North Dakota State will have a mix of the program’s last two FBS road games from the FCS days converging against Air Force on Saturday night.
Bison head coach Tim Polasek has his team preparing for both the high altitude and the late night kickoff. The Bison last played in Colorado for the 2024 season opener in Boulder, and NDSU visited Arizona in 2022 with a late night kickoff of 10 p.m. CDT.
“It’s been awesome so far in the transition, we’re honored to be part of this league,” Polasek told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s here now for real. We’re going to have to eat, hydrate, sleep and practice really well this week to have a chance to win this game.”
Indeed, the Bison will play at 6,621 feet above sea level in Colorado Springs, whereas Fargo is just 906 feet above sea level. The 9 p.m. CDT kickoff is the latest for NDSU since that Arizona game, and Polasek said “it’s a fine line” for planning around that.
“I also don’t want them to sleep all day. Our kids are up at six in the morning every day here, and then we get off the practice field basically at 6:30 every day, so they can do it,” Polasek said.
NDSU goes into the game 2-0 after two home non-conference wins, and Air Force is fresh off a 34-0 drubbing of Duquesne.
Why Tim Polasek Expects a Big Challenge in Air Force
Polasek saw Air Force three times while serving as an assistant on Wyoming’s coaching staff between 2021 and 2023, and he has high regard for the service academy’s team. He noted right off the bat that Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun is the second all-time for winning among Mountain West Conference coaches ever.
“Playing this group on the road in front of 40,000, we better pack our execution and our physical toughness with us, otherwise it could be a real long week,” Polasek said. “I’ve seen this team when they’re really good. Their grit level and their competitive spirit is always at an all-time high.”
Calhoun has a career coaching record of 140-97 overall in 20 seasons, and he has an 8-5 record in bowl games. The Falcons have been ranked in the top-25 three times under Calhoun, who won Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2007.
Recent Lean Years Can Be Ignored
Air Force has only won nine games over the past two losing seasons going into this year, but that doesn’t negate how tough an out the Falcons are week to week. If the opener is any indication, the Falcons are as tough as ever running the ball.
“But when they’re really good, their quarterback is performing at a high level, and they have multiple guys that can score the football, and I’ve seen those teams with 10 wins, and so they’ve got our full attention,” Polasek said. “They earn the respect that they get with their play style, there’s no doubt about it, and how they do things, how they go about their business, their professionalism.”
Regarding Falcons quarterback Liam Szarka, he only threw five times in the opener, but he rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Szarka and company will keep the Bison run defense busy on Saturday night.
NDSU Facing 2 Rare Factors Against Air Force