UNC Mirror

Issue date: 11/7/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: File Photo Quarterback Dominic Breazeale, 14, gets ready to throw the ball while Tyrone Wilson, 32, blocks. The University of Northern Colorado prepares for their first home stand this season when they play the Sacramento State Hornets, a team the Bears are tied with in the Big Sky Conference.

The University of Northern Colorado football team may have lost Saturday at Eastern Washington, but head coach Scott Downing views the game, and his team's last five for that matter, in a positive light.

"We're getting better every game," Downing said. "The guys are continually getting better at understanding the offense and defense."

Apparently, there is a positive side to everything. While the Bears allowed more than 30 points in each of their first five games, they've held opponents under that number in four of the past five. In their past five games they've also played very competitively against two ranked teams, and won their first game since September of 2006 when they defeated Montana State on Oct. 27.

"The team has improved greatly," Downing said. "The defense have always played strong and our last two games have been our best of the year. The receivers are getting up the field and making plays and the tailbacks are running really hard."

Hopefully the Bears' last two games of the season, both at home, can make Downing and senior quarterback Dominic Breazeale happy. The 1-9 Bears' only home stand of the year starts Saturday at Nottingham Field against the 1-8 Sacramento State Hornets, who are coming off a 31-26 loss last week to UC Davis.

As their record might suggest, the Hornets don't sport much of an offense. Quarterback Jason Smith has completed 52.1 percent of his passes, but has thrown 16 interceptions against just seven touchdowns. However, the Hornets' running back platoon of Travon Jones and Brian Hilliard has averaged 4.6 yards per carry this season and could have a field day against a Bears defense that allowed 210 yards per game on the ground this year.

However, UNC isn't without a running attack of its own. After sitting out the Bears' past two games with an injury, junior running back David Woods ran for 102 yards and a touchdown last Saturday at Eastern Washington and has amassed 670 yards and five touchdowns this season.

"It felt good to get on the field, I was glad to see the team win and it felt great to get out there," said Woods of his performance on Saturday.

Looking toward Saturday's match-up against Sacramento State, Woods said the Bears have a great chance to win.

"As long as we keep working hard in practice, we've got a chance to win because we've got a great offensive game plan," Woods said.

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