OGDEN — After having played a Division II team in week one and a Division I-A school in week two, Weber State should learn a lot about itself in week three when it finally matches up with a Division I-AA opponent.

The Wildcats (1-1) play at No. 12 North Dakota State (2-0) today with kickoff set for 5 p.m.

North Dakota State, a team with a five-game winning streak dating back to 2004, is an opponent coach Ron McBride has never coached against in his 40-year career.

But the Bison are no stranger to the Wildcats. Today's meeting marks the fourth contest between the schools, with North Dakota State winning the previous three. The last encounter took place in 2004 when the Bison trampled the 'Cats 31-17 in Ogden.

McBride said today's game with North Dakota State will be a defining moment for the 'Cats. He had expected more production in the loss at Fresno State. WSU gained just as many yards as Fresno State but still managed to lose by 38 points. The Wildcats hope to have corrected the mistakes before today's game.

"I saw what they were made of (at Fresno), and it obviously wasn't all good. The big thing is to see how they react to the next situation," McBride said. "We're going to face adversity being on the road for the second week in a row, we're in a place where (North Dakota State) hasn't lost very much, how we going to handle it?

"It's what I call opportunity. In every program you got to have a breakthrough where you prove something and the players become real confident," he said.

LOVE AT HOME: If the Wildcats can pull out a victory, they will accomplish something few opponents have done in the Fargodome. The Bison have won 203 of their last 223 (203-18-2) home games since 1982.

History also places WSU at a disadvantage because the Wildcats are only 16-29 when playing indoors. The 'Cats are also a collective 22-60 when playing on artificial turf, inside or outside.

THE INJURY BUG: WSU cornerback Malcolm Thompson will miss today's game after spraining his knee this week in practice. His status for the rest of the season has not been determined.

But there is good news for Wildcat fans. Senior running back Sione Havili was cleared to return to full contact earlier this week and will suit up for tonight's game. Havili suffered a rare form of stroke in his left eye prior to the game with Western State and has been on bed rest for the last two weeks. The damage caused temporary vision loss, but Havili said he is feeling much better and his vision is about 50 percent.

ACTION JACKSON: In Weber's first two games, Lynzell Jackson has emerged as the team's top receiver with 10 catches for 174 yards. Against Fresno State, which McBride calls one of the best defensive secondaries in the country, Jackson hauled in six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Jackson is 6-foot-3, 200-pound, senior transfer from Utah. He joined the squad after McBride was hired.

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Wildcats on the air

Weber State (1-1) at

North Dakota State (2-0)

Saturday, 5 p.m.

TV: None Radio: 1430 AM

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E-mail: ttoone@desnews.com