CU Buffs opponent preview: FCS powerhouse North Dakota State comes to Folsom Field for season opener

Just like year one of the Deion Sanders era, year two of Coach Prime at Colorado doesn’t begin with a cupcake.

Although last year was a trip to Fort Worth to take on the defending national runner-up in TCU, the 2024 season starts with a game that the Buffaloes will not be cut any slack for should they lose.

It’s another primetime season opener for CU, who host FCS opponent North Dakota State on Thursday Aug. 29 with kickoff already set for 6 p.m. on ESPN.

Some members of the national media have begun to realize just exactly how this upcoming season will begin for the Buffs and it’s safe to say the fact that this game even exists is puzzling to some with ESPN’s Pete Thamel saying on the College GameDay podcast that whoever is responsible for scheduling this game should be fired.

Hyperbole or not, Thamel was clear about why he feels that way.

“You do not schedule an FCS game you can lose,” Thamel said. “You just don’t do it.”

Rival Colorado State knows that after losing to an FCS team in Sacramento State in Fort Collins early in the 2022 season.

Now, there’s been plenty of change in Fargo this offseason, but it’s still the same Bison program that has won nine FCS national championships since 2011, including five in a row from 2011-15.

Let’s take a look at who the Buffs will be seeing in Week 1:

2023 review

After an average regular season by program standards yielded an 8-3 record heading into the playoffs, NDSU rattled off three straight wins — two over top 5 teams — to reach the semifinals, where it ultimately lost in double overtime to No. 2 Montana.

The Bison were led by an explosive offense that ranked third in FCS in points per game and ninth in yards per game. The team had four players who ran for over 500 yards on the season, including quarterback Cam Miller, who led the team with 135 carries.

Miller also threw for nearly 2,700 yards in the air and had 34 total touchdowns on the season (19 passing and 13 rushing).

There were plenty of stars on a defense that also ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed per game as safety Cole Wisniewski led the team in tackles (92) and interceptions (8).

Both Miller and Wisniewski are back as key seniors on the team. Another returning player to watch is running back Barika Kpeenu, who should move up to the team’s top running back in 2024 after being one of those four players to rush for at least 500 yards last season.

New faces

While there was plenty of change on the NDSU coaching staff this offseason, it’s not like an unfamiliar face walked through the door to replace head coach Matt Entz, who left to take a job on Lincoln Riley’s staff at USC.

New head coach Tim Polasek is back for a third stint in Fargo, starting off as a graduate assistant back in 2006, working his way up to special teams coordinator by the end of his first stint in 2011. He returned in 2014 to be the offensive coordinator and spent three seasons in that role before becoming the offensive line coach at Iowa.

Now, after three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Wyoming, Polasek is in charge of one of the most dominant programs in all of college football in the last 15 years, regardless of level.

He’ll certainly be eager to start his tenure with the Bison off with a bang and deliver the program its first win over an FBS opponent since 2016.

The NDSU file

Head coach: Tim Polasek (1st season)

Offensive coordinator: Jake Landry (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Grant Olson (1st season as DC, 6th at NDSU)

2023 record: 11-4 (lost in FCS semifinals)