AJS

Love and agree with everything @wheelsup and other are saying. What bothers me the most is the thought that UND is always either unlucky or for some reason those making the decisions are always against them for some reason. Good news for Chaves is he works for a university where mediocrity is rewarded. Can't wait to hear his excuse the next bid he loses.

I would say there's a Big Sky ceiling and then a MVFC ceiling and they are different. The way things are now, I would put UND's schedule every year into two groups. (1) FBS, NDSU, SDSU (2) Everyone else. UND is going to have to figure out one of two things. How to consistently get a single win out of group 1 every year or beat everyone in group 2. Otherwise, 7-4 is about as good as one can hope for.

Could just be me, but I really don't like seeing UND fans gloat on this subject when we have no idea what's coming down the pipeline for UND.

Tough, but fair draw given where both teams were most likely slotted in the at large pecking order. This game is massive on multiple fronts. As @Sioux94 mentioned, UND is playing for the Valley and perception of the non-Dakota State schools. I agree that this game could have implications into the MVFCs future playoff selections. Going from a league wide view, to just UND. Still keying in on the word perception. This game will impact where UND starts next year in the polls. There are varying opinions on how important that is, I do think it's important. Moving past perception, onto program momentum. New season with everything on the line. Outside of very select regular season games, the playoffs are where you can really build momentum for your program. Rightfully so, everyone is really down on the defense after what happened against NDSU. Even after last weekend's debacle, I have this mindset that UND can play with anyone except for NDSU in Fargo at the FCS level. I did not watch Weber, but I'll double down on that after watching Sac State / UC Davis / Samford. It should be a competitive game this weekend.

Can’t even do that right.

Here’s my plea. Try to grind this out and take this humiliating loss as is. Bubba / Danny you aren’t winning this game. You probably already played yourself out of the playoffs w/ this performance. Don’t cement it by losing by 35 or more.

Good news is Mercer’s defense is equally as bad. 14-14.

Not what we’re looking for early as Mercer is up 14-7 on Samford. Samford’s defense is awful.

The Forum guys pointed this out and it's something I found interesting. I assumed with the likes of JMU, Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State leaving that it would be easier than ever to make the playoffs. As it's playing out that has not been the case (see #3 MVFC being a potential bubble team). The reasoning being that every team in those conferences now has one less loss than they would have had. Ultimately, the top teams leaving has had the opposite effect that I would have thought.

UND Fan viewing guide. Two categories. Cheering for the team that is bolded. Most Important (Home / Favorite to win) Mercer @ Samford - 12pm Montana @ Montana State - 1pm Stephen F. Austin @ ACU - 2:30pm UC Davis @ Sac. State - 4pm OVC Coin Flip - SEMO Cheering for upsets UNH @ Maine - 11am Wofford @ Furman - 11am Albany @ Rhode Island - 12pm Delaware @ Villanova - 12pm Chattanooga @ Western Carolina - 12pm Idaho @ Idaho State - 2pm Kennesaw State @ EKU - 2pm The top list are the games we've heard about all week. If Davis wins, they are in, lose they are out. Montana wins they are in; lose they are on the bubble. Mercer wins they are in; lose they are on the bubble. The second category are games that I've picked out where I believe the favorite is either presumed in or a bubble team that is anticipated to win the final week. These upsets would throw a curve ball in current projections.

It wouldn’t.

If anyone wants to listen to a podcast where two people are just as confused why UND wouldn't be a lock as everyone on here, listen to this weeks "The McFeely Mess" podcast.

Agreed. I don't see why that game matters (much). I don't see it mattering much w/ Youngstown getting in before UND. I could see wanting SIU to win to make sure they are 6-5 and don't end up with a losing record.

Add this to the list of things that does not make any sense to me about UND being a bubble team as the #3 MVFC team. Hypothetically if NDSU wins on Saturday, they will be at worst the #5 seed (which they should be btw). What doesn't make sense is a conference having two seeded teams and those are the only two to make it. Wouldn't only two indicate that the league is weak? If the league is week, how could you justify having two teams as Top 5 seeds? It's so backwards. All hypothetical, I still think UND is in regardless. It just wouldn't make sense otherwise.

The simplest explanation is there's a portion of the NDSU fanbase that downplays this game to the point where it's bizarre. If there wasn't anything to this game with that portion, treat it like you do every other non-FBS / SDSU / UNI game on the schedule. Somebody did mention it, but there's no doubt that UND is not their #1 rival, but there's also no team that they would rather not lose to.

By who? Certainly not the Fargo media. Or at least not McFeeley or Izzo. They have both said UND is in at 7-4.

Win and in on Saturday, but listening to Herder on Izzo's show, if UND were to lose, are the other three most important results for UND the following? SEMO wins the coin toss against UT Martin and gets the OVC auto bid UT Martin wins there goes one at large Sac State needs to beat UC Davis UC Davis in with win Montana State needs to beat Montana Montana win and lock. Like UND would be on the fence with a loss, but I think UND would be slotted if both were 7-4 Any other games stick out?

I'm going with there is a lot to the list that Shannon went over on the 360-podcast last week. There has to be. At least to how players are feeling at this moment. I'm guessing we'll see players each way flip, but I would say it's solid.

That's really good to hear. You wouldn't think it based on some of the opinions on him from some here, but especially these last few weeks, Kaup has been not only good, but far and away the best safety they have. It would be a huge boost if he did indeed come back. I'm talking Siegel / Ventrelli tier of importance.

This is a winnable game IF UND plays a true three phase game. How much confidence was gained playing them close last year? Based on past performances in the Dome, I'm not optimistic. Prove myself and most everyone else wrong. Change the narrative. The opportunity is there. What if this is the game where UND plays its absolute best regular season game?

Coaches: 23rd STATS: 16th Athlon: 15th Massey: 11th I've been so hyper focused on what has happened in the MVFC the last few weeks, where for UND everything has kind of broken correctly. Going into the last week from a national perspective, they can do no worse than 3rd in the make the playoffs pecking order. Can someone explain what has happened where being a 3rd ranked MVFC team with at worse a 7-4 overall record (7-3 FCS) doesn't leave them as a lock? Non-conference records. SDSU (2-0 FCS), NDSU (2-0 FCS), UND (2-0 FCS), Youngstown (2-0 Non-FBS), Illinois State (2-0 FCS), Missouri State (2-0 FCS), USD (1-1 FCS), UNI (1-1 FCS / Loss #2 Sac State), ISU-Blue (1-1 FCS), SIU (0-2 FCS / FBS win), Western Illinois (0-2 FCS). By my total that's 15-7 overall. Two of those losses (UNI / SIU were to current Top 5 teams). Is this all about SIU losing to SEMO? Were none of the 15 wins quality? Just so strange.

They didn't elaborate, Shannon had the list of who was walking, and he listed them. They talked about who wasn't on there and who surprised them (ex: Zavalney). Didn't get into too much detail.

The 360 podcast dropped the list of players that will be walking on Senior day. Bolded if they are Juniors on the current roster. Christian: OL Cooper: OLB Fenelon: K Hoosman: RB J. Johnson: DL Keech: DL Kimball: LB Krzanowski: ILB Maag: WR Morrison: DL Peterson: Punter Steckler: TE Stevens: K MVJ: OLB Ventrelli: OL White: ILB Zavalney: TE Those that are Seniors that are not walking on Senior day. Buckner Kauppinen Mullin Ogbu Skokna Siegel

NLI's can be signed today. We should see over the next few days who has signed. So far, I've only seen Strathmann.

Completely agree. This has absolutely nothing to do with any of their commentary on this week / UND at all. Every once and a while check out that site and you'll pick up on why @UND1983 says that. It's really fascinating.