I'm going 27-18, Griz win. Some shenanigans will ensue I'm sure and I feel like the Griz will fall to what happened last week where they couldn't complete the drives and settle for a couple field goals, but those extra 30-40 yards that we gain from special teams returns or the Griz D steals from the Bison will be the difference.
If I'm NDSU I'm looking to get the ball first to let Cam Miller cook on the scripted drive, and try to get this Griz team playing from behind. We haven't really played from behind all year except like the Idaho game (I think? don't remember much, just the great ending) and UC Davis. Plus it forces the Griz defense to potentially play longer, which in theory would tire us out a little faster.
So I'm expecting it to start with the NDSU scoring on the opening drive, and hoping to quiet the crowd and feeling confident, they go for 2, Bison up 8. Griz get the ball back, and stutter a bit but make the field goal. Griz D steps up, and after a sack NDSU punts, and we get a 20-30 yard return. Something breaks loose for the Griz when the clock rolls into the second quarter, and a big time TD pass on a 3rd and long sets up to put us up 10-8. The rest of the second quarter is mostly just the Griz and Bison trading 3nOuts, with the Bison slowly losing the field position battle due to false starts. This sets up the Griz for a good drive to close out the half, but ultimately the offense stalls out and we settle for a field goal, 13-8.
In the second half, the Griz start off strong with a fast drive but a Bison interception keeps us from scoring. Bison get a huge run and to set them up on the 11 yard line, and then they just plunge into the end zone, going up 13-15. Things look a little bleak but the Griz finally put together a long sustained drive behind Gillman and Ostmo that just drains the rest of the third quarter. Bison attempt to make a stand on the goal line, but they didn't spy McDowell and he scrambles into the end zone, 20-15.
Into the fourth quarter things get chippy, we get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against us and the crowd goes absolutely nuts. Bison start driving down the field, and it's a good drive, but they end up behind the sticks after a big sack by Gubner, and they settle for a field goal just to not lose momentum, 20-18. We get another strong drive that just eats up the clock and then White breaks the bison coverage to set up a TD pass, and the Griz add to the lead, 27-18.
With about 3 minutes left, the bison try to get things going, and they move the ball very well with their 2 minute drill offense. But on the 20 yard line the bison fumble the ball and the Griz recover. All hopes are gone for the Bison when they exhaust their last timeout and Nick Ostmo gets a first down. Cliff takes a knee, and the Montana Grizzlies are headed to Frisco.
