Bison-Gopher game set for 2006
After months of speculation, it became official Tuesday. The Bison-Golden Gopher football rivalry will not have to wait until 2007.
NDSU director of athletics Gene Taylor announced that the two schools have agreed to play Oct. 21, 2006, a full year earlier than previously expected. Late last year the two schools agreed to play each other in October 2007. That game will remain on the schedule for both teams.
The University of Minnesota is a member of the Big Ten Conference. Last season the Gophers went 7-5 overall, 4-4 in the Big Ten, and lost to Virginia in the Music City Bowl. It was their sixth bowl appearance in the last seven years.
“ I think everybody is excited to go and play at the Metrodome,” senior wide receiver Travis White said. “A lot of players are from Minnesota, and it means a lot to them to go back there and show them (the Gophers) what kind of talent that they passed up on.”
Thirty players on the current Bison roster are from Minnesota, the most players from any state. One player, junior wide receiver John Majeski, is very excited to play against the team he grew up watching.
“ It’s really cool to get to play the Gophers. It’s really good for the program to see how we stack up against a team like that,” Majeski said. “We may not have the same kind of depth that they do, but we will have some extra motivation for that game.”
The Bison, off the school-wide transition to Division I, will suit arguably the most competitive team to face a major college opponent national level.
In the days of Division II, the Bison are 0-11 against the Big Ten with a combined score of 258-32.
The last time the Bison played a major college opponent was in 1956 when the Missouri Tigers, currently of the Big Twelve, defeated NDSU 42-0.
The Gophers had recent scares against I-AA teams.
In 2004, I-AA school Illinois State narrowly lost to the Gophers at the Metrodome 37-21. ISU was in control for most of the game; and if not for some late-game heroics from the Gophers, ISU would have handed Minnesota its first loss of the season.
“ We’re going to work very hard to the point to where we can go and compete with them,” junior punter Mike Dragosavich said.
The hard work will start today for the Bison as they begin spring practice. That will culminate with the annual spring game at the Fargodome April 22. The Bison open the 2006 season against Concordia University-St. Paul Aug. 31 at the Fargodome.