Weaknesses of No Dak State Bison

[AmsterBison]

NDSU's defense has looked helpless sometimes against the spread. Youngstown really carved up the defense on the ground (especially outside the tackles) but they couldn't pass. SIU couldn't run much but they carved NDSU up through the air. JSU can do both. They're like ISU-Red if the 'Birds QB was a better passer playing from behind a nastier OL.

On offense, the biggest problem is fumbling. At the beginning of the year, the interior offensive line looked terrible, but they've gotten better.

To me, JSU reminds me of the 1990 Pittsburg State team back in the D2 days... we kind of scoffed at their level of competition because their conference was weak. That turned out to be the most back-and-forth game in NDSU's D2 history.

[Professor Chaos]

NDSU's defense has looked helpless sometimes against the spread. Youngstown really carved up the defense on the ground (especially outside the tackles) but they couldn't pass. SIU couldn't run much but they carved NDSU up through the air. JSU can do both. They're like ISU-Red if the 'Birds QB was a better passer playing from behind a nastier OL.

On offense, the biggest problem is fumbling. At the beginning of the year, the interior offensive line looked terrible, but they've gotten better.

To me, JSU reminds me of the 1990 Pittsburg State team back in the D2 days... we kind of scoffed at their level of competition because their conference was weak. That turned out to be the most back-and-forth game in NDSU's D2 history.

I actually think Roberson last year was a slightly better passer than Jenkins is this year. Roberson this year is nowhere near what Jenkins was this year. I see a lot of similarities between ISUr last year and JSU this year but I'd probably give the 2015 JSU team the edge on the O-line and on defense.

Regardless, NDSU got torched on the ground by the ISUr read option in the 2014 title game to the tune of allowing 9.9 yards per rush. They'll need to do much better this year to win. They need to play the type of read option defense they played against UNI #2 or Jenkins will expose a weakness against running QBs that bit the Bison pretty frequently throughout the October games.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I actually think Roberson last year was a slightly better passer than Jenkins is this year. Roberson this year is nowhere near what Jenkins was this year. I see a lot of similarities between ISUr last year and JSU this year but I'd probably give the 2015 JSU team the edge on the O-line and on defense.

Regardless, NDSU got torched on the ground by the ISUr read option in the 2014 title game to the tune of allowing 9.9 yards per rush. They'll need to do much better this year to win. They need to play the type of read option defense they played against UNI #2 or Jenkins will expose a weakness against running QBs that bit the Bison pretty frequently throughout the October games.

The defense in the last 3 playoff games has really led me to believe they have it figured out. They exorcised two demons in Montana and UNI, two defenses that really exposed their inexperience in the first meeting, then took on a hot offense in Richmond that hung 550 yds against Illinois State on the road.

3 weeks to gameplan further feeds my confidence.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

The only time NDSU has gotten "carved up" is the first game against Montana through the air. In both games mentioned earlier where I guess the Bison got "carved up", the Bison outgained both of those teams.....SIU and YSU.