Well, this article certainly feels a lot different than I thought it was going to after the first quarter of play. The Jackrabbits came out victorious and retained the Dakota Marker for the 3rd year in a row. They played maybe the best second half of football that I have seen them play in the 15 years that I have been following the program. Truly a gritty win and it makes me incredibly proud of my alma mater.

Rants & Raves

Rave: The Jackrabbits held NDSU to just 28 yards rushing in the second half. They had 99 at halftime and finished with 127. Nobody does that but this team did. As bad as the rush defense was for the first quarter in a half, they were terrific for the last 2.5 quarters. Kudos to the coaches for any adjustments they made and kudos to the players for buckling in.

Rave: John O’Brian deserves a huge shoutout. His first half was a full “Welcome to the Fargo Dome” and I’m sure one he’ll want to forget. However, his second half was pretty clean. Credit to the big guy for settling in and playing a really good second half against an All-American caliber defensive end. It shows a mental toughness that I think few of us could drum up.

Rave: Credit to Jimmy Rogers for whatever adjustments he made with his unit and not being too proud to make changes. I tweeted that the defense needed to wake up midway through the second quarter and they certainly did, pitching a shutout after that.

Rant: The long kick return that the Bison had after the first Jackrabbit score is unacceptable. Any momentum that the team had after responding to NDSUs opening score was completely gone. The kick coverage unit was MUCH better the rest of the game but mistakes like the first return just can’t happen.

Rave: I thought Mark Gronowski quietly had a very good game. His stats won’t wow anyone 16/21 for 152 yards but it always felt like he was in control and that the offense would figure it out. He is just a terrific leader for this team. Those of you who have been around for a while know that I have been a huge Mark fan since he committed. However, it is the intangibles that I had no idea about (and really know way to know about) that have continually impressed me since he became the starter.

Rave: The #605Hogs as a unit dominated the Bison front seven. NDSU’s defensive line is young and they are going to be good players, but the Hogs really had their way with them for much of Saturday’s game. They did surrender 3 sacks but that is going to happen with a player like Waege and talented and fast linebackers who are good moving froward.

Rant: The timeout the coaches called on the Bison 4th and 1 when they were setup to punt is unacceptable. This allowed the Bison to rethink and then convert and the drive ultimately ended in a touchdown. This could have a been a huge pivot point in this game. Luckily the team overcame.

Rave: Colby Hueter bounced back from an early mistake (the Luepke touchdown) to make some terrific plays. He finished the day with 5 tackles, a TFL, an INT, and a PBU. The sky is the limit for Colby and in a season or two we could be looking at an All-American type player.

Rant: Although the adjustments were made, I don’t like playing soft coverage on the Bison wide receivers to open the game. I understand they were needed to slow the Bison run game but I think you have to trust the front 7, who has been outstanding against the run this year, to do their jobs. The only true “burner” NDSU has at wide receiver is Braylon Henderson. Mathis and Hart are crafty route runners and Mathis possesses unique size, but I don’t think speed is their game, so it was just an interesting choice to give them 8–10-yard cushions for the first quarter.

Rave: Isaiah Davis’s run in the first quarter is another one for the highlight reel. It was apparent that the Bison run defense didn’t want any of the physicality that Davis was brining. He finished the day with 114 yards on an 8.1 ypc avg and a TD. Let’s collectively hope that whatever injury happened, it is not severe.

Rave: Amar Johnson has had a frustratingly slow start to his season while dealing with a nagging injury. HOWEVER, Saturday showcased why he was such a coveted recruit. The dude has unique talents and vision. His 29-yard touchdown romp was a thing of beauty and it left Bison defenders tackling air. I hope this gives him the confidence and momentum to have a strong last half of the season.

Rave: I think the gritty Graham Spalding was terrific on Saturday. On a day when Jason Freeman went out early, Spalding stepped in and played a very physical game. Spalding’s snaps have been limited this season with the emergence of Freeman but he provided a lesson for younger players, don’t pout if you lose your spot and be ready when your number is called. Kudos, Graham.

Rant: The arrogance and lack of humility from many of the NDSU fans is so gross. When SDSU wins a national title, I hope that our fans take a lesson from the Bison and treat rivals with a bit more respect.

Rave: Hunter Dustman and the field goal unit have had a challenging season. However, they were clutch on Saturday converting on kicks of 31, 38, and 18 yards. The 18-yarder had to have been a challenging kick given the tight angle. I also thought his punts were really great after the first one.

Rave: The Jackrabbits held the ball for 34:35. Again, nobody does that to NDSU. Truly complimentary football for the Jackrabbits.

Rave: Thank you to Thomas Dunn and the Brookings Chamber for organizing the Retain the Rock Tailgate and bus trip. Thank you to the B-Team for hosting a live show and to Matthew Fraase of FCS Fans Nation for joining the show. Thank you to all of you who rode the bus and for being such loyal Jackrabbits!

Rave: We hit 6,000 followers on Twitter yesterday. Thank you for your continued support. 6,000 is a number I never imagined. I’m proud of the work my team has done and grateful for all of you who read my rambling thoughts and listen to our tomfoolery, as Brendan likes to say.

Rant: The Jacks have a history of letdown games following the Marker game. It is likely a combination of the mental, emotional, and physical toll that the Marker game takes. However, they are now the #1 team in the country but as Mason McCormick said post-game, it doesn’t mean anything if they don’t beat UND next week. These last four games are grueling, @ UND, vs. Indiana St, @ UNI, and vs. Illinois State. UND at home is a tough matchup, Indiana State’s offense has some true firepower, UNI has a chance at the playoffs if they can win out, while Illinois State has a legit defense. This team has come too far to have a letdown game. They may not all be pretty but just win. Find a way to win.

Game Balls

Offense: Isaiah Davis and Amar Johnson

Defense: Jimmy Rogers and Adam Bock

• I’ve never given this award to a coach before but the in-game adjustment he made were incredible. The Jacks don’t win this one without whatever he changed. Again, another week where Adam Bock deserves to win this. He was just everywhere on Saturday and battled with Luepke and Miller all day long.

Special Teams: Hunter Dustman

Go Jacks!

Matt