Man, Montana is a tough place to play. The fans are LOUD and many are loud & rude as well. There were F bombs that could be heard at times and half the stadium joined into a "bullshit" chant on a pass interference call against the Griz in the final seconds before Furman tied the game in regulation. The PI call wasn't even close, it was a mugging but that didn't stop the fans from joining into the chorus.
I was surprised that the play even went to review because it wasn't even close but they reviewed it while the fans kept up the chant. Surprisingly, the PI stood as called on the field. I figured they would overturn it since Montana seems to be the one of the darlings of the FCS powers that be.
I found myself pulling for Furman as the game went on even though it's good for the Big Sky to have Montana and Idaho advance. The rude behavior from many of the fans, Hauck's fiery attitude and always whining, all those dirty plays from past years that Hauck allowed including quite a few from his son when he played and the favoritism they receive from the FCS big wigs was just too much for me to pull for them.
The Albany thing is pretty crazy. Prior to this year they were 2-3 all time in the playoffs. They made it in 1977 (in D III) and then in 2011 and 2019 in FCS. They've now won 11 games this year. They've only done that once ever and only won 10+ games twice in their history. Like our 2018 season seems like an anomaly but we at least had a DII history. Albany has no history and all of a sudden they're in the semis.
I was at both Idaho playoff games. Albany has a great defense, but the game was there for Idaho. They had a chance to win and let it slip out of their hands. Still a great season, and Coach Eck has been a breath of fresh air after Patrino.
ESPN: "USC made another significant addition to address its underperforming defense, hiring North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz as the school's linebackers coach and assistant head coach for defense."
From Fargo, ND to University Park, Los Angeles === slightly different culture, ha ha
Albany @ South Dakota State
North Dakota State @ Montana
Tough calls all the way around...but it will be cold at both games that's for sure. I still like South Dakota State to take it all. Albany's been hot though.
Albany has the two stud edge rushers. Idaho was actually doing a great job handling them until one of them forced the qb to fumble which essentially sealed the deal for Albany. Like Hawk has often said, 2 or 3 plays in a game can be the deciding factors. I see this as an easy win for SDSU with their physicality.