Four Reasons Why NDSU can Win in the Playoffs

[DJKyR0]

A sleepless Thanksgiving night has resulted in some stat-crunching and I came up with a few reasons why NDSU is a dangerous team in this postseason.

#1. The Bison take care of the football. As another poster noted on a different thread, there is exactly one team in the playoff field that is negative in the giveaway-takeaway category (UNH), highlighting the age-old trend of not winning football games if you cough the ball up. QB Jensen has been ultra-efficient this season and has thrown just two interceptions all year, though a potential third was called back on a roughing the passer penalty. Though Jensen's accuracy (and thus production) took a bit of a dip in the last three games of the season due to a nagging turf toe injury, his statistically-worst game comes with a 50% completion mark, which still isn't bad. He was able to bump his accuracy back up vs. WIU and with a week of rest, one has to think he'll be able to better acclimate himself to his injury and get back to midseason form.

#2. The Bison can keep teams out of the endzone. Here's one from the stat books: 48 TDs scored vs. 20 TDs allowed on the season in a conference that includes five teams in the top 51 scoring offenses in the nation. That, combined with a scoring defense allowing 14.91 points per game, is what has allowed the Bison to win eight of their ten games by double digits, and the one loss was by three points. With the Tampa-2 "bend but don't break" scheme Defensive Coordinator Scott Hazelton runs, the Bison are allowing just three trips to the red zone per game, and opponents score just 75% of the time there - thus, the Bison know how to stiffen defensively.

#3. The Bison players and coaches have been here before. Coach Bohl is used to the view from the top from the 06-07 years and led this team to an improbable playoff run last year with a disciplined rushing attack and strong line play. This team is dominated by underclassmen who cut their teeth in the playoffs last season and who put their noses to the grindstone this year to replicate the success they had last season. One thing this coaching staff excels at is adjustments - take a look at the scoring by quarter across all eleven games this year:

SCORE BY QUARTERS     1st  2nd  3rd  4th    Total
--------------------  ---  ---  ---  ---      ---
North Dakota State..   55  132  111   70  -   368
Opponents...........   23   51   34   56  -   164

That indicates an ability to make offensive changes after the first quarter (when frequently we've found ourselves knocking on the door as the first quarter ticks out) and more so at halftime. The lone spot of concern is that the fourth quarter has been the proverbial "fertile ground" scoring-wise for opposing teams.

#4. Home advantage through to Frisco. Self explanatory. Even UNI coach Mark Farley attributed our win over the Panthers to the crowd, and with his distaste for NDSU, that seems high praise. Tickets are going and the Fargodome should be packed - since 2006, the Bison are 26-8 at home (including a dominant 1-0 in the FCS playoffs ) and the marketing team is gearing this fanbase up to get wild during the playoffs.

Just a few and I'm sure I'll dig up something else in the morning. Just some things to ponder, and I'm sure NDSU isn't the only team that exhibits these characteristics. Injuries are a concern for the Bison, and our rushing attack isn't what it was last year, but the team as a whole has improved at nearly every level since last season - we're ready to rock and roll.

[darell1976]

Is #4 a guarantee?

[Gil Dobie]

Is #4 a guarantee?

#1 seed is in the other bracket, so yes, as long as NDSU wins.

[344Johnson]

#1 seed is in the other bracket, so yes, as long as NDSU wins.

He is a UND fan...I assume he was making a bit of a joke about the playoff attendence last year.

[b_f_c_99]

Really, these threads you NDSU fans keep starting just scream "look at us, we're good aren't we? Right, we have a chance don't we?"

So just relax you're going to get to show everyone if your good or not.

As I stated earlier in the year, NDSU is a very solid team. However here is a couple of reasons why it won't be a big suprise if/when you get beat.

#1 You play a style of football that is perfectly suited for beating inferior teams, as in you play power football against teams that you can overpower except that little problem with Youngstown but yeah that was just a bad week.

#2 In all likely hood you will play JMU in the 2nd round, all they do is play teams that play that same style of football, but I'm sure your much better than all those CAA teams. So don't be suprised! Just saying.

[No_Skill]

If we play JMU, I don't think we will be overlooking them. They could very well beat us, but that's why we play the games.

Honestly, I would prefer to play JMU. It is a better precursor to future games.

[FargoBison]

As I stated earlier in the year, NDSU is a very solid team. However here is a couple of reasons why it won't be a big suprise if/when you get beat.

#1 You play a style of football that is perfectly suited for beating inferior teams, as in you play power football against teams that you can overpower except that little problem with Youngstown but yeah that was just a bad week.

#2 In all likely hood you will play JMU in the 2nd round, all they do is play teams that play like you, so don't be suprised! Just saying.

We've done just fine vs good teams and even teams with better talent.

[bisonwest]

He is a UND fan...I assume he was making a bit of a joke about the playoff attendence last year.

This I am almost certain of, that every game we play in the 2011 playoffs will draw 18k+. Thanksgiving weekend really did hurt our turnout at our home playoff game last year. I had heard there was only 500 tickets left for our game against JMU/EKU (can't confirm that though). If he is poking fun it is probably because we have a bunch of fans that constantly make fun of UND for poor attendance at their DII playoff games, which is really getting old and is of no consequence anymore anyways.

[b_f_c_99]

We've done just fine vs good teams and even teams with better talent.

Not the point, it only takes once in the playoffs.

[b_f_c_99]

If we play JMU, I don't think we will be overlooking them. They could very well beat us, but that's why we play the games.

Honestly, I would prefer to play JMU. It is a better precursor to future games.

I don't think you were overlooking Youngstown either, frankly that was a good loss for you. Good education in what you do and don't do well.