2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

[Matt Witwicki]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

[Purple Mav Man]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

For those that don't know Mike (Vikingfaithful)....he's at all the Augie games and sits at the 50 yard line in the middle area, as he's in a wheelchair, in the handicapped area. When I first arrive at KO, once I get inside the stadium he's the first person I look for before going field level to view the action. Each team should be so lucky to have a fan like Mike who cares greatly for his squad....while he doesn't live in the Sioux Falls area....and makes quite the effort to attend games. I've said this before, but I consider those on here as "board brothers", and that especially rings true with Mike, Tundra (Terry), and Laker (Brad).

Great post! A little behind the scenes about NSIC superfans, appreciate this.

[Matt Witwicki]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

As for the game....I've said this for years now, but I really believe it. During the NAIA years USF always heard about how they wouldn't fare well in D2 if they played at the same level with Augie..or if they met, head-to-head. That's fueled the Cougars staff (who's always had someone around from those days)....and especially when they're at the KO, they play with passion and a chip on their shoulder. During the series USF has played with a certain fire at Augie. I've been at all of these games, up close....I see it.

I think the Vikings have a hard time matching their intensity....the rivalry just seems more embraced by USF and the games just feels like it means a lot more to them. I'm not saying Augie doesn't want to win the game....of course they do....I just think it's a really huge deal to USF, every single time.

The year Augie won, CJ Ham willed them to victory and he looked very determined to beat the Cougars after years of being on the wrong side of the score....and Brandon Mohr showed that same type of determination with his 2nd half effort in the win.

The game itself....I certainly didn't see 37 points in the first half as being realistic....big kudos to USF for their mixing run and pass, showing this offense can be dangerous and explosive. Most impressive half in the history of these rivalry game. If USF can show this type of balance, they'll be a top NSIC squad down the stretch. Their D was able to bend when they had a big lead, but then not-break in the red zone....keeping Augie from getting shots downfield and in the end zone. I thought Saddler looked confused with what he was seeing on Saturday..and the interceptions speak to that.

I'll be interested to see how Augie responds in the coming weeks after such a deflating loss. Certainly Crookston should be a get-right game..I know UMC won....just sayin tho.

USF at Bemidji in 2 weeks will be interesting..

[laker]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

The only person more shocked than me when I heard the halftime score was Captain Renault in Casablanca when he found out that there was gambling going on in Rick's. I thought that this would be a close game.

Yes, the USF at Bemidji game will be very interesting.

[Otis Day]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

Really glad I got to catch this one in person. Had a lot of fun on Saturday (likely too much fun), but it was great catching up with old teammates, classmates, and even managed to get Witt's attention :wink:

As for the game, this performance by the Coo was completely unexpected by me but I couldn't have been prouder. There are still special teams issues to work out, that much is clear. Heck, I didn't want to say it out loud for fear of jinxing the Coo, but I had this awful fear that I was going to witness the 2012 game in reverse at KO. Thank you for not doing that guys. But they will cost us games if we cannot clean them up. The snaps Tundra mentioned previously were awful.

It was a joy to watch Watson live and they've made huge strides since the CSP debacle in week 1. These highlights from local SF TV station KDLT were like drugs in my veins this weekend, namely Watson's spin move. Augie fans, NSFW.
https://www.kdlt.com/2018/09/22/siou...-kirkeby-over/

Defense is improving each week as well. Whenever I thought Augie was gonna make it a game, the defense came up big. (see highlights above)

As to Witt's point about the intensity of the rivalry, my answer as a former player who played in these games as well as the NAIA is, he's absolutely right. One reason I came back to SD this past weekend and not this coming one was because of the chance to watch this game. OJ year after year in his interviews about this game tries to treat it just like any other game. Which I find humorous considering in 2015 he was a entirely different post-game interview following their, well-earned, victory. I get OJ is a coachspeak master, but treating it like any another game likely fuels the Coo even more. Just an observation. USF has always been a program, heck school, with a chip on its shoulder. This game is just an embodiment of that. Coach A being part of the old NAIA guard understands this better than anyone. This game is truly for "those before who came before us." All those years of people poo-pooing our NAIA titles, teams, etc. Coach A discussed this in this podcast with the local radio station before the game... https://kwsn.com/podcasts/sports-tal...the-city-game/.

And the 'rivalry' always seems to play out more off the field amongst the fans. Which is great because the game is always well-played and clean for a rivalry game. I had nothing but respect for Augie players, knew a lot of them personally, they were not even close to my least favorite team in NSIC to play. For example, as someone who is now also a fan of a struggling FBS football team, I've caught myself saying "wait til basketball or baseball season." And immediately kick myself because "i sound like an Augie fan." :bulgy-eyes: Augie students chants or signs about USF students working at McDonalds or 'working for them someday' is petty and CFB to a T. Really generalizing here, but it works because Augie runs on seeing themselves as above USF (now possibly chasing after who they feel are their real peers in D1), and USF will embrace the taunts and such as even greater motivation for that chip on their shoulder. But it's mostly all in good fun and it's that kind of stuff that makes college football awesome.

Heck of a game, thanks for the hospitality AU (VF, sorry I wasn't able to make it over! Got busy catching up with old friends and family), but the key is just one game and there's a lot left to play for in this wide open NSIC.

[Matt Witwicki]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

Good to see you Sam....and wish I could've caught up with you more, and others as well.

Board brothers....when you run into each other at games, have a chat and put school differences aside. More than anything on this board, I've really enjoyed meeting others from different schools and such. I cannot tell you how many NSIC fans, former players, and coaches I've met over the years at a tailgate or in the stands....ones that are posters or even "lurkers" on the site. I really like this part of the D2 forum process. We all have a common passion with small college football.

[Tundra_Man]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

Good to see you Sam....and wish I could've caught up with you more, and others as well.

Board brothers....when you run into each other at games, have a chat and put school differences aside. More than anything on this board, I've really enjoyed meeting others from different schools and such. I cannot tell you how many NSIC fans, former players, and coaches I've met over the years at a tailgate or in the stands....ones that are posters or even "lurkers" on the site. I really like this part of the D2 forum process. We all have a common passion with small college football.

+1

I love meeting fans from other teams.

[laker]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

Board brothers....when you run into each other at games, have a chat and put school differences aside. More than anything on this board, I've really enjoyed meeting others from different schools and such. I cannot tell you how many NSIC fans, former players, and coaches I've met over the years at a tailgate or in the stands....ones that are posters or even "lurkers" on the site. I really like this part of the D2 forum process. We all have a common passion with small college football.

This is incredibly spot on. We all have our reasons for supporting our own team, and for disliking certain other schools. By far and away most of the people who I have met at games are friendly and enjoyable. So if you bump into the occasional dink it is the exception and not the rule. Don't let that ruin your experience- open up and you might enjoy it.

Next week I'm going up to Moorhead to watch the Mavs. I'm meeting an NDSU fan who went with me to a game at Crookston a few years ago. He is on the AGS board which deals with FCS. We told another board member who is also a Bison fan to show up since he lives in Moorhead. I couldn't be further apart from him politically or disagree with him more, but he seems to have some kind of fear that I am going to sic 80 year old John Behrends to attack him. Come to think of it, John could probably tear him into pieces, but that is not how we operate. I don't remember typing anything on here that would cause me to fear going to a game- or cause anyone else to fear for their safety. It is quite the opposite.

[Otis Day]

[Tundra_Man]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

This is who I was expecting. The real Laker wasn't the same. ;)

[laker]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

This is who I was expecting. The real Laker wasn't the same. ;)

"LISTEN, KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night! Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!"

[Purple Mav Man]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

"LISTEN, KID! I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night! Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!"

Surely, you can't be serious.

[laker]

Re: 2018 key to the city augustana vs. Usf week

Surely, you can't be serious.

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.

By the way- did you eat the fish on the flight?