It's the post season and off the Bison practically toying with their first opponent I'm going to play around with some different forms of the Bison recaps. If there's one that you especially like (or dislike), let me know!
I'm still going to go worst to first with the color of the sections being the main method of delineation, so here goes!
🤘#6 - 9 Pack🤘
I could just as easily have put this as the #1 takeaway from today's second round route of Montana St. Reaching the quarterfinal round 9 years in a row is an extremely impressive accomplishment. We're now into the third group of four year players to continue the streak. It's almost unfathomable if you really think about it. The main reason I wanted to lead off with it, stead of use it as the capper is that it's a culmination of all those years of play and kind of a bi-product of today's win, not a true factor in it.
🤘#5 - Easton Stick🤘
I talked briefly in the RMC about how much I liked the way he was used and the way that he played today. The stats are underwhelming, plain & simple. But from my perspective, this was his most complete performance. Not his best, but his most complete. I like game manager quarterbacks for everything other than Fantasy Football because they don't make game ruining mistakes...or mistakes very often honestly. He was a game manager today, and with his future coming ever nearer, I like that he put that on full display today.
🤘#4 - Code Green 🤘
Truthfully, I thought the defense was going to be even more dominant today then they turned out being. Or at least dominant in a different way. Giving up 10 points to a team that's already won in the postseason could be used as a definition for dominance. On the merits of that alone, I have them as one of the four best parts of the game but the only really splashy play that they produced was Marquise Bridges' interception. It was a ho-hum performance that still held the opponent to 10 measly points. That's a frighting fact for the rest of the bracket that I did not see coming!
🤘#3 - Ty Brooks🤘
The future of the Bison rushing brigade was a star tonight. It was evident from this first plays in Green & Gold that he has speed beyond the level of many players on this level. Today he showed something that I had not noticed before - a physicality to pair excellently with the breakaway speed. It was on one particular run to the right side but it spoke volumes about the player that he's developing into and that we will have back next year. The 103 yards & a touchdown on only six carries are the numerical supports, but if you were watching and saw the run, then you know.
🤘#2 - Bruce Anderson🤘
Speaking of physical play by running backs, it was nice to have the old Bruce Anderson back in the fold. His numbers didn't distinguish him from his running mates but he represented himself quite nicely over the 2.5 quarters that he was utilized.
🤘#1 - Lance Dunn🤘
And then there was the touchdown machine. Before the second quarter had concluded he had turned four of his seven carries into touchdowns. 👀 That would be a ridiculous stat line in pee-wee Football, much less against one of the 16 best college teams in the country! But he did it and he could have had a couple more if the coaches had seen fit to keep using him the same way.
So it was a day for the record books by the backs in North Fargo. I predicted at least a 21 point win but did not expect it to be this lopsided. Maybe what I said on the radio some weeks back is not so far fetched - that this team is in a class of it's own in the subdivision. Three more games will give us the answer but for now, it was a fun watch!