Friday began with eight teams, by the end of the day it was five and we now know the four who are still alive for the final leg of the journey to Texas. But before Sunday's action and the visit by another unfamiliar foe next weekend there's some conversation that needs to be had about the last game.
The expectation in the lead-up to the game was that Samford and it's prolific offense would cause some problem for Code Green & force Cam Miller to make some plays. How it played out had both defenses writing the tale. The junior quarterback did come through with an efficient 194 yards passing & 1 score to go along with 41 yards on the ground. When Cole Payton & TaMerik Williams joined the Santa Claus-long list of injured players it seemed like even more could tip in favor of the visitors but TK Marshall & Kobe Johnson's 26-total totes helped take the pressure off.
Joe Stoffel chipped-in with his best receiving game yet, marking just the second time he's accounted for more than 50 yards. Good timing!
For the D Javier Derritt also came through with his best statistical performance, wrangling their quarterbacks down twice of the five total. Four of the five came after the switch at quarterback was made, that might deserve a postcard to Samford's coaches.
Then again, all their points also came with the second choice taking snaps so scratch that.
Dawson Weber also came through big-time with his third quarter interception that lead to NDSU's last touchdown of the evening. If any one play could be said that it decided the game that would be the one. 17 - 7 or 17 - 3 with most of two quarters remaining could have butterflied into a much different result.
This could be controversial but that would have been good too.
Not saying a loss would have been good, but schools outside the Dakotas & Montana rising up is needed. Maybe Holy Cross can build on what they showed in Brookings to also be a regular threat to reach the semi-finals but the Alabama-based have that much more of a chance to find playoff-caliber players that go overlooked by all the big boys in that part of the country.
As for the present, with the late-night heroics by Incarnate Word (another possible ascender) we've got one more home date on the docket - yet to be announced whether it will be Friday night or Saturday. As the indisputable last home game of the season it should be a good crowd, despite another team that does not generate much buzz on it's own. To reach the final destination the team will need as much from Red Dogs as they've gotten at any point this year, and some good fortune on the training tables to boot. It's going to be an interesting way to close out the Dome!
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