The UND Football team has finally reached it’s much needed bye week. They have navigated their way through the first nine games and are now sitting with a 5-4 record and real shot at making their first trip to the FCS Playoffs.
As the title of this post reads, it is essentially a two game season for UND. Go 2-0 and you (more-than-likely) get into the playoffs. Lose either one of them (home vs. UNC – at Cal-Poly) and you are done.
Being it’s an 11 game season in FCS football, 7 wins will get you into the conversation for an at-large bid. Who those 7 wins are against is the key, along with what conference you are in. Being in the Big Sky Conference is a plus for UND (strength of conference).
7 win teams in the OVC, Southern, Big South, or Southland are not guaranteed to get in.
7 win teams in the Big Sky, MVFC and CAA will get a longer look at an at-large bid than the previously mentioned conferences.
The following facts are based on UND winning the last two games of the season (which will not be easy), but it’s fun to think about:
- UND will have an FBS win vs. Wyoming. HUGE plus in the committee’s eyes.
- UND will have a Top 10 win at Portland State, who is 7-1 (their only loss).
- UND will have a possible Top 25 win vs. Montana State (always looks good no matter the year).
- The Idaho State loss will look bad, no denying that, no excuses. But it’s also a game they win if Keaton Studsrud doesn’t get hurt in the 2nd half. They were also without S Cole Reyes and LB Taj Rich for the first time.
- Two of UND’s losses are at NDSU (Top 5 team) and at Montana (Top 20 team). Won’t be held against them.
There are a TON of 5-3 and 4-4 teams out there right now. This weekend will clear up a lot of things. Whoever gets their 5th loss is out. Beginning next week we will re-group the teams that have 3 and 4 losses to see where it all shakes out.
The biggest game of the season is coming up next Saturday at the Alerus Center vs. old NCC foe Northern Colorado (4-4). Win and UND has a shot at their first ever FCS Playoff berth waiting for them in San Luis Obispo. UNC is a much improved team this season and a home field advantage in front of a loud Alerus crowd would go a long way next Saturday.
P.S. – If UND does win out we sincerely hope that AD Brian Faison is prepared to put in a “healthy” bid to host a first round home playoff game. These chances come around only so often and to get that first playoff game at home would be monumental.
