HOUSTON -- The heat was stifling in Thibodaux, La. It was a major concern for North Dakota State in Natchitoches, La., and it was talked about all week leading up to the trip to Nacogdoches, Texas.
In all three cases -- Nicholls State, Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin respectively -- the Bison found enough strength and depth to win each time. Trip No. 4 to a Southland Conference opponent is today when NDSU travels to Sam Houston State (Texas).
So far, the Bison are 7-0 against the Southland in their five-year existence with a Division I football schedule. Home wins came against Nicholls, Northwestern, Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston.
"I have not thought about that," said Sam Houston head coach Todd Whitten, when asked why the Southland has struggled against NDSU. "I have not put any thought into that other than Craig Bohl and his staff do a good job."
The Southland makes for good non-conference scheduling because with eight teams -- six until Southeast Louisiana joined the football schedule in 2005 and Central Arkansas came aboard two years ago -- each team has to find five other opponents. In NDSU's transition days, any Division I opponent was a good opponent and all four Southland foes were home-and-home agreements.
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It's not as if the Bison have blown out the Southland with the exception of a 35-7 win at Northwestern. That was when NDSU's Shamen Washington blew it open with a long punt and kickoff returns.
NDSU held off Nicholls in the second half to win 24-14, a game that saw several players exhausted by 90-degree heat. Stephen F. Austin put up a good fight in a 17-9 loss, but couldn't solve the Bison defense on a muggy 85-degree night.
"That's the past, this is now," Bohl said.
The forecast looks a little more favorable for the northern team this team with below normal temperatures in the high 70s by kickoff, but still warmer than what NDSU has been used to so far.
"It's always difficult to try to get yourself acclimated," Bohl said. "We'll make sure to play a lot of guys early in the game."
On Tuesday, the Bison were preparing to practice in rain and temperatures in the 60s. It could rain today with a 60 percent chance of precipitation.
"It comes with training throughout the summer," said quarterback Nick Mertens. "There's nothing you can really do now to get ready for it other than to make sure you hydrate. We know it's going to be hot."
Whatever the Bison formula has been in Texas and Louisiana, it's worked.
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"You have to push through it," Mertens said. "Everybody else is going through the same thing."
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