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At the start of the year, many anticipated these two games would help shape the Fighting Hawks’ playoff picture.
But an injury-riddled 3-6 campaign has left some wondering if UND’s mantra the next two weeks is to play the role of spoiler. The Fighting Hawks take on Southern Utah at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4.
UND head coach Bubba Schweigert, however, doesn’t embrace the spoiler card rallying cry.
“I don’t know if that should motivate us,” Schweigert said. “What should motivate us is being the best team we can be and playing well down the stretch.
“We want to control what we can control. The past … that’s gone. That’s something that has happened and the facts and results are there. We’re focusing on the future and when I say the future I mean our preparation this week to perform at a high level (tonight).”
Southern Utah, unbeaten at home this season, has won four straight. The Thunderbirds, ranked No. 17 in the latest FCS poll, have beat three Top 25 teams already this season—including an impressive 46-28 victory over Eastern Washington two weeks ago.
Over the past three seasons, the Thunderbirds are 12-1 at Eccles Coliseum.
“We want to really accomplish something this year and this is what’s left,” Schweigert said. “This week is the first step, playing a top team in our league and in the country and prove that we can win this type of game. The message is we have a lot to play for.”
Unlike UND, Southern Utah has playoff implications on the line. The Thunderbirds would likely seal a playoff berth with a win over the Fighting Hawks.
“This is a huge game for us,” SUU coach Demario Warren said. “It’s a chance to try and get in the playoffs and a chance to play a team that knocked us out of it last year. We know how good this team is this year, and we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready to play on Saturday.”
Warren also noted UND’s youth on defense and the impact injuries have taken on the Fighting Hawks’ season.
“They’ve still got those two backs; they’ve still got their quarterback and they’ve got some speed outside at wide receiver so offensively they look really good,” he said. “Defensively, it looks like those young guys are really coming along about four or five weeks into playing football like we were last year, and they’re ready to make a late run like we did. They’re starting to be the team that everybody thought they would be, and this is our opportunity to make sure they don’t keep that momentum going.”
UND at No. 17 Southern Utah
• When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4
• Where: Eccles Coliseum, Cedar City, Utah
• Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM)
• Records: UND 2-4 Big Sky, 3-6 overall; SUU 4-1, 6-2
• Of note: Only six UND players have started all nine games this season—John Santiago, Patric Rooney, Ryan Tobin, Drew Greely, Tanner Palmborg and Torrey Hunt
Source
http://www.jamestownsun.com/sports/football/4354155-und-not-embracing-spoiler-role-motivation-against-southern-utah
