Are you ready for Fighting Sioux football? With fall camp around
the corner, we're counting down the days to the return of UND football.
With 34 days to go until the pigskin flies through the air for the first
time, we'll be previewing all 11 UND opponents during that stretch
right here on FightingSioux.com.
Countdown to football: 34 days
Game 4
Who: Black Hills State
What: Potato Bowl, Hall of Fame Game
When: Saturday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m.
Where: Alerus Center
Why: It's the Potato Bowl USA. It's the Hall of Fame. Maybe even call it the Mike Berg game. It should be a fun weekend of events surrounding UND's return to the Alerus Center against Black Hills State.
For starters, it's the Potato Bowl, a fan favorite. The week is full of events from the french fry feed, fireworks show and parade. Add in that the national champion 2001 football team will be inducted into the UND Letterwinners Hall of Fame on Saturday, and this weekend should be one to remember.
For the football team, this weekend is about returning home after back-to-back Football Bowl Subdivision contests. UND will need to continue a high-level of play, energizing what should be a large crowd.
And Mike Berg? The Sioux football radio analyst and NFL High School Coach of the Year is a Black Hills State alum and Hall of Famer. Berg will provide the color analysis for the first meeting between the two schools and, if nothing else, that dynamic will be something to keep an eye (or ear) on.
As for the opponent for the Sioux, the Yellow Jackets are in the midst of transitioning to the Division II level. A year ago under head coach Jay Long, BHSU posted a 6-4 record overall and went 5-3 in the Dakota Athletic Conference.
All six of those wins came in consecutive weeks after the Yellow Jackets dropped their opener to Grand View University. Unfortunately, the six-game winning streak was followed by a trio of losses to close out the season.
Offensively, the team returns standout wide receiver Daniel Hancock, who led the BHSU with 35 catches for 437 yards and five touchdowns.
