Lights aim to march out of Helena with a win

It hasn't been often in the history of the series between the Montana State University-Northern Lights and the Carroll College Fighting Saints that the Lights shouldn't feel like a decided underdog going into a game at Nelson Stadium. Then again, there was a time when every team in the Frontier Conference was a decided underdog when it played Carroll at home.

However, the Lights (0-7, 1-7) certainly aren't being looked at as underdogs when they invade Nelson Stadium for a second meeting with Carroll (2-5, 3-5) Saturday afternoon. That's because, while the Lights are certainly going through their share of struggles, so too are the Fighting Saints. Kickoff Saturday is set for 1 p.m.

And while Northern has lost seven straight games since a season-opening win over Mayville State, Carroll, too, is trending in the wrong direction. The Fighting Saints have lost four straight Frontier games, with their last victory coming last month in Havre when they beat the Lights 32-14. And while the Lights are coming off a 42-13 home loss to UM-Western last Saturday, Carroll head coach Mike Van Diest doesn't see Northern as an underdog.

"They are the same as Southern Oregon or Rocky or Western," Van Diest told 406 Sports this week. "This is a heck of a challenge. I think Montana Northern is legit. I think their coaching staff is doing a heck of a job, and they played Western tougher than we did."

The Lights did play Western tough, jumping out to a 13-0 lead and leading the first-place Bulldogs 13-7 in the third quarter. However, a combination of things led to Northern's demise, and it's how Northern handled those struggles that, head coach Andrew Rolin said, his team needs to do a better job of moving forward.

"The third quarter, those things are going to happen," Rolin said. "We didn't handle that adversity well at all. We've got to continue to grow up as a football team. We've all got to do a better job of handling those things, and we will. I'll make sure of that."

The Lights will look to handle things better Saturday, against a Carroll team that is really struggling on of the offensive side of the ball. The Saints are last in the Frontier in scoring at under 12 points per game, and are last in total offense and passing offense. Even Carroll's typically stout run game has been stymied some this season, with the ultra-talented Major Ali averaging just 77 yards per game. Ali, who is suspended for Saturdays game, had his best rushing game of the season against the Lights, however, and Northern's young defense has continued to struggle ever since.

Going into a matchup against Carroll's beleaguered offense, Northern is last in the Frontier in scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense. The Lights did show flashes of improvements on that side of the ball last week against Western, but overall, Northern, which starts nine freshmen or sophomores on defense, has been beaten up for much of the season.

In many ways, Saturday's game pits two teams mirroring each other. Carroll's offense and Northern's defense have had struggles all season long, but Carroll's defense, led by star defensive end Beaugh Meyer, linebackers Chase Bowen and Reece Quade, and a very good secondary, have been stout for much of the season. Carroll allows just 23 ppg and is second in the Frontier in total defense and rushing defense.

Meanwhile, Northern's offense has come on strong, especially since the bye week. The Lights are averaging close to 400 yards of total offense per game, and Northern is third in the Frontier in passing offense. Senior quarterback Tommy Wilson is fourth in the Frontier in passing, while Jett Robertson is fourth in the league in rushing. The Lights have also been getting stellar performances from sophomore wide receivers Bryce Bumgardner and Marvin Williams in recent weeks, and Van Diest has noticed.

"I respect their quarterback tremendously," Van Diest said. "I think he is a very good football player and he ran over our safeties on the goal line during the first game in the fourth quarter to score a touchdown up (in Havre), so he is a winner. He plays that way every game."

Wilson has been a stalwart for the Lights all season long, and now, he'll try to help Northern do something the program has never done - win at Carroll. On the other hand, the Fighting Saints will try and stop the four-game losing streak they're currently on, and at the very least, give themselves a chance to salvage a winning season, something Carroll can do by winning its last three games, and something the Saints haven't done in three years.

Yes, Saturday's game will be a test of wills between two struggling teams, two old rivals and two teams that both desperately want to win. And for Rolin and the Lights, it continues to be about attitude and perseverance.

"It's a tough process, learning to do things right all the time," Rolin said. "It's a tough process of growing as a young team, and learning how to win, especially in this league. And these guys are going through that right now. But we're going to stick to that process. We're going to continue to strive to do things the right way, all the time, and we'll get there."

The Lights and Saints will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday in Helena. Northern will remain on the road next week when the Lights travel to Southern Oregon. MSU-N wraps up its season Nov. 10 against the College of Idaho at Blue pony Stadium.

Rematch

MSU-Northern Lights (0-7, 1-7) at Carroll College Saints (2-5, 3-5)

Saturday, 1 p.m.

in Helena

Streaming: http://www.golightsgo.com

Radio: 92.5 KPQX FM

Twitter: Twitter/Havredaily