GRAND FORKS -- The University of North Dakota made its first regular-season trip to the South nearly a year ago to play a Division I FCS opponent -- a team some believed had the advantage in speed and skill.
Outside UND's first FCS game against Idaho State -- a team that nearly went winless last season -- the game at Southeastern Louisiana was viewed as a game to see where the Sioux program stood in its first season of Division I FCS competition.
Southeastern Louisiana's 38-35 win left the Sioux believing their style of football could be effective at a higher level.
"We're from North Dakota and we play smash-mouth football," said UND senior offensive lineman Kyle Bondy. "You go to the South and you think of speed, the heat and other things. But it doesn't matter. It's what we do and how we prepare to beat an opponent that counts."
After Southeastern's win, it didn't take Bondy and his teammates on the offensive line long to realize where the Sioux program was.
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"It was pretty emotional after that game," Bondy said. "I remember getting together with (Brian) Troen and (Mitch) Braegelmann after the game and it was like, 'We were better than those guys.'
"Up front, we didn't see anything out of the norm. It was heartbreaking, knowing we should have won that game."
UND has another chance to beat a team from the South on Saturday when the Sioux play Northwestern State of Louisiana.
Again, the Sioux will face another Southland Conference team with above-average speed, especially at the skill positions.
But they're not going into the unknown this time.
"That team has a high motor," Bondy said of Northwestern. "We'll just focus on what we need to do and get better every day."
UND trailed early against Southeastern Louisiana but rallied in the fourth quarter from a 38-21 deficit. Brandon Hellevang's 49-yard field goal attempt on the game's last play was wide left.
"It took us about half the game to figure out we belonged on the field," UND coach Chris Mussman said. "I don't think that will be a problem Saturday. Our guys are confident without being cocky.
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"They realize where they're at. If we go down and play our style of football and play mistake free, we'll have an opportunity to win a football game."
Northwestern is 0-2, with road losses at Houston -- which stunned No. 5 Oklahoma State last week -- and Grambling. The Sioux are 0-1 after losing at Texas Tech two weeks ago.
The Demons may have a little more zip than usual, given it's their home opener and a new coach -- Bradley Dale Peveto -- is in place.
But the speed of the opponent and the surroundings shouldn't matter, said Sioux senior receiver Matt Cole, a junior college transfer from California.
"The bottom line is that we're playing football," Cole said. "Some people will be faster than other people. But UND's style of football is different than it is down South. And it's different that it is on the West Coast.
"It's smash-mouth football. That doesn't mean it's a worse caliber of football. You can win games that way."
The Grand Forks Herald and The Dickinson Press are both owned by Forum Communications Co.
