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Home > Bison Media Zone > Bison notebook: Tailgating to feature new additions to 'Thunder Alley'
Podcast: Bison Media Zone
Episode:

Bison notebook: Tailgating to feature new additions to 'Thunder Alley'
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 00:00:00
Publish Date: 2022-09-02 16:16:28
Description: FARGO Football fans tailgating before North Dakota State football games this fall who don’t have a predetermined destination have another option other than wandering around the lot. The athletic department is putting more of an emphasis on its “Thunder Alley.”

Located on the west side of Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome in the southern portion of the lot adjacent to 17th Avenue North, NDSU is bringing in two food trucks Twisted Spork and Lupe’s Tacos in addition to the Team Makers Bison Corral beer garden, which will also have a food truck from SideStreet Grille & Pub.



“I think there are two things there,” said Team Makers executive director Derrick Lang. “It’s for those people who don’t have a place to gather with their friends and family and it’s free and open to the public. The other benefit, and this is from feedback from the fans, was how can we continue to make it a better fan experience? A lot of people were running out of steam in setting up their own area. Everything is set up here.”



The Bison Corral is the only area in the tailgating lot where fans can buy beverages.



The space will also include a large video board showing WDAY’s “Bison Gameday” pregame show from 10-11 a.m. and other college football games and video content. That may be the best way to locate “Thunder Alley.”



“You won’t be able to miss it,” Lang said.



The new tailgating section is part of a spruced-up game day experience, the result of feedback the athletic department received from a fan survey. A new Gatling T-shirt gun will be able to launch 50 shirts at one time inside the dome. Several new company promotions and giveaways will be added as well as new visual elements.



Graphics have been updated for the videoboards and NDSU’s traditional pre-game entrance will include a light show.



Opener has different feel for Miller

At this time last year, Cam Miller was preparing to be Quincy Patterson’s backup quarterback in NDSU’s season opener against the University of Albany (N.Y.). This year, he’s the unquestioned starter.



He’s also taken head coach Matt Entz’s directive to be more of a leader.



“I feel like I have more say in what goes on and I feel like these guys trust me and respect me so they’ll listen to my advice,” Miller said, “where last year I hadn’t done much until the end of the season.”



Miller replaced Patterson midway through the regular season and led the Bison to their ninth Division I FCS national title in the last 11 years. Patterson transferred to Temple University, where he was listed as the backup for the Owls’ season opener Friday night at Duke.



Redshirt freshman Cole Payton is the No. 2 quarterback who is expected to play at some point on Saturday. NDSU embraced playing two quarterbacks last season for the first time in its Division I FCS history.



Earlier this week, however, Miller wasn’t sure how that was going to play out against the Bulldogs.



“We’ll see,” he said.



Etc. etc. etc. NDSU will raise its national championship banner before kickoff on Saturday.
The Bison have won 23 straight season openers with the last loss 23-21 to Emporia State (Kan.) in 1998 when the program was in Division II.
Drake returns seven starters on offense and five on defense. The Bulldogs went 2-10 a year ago but had five games decided by seven points or less. “We’ve taken more of a chip-on-our-shoulder mentality this year,” said Drake wide receiver Colin Howard. “Last season wasn’t easy.”
NDSU has a 176-27 record at the Fargodome and has won 74 of its last 76 home games over nonconference opponents. The Bison 32-game home winning streak from September of 2017 to April of 2021 was the fourth longest in NCAA history.
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