FARGO-The most prolific offensive player in Division I FCS football comes to Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome this Saturday, Sept. 10, in Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp. So far, three teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference have tried to stop him.
All three failed.
North Dakota State will get its turn at Kupp, who is the heavy favorite to repeat as the winner of the Walter Payton Award that goes to the best offensive player in the subdivision. So far, the benchmark is South Dakota State, which gave up four receptions to Kupp for 90 yards and two touchdowns in a 2013 playoff game.
"No. 1, their offense is the type of offense that if you have a good receiver he's going to get a lot of opportunities," said SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier. "No. 2, they move him around to try and get mismatches."
Those mismatches were evident against Northern Iowa in a non-conference game last season. Kupp had nine receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns, and that was just in the first half because Kupp did not play in the second half because of a hip pointer. UNI took a thrilling 38-35 victory.
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His best statistical day against a Missouri Valley team was in the 2014 playoffs when he had 10 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois State, although the Redbirds took a big lead and held on for a 49-46 win. ISU went somewhat conservative on defense, head coach Brock Spack remembers, but he said the physical presence of the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Kupp is more impressive in person than on tape.
"He's put together very well," Spack said. "He's a formidable guy. He's strong. He reminds me of a lot of guys you see on Sunday."
That would be in reference to receivers in the NFL, which is expected to be Kupp's next stop. The task to control that kind of talent on Saturday will most likely start with Bison cornerback Jalen Allison.
Washington State couldn't figure it out last Saturday when Kupp had 12 receptions for 206 yards and three touchdowns in Eastern Washington's 45-42 win.
"He's a really good competitor," Allison said. "And he's a bigger guy and has really good ball skills."
In fact, there have only been a handful of teams over the course of three-plus years that have limited Kupp. The only teams to keep him out of the end zone were Cal Poly and Montana last year; Southern Utah, Northern Colorado and Montana in 2014; and Towson in 2013.
Two Big Sky teams virtually shut him down, but never more than once. Kupp had only two receptions for nine yards against the University of North Dakota as a freshman, but came back with nine for 111 yards and a touchdown the following year. He had four catches for 21 yards against Cal Poly last year, although he had eight for 139 yards and two touchdowns against the Mustangs as a freshman.
"I think it takes a group effort," said Bison linebacker Nick DeLuca. "We have a good game plan for this week and we'll try to limit his yardage on what he can do on the field, which is pretty exceptional."
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Up next: No. 8 Eastern Washington at No. 1 North Dakota State
Where: Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
TV: KVLY
Radio: 107.9-FM
