Aren't The Rocky Mountains Rockier Than This Off My Office Floor.... The game last Saturday reminded me of Bison games of the 80s and early 90s…. the game was over before the pre-game coin toss hit the turf. Even though the Crusaders were seriously over-matched, it’s good to see the Bison football team not play down to their opponents level. This is one of the few games in recent times where no player from the opposing team has stood out distinctly in my memory. Pew! What stinks?…. After the final buzzer signaled the end of the Valporaiso-NDSU game, the thought that immediately came to mind was…. Why does Valporaiso University waste their money supporting a football team at the DI-AA level? I’ve always felt that if I can’t go all out at something than I might as well not waste my time. Would the money be better spent on women’ or men’s badminton? It’s about time someone challenges the Chinese at the Olympics anyway. But seriously, I realize that Valporaiso provides opportunity for student athletes to compete at the Division I level and by traveling to Fargo the Crusaders added a little cash to their coffers. So I digress and go back to the painful realization that we will never win the gold medal in badminton. Are you ready for some football?…. Last Friday night I traveled to Minneapolis to watch the Vikings play the 49ers in the Metrodome and then hit the road to Fargo on Saturday morning to catch the Bison in the Fargodome…. Doesn’t anyone play football outdoors anymore? That topic is for another day. In a comparison of pre-game shows between the Bison and Vikings…. I can honestly say there was no comparison. The Bison pre-game show was simply better…. The lower of the house lights… The video board presentations…. The music… The Band…. The video of Coach Bohl and the Bison emerging from the locker room…. As for the Vikings, the players getting announced coming out of a big Vikings ship…. Oooh! Pinch me! So raise your mug high my friends to the NDSU athletic department, the actual big game is at the Fargodome…. Bison honors…. Three Bison players captured Great West Football Conference Weekly honors this past week. The Offensive Player of the Week award went to RB Kyle Steffes; the Defensive Player of the Week award went to SS Craig Dahl; and the Special Teams Player of the Week award went to PR Shamen Washington. I’m truly happy for these young men, especially Shamen “lightning in a bottle” Washington. In just his first game, Shamen seems to emit infectious energy towards the crowd. Congratulations, Kyle, Craig and Shamen!!…. But Bison fans don’t get too giddy, there was only one GWFC game this past weekend…. On a side note…. Keep your eyes on the left side of the Bison offensive line this week. If you paid attention last week… OG Justin Buckwalter and OT Tim Popowski put on quite a show. Let’s see if they are up to the task against the bigger and more athletic UNC defensive linemen…. One more time…. It’s always nice to watch a star emerge before our eyes… Before the season, I initially thought that the play and leadership Mike Shepherd brought to the field at strong safety last season would be severely missed by the Bison defense. The ‘light bulb’ must have lit up for new strong safety Craig Dahl, his play has definitely improved over last season. Amazing what a year of maturity and experience can do…. The Offense.... The Bears’ offense ranked as one of the best in the nation in 2003. The Bears ranked No. 4 in total offense (481.6 yds/game) and sixth in scoring (38.6 pts/game). Half of the explosive scoring is returning in the form of senior WR Vincent Jackson (6-6, 235). Last season, Jackson nabbed 66 catches for 1,462 yards and 21 touchdowns to catch the eye of many pro scouts around the nation. The Bears must replace all-time leading rusher Adam Matthews and four starting offensive linemen. The Bears will turn the backfield reins over to sophomore Andre Wilson (6-1, 190), who put his own stamp on the UNC record book last season with 7.2 yards per carry. QB Tony Christensen (6-2, 218, Jr.) directs the Northern Colorado offense. Last season, Christensen passed for 2,109 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first full season at the help of the Bears’ offense. The Defense.... One of the staples of the Bears’ teams through the years has been on the defensive side of the ball and it should come as no surprise that Northern Colorado will field one of the strongest units again. UNC ranked No. 16 in the nation last season in total defense by giving up only 284.5 yards per game. Despite the loss of some key starters, the Bears will return six defensive starters to help lead the squad in 2004. Leading the defense is senior LB Ryan Palmer (6-1, 240) and junior FS Reed Doughty (6-1, 208). Palmer racked up 65 tackles, which included seven for losses and 2.5 sacks in 2003, while Doughty led the team in tackles for the second straight season with 87 stops. On the defensive line, the Bears will certainly miss the 16.5 sacks tallied by Paul Hubbard in 2003, but the cupboard isn’t bare with the likes of DE’s senior Jason McMillan (6-3, 230) and senior Jeff Spletzer (6-3, 257). McMillan and Spletzer combined for 67 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2003, splitting time at defensive end. The Bears’ coaching staff expects these numbers to rise in 2004 as both McMillan and Spletzer see more and more action on the field. History.... This will be the 29th meeting between North Dakota State and Northern Colorado, but the first as members of the Great West Football Conference. The Bison lead the series 21-7, including an 8-5 record in Greeley. Show Me the Keys.... * Okay... Pressure…. Pressure…. Pressure…. If there is one week of the season that the NDSU defensive line must control the line of scrimmage; this is the week. The opportunity for the Bison defensive line is present, as the Bears’ only return one starter from the 2003 offensive line. If given time, QB Tony Christensen and WR Vincent Jackson will eat yards in a hurry…. * Bison QB Tony Stauss must be patient…. He must take what the Bears’ defense gives to the Bison offense. Expect lots of nickel and dime action from the Bison defense this Saturday. After all, the best way of keeping the super-charged UNC offense off the field is to win the time of possession battle…. * Sacks, interceptions, fumbles... No Crusader turnovers for Bison touchdowns last week, so the challenge presents itself to the Bison defense. A defensive touchdown will almost ensure a Bison win this week. * Keep WR Vincent Jackson manageable…. Make the Bears’ win this game with their running game and young offensive line. * Score early! The Bison need to give a big, “Hey ya”, to Northern Colorado. The Bears have a suspicion that the Bison are good, but how good? * QB Tony Stauss needs to remain poised and focused. He is the one player that ‘has been there and done it’ in Division I…. Let’s take Tony for a ride…. Leadership will be a key to this season. * One word -- 'Consistency'.... from play to play; from game to game.... Bison are consistency on both offensive and defensive will make the Bison awfully tough to contain. Young players such as LB Joe Mays, FB Tyler Roehl, WR/P Mike Dragosavich, RB Cinque Chapman and RB Shamen Washington will play a major factor in the success of the Bison program this year… Speed. Jottings.... - The weight in the trenches: Offensive line: NDSU 301, Northern Colorado 287 Defensive line: NDSU 268, Northern Colorado 271 - Injuries this week: DE Alex Kingsley (knee – doubtful); DT Rodney Thompson (knee - probable).... - The Bison will depart Friday morning, via charter airline to Greeley, CO and are schedule to practice at Nottingham Field in the afternoon…. - The Bison-Bears game will be telecast live on Fox Sports North and Fox Sports Rocky Mountain with Tim Neveritt doing play-by-play and former Denver Bronco Howard Griffith handling color commentary…. - Northern Colorado has had a .500 record or better in 16 of the past 17 seasons…. - UNC WR Vincent Jackson has been named four preseason All-America teams; Street & Smiths, The Sports Network, I-AA.org and Don Hansen’s Football Gazette…. - 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 athletic director for a small time college in North Dakota.... - The Bears will be without the services of two players expected to help the squad in 2004. Sophomore DB Jason Hildenbrand suffered a shoulder injury in the offseason and will not play this year. Freshman DL Vinny Pallone had foot surgery and will also not see action this year…. - Northern Colorado will be sporting new uniforms this Saturday…. - UNC senior WR Vincent Jackson broke nearly every Bears’ receiving record in the book last season with his 21-touchdown, 1,462-yard performance in 2003. Jackson is widely regarded as the No. 1 wide receiver at the I-AA level and will be in the running for the Walter Payton Award (I-AA’s version of the Heisman Trophy)…. - Poll Watch: The Bison are rank #25 in the Any Given Saturday Poll. The Bears are ranked #24 in the Any Given Saturday Poll, ranked #24 by the Weekly Football Gazette and listed at #29 in the I-AA.com Consensus Pre-season Rankings…..