward to the next game extremely soon after that. That, I think, is an acknowledgement and understanding that the streak will end sometime, as they all do, and that I can live with the very contentment that "the streak" provides to fanatics like me.............at whatever point that streak may, or may not, end.

Doesn't Dr. Phil have a show where you can get advanced counseling for all of this?