Game day notebook: Bison LG Empey has new club and it's not golf

FARGO — At first, North Dakota State left guard Griffin Empey thought it was another minor issue that comes with playing on the offensive line. Maybe a dislocated finger. Or a sprain of some sort. He came off the field at the University of New Mexico, tried to shake off whatever was ailing his hand and headed out on the next possession. I get out there and it s just not right, Empey said. Next up was NDSU head athletic trainer Trisha Shannon, who sent Empey into the locker room at New Mexico s University Stadium to get an X-ray. That picture didn t lie: Empey fractured a finger. He missed last week s 31-7 win over UTEP but will return to the lineup Saturday when the Bison play at the University of Hawaii, a 10 p.m. CT kickoff that will be aired on The CW. It was the first time Empey missed a game in his two years as a full-time starter, a decision that was more about looking ahead to the final push of the season. Add to that NDSU had a bye last week and two w