10/4 #1 NDSU at WIU

[Lakesbison]

Well NDSU has a bye week, so we are already looking forward to WIU over here in BisoNation !!

You guys keep improving, I was impressed with the Minnesota game.

NDSU is on fire, 4-0 FBS win and the new starters are starting to gel after beating #3 Montana 22-10.

Beat the SuckDog's, then lets get this game thread rockin!

[basfan445]

You either mean the Wisconsin game or Northwestern game. We didn't play Minnesota this year although we did last year. I think a lot of us are looking forward to the game as well. It is homecoming for us as well as a chance to upset the number one team in the nation (probably little chance of that happening). I unfortunately won't be at the game as my cousin is getting married that day but I will be looking out for scores back here and on ESPN.

Go necks!

[Lakesbison]

that was EIU, dang it.

Well, Hope all is well in Macomb, there should be a good contingent of fans coming from up here to visit.

[Western_101]

Western has had so many ranked teams come and play in Macomb if I were to guess it's been more than 50 over a 33 year period of D-1

Western has played #1s three times total at Hanson Field (YSU,WKU,UNI)...also played many many top 10 teams. I wonder if this NDSU team it the best team to have ever come to Macomb? NDSU is certainly better than the Northwestern team we played last week. NDSU seems to be more dominante than previous #1s......although Western Kentcuky in like 2006 was just awesome.....they might have been as tough as the Bison will be. Montana came here awhile back maybe 20 years ago....they got beat pretty bad.....WIU also beat a good #2 ranked Florida A&M a number of years back.

[sealhall74]

Heavily-favored road teams coming in off a bye week have a dismal record covering the spread in college football. Mostly has to do with them looking ahead and preparing for tougher opponents down the road:

http://sportsgambling.about.com/od/ncaa ... fbbyes.htm

Add in a little Homecoming-inspired adversity to the fray and I am going with the dog (as in Rocky) and betting the farm on this one.

Of course, what happens tomorrow night in Carbondale might temper my enthusiasm a bit but I hope not.

[JoeWx21]

With the way WIU has been playing this game will be over by the 1st quarter. I'm expecting more people at the parade and tailgating then at the game.

[sealhall74]

NDSU is not without their own problems. Their coach apparently has a problem in "tie" situations:

http://www.bisonville.com/forum/showthr ... th-Coach-K

Coach N definitely does not have that problem as he is GQ cover material, but he does have some work to do before the Bison hit town.

There is a reason ESPN keeps going back to Fargo and the above Bisonville thread has much to do with it. Those folks just pay attention to every last detail and at the same time, make it fun to be fan.

[wiu712]

I'm expecting more people at the parade and tailgating than at the game.

I would expect to see a big Western crowd at the game. Over the years, there have been other #1 teams that have played at Hanson Field. A few have left Macomb with a loss.

The forecast for Saturday is looking good: Sunny and 62 in the afternoon.

[sealhall74]

I have not got my ticket(s) to this game yet. Think I will just show up and buy one at the gate and then do what I did at a NASCAR race down in Richmond a while back. That is forget about where I am suppose to sit and instead, just walk around the perimeter of the track for the entire affair, getting as close to the action as I can with camera in hand. I will treat this one exactly like most male spectators did at my old high school in Alexis on a typical Friday night. You move as the ball moves. Sometimes that meant you had to run to your next location to get a good view close to the sideline. Not sure if they still do it that way with all of the consolidation stuff going on, but those people in that little town had much passion for their football back then. Believe me, there is nothing quite like the feel of rubber tire pellets hitting you in the face as a bunch of very noisy and smelly cars speed by. To keep up with the Bison on Saturday, the Leathernecks will need to kick it in to high gear and step on the gas right from the green flag. No yellow flags (penalties) would also be a good thing. Who knows? A Bison mistake here and there could make this interesting.

[wiu712]

The Marching Leathernecks perform during halftime at the Northwestern game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8h93zQTqgc