2023-12-04 21:50:15
FARGO — The ending was memorable from the North Dakota State standpoint, a walkoff blocked extra point in overtime that gave the Bison a one-point win over Montana State. Certainly, players used all 24 hours of the 24-hour rule most teams have to either dwell on a defeat or celebrate a victory.
The reset button probably started Monday morning when players attended class and had weight lifting sessions with head strength and conditioning coach Jim Kramer.
“Believe me, I know coach Kramer wasn’t handing out rainbows and unicorns in the weight room today,” said NDSU head coach Matt Entz. “I’m sure they were locked in and ready to go.”
Another way to get ready to go: put in the videotape of the last time the Bison played the University of South Dakota. The two play again Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Division I FCS playoffs at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, S.D.
The last clash was Sept. 30 on NDSU’s homecoming at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, a game the Coyotes held the upper hand defensively in taking a 24-19 win. USD bolted to a 21-3 lead at halftime.
“We weren’t very good when we showed up in that first half against them,” Entz said. “We can’t let a team get up like that, especially a good team. They did a great job of maintaining possession of the football and getting us off the field. Every possession is critical.”
The Bison won for the fourth straight game in the 35-34 win at Montana State. The Coyotes have also won four in a row with both teams’ last loss to No. 1-ranked South Dakota State. What can NDSU do differently this time around against USD?
There will be adjustments on both sides, which is the norm in football. But both teams also know each other well, haven’t changed much over the course of the season and throwing a curve ball is harder in December.
“You are who you are at this time of the year and subtle adjustments sometimes are all you need,” Entz said.
Entz, on Monday in his weekly press conference, seemed to question his team’s urgency in that first game, which put the Bison in a Missouri Valley Football Conference hole they never really climbed out of.
“We have to show up better,” he said.
It appears the Bison came out of the Bobcat game relatively healthy. It will be the 11th straight game for NDSU with its bye coming in the middle of September. Entz said he doesn’t think any potential fatigue will factor into the outcome.
“I don’t think so, I think we have a good beat on the health and well being of our guys right now,” he said.
Practice time on the field, as usual this time of the year will be reduced. Meeting time, on the other hand, may increase. Plus, depth is important this time of the year. Entz figured of the 64 players allowed to dress for a playoff game, 58 played a role in the win.
“We have to find ways to be creative and take some reps off of our starters who maybe help us on special teams,” he said. “At this time of the year, there are no freshmen anymore. Everyone’s been through at least one season.”
Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he’s covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU’s Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: “Horns Up,” “North Dakota Tough” and “Covid Kids.” He is the radio host of “The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack” April through August.
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