North Dakota State

[TheCatInTheHat]

Already turned the page on the MSU game; just a bad matchup for us at this time.

With the next opponent we have coming in, and after yesterday's results, I guess the obvious thing to point out is App St over A&M, Marshall over Notre Dame, and Georgia Southern over Nebraska. No doubt somebody somewhere in the world will make some sneering comment about FCS, but ND St has had their FBS wins on the road (Minnesota, Kansas St, Iowa St, etc), and then there are the 11 FCS titles. History isn't today, but they're expecting to win, and they'll likely be favored.

Also, they already have bought a lot of tickets. More of their alumni in Arizona than anyplace other than North Dakota and Minneapolis. The visitor section sold out long ago, and they spread out through the stadium after that. From a trip to their message board, lots of chest-pounding until we won at SDSU, then it was more muted, and I'm sure their drum-beaters will be back after last night's score.

Evidently, they like to ground and pound, and they're a little nervous about a decent passing team. That's about it. I'll take a look at their personnel a little later.

[UAEebs86]

[gouacats]

I thought I heard Brian Jeffries in the post game show say NDSU has beat their last 5 power 5 opponents?!?

[cordera89]

What are the odds of Arizona beating FCS North Dakota State next week?

[TheCatInTheHat]

So, here we are. Big offensive line, seem to be conservative on offense, and they play a lot of people on defense (partly due to blowouts.) Not to get too carried away with the analogy, but maybe a little bit like playing the Malauulu Tomey teams. I'd think it would be very important to jump out ahead of them early, if at all possible. (BTW, I guessed and put Will Mostaert in at DT for the injured Eli Mostaert. They appear to be nearly identical twins, but Will's about 20 pounds lighter.)

OFFENSE:
QB CAM MILLER 6-1 210 JR 208 YDS 62% 4 TD
RB TK MARSHALL 5-11 205 JR 57 YDS 1 TD
FB HUNTER LUEPKE 6-1 235 SR 68 YDS 2 TD
WR ZACH MATHIS 6-6 205 SR 71 YDS 2 TD
WR BRAYLON HENDERSON 5-9 180 JR 17 YDS
TE NOAH GINDORFF 6-6 270 SR 44 YDS 1 TD
LT CODY MAUCH 6-6 305 SR
LG NASH JENSEN 6-4 300 SR
C JALEN SUNDELL 6-5 295 SR
RG JAKE KUBAS 6-4 305 SR
RT MASON MILLER 6-6 295 JR

DEFENSE:
DE SPENCER WAEGE 6-5 280 SR 5 T 2 SACKS
DT WILL MOSTAERT 6-2 260 JR
DT JAVIER DERRITT 6-1 280 JR
DE TONY PIERCE 6-1 240 SR 6 T
LB JAMES KACZOR 6-0 215 SR 9 T
LB NICK KUBITZ 6-2 225 JR 9 T
LB OSCAR BENSON 6-1 215 SO 7 T
CB COURTNEY EUBANKS 5-10 190 JR 9 T
CB DESTIN TALBERT 6-0 190 SR 6 T
S MICHAEL TUTSIE 5-11 190 SR 4 T
S DAWSON WEBER 6-2 190 SR 3 T

KICKING:
K WILL CARDINAL 6-2 200 JR 0-2 FG 13 KO/6 TB
XP GRIFFIN CROSA 6-1 170 RS-JR 13-13
P KAEDIN STEINDORFF 6-1 195 SO 39.6 YPP
PR JAYDEN PRICE 6-0185 SR 24.7 YPP 1 TD
KR KOBE JOHNSON 5-9 190 SR 96 YDS
KR RAJA NELSON 5-8 190 JR 5 YDS

[UAEebs86]

Sagarin has Arizona as being .5 better than NDSU, plus 3 for the home team gives a spread of Arizona -3.5

[OSUCat]

NDSU won’t be able to guard Arizona receivers. No way does NDSU play 4-3 with Cowing in the slot. So, JDL will rebound and have a great game. I expect a SDSU performance from the offense.

On defense, I expect Arizona goes back to the 5-1 and dare NDSU to pass the ball.

This Arizona team will be the most talented team NDSU has faced since maybe 2016. Now, Teams can have a let down (App State, Marshall, etc). So, if Arizona blows off this game it will bite them. I just expect that won’t happen after last nights loss.

[Merkin]

No line yet in Vegas.

https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-fo ... ota-state/

This Arizona team will be the most talented team NDSU has faced since maybe 2016.

Looking it up, that's the last Bison win v. a FBS team.

Sept. 17 North Dakota State 23-21 No. 13 Iowa

[UAEebs86]

No line yet in Vegas.

https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-fo ... ota-state/

There won't be one.

[TheCatInTheHat]

Looking it up, that's the last Bison win v. a FBS team.

Sept. 17 North Dakota State 23-21 No. 13 Iowa

Fair to point out it's been 5 years. Another data point is that, while Iowa was ranked at that time, they finished 8-5. The other P5 team they played which wound up with a winning record was Kansas St in 2013. KSU finished 9-4, and NDSU beat them by 3. Otherwise, they played an eventual 2-10 Iowa St team in 2014 and won by 20, and they played the ultimately 3-9 Minnesota in 2011 and won by 13. Most people seem to think our ceiling for this year is maybe 4 or 5 wins, so that's another thing to take into consideration. I think they also beat Colorado St a couple of times, but I'm not sure where to peg those games. In any event, the past is the past and doesn't predict the here and now. NDSU fans have a right to feel good about what they've accomplished in the past, and if they want to talk big and wave their past press clippings before the game, so be it. I hope and suspect we'll do better than Iowa St and Minnesota did, and it would be great if it turned into a deal like in San Diego and we could sit at 2-1. Plenty of motivation, and they have our full attention.

[azcat49]

Huge game which is weird to say considering we are playing a FCS school, albeit a very very good one.

Get out of the non conference schedule 2-1 and bowl dreams abound. Lose snd it’s tough sledding

[azgreg]

Their first two game replays.

[UAEebs86]

Sagarin has Arizona as being .5 better than NDSU, plus 3 for the home team gives a spread of Arizona -3.5

Looks like Sagarin has updated his numbers, NDSU about a point better than UofA, making the Cats about a 2 point favorite at home.

[CardiacCats97]

Hated losing to MSU, but if we were coming off a big upset win I’d be real scared of this being a letdown game.

But we should be focused and looking to put together a solid performance from start to finish. The coaches should have them ready to go.

[azgreg]

Long Arizona thread on the NDSU board: http://www.bisonville.com/forum/showthr ... na-in-2022!

[PHXCATS]

No line yet in Vegas.

https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-fo ... ota-state/

There won't be one.

Wrong

There will be. FBS v FCS lines just come later. Will have a line on Thursday or Friday

[OSUCat]

Looks like NDSU runs Arizona style of offense with some Wildcat wrinkles. Lot of multiple TEs formations, even three TEs. They will run trick plays, so the secondary can’t fall asleep. I do like Arizona CBs against these guys.

Mixture of 4-3/4-2 with various blitzing.they use their speed on the edges. Defense creates turnovers for shorten fields. NcA&T could run it but had terrible QBs. The RB swing was open a lot.

It is clear they are just better than the other FCS teams and would likely best Arizona last stead (duh, even NAU did).

[DrWildcat]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

[Merkin]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

Playing FCS schools is a no win situation. It's like a 6th grader fighting a 3rd grader. If you win it's because you are supposed to, if you lose it's just a huge embarrassment.

IIRC, UCLA, USC and ND have never played a FCS school, although I think UCLA had to due to scheduling reasons this season.

[DrWildcat]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

Playing FCS schools is a no win situation. It's like a 6th grader fighting a 3rd grader. If you win it's because you are supposed to, if you lose it's just a huge embarrassment.

IIRC, UCLA, USC and ND have never played a FCS school, although I think UCLA had to due to scheduling reasons this season.

Yeah but this game especially stupid. Normally, I would say someone like NAU is fine but scheduling a powerhouse FCS team, especially considering our team, is literally the dumbest thing you can do. Chances of losing are pretty high.

[dmjcat]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

Playing FCS schools is a no win situation. It's like a 6th grader fighting a 3rd grader. If you win it's because you are supposed to, if you lose it's just a huge embarrassment.

IIRC, UCLA, USC and ND have never played a FCS school, although I think UCLA had to due to scheduling reasons this season.

Yeah but this game especially stupid. Normally, I would say someone like NAU is fine but scheduling a powerhouse FCS team, especially considering our team, is literally the dumbest thing you can do. Chances of losing are pretty high.

Stupid to the 10th power.

Scheduling Mississippi State wasn't a smart move either. The UA is in a rebuilding mode........the scheduling should have reflected that. Heeke should have scheduled a couple of weak Sisters of the Poor to give the team a couple of wins going into conference play.

You schedule the big boys once you actually have a competitive team.

[DrWildcat]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

Playing FCS schools is a no win situation. It's like a 6th grader fighting a 3rd grader. If you win it's because you are supposed to, if you lose it's just a huge embarrassment.

IIRC, UCLA, USC and ND have never played a FCS school, although I think UCLA had to due to scheduling reasons this season.

Yeah but this game especially stupid. Normally, I would say someone like NAU is fine but scheduling a powerhouse FCS team, especially considering our team, is literally the dumbest thing you can do. Chances of losing are pretty high.

Stupid to the 10th power.

Scheduling Mississippi State wasn't a smart move either. The UA is in a rebuilding mode........the scheduling should have reflected that. Heeke should have scheduled a couple of weak Sisters of the Poor to give the team a couple of wins going into conference play.

You schedule the big boys once you actually have a competitive team.

Schedules are made so far in advance for football so it is a lot more challenging than scheduling for Basketball. With that, I don't hate that MSU was put on the schedule. You don't really get hurt by a game like that. NDSU on the other hand, nothing good comes from it.

[AZCatGirl]

Why must we be tortured again?

[tgrumpy2]

I hate this game is on the schedule, just stupid.

Playing FCS schools is a no win situation. It's like a 6th grader fighting a 3rd grader. If you win it's because you are supposed to, if you lose it's just a huge embarrassment.

IIRC, UCLA, USC and ND have never played a FCS school, although I think UCLA had to due to scheduling reasons this season.

Yeah but this game especially stupid. Normally, I would say someone like NAU is fine but scheduling a powerhouse FCS team, especially considering our team, is literally the dumbest thing you can do. Chances of losing are pretty high.

Stupid to the 10th power.

Scheduling Mississippi State wasn't a smart move either. The UA is in a rebuilding mode........the scheduling should have reflected that. Heeke should have scheduled a couple of weak Sisters of the Poor to give the team a couple of wins going into conference play.

You schedule the big boys once you actually have a competitive team.

Schedules are made so far in advance for football so it is a lot more challenging than scheduling for Basketball. With that, I don't hate that MSU was put on the schedule. You don't really get hurt by a game like that. NDSU on the other hand, nothing good comes from it.

I think most of those non conference games were scheduled as much as five years ago. I remember seeing NDS was added literally five years ago. I don't know when Miss St was scheduled but it wasn't just last year. Teams like Arizona that seem to have their ups and downs there is no crystal ball to see if we're going to play a good SEC team when we're up. I do agree about the FCS teams. I always thought that someday NAU is going to beat us or ASU. It just sucks that it was us. We really do learn very little about our team when we play them.

[tgrumpy2]

Why must we be tortured again?

I agree one hundred percent. They sucked.

[TheCatInTheHat]

I realize it's a different environment entirely, and I'm sure we've got some silly stuff of our own for sale, but this is...different.

https://www.ndsubookstore.com/Adult-Gam ... Green-Gold

[azgreg]

Maddux Sports has it as a pickem.

https://madduxsports.com/college-football-lines.php

[Merkin]

Maddux Sports has it as a pickem.

https://madduxsports.com/college-football-lines.php

So does Wynn.

https://www.vegasinsider.com/college-fo ... las-vegas/

[lakesbison]

I just hope both teams have fun

[lakesbison]

ok not much chatter. are you following your coaches lead from the press conference and not mentioning NDSU?

https://www.azdesertswarm.com/football/ ... -turnovers


PS. NDSU MLB Luke Weertz is Arizonas LB MOJO Weertz brother... that's cool

[TheCatInTheHat]

Well, the title of the thread is "North Dakota State", so I guess that'll have to do. The focus has understandably been on San Diego St and Mississippi St, as well as our own personnel and their progress, and the available info on your team is a bit limited and difficult to put into context. Many people view the game as bad scheduling as the third of what would be presumed to be relatively tough non-conference games prior to 9 Pac-12 games, which is orders of magnitude tougher back-to-back-to-back than playing any of the teams in a one-off game. Personally, I'm okay with it, as I'm just looking for improvement this year. And since we couldn't/didn't schedule a breather in our second non-conference game, I don't know that it would be a good idea in our last game before conference play. So, hopefully NDSU will help get us ready for league play, and hopefully, we'll also get a W out of it.

[azcat49]

The coach speaks on the weekends game reviewing it on Monday and then has a press conference where he talk about the current weeks opponent on Thursday so you will hear him gush over the bison

[Fendicent4ever]

Would love to know what the logic was scheduling this game.

-Lived in Minneapolis until I was 15. A lot of guys I played with against in Pop Warner or thereabouts used to head up to Fargo to play. My best friend was an H-back in 05-06 and will tell you that quitting is the biggest regret of his life. This is right as they were moving up from DII. The Fargodome is a blast. Absolute bandbox, charming in a really collegiate way.

Phoenix Sproles (kid from the neighborhood) and some of the skill guys are really solid players. Schematically, they will play pretty mistake free, and they will be really physical. My question is, how much team speed do they have? NDSU is a GREAT program and puts guys in the NFL, outpacing us and many other Power 5s in that regard. But its been awhile since they played/beat a Power 5, so while it is the expectation I don't think any of the guys on their team have done it.

MSU wore our guys down by being huge, owning the point of attack, and knowing their offensive concepts inside and out. If NDSU can do those things, this might be another notch on their belt. It could just as easily be Jonah Coleman, Rayshon Luke and Tetairoas' breakout games, however.

[TheCatInTheHat]

They seem very fundamentally sound, with a lot of Vince Lombardi pulling guard backside double-team blocking between the tackles, and then play-action throws off that. And they've put out plenty of pros, so no doubt the combination of talent and discipline overwhelms most of their competition in FCS. I'm sure a lot of middling FBS teams could get stung by any of the best FCS teams, and we saw that this past weekend. So I don't think there's any element of surprise when such teams go all-out in one game, versus the natural tendency to take "just another" non-conference game somewhat for granted. With these guys, there's the added element that you need to be ready for a lunch-pail game and to bang with them for a whole game, when the preference would no doubt be to crack it open and get it over with. I think one key is to show up ready for an endurance contest and not try to force too much too soon. Wait for natural openings and then hit those. It would be nice if it happened early and they had to get out of their comfort zone to play catch-up, but I doubt it. Sounds like the oddsmakers make it something like a 25-all toss-up.

[CardiacCats97]

Of course it’s almost too obvious to say, but we have to minimize the turnovers, penalties, and negative plays. If we can play a cleaner game than NDSU, we have enough talent on both sides of the ball to win. But I think it will be a nailbiter.

24-23 Cats

[lakesbison]

spot on with your takes.

NDSU is smashmouth, runs alot of power and the OC is old bruising type RB (HE PUT UP 263 vs Big 10 Minnesota in 07) so he loves to pound the rock.

OL has 1 Draftable OL in Cody Mauch
Mean country boys with a lot of fight in them on the OL

TE 87 Gindorff is 6 7 draftable player, he turned down Minnesota to goto NDSU.

defense has always been NDSU bread and butter. very sound technique and great tackling. coaches will recruit a LB/Safety that can tackle consistently well over some flashy kid.

15 active NFL players. 152-12 & 6-0 vs FBS in last 10 years w 9 titles is what NDSU has done. They don't lose, it's bred into them day 1 at NDSU. YOU DONT LOSE.

Goodluck

[gronk4heisman]

But its been awhile since they played/beat a Power 5, so while it is the expectation I don't think any of the guys on their team have done it.

It has been awhile because no team has been stupid enough to schedule a lose lose game like this since 2016. They have won their last 6 games against FBS opponents.

[Fendicent4ever]

Oh yeah. All it takes is boat racing the Golden Gophers a few times haha.

I can't believe Mid Major Dave, Bobbins, or whoever signed off on this.

[CardiacCats97]

But its been awhile since they played/beat a Power 5, so while it is the expectation I don't think any of the guys on their team have done it.

It has been awhile because no team has been stupid enough to schedule a lose lose game like this since 2016.

We are like the grunt in basic training who steps forward for the special mission of getting a tube of elbow grease from the motor pool staff sergeant. Stuck on stupid.

[MountainCat]

Just need to win the game and end all this other talk...

[AzCatFan2]

If we lose, it's because NDSU sticks to the game plan and executes as error free as possible. I hope our players take away this lesson regardless of the outcome. Talent wise, with our upgrade in talent, I believe 1-60, we have more. But NDSU is designed to get the most from every player, every play, and limit the mistakes. It's a winning formula for any team, unless the talent disparity is more NDSU versus an NFL team. And we know the disparity in talent between NDSU and Arizona is nowhere near this large.

Given the rash of upsets, and the current betting line, nobody would be shocked if we lose. This isn't NAU, and if NDSU wins, it won't be a huge upset like Marshall over Notre Dame or Appalachian State over Texas A&M. And we get a chance to play against a well coached, well-oiled machine, and if we win, it's because we earned it, and not because NDSU gave the game away.

[lakesbison]

I've seen spreads from Zona -1.5 on 5dimes to now -2 NDSU on there

sounds like Vegas has learned their lessons on NDSU, 1 Sportsbook manager I know once told me that NDSU beating FBS teams were some of the biggest losses the books took especially with NDSU IOWA and Iowa St/ K State

NDSU was like +400 +600 & wise guys slammed NDSU for a boatload.


NDSU will keep it close, if Zona struggles to score this will be a 20-16 NDSU win

[Alieberman]

Arizona wins 24 - 20

[azgreg]

Oh yeah. All it takes is boat racing the Golden Gophers a few times haha.

I can't believe Mid Major Dave, Bobbins, or whoever signed off on this.

I believe this was a Greg Byrne deal.

[lakesbison]

what's a sellout there? capacity wise.
alot of NDSU snowbirds from up here will show up last second... I just had 4 from Yuma city ask me for tickets

[Alieberman]

what's a sellout there? capacity wise.
alot of NDSU snowbirds from up here will show up last second... I just had 4 from Yuma city ask me for tickets

There will be plenty of tix available!!!!

[84Cat]

what's a sellout there? capacity wise.
alot of NDSU snowbirds from up here will show up last second... I just had 4 from Yuma city ask me for tickets

50,782

https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2019 ... adium.aspx

[lakesbison]

oh

if Wentz or Lance was QB still there be thousands more ndsu fans

[Carcassdragger]

what's a sellout there? capacity wise.
alot of NDSU snowbirds from up here will show up last second... I just had 4 from Yuma city ask me for tickets

Those snowbirds are early! It's still real hot down here.

[CardiacCats97]

what's a sellout there? capacity wise.
alot of NDSU snowbirds from up here will show up last second... I just had 4 from Yuma city ask me for tickets

Those snowbirds are early! It's still real hot down here.

But it’s probably getting cold in Alberta.