Won in the Trenches: UND Wins Low Scoring Affair vs Fresno
November 20, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 12, 2009 19:43
UND 10, Fresno St 7
The final game of the regular season had UND going to Fresno to take on the Bulldogs. This game was nothing short of a classic. Early on UND drove to score a Field Goal, and that would be the only scoring until midway through the 4th quarter. UND's defense had to goal line stands - one early in the game and one in the 4th to preserve the victory. Timely interceptions by Delano Saporu and Carl Hanson took away hope from Fresno's offense. Neither offense was very successful, defense was king in this game.
UND was trailing 7-3 with under 4:00 to go in the game, and they needed to score a TD. Thanks to a decent passing game and an outstanding performance by third string HB Mitch Sutton, UND's Ethan Magstadt pounded the ball in the endzone from 5 yards out, leaving 1:07 for Fresno to answer with at least 3 points.
UND's defense held, and they put the game away. What a way to end the season. UND finishes 8-4 overall, 6-2 in the WAC.
Humanitarian Bowl Goes to North Dakota!
December 30, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 12, 2009 22:21
UND 17, Maryland 10
The Sioux pick up their second bowl win, in as many bowls. A sweet victory to defeat a tough ACC team. The game changing play was in the second quarter when UND was trailing 7-3, and Safety Kris Ankenbauer intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD, giving UND. Mitch Sutton ran a 10 yard TD to put UND in front giving, them the win.
"I couldn't be more proud. To have another bowl appearance, and win again! Our guys have fought so hard this year, many close games that we have had to play 110% in order to win. Our guys did that today. Yet another successful season for us, and hey, maybe someday we'll be playing in a bigger conference with the big boys. For now, I like where our program is going." Said Coach Mussman in the post game press conference.
Steven Battle, the Senior Halfback, ran for 115 yards.
"What a way to cap off my career! Filling Catlin Solum's empty slot[due to injury] is tough, he's a great runner. But I didn't think that I would have this kind of game. It's a great feeling."
North Dakota's Defense Comes Up Big vs Utah State
November 13, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 07, 2009 03:19
UND 27, Utah State 0
The Sioux defense held the Aggies to 147 yards of total offense and 0 points. Jake Landry led the way throwing 11/15 179 yards and a TD, giving UND a sharp looking victory over lowly conference foe Utah State. The Sioux were able to rack up over 350 yards of total offense and blew the Aggies away.
"We needed games like the past two weeks, following those losses to Boise State and Hawaii. Sure, we beat teams whose combined record is 3-17, but it's a morale boost going into the Fresno game. We gotta make it count, or else we may not be seeing a bowl game this year." - Coach Mussman.
UND Trounces NMSU 41-7, Becomes Bowl Eligible
November 6, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 06, 2009 19:57
UND 41, New Mexico State 7
The Sioux returned home hoping to put an end to the recent abundance of losses and they did just that.
Although HB Catlin Solum is out for the season, Steven Battle took his place and ran for 186 yards and a TD. UND forced 4 turnovers, two of which were touchdowns. Freshman LB Tyrone Mays took a fumble for a TD and Carl Hanson took an interception back. Hanson had 2 interceptions on the day.
This is what Sioux football is all about. They are now bowl eligible with this victory.
Turnovers, Injuries Plague UND in Loss to Hawaii
October 30, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 06, 2009 05:23
Hawaii 31, UND 21
For the first time UND has lost back to back games. It was a frustrating day to say the least as UND headed to Hawaii. Jake Landry threw 4 interceptions, although he did throw 3 TD passes, in a game which the score did not reflect how it played out. UND struggled and was down 28-7 in the 4th but managed to come back within a TD late, but Hawaii notched a FG which put the game out of reach.
Not to mention star HB Catlin Solum's season ending(he was 45 yards short of 1,000) with a broken shoulder and Carl Hanson was out for the game as well. In all, the Sioux turned the ball over 5 times, while Hawaii did only once.
The Sioux fall to 5-4, 3-2 in the WAC. Good-bye WAC championship.
Sioux Lose Defensive Battle With Broncos
October 22, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 06, 2009 00:55
Boise State 12, UND 7
The Broncos came into Grand Forks looking for revenge against last years loss on their own blue turf. Well, they got that revenge. Thanks to blown defensive coverage late in the 4th, Boise's HB caught a pass and took it 43 yards for a TD, giving the Broncos a 12-7 lead that would be the final score.
"We struggled on offense, our running game was well controlled by their defense and we just couldn't do much through the air. It was frustrating." Said Coach Mussman following the Sioux's 2nd loss in 3 games.
This loss puts UND's chances of repeating as WAC champs in question, although there still is 4 games left and anything can happen.
Sioux Drop Louisiana Tech, No Problem
October 16, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 06, 2009 04:04
UND 31, LA Tech 10
UND headed to Louisiana Tech to take on the one win Bulldogs. This game was a breeze as the Sioux cruised to a 31-10 win and increased their standing in the WAC. Catlin Solum ran for 97 yards and 2 TDs and QB Jake Landry completed 50% of his passes for 149 yards and a TD.
UND Falls Short vs Notre Dame
October 9, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 05, 2009 22:39
#20 Notre Dame 31, UND 24
Another top 25 opponent, another loss. What was possibly UND's toughest game since entering the FBS, became a fight right down to the end. But it didn't start out that way. Notre Dame dominated early and put up 28 points on UND's defense in the first half, UND only scoring 3.
The Sioux turned it around in the second half, on the shoulders of QB Jake Landry who threw for a career high 279 yards and 2 TDs. UND held Notre Dame to a field goal in the second half. With :55 to go in the game, UND scored on a 48 yard pass to Chris Anderson. The following onside kick was not recovered, so it was all in a losing effort.
Nonetheless, Landry had the best day of his career and so did WR Chris Anderson who had 10 receptions for 147 yards and a TD.
The Sioux defense also came up big with 3 forced fumbles, all recovered.
UND proved that they could at least compete with the big boys. There's always next time for a win.
Sioux Escape Idaho With Close Win
October 2, 2010
Game Report Posted: August 05, 2009 22:30
UND 20, Idaho 13
UND went into Idaho confident, as Idaho had yet to get a win so far this season. However, the Sioux were maybe too confident as Idaho passed for over 250 yards and managed 13 points. Still, UND's rushing attack and powerful run defense was too much for the Vandals to handle as UND went on to win 20-13.
Key Play:
Catlin Solum's 60 yard TD run to take the lead 17-6 in the 3rd quarter.
Coach Mussman's thoughts:
"This game was maybe a little bit of a wake up call that no game should be taken lightly. We've got Notre Dame next week and if we play like we did today, well, it will be a very long day."
Dakota Bowl II: Sioux Shake Off Coyotes
Game Report Posted: July 31, 2009 19:47
UND 28, South Dakota 21
The Sioux headed to South Dakota to play in the second ever Dakota Bowl. UND won big last year over the Coyotes.
The game got off to a rough start as UND trailed 14-0 mid-way through the 2nd, however a Catlin Solum 47 yard TD run and Ethan Magstadt TD run tied it at 14 going into Haltime.
UND was able to pull out the win and now lead the series 2-0.
UND Prevails In Scorefest
September 18, 2010
Game Report Posted: July 29, 2009 05:29
UND 49, San Jose State 28
It was a good day to be a Sioux fan. San Jose came to town and UND were hoping to get some revenge after an embarrassing loss last year at San Jose. They got that revenge and a little more.
Catlin Solum had one of the best days of his career, rushing for 188 yards on 20 carries and 3 TDs, including a 65 yard TD run. UND as a team ran for 285 yards. But the offense wasn't the only way UND scored. Dominique Hawkins returned an interception 45 yards for a TD.
And in what seemed like a 'deja vu' moment, Ismael Bamba returned a kick for a TD. In 2009, UND returned one kick for a touchdown, and that was against SJSU.(however it was Carl Hanson who did it in '09)
"I couldn't be more pleased with this performance. We stuck to our gameplan and what we know best. Our passing game has been sub-par so far this season, but our running game has more than made up for that. Our defense has stepped up to the plate and we are improving with every game. This year is looking very good." Coach Mussman after the game.
UND Fights Off Cougars
September 11, 2010
Game Report Posted: July 29, 2009 02:38
UND 27, BYU 14
It was a very rainy day in Provo, Utah where UND took on the Cougars of BYU. Both teams fought hard early and it was a close game after the 3rd quarter, 17-14 in favor of the Sioux. Despite a couple of scares by the BYU offense, UND's defense held strong in the 4th and gave the offense a few drives to increase the lead to 27-14. Catlin Solum ran for his first 100 yard game of the year and backup HB Steven Battle saw 14 carries for 65 yards and a TD. BYU's last drive was cut short thanks to a Ryan Kasowski INT and UND ran the clock out to put away the victory. Coach Mussman's plan of evenly dividing carries between the two talented backs has so far been a great success.
"We run the ball 70% of the time, so we have to have a lot of depth at the Halfback position. Solum and Battle are both solid runners and work perfectly in our system. I hope they have games like today for the rest of the season, it will put us in great position to win as much as we did last year."
Turnovers Kill. Utes Overcome Early Deficit to Beat Sioux
September 4, 2010
Game Report Posted: July 29, 2009 01:21
Utah 24, UND 20
#22 Utah came to Grand Forks and gave the Sioux quite a game. Early on UND was able to get a lead and were doing a great job stopping the Utes' offense. The second half was very frustrating for the UND offense and they struggled to get consistent. QB Jake Landry threw 4 interceptions that deeply cost UND, including on the Sioux's final drive to try and go ahead.
The Sioux accumulated 287 yards of total offense to Utah's 217 and out-possessed them 18:53 to 12:24. In spite of these stats, the Utes were the ultimate victors.
Season Preview
August 1, 2010
Season Report Posted: July 27, 2009 07:33
The 2010 college football season is upon us and now it is time to get a glimpse into what the University of North Dakota football team will be doing this year.
Sioux Look to Defense for Victory in 2010
Offense: C (Returning Starters: 6)
UND returns it's entire backfield this year with Senior QB Jake Landry at the helm. However, his receiver selection is vastly different from last year. His main targets will be Freshman Mike Ervin and Junior Chris Anderson. Of course, the Sioux will look to pound the ball on the ground and returning from a season ending injury last year is Steven battle who in just 2 games ran for over 100 yards.
Catlin Solum returns as the starter this year following his 1400 yard season in 2009. Look for Battle to get a good share of the carries. Solum led the nation's 8th ranked rushing attack in 2009 and the dynamic of Steven Battle will likely put the Sioux in the top 5 in 2010. UND hopes to improve at least a little bit on their passing game, which ranked 109th overall.
The entire offensive line is returning this year all as Juniors or Seniors, the same line who only allowed 5 sacks in 2009.
The Sioux also received a QB transfer from Iowa, but is not eligible to play until next year due to NCAA regulations. He will likely fill Landry's shoes as starter in 2011.
Defense: B- (Returning Starters: 8)
UND didn't lose much on the Defensive side of the ball, with Senior First Team All American DT Ty Boyle and Broc Bellmore heading up the defensive line. Experience is the key to defense this year, but a big loss in Ryan Pollow makes that tough shoes to fill for Paul German and Freshman Tyrone Mayes.
The defensive backfield is no different than last year with Dom Hawkins and Delano Saporu leading the charge. Keep in mind this is the very defensive backfield that led the nation in interceptions(33) in 2009 and ranked UND #2 in Turnover difference, which led to many of their victories.
One area of concern is the lack of depth at almost every position. Many freshman fill backup spots, especially in the Linebacker positions.
SCHEDULE: C
UND has decided to put a few tougher teams on their schedule. In week 2, the home opener, against #22 Utah and week 7 hosting #20 Notre Dame. These will be major tests, but not much else in the schedule is a challenge, so UND hopes these games will help with SOS. Also look out for BYU in week 3. It looks to be another weak year for the WAC, so UND finishing high again is a likely possibility.
UND is projected to finish 3rd place in the WAC this year and the forecast according to ESPN analysts is that the Sioux will finish 7-5.