Kolpack and Izzo Podcast

It's an even numbered year, which means North Dakota State and South Dakota State must play in the playoffs. It's happened in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022 and now this year. You can set your watch to it. NDSU has hosted all but one of those games, which was the national championship game in Frisco. The Jackrabbits have accomplished nearly everything in FCS football, except beating the Bison in Fargo in the postseason. SDSU quarterback Mark Gronowski can break the FCS all-time wins record with a victory Saturday, taking the spot of former Bison great Easton Stick. Gronowski tied Stick's record with SDSU's win over Incarnate Word last week. NDSU enters at 12-2, with wins over Mercer and Abilene Christian to reach its 13th semifinal in the last 14 years. The Bison enter as an underdog, much like they were in the regular season matchup in October, which was a 13-9 NDSU win. It is the final game inside the Fargodome for Bison quarterback Cam Miller, who is trying to lead NDSU to its third trip to Frisco in his four years as the starting quarterback. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup and who has the inside track to win the game Saturday. 

The FCS quarterfinals kick off tonight and continue tomorrow in Fargo as North Dakota State hosts Southern Conference champion Mercer for a berth in the semifinals.   The Bears (11-2) advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time after beating Rhode Island 17-10 last week in the second round. They are led defensively by a team that has racked up 23 interceptions, including two separate players with seven picks.   They racked up individual postseason awards for their success; Mike Jacobs in his first season was named SoCon coach of the year, running back Dwayne McGee was named offensive player of the year, Bradyen Manley took defensive player of the year and defensive end Andrew Zock was the freshman of the year.   Mercer has a true freshman leading them at quarterback in Whitt Newbauer. Newbauer took over during the middle part of the season for DJ Smith. He's completed 57% of his passes for 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.   North Dakota State enters the quarterfinals for a 15th straight year after knocking off Abilene Christian last week. The Bison will face a SoCon team in the quarters for a fourth separate time. NDSU played Wofford in 2012 and 2017, East Tennessee State in 2021 and Samford in 2022.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup and look ahead to the other games in the quarterfinal round.

The first week of December was a busy one for North Dakota State football. It began with the news that Cole Wisniewski was going to enter the transfer portal after rehabbing a foot injury all season long. The former All-American safety has not played a down this season for the Bison. It continued with National Signing Day as NDSU added 32 high school players for its Class of 2025, highlighted by a pair of players that will enroll early and be in Fargo in January.  Standout redshirt freshman running back Marty Brown brought home the Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top freshman in FCS, the second Bison to win the award, joining Trey Lance in 2019. Finally, there is a football game to chat about, as NDSU opens the FCS Playoffs with a first-time opponent in Abilene Christian. The Wildcats (9-4); won their league the United Athletic Conference and knocked off Northern Arizona in the first round of the playoffs.  They are led by standout quarterback Maverick McIvor, who missed last week's game with an injury. He is expected to play in Saturday's game against NDSU.

North Dakota State returns to Vermillion, South Dakota Saturday with a chance to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference title outright and likely clinch a top playoff seed. The Bison will face fourth ranked South Dakota, the Coyotes are having another great season, coming in with an 8-2 record and 6-1 in the league. USD's two losses came to Wisconsin and South Dakota State, the latter in overtime. USD has never won the Valley in it's decade-plus tenure in the conference, the Coyotes would grab a share of the championship if they're able to beat the Bison and put themselves into the conversation of a high seed. NDSU is relatively healthy heading into this game, with senior wide receiver RaJa Nelson returning for his fourth game of the season. Nelson will be able to use a redshirt this season and return for a sixth season of eligibilty in 2025. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY-TV's Dom Izzo preview the game and look ahead to what the win would mean for each team. 

North Dakota State returns to the field after its bye week Saturday as they will host surprising Missouri State.   The Bears enter on an eight-game winning streak after losing their first two games of the season. MSU is in its final season of FCS football after announcing this spring they are moving up to FBS and Conference USA in 2025.   Ryan Beard is in his second year as head coach of the Bears, who has turned the reigns over to former Minnesota transfer Jacob Clark. Clark enters with 25 touchdown passes and over 3,000 passing yards.   The Bison offense has been electric this year, averaging nearly 38 points a game. NDSU's defense will get a challenge from a high octane offense.   It's set to be an emotional day with 25 seniors set to be honored before the game. It's a huge class of seniors as some sixth year and fifth year players will play their final regular season game inside the Dome.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup between the Bison and Bears.

North Dakota State and Northern Iowa will play in a football game inside the Fargodome for the first time in three years Saturday afternoon.   The Panthers last trip to Fargo coincided with the last time UNI made the FCS Playoffs, 2021. The Panthers posted a 6-5 regular season record and lost in the first round to Eastern Washington.   Since that game in Cheney, Washington, the Panthers have posted a 14-16 record, including six straight losses in 2024 after a 2-0 start. Inconsistent quarterback play and poor defense has plagued UNI in that stretch as they come to Fargo this weekend.   Panthers head coach Mark Farley has gone with sophomore Matthew Schecklman at quarterback over the last handful of games, he threw for 270 yards and three touchdowns last week in UNI's 49-42 loss to Missouri State.   The Bison enter on an eight-game win streak and are getting a couple of players back this week. Cornerback Jailen Duffie will return after missing the last two games with concussion symptoms, defensive tackle/end Will Mostaert will be back after missing last week's game with a hip injury.   Wide receiver Mekhi Collins is expected to return as well after missing last week's game.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the matchup with Northern Iowa, the potential return of Cole Wisniewski to the lineup and the upcoming renovation vote on the Fargodome.

It was an emotional win for North Dakota State last week against South Dakota State and it came at a cost.   The Bison lost two more defensive starters to injury in that game, linebacker Oscar Benson and safety Sam Jung. Benson will be back at sometime this year, while Jung's career is over with a torn pectoral muscle.   NDSU will press on, playing it's ninth consecutive game this Saturday as they travel to Kentucky to face Murray State, the newest member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Racers are led by first-year head coach Jody Wright, a former South Carolina assistant.   MSU is 1-6 on the season and 0-4 in league play. They've allowed 72, 31, 59 and 40 points in its four league games, with only two of those games being single digit contests.   Former Bison quarterback Jayden Johannsen is the starting quarterback for the Racers, who transferrred to Murray after a great career at South Dakota Mines in Rapid City, South Dakota. Johannssen was a finalist for the Harlan Hill Award in 2022.   MSU play athe 50-year old Roy Stewart Stadium, which had nearly 16,000 fans in it last week for Homecoming when they hosted Illinois State. This is a new location for the Bison, who will fly in to Paducah, Kentucky, about an hour north of Murray, before busing there for the game on Saturday.

North Dakota State and South Dakota State will meet for the Dakota Marker for the 21st time Saturday night at the Fargodome. This will mark the first night regular season game in Fargo since the 2016 season opener, when NDSU beat Charleston Southern in overtime. SDSU comes into this game with a 5-1 record, having won five straight after a season opening loss to Oklahoma State, that snapped a 29-game win streak. The Jackrabbits haven't lost a game to an FCS team since December of 2021, in the FCS semifinals at Montana State.  They are trying to win in Fargo for a third straight time, something that hasn't happened since FDR was president. North Dakota State has a six-game win streak after losing its season opener at Colorado. The Bison are a beat up unit on defense, losing three starters last week at Southern Illinois. Preseason all-conference selection Dylan Hendricks is out and will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, while middle linebacker Nick Kubitz is questionable after he suffered a concussion last week. The Jackrabbits have won five straight in this series, forcing ten turnovers against the Bison, while NDSU hasn't forced any turnovers from SDSU.

North Dakota State hits the second half of the 2024 season this Saturday as the Bison will head to Southern Illinois to take on a struggling Salukis team.   SIU, which has made the playoffs three of the last four seasons, has had a run of injuries that's tough to fathom. Nick Hill will start a true freshman at quarterback this weekend in Jake Curry after his top three quarterbacks all suffered season ending injuries. Curry was inserted into the game last week against Illinois State, throwing two interceptions in the 45-10 loss to the Redbirds.   SIU has lost three straight games, with the defense being the biggest issue.   North Dakota State heads to Carbondale on a five-game win streak, including two dominant wins to open Valley play. The Bison have won three straight in this series, including a 21-18 win at Saluki Stadium in November 2022.   Quarterback Cam Miller is expected to play after suffering an ankle injury late in the third quarter last week against North Dakota. Miller has started 44 straight games for the Bison after being inserted into the lineup nearly three full years ago.  

The eyes of North Dakota will be fixed on the Fargodome Saturday afternoon as North Dakota State will host the University of North Dakota in a large Missouri Valley Football Conference game.   The Bison come in ranked second, while the Fighting Hawks come in seventh. This is the second time in the last four years the two teams are ranked in the top ten, UND and NDSU were ranked second and fourth in the spring season of 2021.   Each team has high-flying offenses so far in 2024, NDSU has the eighth ranked offense in FCS, with UND coming in at tenth. Both teams are averaging 39 points per game.   Fighting Hawks running back Gaven Ziebarth has ran for 249 yards and four touchdowns, he scored three times against NDSU last October.   UND senior wide receiver Bo Belquist has found the endzone three times in four career games against the Bison, racking up 12 total receptions.   NDSU quarterback Cam Miller is on a different level in 2024, completing 78 percent of his passes, going 216 straight passes without an interception. His last pick came against South Dakota State last November, a span of 11 games.

North Dakota State returns home Saturday to welcome in Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee State for a first-time meeting between the schools. This is the beginning of a home and home series, with the Bison returning to Nashville and Nissan Stadium next season, which is the home of the Tennessee Titans. That game will be played on Sept. 6. The Tigers are coached by former Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, who was hired in 2021. George is a hero in Nashville after starring for many years with the Titans, leading them to their only Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXIV. The guys discuss NDSU's issues after the season opening loss to Colorado and where the back end of the defense goes from here. They also discuss Cam Miller's strong start and what to look for in this game Saturday. They also chat about the changes to how the game will look for fans. There are some significiant changes to the Gameday atmosphere, including a new team walk that will take the Bison player right through the west-side tailgate lot.  

The road to the NCAA Basketball Tournament once again runs through Sioux Falls.   For the first time in a handful of years, the Summit League men's tournament is wide open. After back to back years where a team was unbeaten in the regular season, South Dakota State won the league this year losing four times.   North Dakota State enters with its lowest seed in six years, the Bison are seeded fifth after losing their final two games of the regular season. NDSU will face St. Thomas Sunday at 6 p.m. The Bison split the season series with the Tommies, including a 64-50 win in Fargo on February 22.   North Dakota comes to Sioux Falls with the highest seed the Fighting Hawks have ever earned as a member of the Summit League. UND finished third and will take on Omaha Sunday night at 8:30 p.m. Paul Sather's team swept the season series from the Mavericks.   The women's side sees SDSU return as the top seed after a second consecutive unbeaten season. Aaron Johnston's team has been beset by injuries, but yet the Jacks finished 16-0 in league play.   Jory Collins team comes to Sioux Falls as the second seed for the second straight year. It was a disappointment last year as the Bison lost in the opening round to seventh-seeded Kansas City in the opening round.   This year's Bison are led by all-Summit first-team member Elle Evans, who was also selected to the defensive team. NDSU has earned the most wins in the Division I era and seems primed for a run to Tuesday's championship.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo offer their thoughts on the tournament and what to expect over the next few days.

The second half of the Summit League basketball season has arrived and things couldn't be more different on the men's and women's side. The men's race is a complete free-for-all, with the conference leaders each with three losses, South Dakota State and North Dakota. That's after North Dakota State went to Brookings and beat the Jacks 74-73, the fifth separate overtime game that the Bison have played this season. It was a much needed win for NDSU, which now sits just a half game out of third place and with a win Saturday at UND, can launch themselves right into the conversation of a Summit title. Meanwhile, the NDSU women came up short to SDSU Thursday night, falling 65-58 to the Jacks, losing for a 20th straight time in the series. This game was different than the previous 19, as NDSU tied the game with 1:45 to. SDSU finished on a 8-1 run to close it out. The Bison sit in third place in the league standings with a huge game  looming in Grand Forks Saturday to remain in the top half of the conference race. On the football front, new head coach Tim Polasek has filled out his staff with the hiring of Jake Landry as offensive coordinator. Landry joins Will Johnson and Devin Klieman as the new pieces of the NDSU coaching staff heading into the 2024 season.  

Tim Polasek's first coaching staff is starting to come into shape. This week Polasek announced the hirings of Devin Klieman, the son of former NDSU head coach Chris Klieman as the safeties coach and Will Johnson as the new cornerbacks coach. Each have been graduate assistants at their previous stops and will be making their position coaching debuts in the 2024 season. Polasek has another hire to make with longtime assistant and former standout player Tyler Roehl leaving to take the associate head coach and offensive coordinator job at Tennessee State. Roehl leaves Fargo after not being selected as the new Bison head coach that went to Polasek. Roehl's NDSU career began in 2004 as a player, then returned on Craig Bohl's staff in 2011. He was hired full-time by Klieman in 2014 to coach the fullbacks and tight ends and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the departure of Roehl and who could potentially replace him. They also talk about where each of the NDSU basketball teams sit at as the halfway mark of the Summit League season approaches. The Bison women sit at 5-1 in league play, while the men are at 2-4.

It was a newsy week despite the fact that the FCS season officially came to a close last Sunday in Frisco, Texas. South Dakota State won the national championship with a 23-3 win over Montana, a second straight title for the Jacks. Less than two days later, Montana's quarterback was in the transfer portal and SDSU's offensive coordinator was on the way to Northwestern. NDSU's offensive coordinator is returning to Fargo. Tyler Roehl was officially promoted earlier this week to associate head coach. Roehl was one of the two finalists for the job that eventually went to Tim Polasek.  The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the decision by Roehl and what it means for the 2024 Bison. They also chat about UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund leaving to take the co-offensive coordinator job at SDSU and what's ahead for the Fighting Hawks. The Summit League basketball season resumes this weekend with the Bison basketball teams in different spots. The men have lost five straight games as they head on the road this weekend to take on Kansas City and Omaha. Boden Skunberg is back with the team after being benched against Montana last week for a failure of team and culture standards. The women are coming off an exciting home win over Northern Arizona and look to keep their conference record perfect, facing two teams that the Bison are favored to beat.

The first podcast of 2024 is here, with plenty of news to discuss. North Dakota State's men's basketball team opened the new year with a loss to Montana in the Big Sky - Summit League Challenge 96-86. The Bison played without their leading scorer and lone senior, Boden Skunberg, who was benched by head coach David Richman for not meeting the team's culture expectations. The Bison have lost four straight games and sit at 7-8 as they head to face Eastern Washington in the back end of the Challenge in Cheney. Richman said there's a possibility that Skunberg could return at some point this season. Also, the NDSU football team picked up a couple of wins over the last week with the news that Cole Wisniewski and Grey Zabel will return for the 2024 season. Each announced late last week that they will be back, turning down sizable NIL offers to transfer. Jeff Kolpack and Dom Izzo discuss the news in hoops and football and where things go with both teams as the new year is here.

North Dakota State's football season has reached the semifinal round for the 12th time in the last 13 years.   The Bison (11-3) who were left for dead by the hosts of this podcast after a 49-24 loss to the University of North Dakota on October 14, are still playing football. They have a chance to make Frisco for the 11th time in the last 13 years Saturday afternoon in Missoula, Montana against the second seeded Grizzlies.   The game seems like an afterthought to some, as the school is in the midst of a head coaching search. Matt Entz announced on Sunday he was leaving NDSU for a job at USC to become the assistant defensive coach and linebackers coach for the Trojans.   As the show was recorded on Thursday afternoon, no coach had been named yet for the Bison. Athletic director Matt Larsen said he wanted to move quickly to find the next head coach, with National Signing Day looming on Wednesday.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the search for the next head coach and discuss the matchup as the Bison and Griz meet in the playoffs for the third time, and for the first time the game is at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.

Nearly 38 years to the day of one of the biggest games in Bison football history, North Dakota State and the University of South Dakota are set to face each other again in the playoffs.   December 7, 1985 is a day that will go down in infamy for USD. The Coyotes had the Bison in the Dakota Dome, after beating NDSU 38-14 earlier in the season. The Bison had the last laugh, thanks to one of the most improbable plays, named "The Pitch", as Jeff Bentrim pitched the ball as he falling to James Molstre.   Molstre ran 63-yards down the sidelines for a touchdown and NDSU never looked back. They forced three turnovers in a 16-7 on the way to a second national title in three years.   The two teams would play again in the 1986 Division II title game, a Bison rout. Now, 37 years later, the two schools meet again in the playoffs, this time for a spot in the FCS semifinals.   South Dakota has had a dream year, winning 10 games for the first time in the Division I level. That included a 24-19 win in Fargo back in September. Now the Bison are in their building, with a chance to beat them twice in the same year for the first time.   NDSU (10-3) is playing its best football. The Bison have won four straight games, and have a chance to write a wrong in their minds. NDSU fell behind 21-3 at halftime to the Coyotes in September and could never recover from that slow start.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo break down the game and also reminiscence about their memories of covering former Bison head coach Craig Bohl.   Bohl announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from coaching after ten years at Wyoming and the previous ten years at NDSU. They share some of their fondest memories covering Bohl.

North Dakota State's 2023 playoff run will take it outside of Fargo for the first time during a fall season since 2010 Saturday, when they face Montana State.   Ironically enough, the last time the Bison had to go on the road for the postseason in a "normal" season was in Bozeman, a 42-17 win over the Bobcats. It was a monumental win for the program, that sent the Bison on to the FCS quarterfinals and an eventual loss to the national champs that year, Eastern Washington.   The 2023 crew will come to Bobcat Stadium eager to keep its hot play going, where the Bison have scored 38, 48 and 66 points in the last three games.   Montana State enters off a bye week, earned for being selected as the six seed. MSU though, lost two of its final four games, including a 37-7 rout to Montana in the Brawl of the Wild.   With the game as the backdrop; it's also a wildly busy week on the college football front. The head coaching carousel has been busy spinning and the transfer portal has been active all around the Missouri Valley.   There's speculation that several Bison players may be targeted by bigger schools to potentially transfer whenever the NDSU season ends. The guys discuss who may be targeted and what, if anything, NDSU can do about it.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup and also discuss the other playoff games as the field will be trimmed to eight teams by the end of the day Saturday.

The FCS Playoffs kick off tomorrow in eight cities across the country and for the first time in 13 years, Fargo is one of them.   North Dakota State will face Drake in the opening round Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.   The Bison (8-3) will face the Bulldogs (8-3) for the second time in the last 15 months. Drake came to Fargo for the 2022 season opener, a 56-14 NDSU win.   Todd Stepsis is in his fifth season as head coach, who's team has seen the top of the Missouri Valley this season, losing 55-7 and 70-7 to North Dakota and South Dakota State respectively.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup between the teams and what the other FCS playoff matchups look like.

The road ends in Cedar Falls, Iowa for the 2023 regular season of North Dakota State football.   For the first time since the 2019 season, NDSU ends the regular season on the road and in unfamiliar spot, needing a win to solidify its playoff standing. The Bison picked up a huge 34-10 victory last week against Southern Illinois to reach the 7-win plateau, but another win this week could potentially earn them a playoff seed and with it, a much needed week off.   Northern Iowa was thinking playoff seed at this time last week and then lost a clunker at Missouri State 35-16, in a game that wasn't as close as the score suggests.   UNI now enters with a 6-4 record, needing a win to extend its season to the playoffs, a place they haven't been since losing in the first round in 2021 to Eastern Washington.   The Bison haven't lost to the Panthers since 2014, a 23-3 game that saw UNI end a then-record 33-game win streak for NDSU. Fans stormed the UNI-Dome field. After that, the Bison have posted wins in Cedar Falls in 2016, 2018 and in the weird spring season of 2021.   The Panthers are led by sixth year quarterback Theo Day, who took over as the starter in 2021 and was sacked five times in Fargo in the last game these two teams played, a 34-20 Bison win.   WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup and break down all the potential playoff scenarios surrounding NDSU heading into Selection Sunday.

Saturday's North Dakota State game at the Fargodome may have the most at-stake during the regular season since the Bison championship dynasty began in 2011.   That final regular season home game in 2011, NDSU was matched up with Youngstown State and had a chance to clinch its first Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The Bison raced out to a 21-10 second quarter lead, only to see the Penguins rally and win the game 27-24, denying NDSU a chance to clinch the conference at home.   NDSU had to wait a week and win the league in Macomb, Illinois the following week. The Bison don't want to put off a win this week as they welcome in Southern Illinois for a monumental football game.   Each team enters with a 6-3 record and 3-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The winner will get to the elusive 7-win plateau and likely cinch up a playoff berth. If the Bison were to lose, they would have to win a road game at Northern Iowa next week to be considered for the 24-team playoff.   SIU has had an up and down season much like the Bison. SIU started 3-0, which included an FBS win over Northern Illinois, and a road win against Southeast Missouri State. They have a bumpy road in conference play, which included a 31-3 blasting by Youngstown State and home losses to South Dakota State and South Dakota.   The Salukis were held to just 17 combined points in losses to SDSU and USD.   Nick Hill's team has never won in Fargo, losing all six games, including a 38-7 playoff defeat in the second round in 2021.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the game and the implications surrounding it. They also discuss Senior Day and the players that could potentially return next season.

The focus of the FCS world centers on Brookings, South Dakota this weekend as top ranked South Dakota State welcomes in rival North Dakota State for the 20th renewal of the Dakota Marker Game. This game may be unlike any other in the history of this series; with the Jackrabbits as prohibitive favorites over the Bison. SDSU has won four straight over NDSU, a fifth straight win will match a streak that hasn't happened since 1910-1917. NDSU enters with a 6-2 record after back to back wins over Western Illinois and Murray State. They'll enter this game without backup defensive tackle Will Mostaert, who tore his Achilles tendon in the game last week against the Racers. The Jackrabbits come in on a 22-game win streak, after dusting rival South Dakota 37-3 on the road last Saturday. SDSU hasn't lost at home since October of 2021, a streak of 16 straight wins. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss everything about the matchup, they also reflect on the passing of Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Knight, who died on Wednesday. Knight coached against North Dakota State when he was at Texas Tech in November of 2006.

North Dakota State wraps up the month of October with a first-time opponent, as Missouri Valley conference newbie Murray State comes to the Fargodome this weekend.   Murray State was a founding member of the Ohio Valley Conference and left in July as the school wanted to join the Missouri Valley Conference to enhance its basketball profile. The football team was added to the MVFC in April 2022, becoming the 12th school in the league.   The Racers are led by 59-year-old head coach Dean Hood, who's trying to end a 22-year playoff drought for MSU. Murray State last made the postseason in 2001.   North Dakota State enters off a 52-7 win over Western Illinois to improve the Bison to a mark of 5-2. They may be shorthanded again this week as tight end Joe Stoffel will likely miss the game with a banged up shoulder. Stoffel fell hard on his right shoulder as he scored a touchdown against Western Illinois and left the game.   Head coach Matt Entz says a rotation of Carson Williams, Hunter Brozio and Finn Diggins could likely replace Stoffel in the game this weekend.   The Bison are still searching for a 100-yard rusher out of the running back room, which has yet to happen this season. Barika Kpeenu rushed for 95 yards last week against the Leathernecks.   The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup between Murray State and NDSU and look ahead to the final four weeks of the season as the playoff picture starts to come into focus.

The second half of the 2023 FCS college football season begins Saturday for North Dakota State and in essence, the Bison season really begins this weekend. NDSU after being flattened by North Dakota last Saturday, returns home to host winless Western Illinois at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome. This game centers more around how the Bison play and who plays for NDSU this weekend than anything that the Leathernecks do. WIU is leaving the Missouri Valley Football Conference after this season for the Ohio Valley Conference, a move that became official in May. The Leathernecks have not won a football game in nearly two full years, entering on 19-game losing streak. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the issues surrounding this year's Bison football team and where things go from here. They also discuss what potentially may happen over the final five games of the season.

The state's biggest rivalry takes center stage Saturday in Grand Forks as just for the second time in the Division I era, North Dakota State travels to Grand Forks and the Alerus Center to face North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks enter with a mark of 3-2, with losses to Boise State and South Dakota. UND hasn't defeated NDSU in the D-1 era, with its last win coming in 2003. Bison quarterback Cam Miller will make his first start in the Alerus Center, Miller got in one play in the game in 2021 after starting quarterback Quincy Patterson had his helmet knocked off.  UND quarterback Tommy Schuster will make his fourth start against the Bison, looking for his first win against the Bison.  The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup as a sellout crowd will await the Bison in Grand Forks Saturday afternoon. 

North Dakota State will play its first true road game of the 2023 season Saturday when they make the trip to Springfield, Missouri and a matchup with the Missouri State Bears. NDSU enters off a deflating 24-19 loss to South Dakota on homecoming, the Bison's first loss to the Coyotes since 2015. They have a more impressive win streak against MSU, who hasn't beaten NDSU since November of 2010, a 3-0 win in Springfield. The Bears are led by first-year head coach Ryan Beard, who succeeded Bobby Petrino. Petrino left last off-season to take the offensive coordinator role at Texas A&M. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup, take a closer look at what's going at Missouri State and try to diagnose what's up with the Bison thru the first four games of the 2023 season. 

North Dakota State returns to the football field this weekend as they open Missouri Valley Confernece play with South Dakota. It's also Homecoming Weekend as the Bison will honor the 1983 National Championship team, along with Tim Strehlow and Jared Essler. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup with the 2-1 Coyotes and how the Bison have improved their offense thru the first three games of the season. 

North Dakota State enters its bye week at 3-0 after beating Central Arkansas 49-31 last Saturday at the Fargodome. The Bison defense has forced seven turnovers, while the offense hasn't committed one thru the first three games. NDSU prepares for Missouri Valley Conference play relatively healthy, with linebacker Nick Kubitz suffering a sprained ankle as the biggest injury NDSU has had thru the first three games. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo recap the first three games and look ahead to Valley play in this week's podcast.   

North Dakota State wraps up non-conference play Saturday at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome as they host Central Arkansas out of the United Athletic Conference. UCA enters with a record of 1-1, losing to Oklahoma State in its season opener, before beating Texas College, an NAIA school, 70-2 last week. This is the second all-time meeting between the schools, the two teams met in October 2020 in Fargo. That was Trey Lance's final game as a Bison, rallying NDSU in the fourth quarter to a 39-28 win. There was less than 500 people in attendance as the game was held in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo discuss the matchup and why Central Arkansas poses a real challenge to a 19-year non-conference home win streak that the Bison currently have.

North Dakota State returns to Gate City Bank Field this weekend for its home opener as the Bison will host Maine for the first-ever meeting between the schools. The Black Bears enter off a 14-12 loss to Florida International last week. They were a preseason pick of 13th out of 15 teams in the Coastal Athletic Assocation. The Bison come in after a 35-10 win over Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis last Saturday. Cam Miller threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the victory. NDSU holds an 8-1 all-time record against CAA teams, the only loss was to former league member James Madison in the 2016 FCS semifinals.  The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo break down the game and look to other matchups across the FCS in this week's show.

The 2023 college football season has arrived for North Dakota State as the Bison open the new year in Minneapolis to take on Eastern Washington. The questions about the defense and new look players on offense will get answered Saturday afternoon against an Eagles team that struggled to a 3-8 record last season. Jeff and Dom discuss the setting at U.S. Bank Stadium and the lack of fan interest on NDSU's part for this game Saturday. They also discuss some players to click for the game, ranging from Mehki Collins to Sam Jung. Quarterback Cam Miller is in the spotlight this season to have a consistent year, along with the wide receivers to make plays down the field. You can listen to the episode here or wherever you get your podcasts, at Apple Itunes or Google Play.

The 2023 North Dakota State football season is just a week away as the Bison will open up at U.S. Bank Stadium against Eastern Washington. There are several question marks surrouding this year's version of the Bison with a revamped secondary and some spots on the defensive line to fill. WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Jeff Kolpack return for another season as they preview the season and what to expect from this year's group. Also in the news this week was the presentation from the Fargodome Authority to the City Commission about a $140 millon renovation and expansion for the Dome. The city of Fargo will hold a special election in December to determine if this will pass. You can listen to past episodes at Inforum.com, Google Play and Apple Itunes.

The stretch run of the Summit League basketball season is here and for the first time, the North Dakota State women are in the race. The Bison knocked off South Dakota Thursday night, 86-82 in overtime led by Heaven Hamling's 28 points. It marked the first time NDSU has swept USD since the 1999-2000 season. Dom Izzo and Jeff Kolpack break down the significance of the win for NDSU and what to expect as league leading South Dakota State comes to Fargo on Saturday. The guys also discuss the late signing period as the Bison added ten players, six from high school and four transfers.

There really isn't an offseason in Division I college football. Fans are finding out that first hand since the North Dakota States season ended eleven days ago. In that time frame, the Bison have had their defensive coordinator leave for Northwestern, two more major contributors leave for the transfer portal, an invite to the NFL Combine for a standout senior and the program announce a next destination game against Tennessee State in Nashville. It's enough to make one's head spin. On the latest podcast, Jeff Kolpack and Dom Izzo dissect the moves by Courtney Eubanks and Dom Jones and what it means for the Bison football team for 2023. They also dive into the transfer portal and name, image and likeness as a whole and is NDSU doing enough to keep players here that may want to leave?

The final game of the FCS season will be an all-Valley title bout. North Dakota State and South Dakota State will meet for the FCS Championship and so much is at stake. The Jackrabbits seek their first national championship, looking to hand NDSU its first loss in the title game.  The Bison are a beat up team right now, dealing with several injuries to key players, ranging from TaMerik Williams to Kobe Johnson to Will Mostaert. WDAY's Dom Izzo and the Forum's Jeff Kolpack go thru an early preview of the matchup and what advantages does each team have in a game when the opponent knows you so well?

The holidays may be here, but the machine of college football rolls on without a break. National Signing Day came and went on Wednesday with North Dakota State adding 20 high school players and two transfers. Barnesville's Hunter Zenzen will transfer in from Iowa State and play defensive end, along with Bowling Green's Marcus Sheppard, he will play cornerback for the Bison. Zenzen will have three years of eligibility, Sheppard will have two. Head coach Matt Entz dropped a mini-bombshell during his Signing Day press conference, with the news that senior running back TaMerik Williams will use an extra year of eligibility and return to the Bison in 2023. It was understood that Williams was going to be moving on after this season wrapped to give the NFL a shot. That means that NDSU will return both top running backs next season in Kobe Johnson and Williams. Kolpack and Izzo also go into the elevation of the NDSU - SDSU rivalry and how this game has been a long time in the making. Lastly they discuss what the fan turnout could potentially be for this game in Frisco.  

The FCS semifinals will happen Friday night in Fargo despite Mother Nature's best efforts. A winter snowstorm has socked the Red River Valley, but Incarnate Word left San Antonio Thursday afternoon and will arrive in Fargo for the game Friday night. North Dakota State returns to the FCS semifinals for an 11th time in the last 12 years, eager to return to Frisco, Texas for a tenth time. If they are going to do that they will need to slow down a highly potent UIW offense, led by likely Walter Payton award winner, Lindsay Scott. The seventh year quarterback enters Friday's game with 59 touchdown passes. The Bison are a banged up unit on offense, after injuries to TaMerik Williams and Raja Nelson in the quarterfinal win over Samford. Their status is unknown for the game Friday. NDSU may get the return of defensive tackle Eli Mostaert, who has missed nearly the entire season of breaking his leg in Week Two against North Carolina A&T.

Friday Night Football is back in Fargo. North Dakota State will play a nationally televised Friday night football game for the tenth time since 2012, but for the first time it will be in the quarterfinal round. The Bison will match up with the Southern Conference champion, Samford, Friday at 6pm on ESPN2. The Bulldogs (11-1) enter unbeaten against FCS opponents, their only loss coming to FBS champion Georgia. This will be the first plane flight for Samford since the 2016 season, when they flew to Youngstown State to play a playoff game with the Penguins. Samford is led by quarterback Michael Heirs, who was the SoCon offensive player of the year. Heirs though was injured in the regular season finale against Mercer, and his status is uncertain for Friday. Backup Quincy Crittendon led Samford to an overtime win over Southeastern Louisiana last week. The Bison enter dealing with more injuries. Middle linebacker Luke Weerts is in a walking boot and his status is uncertain for Friday's game. NDSU hopes to have fullback Logan Hofstedt available after he was injured during the second round game against Montana. WDAY's Dom Izzo and the Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup with Samford and chat about other topics around college football.

The FCS Playoffs resume Saturday in Fargo as North Dakota State will welcome in the University of Montana for a second round matchup. This is third all-time meeting between the schools in Fargo. Montana made its debut here in 2014, the front end of a home and home series. Adam Keller kicked five field goals that day in a 22-10 win. Montana was ready for the Bison in the rematch the following year. In front of a national television audience in Week Zero, the Griz scored the game winning touchdown with two seconds left in a 38-35 win. The two schools met later that year in the second round of the playoffs and the Bison defense dominated, with four interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns in a 37-6 NDSU win. Montana enters this game with an 8-4 record, having knocked off Southeast Missouri State 34-24 in the first round last weekend. NDSU has never lost in the second round of the playoffs, posting a 10-0 record (not counting the spring season of 2021). WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup and discuss the keys to this game as NDSU looks for another quarterfinal appearance.

For the first time since 1996, North Dakota State and North Dakota will end the regular season facing one another. There was a decade stretch where the two schools played one another in the final game of the North Central Conference season and then some times turn around and play the following week in the playoffs. That won't happen this year, but these two teams could see each other down the road in the FCS Playoffs. North Dakota State (8-2) enters on a three game win streak, looking to cinch up a high playoff seed and a first round bye. North Dakota (7-3) also enters winners of three in a row, they are looking to beat the Bison for the first time at the Division I level. The FCS Selection Show is Sunday morning at 11:30 on ESPNU, where the 24-team field will be revealed. WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup and look ahead to what the playoffs could look like for the Bison.

The FCS regular season is down to its final two weeks and there's plenty to play for for North Dakota State. The Bison play their final regular season road game Saturday afternoon in Carbondale, Illinois as they'll match up with 5-4 Southern Illinois. The Salukis enter off a bye week, they have lost two straight games before the off week, losing to South Dakota and Northern Iowa. SIU is led by junior quarterback Nic Baker, who made his first career start against the Bison in February of 2021, an infamous day for the Bison as the Salukis routed NDSU 38-14, ending the Bison's 39 game win streak. WDAY's Dom Izzo and the Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup with Southern Illinois and look ahead to the other big matchups of the FCS weekend.

North Dakota State hits the road for the first time in a month as they'll face Western Illinois. The Leathernecks enter with an 0-8 record under first year head coach Myers Hendrickson. WIU is one of the worst teams in FCS football, ranking at the bottom of rushing offense and rushing defense. NDSU comes in after its most complete performance of the season, beating Illinois State 24-7. The Bison defense held the Redbirds under 100 yards rushing, the first time that's happened all season. The Bison (6-2) have never lost at Hanson Field, winning the six previous games. WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup and look at the FCS as the playoff field starts to come into focus.

North Dakota State football returns to Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome Saturday as the second half of the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule begins. Illinois State comes to the Dome on a three game win streak, edging out Northern Iowa, South Dakota and Indiana State. The Redbirds are led by former Minnesota Gopher quarterback Zack Annexstad, who was named the Valley newcomer of the week last week as he was responsible for three touchdowns against Indiana State. NDSU returns off a bye week, they haven't lost off a bye week since 2005. The Bison may get some help back on defense in junior linebacker Cole Wisniewski. He's been practicing this week after missing the entire season with an Achilles Tear. They will be without center Jalen Sundell, who had surgery on his right foot for a reaction fracture. Brandon Westberg will start his third straight game Saturday. WDAY's Dom Izzo and the Forum's Jeff Kolpack preview the matchup and look ahead to the FCS playoffs for the first time.

It's been anything but an off week on the news side of things for the North Dakota State football team. It began with the news that senior wide receiver Phoenix Sproles was entering the transfer portal, then fellow senior Noah Gindorff's long road back to the football field. The Bison have a bye week this weekend and will return to the field October 29th against an Illinois State team that could be on a three game win streak when they come to Fargo. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo also discuss the news that senior offensive lineman Cody Mauch is on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in the FCS.

The game of the year is set for the FCS this weekend in Fargo. Top ranked and defending national champion North Dakota State will welcome in second ranked South Dakota State Saturday with the conference lead and potential playoff home field advantage at stake. The Jackrabbits may be getting a huge piece of their offense back Saturday as All-American tight end Tucker Kraft will warm up with the intentions of playing, according to head coach John Stiegelmeier. The Bison enter this game losing the last two matchups to the Jacks, including a 27-17 defeat in Fargo in April of 2021. SDSU hasn't won consecutive games in Fargo since 1948 and 1950. WDAY's Dom Izzo and the Forum's Jeff Kolpack discuss the matchup and the implications in the division in the latest podcast.

North Dakota State heads on the road this weekend to match up with Indiana State (1-3) for a noon kickoff Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Sycamores dealt with an unspeakable tragedy before the season began when two freshman football players were killed in a car accident. Head coach Curt Mallory has said the team has rallied together in a way he could never imagine. NDSU heads to Indiana for the first time since 2017, the Sycamores were off the Bison schedule in 2018 and 2019 and Indiana State opted out of the 2020 season. The Bison enter with a 4-1 record, after beating Youngstown State 27-14 last week. NDSU will be short-handed again on the defensive line as senior Jake Kava is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo preview the matchup and discuss the other happenings around the FCS world.

North Dakota State returns home for the first time in three weeks Saturday to match up with the 2-1 Youngstown State Penguins. YSU enters off wins over Duquesne and Dayton and a loss to the SEC's Kentucky Wildcats. The Bison come in after a 34-17 win over South Dakota to win its conference opener for the 12th straight year. NDSU will be without the services of tight end Noah Gindorff, who's surgically repaired ankle is bugging him again. The Bison have won 12 straight games against the Penguins, the last loss was in the 2011 regular season home finale for NDSU, a 27-24 YSU win. Jeff Kolpack and Dom Izzo break down the matchup and chat about the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies surrounding homecoming, along with the other top FCS matchups on Saturday.

North Dakota State returns to the field Saturday afternoon as the Bison open Missouri Valley Football Conference play against South Dakota. The Bison enter off its first FBS loss since 2009, a 31-28 defeat to Arizona. NDSU will match up with the Coyotes, who enter with a 1-2 record, they defeated Cal Poly in its home opener, 38-21. Kolpack and Izzo discuss the impact that the late Darrell Mudra had on the Bison football program. They also dissect the largely absent NDSU downfield passing game, which has yet to show itself thru the first three games of the season. You can listen to past episodes here or at Apple ITunes or Google Play or wherever you find your podcasts.

The stage is set. Six years in the making, North Dakota State is set to face off against the University of Arizona. This game was originally scheduled in April of 2017, shortly after NDSU's last FBS win, a 23-21 victory over Iowa. It's been six long years for Bison fans to finally get a taste of the FBS. NDSU enters this game with a 2-0 record, facing an improved Wildcats team that beat San Diego State and lost to Mississippi State. The Forum's Jeff Kolpack and WDAY's Dom Izzo break down the matchup and give you the keys to the game as NDSU looks for a seventh straight win against FBS opponents.

A new opponent once again comes to the Fargodome this Saturday as North Dakota State hosts North Carolina A&T. The Aggies come in at 0-1 after losing to North Carolina Central last week. NC A&T is a traditionally solid FCS program, winning three straight FBS games from 2016-18.  Jeff Kolpack and Dom Izzo preview the matchup with the Aggies and what NDSU needs to do after a 56-14 win over Drake last week. You can listen to past episodes at Apple Itunes and Google Play.