GDT: #1 NDSU (6–0, 3–0) vs Indiana State (2–4, 0–2) — Sat, Oct 18 @ 12:00 p.m. CT (Memorial Stadium, Terre Haute)
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When / WhereKickoff: Sat, Oct 18 — 12:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Memorial Stadium, Terre Haute, IN (capacity 12,764)
Note: Indiana State’s Breast Cancer Awareness Game; first 300 fans receive pink pom-poms.
Sidebar: Road timber test: the traveling Bison bring the lumber. If the script hits, the green machine can hum like a tuned saw—no need to force cuts.
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How to Watch / ListenTV: ABC stations statewide in North Dakota (Dom Izzo, Kyle Emanuel, Sam Goetzinger)
Stream: ESPN+ (same TV feed)
Radio: Pioneer Seeds Bison Sports Network (pre-game 11:00 a.m. CT; includes Bison 1660 & 107.9 The Fox). Local Terre Haute: 105.5 “The Legend.”
Dial it up; the pads should crack like fresh kindling.
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Rankings / RecordsNDSU: #1; 6–0 (3–0 MVFC)
Indiana State: 2–4 (0–2 MVFC)
Numbers on the label; the wood still has to be planed between the lines.
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Series HistoryNorth Dakota State leads 11–1 since joining the MVFC (2008). The Bison are 6–0 in Terre Haute and have won seven straight overall. The teams did not play in 2018, 2019, 2023, or 2024 (schedule rotation / ISU spring 2020–21 opt-out).
Plenty of rings in this trunk; today adds another growth ring either way.
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Last Week’s ResultsNDSU: Beat then-No. 8 Southern Illinois 45–17, scoring 38 unanswered; capitalized on takeaways and stacked clean finishes.
Shop note: Once tempo set, drives fed through like boards—square edges, little waste.
Indiana State: Earlier MVFC opener at SIU: ISU rushed for 322 yards (Nick Osho 211 yds, 2 TD) but fell 55–27.
Blue showed a sturdy grain on the ground even when the scoreboard cut against them.
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Injury ReportNDSU: TE Carson Williams — day-to-day; TE Finn Diggins — leg fracture (~6 weeks); LB Ray James — full go; S Jaylen Archibald — available; LB Alex Elliott — ~1–2 weeks; DL Darius Givance — must sit 1st half (targeting last game).
Indiana State: QB Elijah Owens — collarbone; out “for now” per staff; QB Keegan Patterson starting, with Brock Riddle available.
Availability guides how you cut; depth is the extra blade in the toolbox.
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Stories & Key MatchupsTop vs Underdog: NDSU arrives #1; Indiana State hunts an MVFC spark. Don’t miss the forest for the trees—details win down-to-down.
Quarterbacks: Cole Payton brings high-efficiency cuts; Patterson is a dual-threat who can whittle yards when leverage slips.
Run Game Lens: Sycamores flashed 322 on the deck at SIU; Bison front aims to wedge early and keep the blue backs from splitting clean.
Explosives & Ball Security: Green has protected the log; blue needs takeaway teeth sharp to flip the pile.
Wood chipper mode: When green timing snaps into place, the offense can grind like a wood chipper—steady feed, constant output, nothing fancy, just volume. A nod to the hometown movie—keep the gloves on and the feed steady.
Wood lineage: Around Fargo we know a thing or two about wood—just ask former Bison like Chris Board and Easton Stick.
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Sycamore Stats & FactsRB Nick Osho’s big day at SIU showed blue’s ability to lean on the run game when the grain is straight.
QB Keegan Patterson has handled starts since Owens’ injury; Brock Riddle can appear as the change-of-pace cut.
If blue stacks patient carries, they can turn the chains like a hand plane—thin curl, fresh shavings, repeat.
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Bison Stats & FactsQB Cole Payton sits among national leaders in passer rating, completion %, yards/completion and yards/attempt; overall production tracks at a high clip.
RB Barika Kpeenu has been a reliable finisher near the goal line.
Team performance: stingy scoring defense, tight passing defense, and strong totals across the board; passing efficiency and completion % lead the way; scoring and rushing offense among the nation’s best; ball security has been premium.
Wood-shop rhythm: When the sequence hits—inside cut, motion, PA—possessions move like an assembly line. Not flashy, just precise, and the floor stays clean of scraps.
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Players to Watch
| NDSU |
Indiana State |
| QB Cole Payton • RB Barika Kpeenu • WR Bryce Lance • DL Darius Givance (out 1st half; eligible 2nd half – prior targeting) |
RB Nick Osho • QB Keegan Patterson • QB Brock Riddle |
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Trench Talk (Line Play Focus)This game can turn into a full-day milling job up front. For green: finish fits, keep hands inside, and let doubles climb on schedule. For blue: reduce the surface, compress gaps, and spill the run toward help. If either side starts moving people off the spot, it becomes a log-rolling contest where the first slip sends you for a swim.
Win the nose, own the grain.
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Third-Down LumberyardShort yardage is a wedge game—pad level and first step. Medium is a leverage game—route stems and protection angles. Long is a patience game—don’t try to cut hardwood with a dull blade. Green’s best on-schedule downs can feel like a shop with all the tools sharp; blue’s best third downs come when early movement forces the cut to bend.
Move the sticks, keep the saws cool.
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Red-Zone SawmillInside the 20, everything tightens. Green’s approach often stacks layers—power, boot, glance—like laminated veneer; once bonded, it’s hard to pry apart. Blue must be stout at first contact and deny clean edges; strip one layer and the piece delaminates.
Measure twice, cut once—points are premium wood.
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Situational EdgesOpening Script: Expect both sides to test the grain—motions and formational saw-kerfs to check how the wood wants to bend.
2-Minute & 4-Minute: Late-half tempo is where the green operation can flip to wood-chipper mode—constant feed, clock control. Blue counters by stealing a possession or forcing a knot at midfield.
Hidden Yardage: Punt depth, return lanes, and penalty discipline decide which sideline gets the better boards to work with.
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Clean Cuts (What to Watch Without Guessing)• Early down success: if green stays ahead of the chains, the assembly line rolls.
• Blue run volume: can they keep shaving off 4’s and 5’s until a seam opens?
• Perimeter tackling: missed tackles turn small off-cuts into full-length planks.
• Ball handling: one loose board on the floor can trip the entire shop.
No fortune-telling—just eyes on the grain as it reveals itself.
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Quick Facts
| Kick: |
Sat 10/18, 12:00 p.m. CT — Memorial Stadium, Terre Haute |
| TV/Stream: |
ABC North Dakota; ESPN+ |
| Radio: |
Pioneer Seeds Bison Sports Network; Terre Haute 105.5 “The Legend” |
| Records: |
NDSU 6–0 (3–0); Indiana State 2–4 (0–2) |
| Series: |
NDSU leads 11–1; 6–0 in Terre Haute |
Go Bison! Bring the lumber. Win the line. If it turns into a wood chipper, keep the feed steady and the guard down on nothing.
Gdt: #1 ndsu (6-0, 3-0) @ isu (2-4, 0-2)
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Originally Posted by SDbison
