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Penguins seek upset at North Dakota St.
By Joe Scalzo
YOUNGSTOWN
When YSU coach Eric Wolford compares his program to North Dakota State, it can sound a little like a zebra talking about a lion.
Take this quote about NDSU:
“When you look at them top to bottom, you can’t find any weaknesses,” Wolford said.
Or this about the Bison program overall:
“We’re trying to get where North Dakota State and those [caliber of] schools are, as far as having a foundation and being able to bring recruits in and then redshirt them and not have to play them,” he said.
Or this about NDSU’s lifting program, “When I watch last year’s film to this year, I see some of the same players playing, but they look like they’re about 15-20 pounds heavier than they were a year ago.”
Wolford even went so far as to compare NDSU to Nebraska, where Bison coach Craig Bohl played from 1977-80 and coached (1995-2002).
“The only thing I really see different in the two programs is Nebraska ran more of an option-style offense,” said Wolford, who went 0-5 against the Cornhuskers in four years as a player and one year as a graduate assistant at Kansas State. “As far as big players, smart kids that are coached well, play with discipline, don’t turn the ball over, time of possession [they’re very similar].”
Over the past two years, Wolford has made it clear that he wants YSU to grow into the type of program that is mentioned in the same sentence as NDSU and Northern Iowa, the Missouri Valley’s two best teams this year. He thinks the Penguins (5-4, 3-3) are closer this year — “We’ve closed the gap athletically,” he said — but he also thinks he’s a year or two away from getting to their level.
Thing is, you wouldn’t know it from the scores.
In Wolford’s two seasons, YSU has twice lost to UNI by four points (both in the last two minutes) and once to North Dakota State by five points (after the Penguins went ahead with less than a minute left).
Today, the Penguins will find out how far away they are from the nation’s top-ranked team when they travel to the Fargodome for a game that has a lot riding on it — for both teams.
A YSU win today, combined with a victory over Missouri State next week, would almost certainly put the Penguins in the playoffs.
NDSU (9-0, 6-0), meanwhile, can clinch a share of its first Missouri Valley title. (The Bison could then win it outright against Western Illiois the following week.)
Two wins would also likely give NDSU the top overall seed in the FCS playoffs, which means the Bison would be at home every week until the playoffs, a huge advantage considering the Fargodome’s location and crowd noise.
Although NDSU is second in the nation in points allowed per game (12.9) and second in the MVFC in points scored (34.1), the Bison haven’t blown out every opponent. Southern Illinois lost by just six points (9-3) and Northern Iowa lost by eight (27-19). Indiana State and Illinois State were both within 11 points.
The Penguins probably won’t win, but it wouldn’t be a “Zebra defeats Lion”-type upset if they did. More like “Zebra defeats Clydesdale.”
“They’re an emerging program and they’re playing better in Eric’s second year,” Bohl said of the Penguins. “They have a huge offensive line, they put up a lot of points and they’re improved on defense.
“We have a tough, tall order. It’ll be a big challenge but we’re excited about it.”