I'm A Horse Of Course    Off My Office Floor.... Even after more than a week of Bison football, I still can’t shake the disappointment of losing the SDSU game. But I’m getting the feeling that a win over Cal Poly make be the cure. It’s just like more cowbell, I need a win over a ranked opponents to cure the disease. The Bison have lost two games this year by a total of six points to opponents NDSU should have beaten easily (just my opinion…. I can write anything I want because it’s my column). Even so, the Bison will have to step up their game to another notch this Saturday against Cal Poly…. I’m excited… It’s time to move on. The Test…. This is what you have been waiting for Bison fans… Two ranked opponents, Cal Poly and Northwestern State, are visiting the Fargodome in the next two weeks. If that doesn’t get your blood flowing…. Maybe you should just stay home. Pay attention to the play these next two weekends, as Bison weaknesses and strengths will be highlighted on the field. The Cal Poly and Northwestern State games may be the most important games in the infancy of Bison DI-AA football. My gut tells me that if we can snatch one win out of these two games, the Bison program is headed in the right direction…. Bison stars…. If I had to choose 2004 offensive and defensive MVPs for the Bison…. Based on their consistent performances in the first 7 games, I would select WR Travis White and SS Craig Dahl. They also may be the most improved Bison players of 2004. White has caught 40 passes for 491 yards and 5 touchdowns. A White corner fade pattern in the end zone has become a favorite for Tony Stauss and offensive coordinator Tim Albin. Dahl, on the other side of the ball, leads the team in tackles and interceptions, with 52 and 3 respectively. Craig has also recovered 3 fumbles and corralled 3 opposition ball carriers for loss. These are just two of the young football players that make the Bison future in DI-AA bright….. What they’re saying…. Mustangs head coach Rich Ellerson on the Bison…. “It will be another challenge for our football team. It’s (Fargodome) a difficult place to play. They have demonstrated they are a real good football team and it’s difficult to beat them at home. As tough as they are, they are tougher at home and it’s a tough environment to play in. It will be a tremendous challenge for us. They are very physical and will hammer on you and they have an efficient passing attack.” On a side note…. Last week, I challenged the Bison offensive coordinator to throw the ball deep. It didn’t happen… And it definitely didn’t help that Tony Stauss hurt his right shoulder during the game. What is the status of Tony’s shoulder injury? Will he be able to throw the ball deep this week? I’ll lay it on the line… if the Bison don’t throw the ball deep this week, they’ll lose. The Mustangs are already tough against the run utilizing their front seven. If another Mustang defender is moved into the box…. The Bison running game will be a non-factor. Bison WR Allen Burrell must get his butt back into the line-up, so he and the rest of the Bison wide-outs can stretch the field. This becomes even more important with the loss of OT Tim Popowski last weekend to a knee injury. True… So true…. One more time…. Bison fans must rank right up there with the most fickle fans in college football. You could have heard a pin drop several times in the Fargodome last Saturday… all because of a loss the previous week. I’ll give you a tip. If Bison fans don’t whoop in up this weekend during the Cal Poly game, the chances of the Bison winning will be about the same as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. So I challenge ‘real’ Bison fans to stand up and help push the crowd into a frenzy…. Even one more time…. The Bison coaching staff must begin to get QB Steve Walker some snaps. Tony Stauss may be the undisputed leader of the offense this year, but Tony Stauss will not be the leader next year (senior). End of the season reps will be the key to any success, Walker and the Bison offense display on the field next year. Not only are snaps for Walker needed, but the young offense lineman will need some playing time…. Zilka, Monson, and Hunt are in their last year of football eligibility. It’s nice to win football games, but it will be nicer to win football games and build to success for next year’s team…. Let’s take a quick glance at the Cal Poly Mustangs…. The Offense.... Base Offense: Pro 3-Wide…. Leading the offensive attack is junior signal-caller Anthony Garnett (6-1 210 Jr Seaside, California). Garnett has thrown for 498 yards, 3 interceptions, and 5 touchdowns in 2004, while completing 22 of 41 passes for a 53.7 completion percentage. He also has rushed 33 times for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns. Leading the Mustangs ground attack is RB Geno Randle (5-9 187 Sr Banning, California) and FB Adam Martinez (6-2 225 Jr Paso Robles, California). Randle has rushed the ball 68 times for 411 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Martinez has carried the pigskin 53 times for 256 yards and 3 touchdowns and hauled in 5 passes for 45 yards and 1 touchdown. Topping the Cal Poly receiving crew is WR Darrell Jones (5-8 185 Sr San Rafael, California). In 2004, Jones has snatched 30 passes for 545 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Cal Poly offense has averaged (per game) 212 yards on the ground and 186 yards through the air for an average total offense of 398 yards of total offense this season…. The Defense.... Base Defense: 3-4 Rover… On the defensive side of the ball, Cal Poly is led by LB Jordan Beck (6-2 231 Sr Mount Hermon, California). After the first 6 games of the 2004 season, Beck tops the Mustangs defense with 62 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, including 1 quarterback sack and 3 interceptions. The Cal Poly defense also features DE Chris Gocong (6-3 255 Jr Santa Barbara, California) 39 tackles, 11.5 for loss, including 8.5 quarterback sacks and 1 interception; CB Karl Ivory (6-0 188 Sr Ontario, California) 20 tackles and 4 interceptions, and FS Kenny Chicoine (6-1 200 So Huntington Beach, California) 44 tackles and 3 interceptions. For the year, the Mustangs defense has given up an average (per game) of 79 yards on the ground and 221 yards through the air. History.... In the long history of both programs, Saturday’s match-up will be just the third meeting between Cal Poly and NDSU on the gridiron. North Dakota State leads the series 2-1…. In 1985, the Mustangs defeated the Bison 35-29 in San Luis Obispo, CA…. The Bison smacked Cal Poly 47-0 in the 1990 NCAA Division II quarterfinals at Dacotah Field… The Bison won the 1992 season opener over the Mustangs by a score of 26-10…. Show Me the Keys.... * Again this week the Bison offensive line has a huge weight advantage…. The Cal Poly defense is based on trying to out-quick their opponents defense. So how do you beat such a team defense? Run the ball right down their throat…. New offensive tackle Nate Safe better have his jock strap buckled this week. * Bison offensive coordinator Tim Albin and quarterback Tony Stauss must control this game…. If the Bison offense is effective and limits turnovers, NDSU has a strong chance to win this game. Key ingredients: Stretching the field and running straight ahead…. * Kick returner Shamen Washington needs to show his magic in the Fargodome once again…. Washington was substantial non-factor in last week’s game against Southern Utah. * Sacks, interceptions, fumbles... Goal for takeaways this week? Four…. Four turnovers from the Bison defense equals a win this Saturday…. Eight tackles for loss equals a Bison comfortable win…. * The Bison wide-outs need to stretch the field vertically… Have I said this too much? Being serious… If the shoulder of Tony Stauss won’t enable him to throw the ball deep, Steve Walker needs to be included in the game plan…. * Score early! Cal Poly has overwhelmingly out-scored its opponents this season, especially in the first half…. Time to break the trend with a Bison first half lead…. * The Bison linebackers again this week need to be active and aware of Cal Poly offensive personnel… Cal Poly has used three different quarterbacks this season and each bring something a little different to Mustang offense. The Mustangs are quick, so Zimmerman, Mays, Erenberg, and Kittelson are key to slowing the Cal Poly offensive attack…. * The Bison coaching staff needs to be reactive, as well as proactive…. It’s time to start breaking in some of the ‘Baby Bison’. What a better time than against top notch competition…. Gives the young men a competitive goal to shoot for in the future…. * One word -- 'Consistency'.... from play to play; from game to game.... The Bison are still struggling in this department…. Both offensively and defensively. Jottings.... - The weight in the trenches: Offensive line: NDSU 299, Cal Poly 277 Defensive line: NDSU 268, Cal Poly 255 - So far, the Great West Football Conference members are 16-8 against non-conference foes, including a 5-3 record against the Big Sky….. A strong argument for forming an all-sport-inclusive conference….. - The Cal Poly Mustang offense has outscored opponents in the first half 126-55…. The Mustangs defense has given up just 14 points in the fourth quarter this season…. - Eleven Cal Poly football players, led by senior linebacker Jordan Beck, were named to the pre-season All-Great West Football Conference Team…. - 2004 Great West Conference Football Coaches Pre-season Poll: 1. Cal Poly 2. Northern Colorado 3. UC Davis 4. North Dakota State 5. Southern Utah 6. South Dakota State - Audio of Cal Poly football games is available on the internet free of charge… - Roger Thomas is a weenie.... Most of you probably don't know who this is anymore. Let's see if I can trigger some memories? He is an athletic director for a small time college in North Dakota.... - Next week the Bison host Northwestern State (La.) at the Fargodome…. Northwestern State is currently ranked #12 in the Bison Insider Top 20…. - Poll Watch: The Bison are currently ranked #26 by the Weekly Football Gazette, while Cal Poly is ranked #5 by the Weekly Football Gazette, #8 in the Bison Insider Top 20….