Well here it finally is...we've waited long enough, 20 days to be exact, for us to finally see how the 2018 FCS season ends. To see if the dynasty continues or do we see a "blue blood" rise back to the top and take the crown. Yea, I would be lying if I had kinda forgotten a little bit about this game. When you have 39 other games (well 40 when you include the Celebration Bowl...yea I need to talk about the HBUs) take place between the semi-finals and now, it's easy to put a game like this on the back burner. Yes, I will be bitching about that fact...I decided to talk about it after the game instead of before. But here is what we will do to refresh the memory...talk a little about how each got here, some keys to the game, and finally, I'll actually make a pick.
The Matchup - No. 3 seed Eastern Washington (12-2) vs. No. 1 seed North Dakota State (14-0)
Kickoff - noon ET Saturday at Toyota Stadium (20,500) in Frisco, Texas
Coverage - ESPN2
Series - North Dakota State leads 2-1 (last meeting: North Dakota State won 40-13 on Sept. 9, 2017 in Cheney, Washington)
How Eastern Washington got here:
- After sitting out the first round, the Eagles got started by taking out Nicholls St 42-21 in a game that up until the end of the half had upset written all over it. But at the end of the half, Kedrick Johnson returned a blocked FG 55 yds which started a run of 39 straight points that put the game out of reach
- The quarterfinals saw EWU take on Big Sky co-member UC-Davis and just like in the regular season, the Aggies would fall short. This time a back in forth game that wasn't ended until a Sam McPherson 35 yd run with 20 seconds left ended things
- The semi-finals were where the Eagles really flexed its muscle as they blitzed the Maine Black Bears 50-19. This game was never in doubt as EWU jumped out 35-5 before any real Maine counter attack was attempted
How North Dakota State got here:
- After a bye, the Bison actually started the postseason down 3-0. It would be the only time all postseason that they would be, but never fear, it didn't last long and the Bison beat Montana St 52-10
- It was on to the quarterfinals and the domination of Colgate 35-0. The Patriot League member had no shot as it was the only team to be shutout by the Bison in 2018. Colgate had just over 150 total yards in the game and only 7 first downs
- In a highly anticipated semi-final, NDSU took down rival SDSU 44-21 to reach the championship game. It was the Easton Stick show as he accounted for over 300 total yards and 4 touchdowns
Keys to the game
Which team is able to adjust to the 20 day lay off first?
- Its no secret to how I feel about the lay off and I can't imagine either coach is a big fan of it either. But how both teams will adjust to the layoff will be a huge deal. NDSU obviously has had some experience with it in the past but at the same time, the last couple of championship games have been pretty sluggish on both sides. Add on top to the noon starting time and you got yourself a nice puzzle to try and figure out
How will the Bison deal with the Eagles' spread offense?
- Eastern Washington will bring an offense that the Bison haven't really seen before. The Eagles bring a blend of speed and power that most spread offenses just don't have. A skilled, athletic, and experienced offensive line helps lead the charge. Speedy, quick wideouts on the outside that can cause some problems as well. The semifinal game versus South Dakota St is a bit of a template because of the similar elements to the Eagles but it will be interesting to see how the Big Sky twist is handled
How will Eagles handle the running game of the Bison
- So its no mystery that the Bison want to run the ball 40+ times and jam it down your throat in doing so. The Eagles don't have the greatest run defense and would prefer playing with a lead so the pass rush can do more damage. How the Eagles hold up, especially if the game stays close will be big. If the run defense dam breaks at any point, you could see a number near 400 rushing yards.
So Who Wins?
When its all said and done we may look back on the Bison run as one of the best in college football history. With that being said, this is not a gimmie like some of the other championship games the Bison have been in, Eastern Washington is no pushover. But at the same time, they are up against it. If the game had been played a week or two after the semifinals I actually would be calling for the upset, both teams had momentum but something special was being churned out in Cheney...the 20 days kills a lot of momentum and then what your left with is looking at who is better at their strengths and that run defense for the Eagles is in some trouble. It will be close, but the screams of one of those 350-yard games on the ground for the Bison. QB Eric Barriere will have to have a game similar to what he did versus Maine where he came out throwing the ball and loosening things up.
All that being said, its hard to go against, the Bison. My heart would love this crazy season to end with someone else raising the trophy but the head understands that the Bison are really good and are just better than the Eagles. I really want to pick E. Washington but NDSU wins this is a good, not great game 31-26
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