2019 UC Davis

[Bison 4 Life]

We'll see how great of a coach he is...since his time at Boise he's compiled a lousy record at multiple levels of football. He's charismatic though and speaks well (he was an analyst for ESPN for several years).

He's an alum so I imagine he can have that job as long as he wants. Getting into his 60's so he can retire in a few years.

[tony]

For those younger fans out there, NDSU and Davis had quite a battle back in the 80s.

1982 - NDSU went out to Davis and lost in the semi-final game 14-19
1983 - NDSU traveled again to Davis and won the semi-final game 26-17
1984 - Davis came to Fargo in the first round of the playoffs and NDSU won 31-23
1985 - NDSU surprisingly made the playoffs and traveled to Davis and beat them 31-12 in the first round

We didn't meet again until 2002.

The last time we played them was in 2007.

Those playoff games were battles too - well, except maybe that last one. Wasn't it snowing for one of those games in California (and Coach Simmers was out there in shorts)? Heck if I can remember which one it was... I'd have guessed 1985 but the more I look at the descriptions of those games, the more I doubt my memory.

Here's a bit from the old media guide write-up of the first playoff meeting:

North Dakota State's final chance cameon the next possession as the Bison marched 49 yards in 11 plays to the Cal-Davis 8-yard line, setting up a first-and-goal situation with less than 25 seconds to play. An incomplete pass and a 1-yard gain by Willis put the ball on the seven with 11 seconds remaining. Another incomplete pass set up the final play of the game and Mark Nellermoe's pass to tight end Mark Luedtke in the back of the end zone was off the receiver's fingertips. Thus, a 12-1 season came to a close.

The game was watched nationally on CBS television. Cal-Davis moved on to the NCAA championship game with a perfect 12-0 record

[bri-dog]

Those playoff games were battles too - well, except maybe that last one. Wasn't it snowing for one of those games in California (and Coach Simmers was out there in shorts)? Heck if I can remember which one it was... I'd have guessed 1985 but the more I look at the descriptions of those games, the more I doubt my memory.

Here's a bit from the old media guide write-up of the first playoff meeting:

I remember that game. UCD's QB that game was Ken O'Brien (one of the famed QB class of '83). Watching on TV, I thought Nellermoe could have run that in, but it's easy to second-guess...

[roadwarrior]

Dom Izzo just posted the 1984 game highlights on Twitter.

[devin45k]

Dom Izzo just posted the 1984 game highlights on Twitter.

# 40 on UCD looked fast in that highlight.

[JMB]

Dom Izzo just posted the 1984 game highlights on Twitter.

If my memory serves correctly, there was a playoff game in the D2 era against a California school where we about froze them off the sideline. Was that against Cal Davis?

[BisonNeil]

Gage was just a regular QB. Since then, he lost his job, and after transferring to WSU, I don’t believe he has had much of an impact.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to clarify, Gubrud "lost his job" last year after a season-ending injury. He wasn't beat out by Eric Barriere. But you are correct about him at WSU, he has only had garbage time and has thrown only 13 passes to date.

[BisManBison]

If my memory serves correctly, there was a playoff game in the D2 era against a California school where we about froze them off the sideline. Was that against Cal Davis?

1990 - blasted Cal Poly 47-0 in the quarterfinals. It had snowed the night before/morning of the game, so the stands were full of snow and it was pretty cold at game time. I remember thinking that most of the Cal Poly team just wanted out of there from the get go and sometime early in the game, their fans had the nerve to stand up and cheer. They were greeted with a wall of snow balls. It was a thing of beauty. Completely unorchestrated but everyone in the south stands had the same idea and the timing of them being released couldn't have been better. Their fans never cheered again the rest of the game, not that they had any reason to do so. I'm thinking NDSU fans may have been assholes back then....

[AKBison]

Heard a great segment on Mark Packer ESPNU's xm 84 today with UC Davis coach Dan Hawkins. Had some good UC Davis and NDSU talk and it's worth a listen. Hopefully somebody can provide a link once they show is over.

[NDSU1980]

For those younger fans out there, NDSU and Davis had quite a battle back in the 80s.

1982 - NDSU went out to Davis and lost in the semi-final game 14-19
1983 - NDSU traveled again to Davis and won the semi-final game 26-17
1984 - Davis came to Fargo in the first round of the playoffs and NDSU won 31-23
1985 - NDSU surprisingly made the playoffs and traveled to Davis and beat them 31-12 in the first round

We didn't meet again until 2002.

The last time we played them was in 2007.

I remember the 82 game very well. What would have been the game winning TD pass for us sailed over the head of our receiver in the end zone. In 83 the end of the 82 season was mentioned by several players, almost seemed like it was equivalent of the 2010 EWU game and it sorta seemed like it drove our guys all through 83 to meet up with Davis and even the score. They did and won the Natty after that.

EDIT: I see Tony already summed that game for me.