NDSU (12-1/7-1)
W Albany 28-6
W Valparaiso 28-6
*W @ Towson 35-7 (JMU defeated Towson @ home 56-10)
W @ #10/11 North Dakota 16-10
W #12/16 Northern Iowa 34-20
W @ Illinois St 20-0
W #17/18 Missouri St 27-20
W Indiana St 44-2
L @ #9/#12 South Dakota St 27-19
W @ Youngstown St 49-17
W #16 South Dakota 52-24
Playoffs
W #21/23 Southern Illinois 38-7
W #8/9 East Tennessee St 27-3
https://gobison.com/sports/football

Message board:
http://www.bisonville.com/forum/forumdis...9-Football

The earliest that I or anyone has started a game thread, but considering its the biggest game of the year so far, its on Fri night, and out resident NDSU troll has already started a game thread, its time to get this started.

*Previous game threads noted JMU's and opponents ranking in the polls in the thread title. Would have been a little odd to have #2 JMU @ #3 NDSU, so went with the seeds which are flipped from the 2 major polls.

Damn, Friday night game again. Guess we can rest a bit after the plane ride to get ready to put a whooopin on them! Least its inside no wind and Ratke can make points.

NDSU is 3-1 vs JMU in previous meetings:
2011 2nd round NDSU 26, JMU 14
2016 Semifinals JMU 27, @ NDSU 17
2017 Frisco NDSU 17, JMU 13
2019 Frisco NDSU 28, JMU 20

Feels like a 21-17 game to me. Hoping we have the 21.

The only thing they would make this a more perfect final run in the FCS playoffs is if this game was at JMU.
It is garbage for JMU to not get the respect of the committee when ND State lost by 8 to a team that had 3 FCS losses. JMU lost by one to a team that had one FCS loss.

Everything shakes out in the playoffs on the field. However, home field advantage is huge. A visiting team in the FargoDome has to be significantly better than ND State. Probably worth 7 points or more.

The same would be true if ND State had to play in a sold old Bridgeforth stadium in the semifinals. JMU would have a 7 point home field advantage.

But ND State has never had to play in that hostile environment at JMU. It is a difference maker. How many false starts did JMU have the last time? 5? 6?

Can you imagine the Bison being behind the chains in their run heavy offense due to multiple false starts? It would be bad news for them.

So it is. Life isn’t always fair. JMU will have to be 8 points better instead of 1 point better.

2 good teams obviously, but neither is as good as 2 years ago when it went down to the last 3 seconds in the title game. Both have bigger warts this year.

Stats
Scoring Offense: JMU #4 (40.2 ppg); NDSU #11 (34.8 ppg)
Total Offense: JMU #12 (445.5 ypg); NDSU #19 (433 ypg)
Rushing Offense: NDSU #2 (281.3 ypg); JMU #35 (164.1 ypg).
Passing Offense: JMU #16 (281.4 ypg); NDSU #110 (151.7 ypg)

Scoring Defense: NDSU #1 (11.0 ppg); JMU #7 (15.08 ppg)
Total Defense: NDSU #3 (256.2 ypg); JMU #5 (270.3 ypg)
Rushing Defense: NDSU #3 (81.8 ypg); JMU #4 (82.5 ypg)
Passing Defense: NDSU #10 (174.5 ypg); JMU #21 (187.8 ypg)

Tackles for Loss: JMU #2 (110/8.5 per game); NDSU #41 (78/6.0 per game).
Sacks: NDSU #5 (45/3.46 per game); JMU #11 (39/3.0 per game).

Turnover Margin: JMU #1 at +1.62 per game (+21: 31 gained/10 lost); NDSU #28 at +.46 per game (+6: 18 gained/12 lost).

Passing Efficiency
-#1 Cole Johnson, JMU: 245 of 364 (67.5%), 3,569 yds (272.8 ypg); 39 TDs/2 INTs; 176.93 Efficiency.
(Cole Kelley is now #2, Barriere #3)
-NDSU: No QB listed.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs/current/team/29

Clash of the Titans IV (not counting 2011)

JMU 24 NDSU 21, Ratke kicks a game winning field goal as time expires in the Fargodome.

Going to be the best offensive line we see all season. The only way I see us winning is we need to get out to an early lead and force NDSU to have to play from behind and throw the ball. In a tight game they are going to be comfortable leaning on us and having 5-7 minute drives

(12-13-2021 09:01 AM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  JMU 24 NDSU 21, Ratke kicks a game winning field goal as time expires in the Fargodome.

It'd be the kick to give him the most points in D1 ever - that's a nervy kick

Dukes by 2 scores, lets say 38 24

(12-13-2021 09:51 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 09:01 AM)JMU_Newbill Wrote:  JMU 24 NDSU 21, Ratke kicks a game winning field goal as time expires in the Fargodome.

It'd be the kick to give him the most points in D1 ever - that's a nervy kick

Would be an epic way to exit the Fargodome one last time!

Record watch for Wells:

Has 78 receptions. Needs 5 catches to break the single season record of 82 (Earnest Payton, 1998).
Has 1,197 yards. Needs 11 yards to break the single season record of 1,207 (David McLeod, 1993).
Has 14 TDs. Needs 1 TD to break the single season record of 14 (tied with Macey Brooks, 1996).

Thornton is one behind Wells in catches (77) and TDs (13), so those are in play for him as well. He's 147 behind in yards (1,050) so that's far less likely.

NDSU open as 5.5 pt favorite.

(12-13-2021 11:01 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  NDSU open as 5.5 pt favorite.

Seems fair. Homefield is typically 3 pts so 2.5 pts at a neutral site

(12-13-2021 11:02 AM)fishingduke12 Wrote:  

(12-13-2021 11:01 AM)JMU2004 Wrote:  NDSU open as 5.5 pt favorite.

Seems fair. Homefield is typically 3 pts so 2.5 pts at a neutral site

I agree that it is fair. Given NDSU's history at the Dome, I'd guess bookies put a bit more than 3 on the home field advantage. Easily could argue it's worth a TD.

34-24 Dukes. Ratke gets his record.

Just watched the ndsu replay and I can’t figure out why they’re so confident they’re going to beat us. They look completely one dimensional. They aren’t going to be able to run on us as much as ETSU and their qb will be forced to throw more. I like our chances here a lot

They're NDSU playing in Fargo. It will take a mistake free effort across all 3 phases.