Nov. 9: Jerald & Mary Beth Orn Farm Retirement Wimbledon, ND Nov. 17: Thomas P. Strand Farm Retirement Perley, MN Nov. 9: Harley Buys Farm Equipment Edgerton, MN MN Nov. 18: Steele County, ND Land - 159± Acres Clifford, ND Nov. 10: Online Steffes Auction - 11/10 Midwest Locations Nov. 23: Billings County, ND Land - 640± Acres Belfield, ND Nov. AuctionNov. 9: Tower Hill Angus Livestock Equipment Watford City, ND Nov. 24: Online Steffes Auction - 11/24 Midwest Locations AUCTIONS UPC OM IN G St ef fe s Gr oup , Inc . 701.237.9173 | SteffesGroup.com | Steffes Group Inc., 2000 Main Avenue East, West Fargo, ND NORTH DAKOTA STATE SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2021 SOUTH DAKOTA STATE BISON GAME DAY Presents ► When: 2 p.m. Saturday, Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, S.D. ► TV: WDAY (ABC) ► Radio: 107.9-FM, 1660-AM, 92.7-FM
DEMONSTRATING GROWTH
The maturation of NDSU receiver Christian Watson to NFL prospect
By Jeff Kolpack The Forum Fargo
The parade of NFL scouts walking through the doors of the North Dakota State football office has been constant this fall. Every team has been there. Some more than once; some even more than twice.
The No. 1 reason is Bison wide receiver Christian Watson, whose appealing combination of being 6-foot-5 and very fast has made for an assessment necessity. In almost every case, scouts have left Fargo with one perplexing question: How did this guy get just one college scholarship offer out of high school?
“He could run since Day 1,” said NDSU head coach Matt Entz. “But just being fast sometimes isn’t enough. We’ve all seen great track guys that play football, but he needed to be a really fast football player and I think he’s been able to do that in his time here.”
He’s done one other important part of being a football player. Watson has grown up. That teenager who arrived on campus in 2017 from H.B. Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., and challenged the Bison staff with his immaturity has put that part of his life behind him.
Whether it was running harder during a drill or taking a workout more seriously, Watson learned early in his NDSU career that attitude wasn’t going to make the grade. Instead of running with the pack in wind sprints, he started winning them.
“Just my maturity as a whole in understanding the need of playing at this high of a level,” Watson said. “I’ve just grown as a man, a player on and off
the field and that’s helped me understand what it takes to be successful at this level.”
Asked the difference between the freshman Christian Watson and the senior version, Entz started with a chuckle, as if to say the road was long but worth it.
“Where do I start?” he said. “He just needed to get his ducks in a row.”
On the field, that included learning how to run receiving routes — how to get open. He needed to learn the college game, which is much more complicated than high school schemes.
“Everyone has their slips when they’re a young guy,” Watson said.
“Honestly, I’ve grown in all aspects of the game and as a human being and that is so much appreciated.”
The advancement has been so pronounced that Watson lined up in the backfield as a running back last week in the 44-2 win over Indiana State. He gained 21 yards to the
Sycamore 20-yard line on a sweep to the right and TaMerik Williams scored on the next play.
“Gotta be creative on where we can play him,” Entz said. “Hard to double cover him when he’s in the backfield.”
The last time the Bison lined up one of their best athletes who wasn’t a running back in the backfield was linebacker Jabril Cox in the 2019 Division I FCS title game against James Madison. NDSU had a direct snap play called for Cox, with quarterback Trey Lance doing the cadence, but Cox never got an official carry.
Watson is more well versed with the offense. One of the goals is to find a better matchup with Watson on somebody other than a cornerback.
“Just find easy ways to put the ball in one of your most dynamic playmakers hands,” said NDSU offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl. “It doesn’t get any easier than handing off a ball. A kid with that much speed to be able to hand
him the ball and let him work the perimeter. The only thing we haven’t handed it to him for is an inside zone or A gap power.”
Watson redshirted and did not play in 2017. He caught nine passes as a redshirt freshman in 2018. There was promise, but nothing that had “NFL prospect” written on it. That changed in 2019. He led the Bison with 34 receptions for 732 yards and six touchdowns. The pinnacle were back-toback scoring plays of 75 and 70 yards against Montana State in the FCS semifinals.
“Seeing him evolve and mature has been really great to see,” Roehl said. “For a kid who was extremely under recruited for the talent that he had. He does things now with a high level of discipline and accountability. Seeing his brother having success probably has a little bit of do with that. This calendar year he has blossomed.”
Tre Watson, Christian’s older brother, is a
linebacker with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He’s played mainly in a backup role this season. Tre started his college career at Illinois before transferring to Maryland, where he led the Big Ten Conference in tackles and interceptions his senior year in 2018.
“I’ve always looked up to my brother, I think he’s the golden child in my family,” Christian said. “He’s paved the way for me, whether it was him going through a negative or positive experience, I’ve been able to learn from him.”
The learning in the last several months has included dealing with the NFL attention. Scouts routinely question Bison receivers coach Noah Pauley on Watson’s background and work habits.
“He handles it really well,” Pauley said. “If he has a question for me, he’ll ask. If there are things we need to do to prepare him, I’ll let him know and we’ve been transparent in this process because we want the best for Christian.”
As to the scouts’ question on NDSU being his only college offer, there is no real answer. NDSU saw speed and developed the player. NFL teams may be seeing the same thing.
“I think it’s just part of life at this point,” Watson said. “When you play at a school of this caliber, you’re going to have that attention. We’ve seen it with a bunch of guys in the past. I wouldn’t want to say it’s something you get used to because it doesn’t happen for everyone, but it’s a blessing. At the end of the day, I’m just trying to do me and do what’s best for the team that week.”
F2 | SPORTS | Saturday, November 6, 2021 | the forum iNforum.com BISON GAME DAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Photos by David Samson / The Forum
North Dakota State’s Christian Watson signals first down after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit against Northern Iowa in early October at the Fargodome.
North Dakota State’s Christian Watson makes a catch against Missouri State’s Montrae Braswell in late October at the Fargodome.
BISON Volson RUSHING No Yds Avg Long TD Quincy Patterson Kobe Johnson Dominic Gonnella TaMerik Williams 422 380 348 247 5 3 6 9 5 9 7 4 52 97 75 35 6 1 2 4 PASSING Comp Att Yds Int TD Quincy Patterson Cam Miller 101 29 813 336 4 1 6 6 RECEIVING Christian Watson Phoenix Sproles Noah Gindorff Raja Nelson 26 12 9 7 PROBABLE
Jackrabbits RUSHING No Yds Avg Long TD Pierre Strong Jr Amar Johnson Isaiah Davis 127 66 18 986 336 125 7 8 5 1 6 9 85 28 32 12 3 1 PASSING Comp Att Yds Int TD Chris Oladokun 130 211 1834 3 16 BISON OFFENSE Pos No Name Ht Wt Yr WR LT LG C RG RT TE WR FB RB QB 1 70 66 72 63 67 87 11 44 4 7 Christian Watson Cody Mauch Nash Jensen Jalen Sundell Jake Kubas Cordell Volson Noah Gindorff Phoenix Sproles Hunter Luepke Kobe Johnson Cam Miller 6-5 6-6 6-4 6-5 6-4 6-7 6-6 6-0 6-1 5-9 6-1 208 301 328 298 302 313 266 193 236 188 208 Sr Sr Sr Jr Jr Sr Sr Sr Jr Jr So BISON DEFENSE Pos No Name Ht Wt Yr DE DT NG DE OLB MLB OLB CB SS 93 92 94 98 31 52 3 23 25 Logan McCormick Lane Tucker Costner Ching Brayden Thomas Cole Wisniewski Jackson Hankey Jasir Cox Jayden Price Michael Tutsie 6-2 6-3 6-4 6-3 6-4 6-2 6-1 6-0 5-11 242 280 284 260 221 219 209 186 192 Sr Sr Sr Sr So Sr Sr Jr Sr senior Chris Oladokun There is something odd about SDSU losing two games at home The Jacks will either beat the Bison convincingly or the trend will continue Football is a trendy sport NDSU 24 SDSU 23 SDSU running back Pierre Strong Jr the difference with his game-breaking ability in what should be another instant classic SDSU 20 NDSU 17 Jackrabbits are more desperate and at home Just enough of an edge to win SDSU 24 NDSU 20 Tutsie Oladokun Strong Jr RUNNING BACKS It s always debatable but Pierre Strong Jr is the best running back in the FCS impressive 7 8 yards per carry RECEIVERS SDSU's Janke twins have a history of success led HS to three straight state titles Bison have Christian Watson OFFENSIVE LINE M A T C H U P S P R E D I C T I O N S GAME DAY BREAKDOWN DEFENSIVE LINE Teams are very good at DL LB and secondary, but Bison get slight edge in all three, especially in the d-line LINEBACKERS If former Bison starting OLB James Kaczor is going to make a return to the field this game would be a good start SECONDARY Bison strong safety Michael Tutsie putting together an All-American like season, always in the right place Most predictions in this game come down to a field goal difference; NDSU has been more consistent there SPECIAL TEAMS RECEIVING Rec Yds Avg Long TD Tucker Kraft Jaxon Janke Jadon Janke 40 32 22 501 550 382 12 5 17 2 17 4 36 55 52 4 2 6 79 55 58 33 M E D I A B L I T Z S T A N D I N G S S C H E D U L E Games Saturday Northern Iowa at Illinois State noon (Marquee Sports Network, ESPN+) Youngstown State at North Dakota, noon (Midco Sports Two ESPN+) Missouri State at Southern Illinois noon (ESPN3) South Dakota at Western Illnois noon (ESPN3) North Dakota State at South Dakota State 2 p m (ND ABC, Midco, ESPN+) N o r t h D a k o t a S t a t e S o u t h e r n I l l i n o i s M i s s o u r i S t a t e S o u t h D a k o t a S t a t e N o r t h e r n I o w a S o u t h D a k o t a I n d i a n a S t a t e W e s t e r n I l l i n o i s I l l i n o i s S t a t e N o r t h D a k o t a Y o u n g s t o w n S t a t e 5-0 4-1 4-2 3-2 3-2 3-2 2-4 2-4 1-4 1-4 1-4 8-0 6-2 5-3 6-2 5-3 5-3 4-5 2-7 3-5 3-5 2-5 10-11 a m : Bison GameDay pregame show with Dom Izzo Kyle Emanuel Logan Campbell and Jeff Kolpack on North Dakota statewide ABC network (WDAY-Fargo WDAZ-Grand Forks KBMY-Bismarck and Dickinson, KMCY-Williston and Minot) 1:45 p m : Gate City Bison Live Game Stream on inforum com After game: Gate City Media Blog Postgame Show with Mike McFeely Dom Izzo and Jeff Kolpack on www inforum com Sept 11 Sept 18 Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 Oct 23 Oct 30 Nov 6 Nov 13 Nov 20 Valparaiso at Towson at North Dakota Northern Iowa at Illinois State Missouri State Indiana State at South Dakota State at Youngstown State South Dakota 64 0 35 7 16 10 34 20 20 0 27 20 44 2 Sept 11 Sept 25 Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 Oct 23 Oct 30 Nov 6 Nov 13 Nov 20 Lindenwood at Indiana State Dixie State (Utah) Southern Illinois at Western Illinois Northern Iowa at Youngstown State North Dakota State at South Dakota North Dakota 52 44 55 41 41 17 47 7 0 7 42 (ot) 17 26 16 T E A M S C H E D U L E S The Jack offense is explosive, NDSU needs to force two turnovers if they want to win Think SDSU hangs onto the ball and gets a win SDSU 27 NDSU 24 Dom Izzo WDAY-TV Record: 8-0 This game will come down to who has the better defense In this case, it s the Bison NDSU 24, SDSU 21 Mike McFeely The Forum Record: 7-1 Eric Peterson The Forum Record: 8-0 Logan Campbell WDAY-TV Record: 8-0 Rec Yds Avg Long TD 506 145 129 57 19 5 12 1 14 3 8 1 6 1 1 0 85 37 43 17 55 21 S te ff es Gr oup. co m Plenty of Dates Available to Book Your Next Auction! Callyour local representative and let’s schedule your next farm retirement, equipment, construction or land auction! –701.237.9173 –Steffes Group Inc., 2000 Main Avenue East, West Fargo, ND 58078 Is your body ready? y? Your JOB needs more play time... Search JobsHQ today www.jobsHQ.com BISON GAME DAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE inforum.com the forum | Saturday, november 6, 2021 | SPORTS | F3
STARTERS
Roehl says NDSU offense would have evolved no matter who was QB
By Jeff Kolpack and Eric Peterson The Forum
Fargo
There’s been evidence the last couple of weeks that the North Dakota State offense has been more diverse in its attack of opposing defenses. Was it because of a change in quarterbacks?
NDSU offensive coordinator
Tyler Roehl says be careful of that assessment. The Bison pro style, West Coast offense generally gets more complicated as the year goes on anyway. It’s the way 2019 went when Trey Lance was the quarterback.
“Go look at early in ‘19, we weren’t as multiple as we were toward the end of ‘19, or the later part of the regular season,” Roehl said.
That’s because over the course of the season, Roehl said, NDSU gradually adds elements like pre-snap shifts, motions, trades and pass protections. The quarterback gradually has the latitude to change a run play to a pass or a pass play to a run. Pass routes can be changed at the line of scrimmage.
“We continue to put in a little more each week,” Roehl said.
At least during the week, NDSU had not named a starting quarterback for the South Dakota State game on Saturday at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Sophomore Cam Miller replaced injured starter Quincy Patterson two weeks ago and will go into the Jackrabbit game 21 of 29 passing with six touchdowns.
The Bison passing game has appeared more diverse with more players being involved in the last couple of weeks.
“I don’t think much of it
would have changed, maybe a play call here or there,” Roehl said of the switch in QBs. “At the end of the day, the offense would have been extremely similar. … We’re getting pretty close to where we would have been in the ‘19 season.”
Oladokun thrives for Jackrabbits
SDSU senior Chris Oladokun has been one of the most productive quarterbacks in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this fall, averaging 237.1 yards per game from scrimmage, which ranks fourth in the conference.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Oladokun transferred to SDSU this past summer after playing in multiple other college programs, including South Florida.
“I love his leadership,” SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier said. “I love his comfort level in the offense in terms of knowledge and where he fits in having really not knowing anybody in June when he got here.” Oladokun has been a key addition for the Jackrabbits with quarterback Mark Gronowski, who led SDSU to the Division I FCS national title game, out this fall due a knee injury he suffered in the national title game last May.
Oladokun has completed 130 of 211 passes (62%) for 1,834 yards and 16 touchdowns with three interceptions. He’s passed for at least 300 yards in two games. He’s also rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns on 37 attempts.
“I think he can make all the throws,” Stiegelmeier said. “I think he throws the deep ball as well as anybody in the last 10 years at South Dakota State. He’s played above our expectations in a number of games.”
Bison defense
impresses Stiegelmeier
NDSU leads the FCS in scoring defense, holding opponents to 8.1 points per game heading into the Dakota Marker game . Stiegelmeier is impressed with the Bison defense, which has two shutouts this season and limited Indiana State to two points last weekend.
“We’re going to have to execute and be patient and understand we’re not going to get 20-to-30 yard plays against a good defense like
theirs, but our offense is pretty good, it has been pretty good,” Stiegelmeier said. “Ideally, we’ll get it to the right guys and they’ll make some plays and get some yards.”
The Bison have thrived at getting to the quarterback with 31 sacks in eight games. Their 3.88 sacks per game ranks third in the FCS.
“The athletes they have on the field are good athletes,” Stiegelmeier said. “There are no weaknesses there and they know their scheme and they do their job. In theory, if you run the ball there is going to be an unblocked player, you don’t get to block them all and they make plays. … I love how they play defense. I respect how they play defense. I’m a defensive coach by nature.”
Odds and ends
► SDSU has lost its previous two home games, against Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa. “It’s kind of cool to be 6-2 and a lot of people would love to be in our situation and because of our expectations and the history and tradition of our program, we feel like we’ve fallen short,” Stiegelmeier said. “I feel good about our opportunity this Saturday and we’re going to approach it like any other game.”
► NDSU holds a 10-7 edge in the Marker series. Postseason games are not included in the battle for the replica of original quartzite monuments that were placed at half-mile intervals along the state border in the summers of 1891 and 1892.
► The Bison are off to an 8-0 start for the eighth time in their 18 years in the FCS. The last time NDSU lost its ninth game of the year after going 8-0 was 2017 in a 33-21 loss at SDSU.
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GAME DAY NOTEBOOK
Michael Vosburg / The Forum
North Dakota State’s Cam Miller carries against Indiana State last Saturday at the Fargodome.
David Samson / The Forum
South Dakota State head football coach John Stiegelmeier snaps a photo before taking the set of ESPN’s “College GameDay” broadcast in Brookings, South Dakota, in 2019. That was the last time SDSU and North Dakota State played in Brookings. The Jackrabbits defeated the Bison last May at the Fargodome.
Southeastern Louisiana rises to No. 6, Bison remain No. 2
By Craig Haley Stats Perform
When FCS national champion Sam Houston departed the Southland Conference this past summer, the Bearkats knew one of the nation’s better teams would remain there.
Look no further than the Stats Perform FCS
Top 25, where on Monday
Southeastern Louisiana moved up two spots to No. 6 — the Lions’ highest ranking since they were third in 2014.
Southeastern coach Frank Scelfo called the Lions’ 23-20 win over McNeese on Saturday night the kind of effort that helps a team become championship-level. The Lions (7-1, 5-0) can become that for the third time in the Southland if they win at No. 22 UIW this weekend.
The Lions, who boast the nation’s second-ranked offense behind Walter Payton Award-winning quarterback Cole Kelley, are unbeaten against FCS opponents, with only a 45-42 loss at Louisiana Tech.
Including the Southland showdown, there are five games between ranked teams this weekend. Sam Houston (7-0) and North Dakota State (8-0) enter the important week at No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the national media poll, with No. 21 Princeton (7-0) the only other unbeaten FCS team.
A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is
Stats Perform FCS
Top 25 (Nov. 1)
1. Sam Houston (7-0, 5-0 AQ7), 1,240 points (40 firstplace votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Week 9
Result: 45-27 win at Tarleton
2. North Dakota State (8-0, 5-0 Missouri Valley), 1,208 (10)
Previous Ranking: 2; Week 9
Result: 44-2 win over Indiana State
3. James Madison (7-1, 5-1 CAA), 1,133
Previous Ranking: 5; Week 9
Result: 45-21 win over Elon
4. Montana State (7-1, 5-0 Big Sky), 1,082
Previous Ranking: 6; Week 9
Result: Open week
6. Southeastern Louisiana (7-1, 5-0 Southland), 970
Previous Ranking: 8; Week 9
Result: 23-20 win over McNeese 7. Southern Illinois (6-2,
Missouri Valley), 893
Previous Ranking: 3; Week 9
Result: 23-16 loss at then-No.
over Samford
19. Jackson State (7-1, 5-0 SWAC), 292
Previous Ranking: 20; Week 9
Result: 28-19 win at Mississippi Valley State
20.(tie) Princeton (7-0, 4-0 Ivy), 277
Previous Ranking: 19; Week 9
Result: 34-16 win at Cornell 20.(tie) William & Mary (6-2, 4-1 CAA), 277
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked; Week 9 Result: 31-18 win at then-No. 4 Villanova
22. UIW (6-2, 4-1 Southland), 229
Previous Ranking:
Prairie View A&M 34, Chattanooga 20, Mercer 14, Florida A&M 12, Dartmouth 10, Rhode Island 9, Stephen F. Austin 8, Harvard 7, Monmouth 2
4-1
16
3-2
Villanova (6-2, 4-1 11. Montana (6-2, 3-2 Big Sky), 721 Previous Ranking: 11; Week 9 Result: 20-19 win over Southern Utah 12. Kennesaw State (7-1, 4-0 Big South), 698 Previous Ranking: 12; Week 9 Result: 34-30 win over Gardner-Webb 13. Northern Iowa (5-3, 3-2 Missouri Valley), 693 Previous Ranking: 16; Week 9 Result: 23-16 win over thenNo. 3 Southern Illinois 14. ETSU (7-1, 4-1 Southern), 616 Previous Ranking: 13 (tie); Week 9 Result: Open week 15. UT Martin (7-1, 3-0 16. Sacramento State (6-2, 5-0 Big Sky), 517 Previous Ranking: 15; Week 9 Result: 27-24 win at Northern Colorado 17. Missouri State (5-3, 4-2 Missouri Valley), 396 Previous Ranking: 17; Week 9 Result: 32-28 win over North Dakota 18. VMI (6-2, 4-1 Southern), 331 Previous Ranking: 18; Week 9 Result: 46-45 win
Northern Iowa 8. UC Davis (7-1, 4-1 Big Sky), 854 Previous Ranking: 9; Week 9 Result: Open week 9. South Dakota State (6-2,
Missouri Valley), 811 Previous Ranking: 10; Week 9 Result: 47-16 win at Youngstown State 10.
22; Week 9 Result: 48-21 win over Houston Baptist 23. South Dakota (5-3, 3-2 Missouri Valley), 213 Previous Ranking: 21; Week 9 Result: Open week 24. Weber State (4-4, 3-2 Big Sky), 177 Previous Ranking: 23; Week 9 Result: 40-17 win at Idaho State 25. Eastern Kentucky (6-2, 3-0 AQ7), 139 Previous Ranking: 25; Week 9 Result: 42-10 win over Lamar Dropped Out: Rhode Island (24) Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots):
Ca tc hc omple te liv eg ame co ve ra ge plus all yo ur in -d ep th Bison ne ws, in te rvie ws, insigh ts &m or e. Yo ur #1 Bison new ss ou rc e. Only from Bison Media Zo ne on InForum &t he ne tw orkso fW DAY. NE TW OR KS infor um .com/bis on-m edia -z one SPONSORED BY : BISON GAME DAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE inforum.com the forum | Saturday, november 6, 2021 | SPORTS | F5 STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25
Michael Vosburg / The Forum
North Dakota State’s Josh Babicz celebrates a touchdown against Indiana State with Cody Mauch last Saturday at the Fargodome.
