University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, October 7
Grand Forks, N.D.
1:30 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
at
University of North Dakota
Photo by: Rob Trubia
Preview: Old Rivals Collide as @UNCBearsFB Heads to North Dakota Saturday
10/4/2017 10:29:00 AM | Football
Northern Colorado and North Dakota take on each other at 1:30 pm MDT Saturday in Grand Forks
GREELEY, Colo. – For the second straight weekend, Northern Colorado hits the road, facing North Dakota on Saturday at 1:30 pm MTD. Both the Bears ard Fighting Hawks are looking to get a poor taste out of their mouth after dropping contests last week.
Fans not in attendance in Grand Forks can watch the game on Pluto TV or tune into the Voice of the Bears Troy Coverdale and analyst Aaron Rath on 1310 KFKA, with the Blue and Gold Pregame show starting at 12:30 pm. Live stats for the game can be found on UNDSports.com
Setting the Stage
- Both Northern Colorado and North Dakota are coming off losses in road games in Big Sky play last weekend. The Bears fell in Flagstaff to conference co-leader Northern Arizona 48-20, while UC Davis defeated UND 48-24.
- Northern Colorado struggled with poor field position and then turnovers offensively last week, while the defense struggled to slow down the duo of Case Cookus and Elijah Marks of NAU. After going down 20-0 against Jacob Knipp and the Bears offense started to move the ball against the Lumberjacks. By the end of the game, Knipp accumulated 301 yards passing. His favorite target on the night was Alex Wesley with eight catches on 16 targets for 125 yards. Defensively, Sherand Boyd, Jr. forced his third fumble of the year with seven tackles.
- North Dakota traveled to UC Davis last weekend and saw the Aggies jump out to a 38-17 lead by halftime. The scoring slowed down in the second half, but the damage had been done as UCD defeated UND 48-24. North Dakota had a strong 1-2 punch in the running game with John Santiago (170) and Brady Oliveira (107).
- UNC is one of six teams in the Big Sky entering the week with a 1-1 record, while UND is one of four teams still winless. The Fighting Hawks and Cal Poly are the only teams in the conference to be 0-2 through the first two weekends. Weber State, Eastern Washington, and Northern Arizona are tied atop the standings at 2-0.
Scouting North Dakota
North Dakota entered the 2017 season as the favorites to win the Big Sky Conference, but the injury bug hit the team hard. This week, the team has 11 players on the injury report that were featured on the opening day two-deep. With the injuries piling up, the Fighting Hawks have struggled dropping their past three games to South Dakota, Montana State, and UC Davis.
UND's identity on the offensive side of the ball is to be a smash mouth team with the two-headed monster of John Santiago and Brady Oliveira lining up at tailback. The duo has combined for 681 yards so far this year.
Defensively, UND is led by safety Cole Reyes, who was named a preseason All-American, and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Reyes has recorded 25 tackles and a QB hurry this year. The Fighting Hawks have struggled to stop the run, allowing opponents to rush for 242.6 yards per game this season. That ranks last in the Big Sky, and 113th out of 123 FCS teams. Allowing so many yards has led to opponents averaging 35.8 points per game.
Last Time Against UND
North Dakota ran past UNC in Greeley behind the strong performance of John Santiago. He finished the game with 204 yards on 19 carries, averaging over 10 yards per carry in a 23-13 win. While UND had a big day on the ground, they held UNC to just six yards rushing in the game. Quarterback Kyle Sloter threw for 269 yards in the loss, connecting with Stephen Miller seven times for 108 yards.
History Against the Fighting Hawks
The series between Northern Colorado and North Dakota dates back to the Division II North Central Conference days when the teams split the 22 matchups. North Dakota won the first-ever meeting between the two teams in 1980 in Greeley 27-20. Since the UND joined the Big Sky in 2012, they hold a 4-1 advantage over UNC. The lone win in the past five years came in 2012 in a close 28-27 game as the Bears stuffed a 4th and 1 on the UNC 34-yard line with 47 seconds left.
On This Date
Northern Colorado will look to end a three-game losing streak when playing on October 7. UNC last played on the date in 2006 when they fell to Idaho State 41-13. The last Bears win on the date came in 1989 against Minnesota State 17-14.
The Month of October
UNC is 160-169-2 all-time in the month of October. Under head coach Earnest Collins, the team is 7-17.
Knipp's Progression
Quarterback Jacob Knipp had a career-day against Idaho State on September 23rd. He completed 20 of 26 pass attempts for 413 yards and four touchdowns. It was the first time in his career he eclipsed both the 300 and 400 yards passing mark, the touchdown total matched a career-best from Oct. 24, 2015, against Eastern Washington.
Knipp followed up that performance with his second career 300-yards passing game against Northern Arizona. In the game, he threw for 301 yards and a touchdown pass to wide receiver Frank Stephens. He has continued to show his growth through every game in the 2017 season. Going into the weekend he is fourth in the Big Sky with 288.5 passing yards per game with eight passing touchdowns.
See Wesley Run
Bear fans knew that Alex Wesley possessed great speed, as he is not only a football player for UNC but also a track and field athlete and Big Sky Champion. Wesley won the 400-meter dash both his freshman and sophomore season on the track team, bring those skills over to the football field. He already has a pair of touchdowns over 50 yards this year, one at Colorado for 52 yards and another against Idaho State of 59 yards.
He has become one of the favorite targets of quarterback Jacob Knipp, catching a team-leading 23 passes for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He has led the team in receiving yards three times this year and is averaging 96.5 yards per game thanks to his 16.8 yards per catch.
All Three Phases of the Game
Coaches preach it all the time, but it takes all three phases of the game to win, and Northern Colorado has one of the best special teams units in the nation. Returners Hakeem Deggs and Ellis Onic give coaches fits in figuring out how to contain them, while the kicking game is just as dangerous. Collin Root has shown the importance of his powerful and accurate leg through three games this year. Root nailed a UNC record for the longest field goal against College of Idaho at 56 yards. He then hit the game-winning 37-yard attempt as time expired against Idaho State. His kickoffs have been important for the Bears as 12 of his 20 have gone for a touchback.
Ball Hawks?
After only recording 13 turnovers last season, Northern Colorado has already forced seven through four games in 2017. Stone Kane has helped lead the charge for UNC with an interception in the two of the previous three games. Not only has Kane been picking off opposing quarterbacks, but recording big returns as well, having 108 return yards on the pair of interceptions. Ball carriers have to be careful around Sherand Boyd Jr. as he has forced three fumbles this season.
Party in the Backfield
Defensive end Keifer Morris has been a terror to opposing backfields through four games this season. The senior recorded a sack in each of the first three games for a total of 4.5 on the year. In addition to the sacks, he has three tackles for a loss. As a team, Northern Colorado has recorded 10 sacks and has 15 tackles for a loss.
Running Through the Record Book
Running back Trae Riek has been working his way through the UNC record book ever since he stepped foot on the UNC campus. He moved into the Top 10 of all-time rushing yards three weeks ago and moved up yet another spot last week. Riek took over the eighth spot on the with his 58 yards on the ground. For his career, Riek has rushed for 1,814 yards. The next person in his sights is Wes Daniels (1996-2000) and his 1,838 yards.
Getting Offensive
The September 23rd game against Idaho State was an offensive coordinator's dream and defensive coordinator's nightmare. Northern Colorado and Idaho State combined for 1,228 offensive yards and 85 points. Both teams had a player with 100 yards rushing, and another with 100 yards receiving. For UNC it was Trae Riek on the ground for 137 yards and Theron Verna through the air with 165 receiving yards and a touchdown. Idaho State's James Madison rushed for 253 yards and Mitch Gueller had five receptions for 149 yards. Chunk plays were a big reason for the strong offensive day, as 22 plays combined between the teams went for 20 or more yards.
Weekly Honors
Northern Colorado football earned a few weekly honors with from their performance against Idaho State on September 23rd. Collin Root earned his second Root Sports Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week honor for his game-winning kick. Meanwhile, quarterback Jacob Knipp earned honorable mention honors from the College Football Performance Players of the Week as he threw for a career-high 413 yards and four touchdowns. Finally, College Sports Madness earned their Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week, as he recorded an interception, had 11 total tackles and broke up a pass.
Bear In the NFL.
Bear in the NFL
Former UNC Bear Kyle Sloter made the most of his opportunity in training camp with the Denver Broncos this August, earning a spot on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Prior to week two of the NFL season, Sloter signed onto the team's active roster. In his four preseason games with the Broncos, Sloter had a 72.1-percent completion percentage with 413 yards and three touchdowns, throwing no interceptions.
What's Next?
Northern Colorado get some time off next week with their bye week, before hopping back into Big Sky Oct. 21 for Homecoming against Montana State. Kickoff for UNC vs MSU is set for 12:30 pm MDT.
On the Tube
Northern Colorado football will be featured on the TV all-year long. Four of the five home games will be featured on TV, and five of the six road games. Complete schedule below:
During conference season, all games can be seen both on Pluto TV and WatchBigSky.com.
Coaches Show
Back again for the 2017 season is the Earnest Collins Coaches Show. The weekly show takes place live every Tuesday night during the season at Stuft a burger bar in downtown Greeley from 6 - 7 pm. If you are unable to attend, you can tune in on 1310 KFKA or see a broadcast of the show on CET Sports both Thursdays at 7 pm and Fridays at 3 pm.
Fans not in attendance in Grand Forks can watch the game on Pluto TV or tune into the Voice of the Bears Troy Coverdale and analyst Aaron Rath on 1310 KFKA, with the Blue and Gold Pregame show starting at 12:30 pm. Live stats for the game can be found on UNDSports.com
Setting the Stage
- Both Northern Colorado and North Dakota are coming off losses in road games in Big Sky play last weekend. The Bears fell in Flagstaff to conference co-leader Northern Arizona 48-20, while UC Davis defeated UND 48-24.
- Northern Colorado struggled with poor field position and then turnovers offensively last week, while the defense struggled to slow down the duo of Case Cookus and Elijah Marks of NAU. After going down 20-0 against Jacob Knipp and the Bears offense started to move the ball against the Lumberjacks. By the end of the game, Knipp accumulated 301 yards passing. His favorite target on the night was Alex Wesley with eight catches on 16 targets for 125 yards. Defensively, Sherand Boyd, Jr. forced his third fumble of the year with seven tackles.
- North Dakota traveled to UC Davis last weekend and saw the Aggies jump out to a 38-17 lead by halftime. The scoring slowed down in the second half, but the damage had been done as UCD defeated UND 48-24. North Dakota had a strong 1-2 punch in the running game with John Santiago (170) and Brady Oliveira (107).
- UNC is one of six teams in the Big Sky entering the week with a 1-1 record, while UND is one of four teams still winless. The Fighting Hawks and Cal Poly are the only teams in the conference to be 0-2 through the first two weekends. Weber State, Eastern Washington, and Northern Arizona are tied atop the standings at 2-0.
Scouting North Dakota
North Dakota entered the 2017 season as the favorites to win the Big Sky Conference, but the injury bug hit the team hard. This week, the team has 11 players on the injury report that were featured on the opening day two-deep. With the injuries piling up, the Fighting Hawks have struggled dropping their past three games to South Dakota, Montana State, and UC Davis.
UND's identity on the offensive side of the ball is to be a smash mouth team with the two-headed monster of John Santiago and Brady Oliveira lining up at tailback. The duo has combined for 681 yards so far this year.
Defensively, UND is led by safety Cole Reyes, who was named a preseason All-American, and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Reyes has recorded 25 tackles and a QB hurry this year. The Fighting Hawks have struggled to stop the run, allowing opponents to rush for 242.6 yards per game this season. That ranks last in the Big Sky, and 113th out of 123 FCS teams. Allowing so many yards has led to opponents averaging 35.8 points per game.
Last Time Against UND
North Dakota ran past UNC in Greeley behind the strong performance of John Santiago. He finished the game with 204 yards on 19 carries, averaging over 10 yards per carry in a 23-13 win. While UND had a big day on the ground, they held UNC to just six yards rushing in the game. Quarterback Kyle Sloter threw for 269 yards in the loss, connecting with Stephen Miller seven times for 108 yards.
History Against the Fighting Hawks
The series between Northern Colorado and North Dakota dates back to the Division II North Central Conference days when the teams split the 22 matchups. North Dakota won the first-ever meeting between the two teams in 1980 in Greeley 27-20. Since the UND joined the Big Sky in 2012, they hold a 4-1 advantage over UNC. The lone win in the past five years came in 2012 in a close 28-27 game as the Bears stuffed a 4th and 1 on the UNC 34-yard line with 47 seconds left.
On This Date
Northern Colorado will look to end a three-game losing streak when playing on October 7. UNC last played on the date in 2006 when they fell to Idaho State 41-13. The last Bears win on the date came in 1989 against Minnesota State 17-14.
The Month of October
UNC is 160-169-2 all-time in the month of October. Under head coach Earnest Collins, the team is 7-17.
Knipp's Progression
Quarterback Jacob Knipp had a career-day against Idaho State on September 23rd. He completed 20 of 26 pass attempts for 413 yards and four touchdowns. It was the first time in his career he eclipsed both the 300 and 400 yards passing mark, the touchdown total matched a career-best from Oct. 24, 2015, against Eastern Washington.
Knipp followed up that performance with his second career 300-yards passing game against Northern Arizona. In the game, he threw for 301 yards and a touchdown pass to wide receiver Frank Stephens. He has continued to show his growth through every game in the 2017 season. Going into the weekend he is fourth in the Big Sky with 288.5 passing yards per game with eight passing touchdowns.
See Wesley Run
Bear fans knew that Alex Wesley possessed great speed, as he is not only a football player for UNC but also a track and field athlete and Big Sky Champion. Wesley won the 400-meter dash both his freshman and sophomore season on the track team, bring those skills over to the football field. He already has a pair of touchdowns over 50 yards this year, one at Colorado for 52 yards and another against Idaho State of 59 yards.
He has become one of the favorite targets of quarterback Jacob Knipp, catching a team-leading 23 passes for 386 yards and three touchdowns. He has led the team in receiving yards three times this year and is averaging 96.5 yards per game thanks to his 16.8 yards per catch.
All Three Phases of the Game
Coaches preach it all the time, but it takes all three phases of the game to win, and Northern Colorado has one of the best special teams units in the nation. Returners Hakeem Deggs and Ellis Onic give coaches fits in figuring out how to contain them, while the kicking game is just as dangerous. Collin Root has shown the importance of his powerful and accurate leg through three games this year. Root nailed a UNC record for the longest field goal against College of Idaho at 56 yards. He then hit the game-winning 37-yard attempt as time expired against Idaho State. His kickoffs have been important for the Bears as 12 of his 20 have gone for a touchback.
Ball Hawks?
After only recording 13 turnovers last season, Northern Colorado has already forced seven through four games in 2017. Stone Kane has helped lead the charge for UNC with an interception in the two of the previous three games. Not only has Kane been picking off opposing quarterbacks, but recording big returns as well, having 108 return yards on the pair of interceptions. Ball carriers have to be careful around Sherand Boyd Jr. as he has forced three fumbles this season.
Party in the Backfield
Defensive end Keifer Morris has been a terror to opposing backfields through four games this season. The senior recorded a sack in each of the first three games for a total of 4.5 on the year. In addition to the sacks, he has three tackles for a loss. As a team, Northern Colorado has recorded 10 sacks and has 15 tackles for a loss.
Running Through the Record Book
Running back Trae Riek has been working his way through the UNC record book ever since he stepped foot on the UNC campus. He moved into the Top 10 of all-time rushing yards three weeks ago and moved up yet another spot last week. Riek took over the eighth spot on the with his 58 yards on the ground. For his career, Riek has rushed for 1,814 yards. The next person in his sights is Wes Daniels (1996-2000) and his 1,838 yards.
Getting Offensive
The September 23rd game against Idaho State was an offensive coordinator's dream and defensive coordinator's nightmare. Northern Colorado and Idaho State combined for 1,228 offensive yards and 85 points. Both teams had a player with 100 yards rushing, and another with 100 yards receiving. For UNC it was Trae Riek on the ground for 137 yards and Theron Verna through the air with 165 receiving yards and a touchdown. Idaho State's James Madison rushed for 253 yards and Mitch Gueller had five receptions for 149 yards. Chunk plays were a big reason for the strong offensive day, as 22 plays combined between the teams went for 20 or more yards.
Weekly Honors
Northern Colorado football earned a few weekly honors with from their performance against Idaho State on September 23rd. Collin Root earned his second Root Sports Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week honor for his game-winning kick. Meanwhile, quarterback Jacob Knipp earned honorable mention honors from the College Football Performance Players of the Week as he threw for a career-high 413 yards and four touchdowns. Finally, College Sports Madness earned their Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week, as he recorded an interception, had 11 total tackles and broke up a pass.
Bear In the NFL.
Bear in the NFL
Former UNC Bear Kyle Sloter made the most of his opportunity in training camp with the Denver Broncos this August, earning a spot on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Prior to week two of the NFL season, Sloter signed onto the team's active roster. In his four preseason games with the Broncos, Sloter had a 72.1-percent completion percentage with 413 yards and three touchdowns, throwing no interceptions.
What's Next?
Northern Colorado get some time off next week with their bye week, before hopping back into Big Sky Oct. 21 for Homecoming against Montana State. Kickoff for UNC vs MSU is set for 12:30 pm MDT.
On the Tube
Northern Colorado football will be featured on the TV all-year long. Four of the five home games will be featured on TV, and five of the six road games. Complete schedule below:
| CET | SEC Network |
| 9/2 - vs College of Idaho | 9/9 - at Florida |
| 10/28 - vs Southern Utah | PAC 12 Network |
| 11/18 - vs Cal Poly | 9/16 - at Colorado |
| Root Sports | Eleven Sports |
| 10/21 - vs Montana State | 11/4 - at Sacramento State |
| 11/11 - at Montana |
During conference season, all games can be seen both on Pluto TV and WatchBigSky.com.
Coaches Show
Back again for the 2017 season is the Earnest Collins Coaches Show. The weekly show takes place live every Tuesday night during the season at Stuft a burger bar in downtown Greeley from 6 - 7 pm. If you are unable to attend, you can tune in on 1310 KFKA or see a broadcast of the show on CET Sports both Thursdays at 7 pm and Fridays at 3 pm.
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