The Gonzalez twins can do everything, but it’ll take more for Highland to win state

Defense.

That’s where it begins for the Highland girls’ basketball team.

Scoring is fun. Acrobatic, twisting layups and long-distance threes make the cut for Matt Gittins’ highlight show, but if the third-ranked Rams are going to claim the school’s fourth 5A state title, the first since 1987, they’ll do it like SEC football — defense, defense, defense.

“Defense has always been our main focus. ... We like to get out and get easy baskets,” said Rams’ head coach Tony Green, referring to how his girls create turnovers and then sprint down to the other end. “Defense is huge to create some offense.”

Now, when writing about the Highland Rams, it’s absolutely impossible not to mention the Kansas-bound Gonzalez twins.

It’d be like commenting on the Denver Broncos and ignoring Peyton Manning’s affect on the culture, or like discussing Bill Belichick and glazing over his constant sour demeanor.

Everything Highland does revolves around the deadly duo. What exactly do Dylan and Dakota provide on a nightly basis?

They guard every position on the floor, block shots, force turnovers and rebound. They fill the lanes on fast breaks, finish at the basket, spot up for threes, slash to the rim, draw fouls, play point guard and post up. They’re the vocal and emotional leaders of the team.

In other words, they do everything. You know how Lebron James was celebrated for his cerebral play in the 2012 NBA Finals? He defended all five positions on the court and fulfilled any role Miami required to win a championship.

It’s exactly what the Gonzalez twins do.

But they’re not the only players on Highland that are versatile. Jamiece Yizar’s athleticism, pugnacious attitude and willingness to fight down low in the post for rebounds is invaluable, and she’s able to easily defend guards or forwards.

Plus, the Rams have a very capable pass-first point guard in Makenzie Van Sickle — though replacing Timberly Bowie and her scoring punch is no easy task.

But what if I told you Highland’s ultimate fortunes might come down to its starting center, six-foot-one sophomore Emily Hancock.

Her ability to defend the paint and opposing teams’ post scorers frees up Yizar and the twins to rotate in the perimeter and apply Tony Green’s signature pressure on ballhandlers.

Because, remember, Highland is at its best when forcing turnovers so the twins can unleash their extensive talents in the open court.

If Hancock can play big down low and Van Sickle can handle the ball handling duties, the Rams can threaten to win state.     

But first things first. In the district opener Wednesday, the undefeated Rams travel to Idaho Falls to take on the undefeated Skyline Grizzlies.

With the Heisman Trophy, timing is everything

 I’d do terrible, awful things to get a Heisman vote.

Well, I would have before this season. Right now I’m grateful I don’t have to make a choice, because the nation’s top-three candidates are all deserving for different reasons. And each one has a resume with a significant hole.

Only choosing one doesn’t seem fair, although it’s easy to eliminate one of the three. Manti Te‘o has as good of a chance of hoisting the Heisman trophy Dec. 8 in New York as I do of winning a Pulitzer Prize.

My boss, Chase Glorfield, wrote Monday that the senior Notre Dame linebacker has his vote — if he had one — for the Heisman, an award given to the individual designated as the most outstanding college football player of the year. I’m not sure I don’t feel the same way. At least a vote for Te‘o is a sharp departure from the norm.

Too many Heisman voters — there’s 928 of them, including the one fan vote sponsored by Nissan! — seem to take a gander at who’s in the national championship and pick whoever is that team’s top offensive threat.

Or, and this is what happened last year, voters fall blindly in love with the new hot name. Robert Griffin III was no better than a fringe Heisman contender before last season started, but the Baylor quarterback, despite his team’s three losses, took college football’s greatest award back to Waco, Texas, because Andrew Luck didn’t really do anything we hadn’t seen from him before. In other words, Luck’s redshirt junior season was excellent, much like his redshirt sophomore season and much like everyone thought it would be.

Griffin, however, with a flair for the dramatic, lobbed bombs to Baylor’s deep threats and sprinted around the field while sporting a signature look — his left arm in a sleeve while his throwing arm remained bare — and passed for a bunch of yards (4,293) and touchdowns (37).

By the time Luck’s final season rolled around, we’d heard his story before and knew he was the nation’s best quarterback as the NFL “Suck for Luck” campaigns were in full swing.

Griffin was new, different and enticing.

This season, the preseason favorite, USC quarterback Matt Barkley, was a sure thing. He had stiff-armed the NFL to return for his senior season. He was the lead man for The Associated Press’ No. 1 team, and his story was something new, because the Trojans were coming off a two-year bowl ban. Who doesn’t like a story of redemption?

But then USC lost to Stanford, Arizona and Oregon. By the time Barkley went down with a shoulder injury and USC lost again, this time to city-rival UCLA, he had faded from Heisman contention.

In his absence, Collin Klein, leader of the 10-1 Kansas State Wildcats, and Johnny Manziel, freshman phenom of the Texas A&M Aggies, stepped in and filled the front-running position. Well, Klein did until he threw three picks on the road to Robert Griffin’s old team, the Baylor Bears.

It was an ugly loss and it came a week after Klein had a narrower-than-expected-win over TCU.

Any Heisman candidate needs a strong push finishing the season to draw voter’s attention. Klein’s numbers in his last two games: 39-of-71 for 431 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. On the ground, Klein had another three touchdowns but he managed only 2.78 yards per carry.

And his team lost to a 4-5 Baylor squad by four touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Manziel has been brilliant.

With one game left in the regular season, Manziel’s 4,600 total yards are already more than Cam Newton had in 2010.

He’s helped a team with a new coach and a different system reach 10 wins in the vaunted SEC West, and he introduced himself to the public conscious Nov. 10 when he beat No. 1 Alabama on the road — throwing for 253 yards and two scores while racking up another 91 yards on the ground.

The hole in Manziel’s resume? The Kerrville, Texas, native struggled in the second half during the Aggies’ two losses (449 combined total yards with zero passing touchdowns and three interceptions). But those perfomances came early in the season. Texas A&M hasn’t lost since Oct. 20.

And I already eliminated Te‘o from Heisman contention, assuming voters’ hands freeze with fear before writing down someone’s name that doesn’t play offense. Klein, despite a scintillating season, lost a conference game on the road he never should’ve.

Does that logic really leave us at the doorstep of handing over the 2012 Heisman Trophy to Johnny Manziel?

Simply enough, yes. Agree or disagree, at least he’s not Mark Ingram.

Shelley is a lot better than we all thought, and that’s saying something

Is winning a state championship supposed to look so easy?

Is it normal for one team to appear like its playing on fast forward compared to everyone else?

Against the No. 1 team in the state, backups shouldn’t step on the field with more than six minutes left and the game in hand, or so I thought.

After watching Shelley pick apart, dismantle and beat up Fruitland to the tune of 37-10 in the 3A state championship Friday night, I learned otherwise.

Media pundits and fans surmised Fruitland and Shelley might have been the best championship game last Friday night. Everyone assumed that Goliath title match between two undefeated teams was a classic football game waiting to happen. It was like the Alabama vs. LSU of Idaho high school football.

Shelley head coach Travis Hobson thought it’d be quite the game, too.

“I took bets last night and I thought we’d win by a score or less,” he said. “I thought it’d be a dog fight all the way through.”

If it was a dog fight then the Russets were a rottweiler and the Grizzlies were a Jack Russell terrier.

It’s not that we underestimated Fruitland’s quality. Rather, we just hadn’t accepted that no one — repeat, no one — at the 3A level could hang with Shelley. When the Russets have it going — and they had it going from the opening kickoff against the Grizzlies — they’re close to flawless.

“I don’t think we had a single weak spot on defense this week,” Hobson said. “They gave it everything. I don’t know what to say.”

How well did the defense play?

Before taking on Shelley, Fruitland had averaged 44 points a game. Three weeks ago, the Grizzlies hung 71 points on Kellogg in the first round of the playoffs. Their quarterback, Joe Martarano, is listed at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, but in person, he looks about two Whoppers shy of 250.

And in Fruitland’s first 11 games of the year, he regularly ran over defenders like a life long Hostess lover going after the last box of Twinkies.

“We were going to have to have 11 guys in on the tackle and we got eight or nine every time,” Hobson said. “He didn’t like that very much.”

Who would? It can’t be fun to have Russet linebackers like Trevin Swensen and Chad Leckington hunt you down like you besmirched the good name of the Idaho potato.

“Our linebackers have been studs all year,” said senior wide receiver McKay Cannon.

Swensen and Leckington didn’t just dominate on one side of the ball, either. Swensen, a lineman, and Leckington, the quarterback, along with their teammates, were equally impressive on offense.

Fruitland allowed 10 points per game in its run to the championship. Shelley finished with 37. The Grizzlies went an entire month during the season without giving up that many points.

“We studied for these guys more than we studied for anybody else this year,” Hobson said. “I thought we knew their tendencies better than anybody else.”

Hobson hints at the real secret to Shelley’s success. It was never easy for the Russets.

Like the famous sports quote goes, “Athletes don’t win a championship on the night of a big event but years before by athletes who dedicate themselves to daily to championship principles.”

Cannon — who returned an interception for a score and had one receiving — said afterwards, “This senior class, it’s been our goal since we stepped in as freshmen. We finally got it our senior year.”

The Russets finished the year 12-0 and answered every question anyone could have of their team. But I could think of one more.

Who wants to see Blackfoot and Shelley go at it in one final game of the year?

Player safety comes first, even in the playoffs

It’s peculiar how vividly I remember the details leading up to a concussion I had my junior year in high school, because the moment my head slammed into the ground, everything went dark.

I had jumped into the air, reaching for a pass thrown so high only the Saints’ Jimmy Graham could’ve reached it. The defender cut me under the knees. I flipped 180 degrees and landed awkwardly.

Apparently, coaches, teammates and athletic training staff surrounded me on the field where I remained for a few minutes. Eventually, I was moved to the sideline.

I only “woke up” as I sat on a bench, speaking with someone I’d never seen before. It’s an unusual experience to have your mind suddenly activate while in mid-speech.

That was about eight years ago now. What we as a public know and understand about concussions has come a long way since then.

There is no further proof of how far the treatment of possible head trauma has come than last Saturday afternoon, during West Side and Firth’s 2A semifinal playoff game.

The Pirates and Cougars were deadlocked in a win-or-go-home battle. West Side entered the game as the underdog, but in the fourth quarter, Firth was clinging to a 16-14 lead. The Pirates had a shot.

West Side received a kickoff and took over at their own 24-yard line with 10 minutes and 23 seconds to play.

Coby Roholt ran the ball twice in the next three plays. But the drive stalled and the Pirates were forced to punt.

At some point during that series, Roholt was pulled to the sideline and tested for a possible concussion. He passed but under the Idaho High School Activities Association guidelines, Roholt had to sit for 10 minutes before he could undergo another test.

In a sport where a team’s success hinges on 11 players working together to execute a game plan, Roholt’s absence in that 10 minute span was crucial.

He’s their middle linebacker on defense and on offense, where the Pirates had lost their best running back Jon O’Brien to a game-ending leg injury, Roholt’s play was critical.

Need proof of his value for West Side? Roholt missed the first two games of the season. The Pirates lost both and gave up a total of 90 points.

In the team’s next eight games leading up the to semifinal contest against Firth, the Pirates’ defense allowed 84 points.   

“For 10 minutes of the game, our best defensive player is sitting on the bench,” said West Side head coach Tyson Moser. “It ended up he was just fine.”

He passed the second test and returned to the game, but the time he missed was crucial. Firth scored its third touchdown of the half and opened up an eight-point lead, a margin that held true.

Despite a valiant effort, West Side had come up short in an agonizingly close loss. There’s only so many opportunities to make a state championship. In the realm of sports, it just doesn’t get much more painful.

If Roholt hadn’t been forced to sit, would it have made the difference? Obviously, we’ll never know. And I doubt any Pirate fan, coach or player would agree, but I can’t help but take a positive away from the situation.

Someone determined Roholt exhibited concussion symptoms. The correct action was taken. He was excused from the game.

Concussions, or traumatic brain injuries, occur as a result of the brain being shaken so violently that it hits the inside of the skull, damaging blood vessels and nerve cells. The long term effects, to a large extent, are mysterious.

The National Football League announced this past September it will donate $30 million to study concussions. That’s a good thing. But it’s just as important that at the high school level, we adopt a progressive, forward thinking policies and attitudes towards head trauma.

It may cost players, teams and fans a little heartburn in the short term but if it improves the game today, then count me in.

Three observations from the Bengals’ game Saturday

The women’s basketball season is underway — sort of.

In the past week or so, Big Sky schools feasted on cupcakes in exhibition contests or “warm-up” games that don’t affect a team’s record. In other words, a chance to stop hip checking each other in practice and finally put something on the floor for fans to see.

For the most part, absolutely nothing should be deduced from these games. For example, Sacramento State beat somebody called the Academy of Art Urban Knights 78-59, and Northern Colorado blasted the Regis Rangers by 29 points.

The Idaho State women took on the Division II ThunderWolves from Colorado State-Pueblo. Never heard of ’em before Saturday? Me either.

But, still, it was real, live basketball to watch. A chance to see the preseason No.1 pick by both the media and coaches strap on sneakers and take the floor since last March.

And while I just wrote that we can’t take too much away from these games it doesn’t mean they’re completely worthless.

With that, here are three takeaways from the Bengals’ game versus Colorado State-Pueblo.

One

The offense was less than stellar. In fact, it was downright putrid in the second half scoring only 15 points. But head coach Seton Sobolewski said himself that they didn’t look to score 80 points against the ThunderWolves.

Instead, Sobolewski juggled lineups and inserted personnel combinations on the floor Bengal fans won’t see for the rest of the season. All 14 players who suited up for the game had time on the floor.

It was clear Idaho State didn’t need to use the CSU-Pueblo as a punching bag to prove that ISU deserves the preseason recognition. Those days will come.

Besides, as the Bengals cruised to a 14-2 conference record in 2011-12, it wasn’t like they were an offensive juggernaut. Only two teams in the Big Sky scored less points per game than ISU.

Two

Yes, that offense was ugly, stale and helter-skelter as the Bengals were 20-of-60 from the floor with 16 turnovers. But by the same token, the defense was staunch, active and nasty. Exactly what Sobolewski wants from his team.

Take a ton of defense, add in a skosh of offense, a decent amount of execution and you have a winning combination for ISU. In Sobolewski’s first four seasons, the Bengals are 46-3 when allowing fewer than 59 points in a game.

Three

The third observation is the most obvious after Saturday. Sobolewski and his team want to repeat. They’re hungry. They seem to crave another championship. One game in the NCAA tournament — a 29-point loss to Miami — wasn’t enough.

All offseason, the defending Big Sky champs heard how great they were and how amazing their run to the NCAA tournament was to watch. After losing only one starter, surely the Bengals will have no problem reaching the same lofty heights — so they were told.

But the adulation didn’t get to the Bengals. They played like a team with something to prove.

Big Sky Power Rankings -- 4

This is where we size up all 13 teams in the Big Sky and evaluate each based on a combination of factors.

This week's slate of games in the Big Sky is absolutely ridiculous. LSU vs. Alabama and USC vs. Oregon are attracting a lot of attention nationally, but how about Eastern Washington vs. Cal Poly and Sacramento State vs. Montana State.

Four Big Sky teams appear in the Sports Network FCS Top-25 College Football Poll this week. Montana State is at No. 3, Eastern Washington falls six spots to No. 7 after losing their first conference game, Northern Arizona continues to climb up the polls — and even received two first-place votes — to No. 12 and Cal Poly, whose fans were crying foul the Mustangs were only at No. 11 when they were undefeated, drop to No. 16 after losing on the road to Sacramento State.

Sacramento State and Southern Utah both received votes (once again, the committee (of one) is assuming that the pollsters who put Southern Utah in their top-25 ballot assumed their 4-5 record was a typo — it's not).
Without further ado ...

1. Montana State Bobcats, 7-1, 4-1 (PF: 302, PA: 176) (previously: 2)
Last week: beat Northern Dakota at home 55-10This week: at Sacramento State

Another week of rankings and another new No. 1. The top spot in these rankings is cursed like the Defense of the Dark Arts teaching position at Hogwarts. Now that the we've decided to move the Bobcats back to No. 1 in the Big Sky Power Rankings, MSU fans can expect a big "L" in Sacramento. Your welcome, Bozeman.

The committee (of one) has put MSU in the top spot over contenders like Northern Arizona (undefeated in conference play), Eastern Washington (beat the Cats in Bozeman two weeks ago) and Cal Poly (a sterling 7-1 record). But we're impressed by the Cats' conference-best winning margin (126 points). Offensively, Montana State is dynamic, but it's the defense that's doing the job. MSU allows 286 yards per game. Second best? Northern Arizona, which allows 331.

If MSU can limit offensive turnovers, the Cats are elite.

2. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 7-1, 5-0 (PF:235 , PA: 173 ) (previously: 4)

Last week: beat Northern Colorado 12-10 on the road

This week: at Idaho State

We hesitate to put the Lumberjacks at No. 2 ahead of Eastern Washington, but NAU has won seven in a row after dropping their opener 63-6 to Arizona State. Since that game, the Lumberjacks have outscored their opponents 229-110, good enough for an average winning margin of 14.85.

NAU has the conference's best running back, Zach Bauman (976 yards and eight touchdowns), and a quarterback, Cary Grossart, who puts their offense in positive situations.

But, as indicated, we hesitate to call the Lumberjacks elite. Northern Arizona escaped Greeley, Colo., despite three offensive turnovers and Bauman only averaged 3.5 yards per carry.

Yes, NAU has seven wins but they're against the likes of Fort Lewis, Montana, Portland State, North Dakota and the aforementioned Bears of Northern Colorado. Fact is, they just don't have a signature win ... yet.

We all thought beating Montana in Missoula was a great victory but the Grizzlies are 2-4 in the Big Sky.

And as we've harped on it every single week, Northern Arizona has the best conference schedule in the Big Sky. NAU doesn't play a team in the Big Sky with a winning record until Nov. 17 when they host Cal Poly.

3. Eastern Washington Eagles, 6-2, 5-1 (PF: 244 PA: 178) (previously: 1)

Last week: lost to Southern Utah 30-27 in Cedar City, Utah

This week: vs. Cal Poly

In the last Big Sky Power Rankings, we sang the praises of Eastern Washington. We loved freshman quarterback Vernon Adams and we declared that Eastern would beat Montana State on the road.

They did, 27-24. But EWU had a blocked punt for a touchdown and a pick six, both in the fourth quarter to escape with a win despite the Cats outgaining Eastern 365-211. Montana State had 27 first downs, Eastern had 13.

Adams, who we have to remember is a freshman, finished 12-of-29 for 140 yards and two picks.

Since that game, Eastern has deployed a two-pronged quarterback system, reincorporating SMU transfer Kyle Padron. Why? We have no idea. The only thing worst than having two quarterbacks is having Tim Tebow as your QB.

Padron hasn't been bad but it seems like neither he nor Adams has been able to take full advantage of Eastern's lethal group of receivers.

We move them down to three, ahead of Cal Poly at No. 4, because despite losing at Cedar City, we still think the Eagles will take care of business at home in Cheney Saturday.

4. Cal Poly Mustangs, 7-1, 5-1 (PF: 295 PA: 184) (previously: 3)
Last week: lost to Sacramento State 35-29 on the road
This week: at Eastern Washington

Earlier, we said Northern Arizona's Zach Bauman is the conference's best running back, but we'd be remiss not to point out that Cal Poly's Deonte Williams, who has 1,094 yards, is the league's leading rusher. And he was great in a losing effort against Sac. State, compiling 168 yards on 22 carries.

In fact, in Cal Poly's first loss of the season, the Mustangs offense wasn't the problem. Cal Poly racked up 387 yards on the ground but defensively, they had no answer for Sac. State's Garrett Safron (31-38-303). And a rushing team like Cal Poly (they threw the ball 10 times against the Hornets) is always going to struggle to overcome a 28-17 halftime deficit — especially when the opponent doesn't turnover the ball (which Sac. State didn't).

Now Cal Poly travels to the red turf  to take on EWU. If the Mustangs win then they'll be in great position to take the Big Sky. And while Cheney, Wash., isn't exactly an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, we have to believe Eastern wins at home where they're undefeated in 2012.

5. Sacramento State Hornets 6-3, 4-2 (PF: 253 PA: 256) (previously 5)
Last week: beat Cal Poly 35-29 at home
This week: vs. Montana State

How good is Sacramento State? The Hornets are three games above .500, but they've been outscored for the season ... ?

In just about every statistical category (total yards allowed per game, pass efficiency, turnover differential) Sac. State is dead in the middle of the Big Sky — neither particularly good or bad.

What the Hornets do seem to consistently do is win; winning margins for Sac. State: 2, 11, 5, 5, 5, 6. They find a way or at least they have so far.

If the No. 1 team in our rankings can avoid the curse of the Big Sky Power Rankings then the Cats should trounce Sac. State 42-17. But if the Hornets can get a couple turnovers, stay in the game till the fourth quarter then they might have a shot.

But it's a long shot. Right now, by our estimation, the Big Sky has a clear cut top four. Everyone else beyond that is a step below.

6. Southern Utah Thunderbirds, 4-5, 3-3 (PF: 249 PA: 271) (previously: 7)

Last week: beat Eastern Washington 30-27 at home
This week: at North Dakota

Can anyone explain how the Thunderbirds can lose to Weber State one weekend and then beat Eastern Washington the next? ... Oh, and both games were at home ... ?

Has to be a frustrating season for Southern Utah Fans. All three of their conference losses have been at home and by a combined 11 points. And if Cal Poly and NAU won the schedule lottery this season then SUU lost it. Games against MSU, Sac. State, Eastern and NAU. Not to mention, the Birds had to travel to Montana and this week they'll have the pleasure of finding their way from Cedar City, Utah, to Grand Forks, North Dakota. That's about a 1,400 mile trip, according to our good friend Google.

Welcome to the Big Sky Conference.

7. Portland State Vikings, 3-5, 2-3 (PF: 291 PA: 258) (previously: 8)
Last week: beat Idaho State 77-10 at home
This week: bye

The committee (of one) briefly considered putting Montana at No. 7. We considered an argument around the idea that, yes, the Vikings were technically ahead of the Griz in the standings but PSU hasn't beat anyone at all good this year.

Portland's  three wins: Carrol College, Idaho State and UC Davis. 

But then we looked at Montana's four wins: South Dakota, Liberty, Northern Colorado and Idaho State. The combined win-loss of Montana's opponents is 7-25.

So, yeah, neither has beaten from the FCS with a winning record. As far as we're concerned, this is an absolute toss-up, take your pick. 


8. Montana Grizzlies, 4-5, 2-4 (PF: 317 PA: 257) (previously: 6)
Last week: beat Idaho State by a million points at home
This week: at Weber State

The Griz tallied 605 total yards and 70 points in their win against Idaho State last Saturday. We'd tell you this was good but Idaho State is a walking abomination on defense (more on that below).

At least for Montana fans the win was a break from a sub .500 reality. This week, the Griz are at Weber State (where they've lost their last two) then, after a bye week, it's Montana State in the season finale. At this point, the Griz are out of playoff contention but Montana could still put a damper on MSU's playoff forecast with an upset.

9. North Dakota, 4-5, 2-4 (PF: 309 PA: 323) (previously: 10)

Last week: lost to Montana State 55-10 on the road
This week: vs. Southern Utah

UND has had its fair share of ups and downs in its inaugural season in the Big Sky. They won at Sac. State by 22 points and they beat Montana at home. Junior wide receiver Greg Hardin has 988 receiving yards and 13 — 13! — touchdowns through the air. He's been spectacular. 

But they're defense hasn't. Only ISU has given up more points this season. Against FCS competition, the fewest points UND has allowed is 35 against Cal Poly. 

On the bright side, if the Mascot-less North Dakotans can beat Southern Utah at home and get one on the road at Northern Colorado, they'd finish 6-5 and at .500 in the conference — which isn't too bad at all.

(and maybe then the committee (of one) wouldn't be dumb enough to put UND a spot below Montana after they beat them head-to-head only two weekends ago)

10. UC Davis Aggies, 3-6, 2-4 (PF: 240 PA: 264) (previously: 9) Last week: lost to Portland State 49-21 at home This week: bye Through nine games, we think we know who this UC Davis team is. They're not bad but they're not really good either (ladies and gentlemen, that's our succinct, detailed analysis!). The Aggies' two conference wins have come at the expense of the two worse teams (Weber State and Idaho State). Their four losses are all to better teams. Right now, UC Davis just doesn't have the playmakers on either side of the ball to compete at an elite level. 11. Northern Colorado Bears, 2-6, 1-4 (PF: 180 PA: 235) (previously: 11) Last week: lost to Northern Arizona 12-10 at home in a game that we're sure was as boring to watch as it sounds This week: at Portland State

The Bears football team isn't very good. But they've actually been pretty competitive this season. That, however, isn't what we want to use this space to talk about.


Instead, we feel like the injustice that is Northern Colorado's uniforms deserves a few moments of our time.

Old Uniform

New Uniform 
  
Look at that stripe down the leg ... ? What in the world did they do to their shoulder pads? And what about that stripe down the back of their legs! It's awful. It's a catastrophe. There are only two things worse than Northern Colorado's new uniforms. Southern Utah's mascot and Idaho State's defense. 

12. Weber State Wildcats, 1-7, 1-4 (PF: 144 PA: 272) (previously: 12)
Last week: bye
This week: vs. Montana

Everything about Weber State indicates they really stink but here in Pocatello, we're getting a different look at what bad really is. So that's our message to you Wildcat fans. At least you're not Idaho State.

13. Idaho State Bengals, 1-7, 0-5 (PF: 190 PA: 432) (previously: 13)
Last week: lost to Montana 70-24 on the road
This week: vs. UC Davis

ISU gave up 70 points at Montana. What's remarkable is that's it's the third time they've given up 70 or more points this season.