bincitysioux

I'm embarrassed to say that I've lived the entire 34 years of my life in North Dakota, and growing up on a farm outside a small rural town I didn't even know that UND had a hockey team when I came to college in 1996. I went to a handful of games at the old Ralph during my time at UND, and although I didn't really understand the game I always had a great time with my friends and classmates that I went with, and was so impressed by the passion that the fans put forth at the games. I watched the new REA engulf the parking lot that I used during my 4 years at the University, but didn't give it alot of thought when I left. When I luckily married my wife in 2003, a fellow sports-nut, and after following UND's run to the football title game that year, I suggested we attend a hockey game that winter because she had never been to a hockey game period, and I had not yet been to the new REA. That first game was an eye-opening experience. To realize that there is something of this grand magnitude going on out here in the middle of nowhere.................it gave me such pride in my alma mater, and pride in my state that such a first class spectacle was taking place here on Friday and Saturday nights in the cold wintery months. We were both hooked after that, and two seasons later we scored season tickets and have been there every weekend since............

Sell: Even if somebody does, we won't hear about it because there is nobody in the Grand Forks media covering Sioux football............................

You are right that the team will be rolling, but you forget that it is all down-hill once "duck-tober" starts in conjuction with hockey season. The Cal Poly game will be well attended, but then there will be a drop off until Pat Sweeney announces that we have the number 1 seed going into the playoffs around Thanksgiving..................

That would be nice...........

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! I think you are way to optimistic.................... History shows that attendance declines as the season goes on. No way in Hades does SUU sell out at the least................

Sell. Mersereau does an awesome job on punt returns, but that is totally different than kick-off returns. I haven't seen Bridges or Brown.............................

Buy or sell = The Alerus will sell-out for at least one game this year.

BUY

Ya.................. I believe if we are talking basketball, USD has been "rolling over" NDSU for about 100 years now, along with SDSU. NDSU was basically a 5th place basketball program in the NCC. I expect them to be about the same in the "Super Summit" for the foreseeable future...........................

Remind me who is going to return kickoffs...................

Ugh, that's tough. Almost a 30% increase from last season. Sell: I think it will average around 200 yds passing, 167 yds rushing......................

Buy or sell = Zeb Miller wins at least one game for us as time expires

I'm gonna sell on the blocked kicks. North Dakota works hard on that, but Bellmore had half of them over his career and he graduated. Also, sell on top 10 defense........................I can see top 20 though..............

So, I printed off the schedules today (and thanks bojeta for posting them here, that was really helpful) and ran through every game that every team will play and made my picks for each game of every team for the entire season. With my vastly superior knowledge of the sport of football, here is what I came up with as to how the season will unfold. I cordially invite any and all fans of Big Sky Conference schools to rip apart this post, and fully expect numerous Bison fans to do the same..............because we all know that North Dakota is always on their mind. DISCLAIMER: When I made my predictions, by default I picked a loss for any Big Sky team playing an FBS team. Also, as a perpetual homer, I picked the Big Sky team to win every non-conference FCS game on their schedule. Cal Poly 8-3 Overall 7-1 Big Sky Conference loss to North Dakota Montana St. 10-1 Overall 7-1 Big Sky Conference loss to Portland St. Eastern Washington 6-5 Overall 6-2 Big Sky Conference losses to Montana, and Montana St. North Dakota 8-3 Overall 6-2 Big Sky Conference losses to Eastern Washington, and Montana St. Portland St. 7-4 Overall 6-2 Big Sky Conference losses to Northern Arizona, and Cal Poly Montana 8-3 Overall 5-3 Big Sky Conference losses to North Dakota, Weber St., and Montana St. Northern Arizona 6-5 Overall 5-3 Big Sky Conference losses to Montana, North Dakota, and Cal Poly Weber St. 4-7 Overall 3-5 Big Sky Conference losses to Eastern Washington, Cal Poly, Sac St., Southern Utah, and Idaho St. UC Davis 4-7 Overall 2-6 Big Sky Conference losses to Cal Poly, Weber St., Montana St., Northern Arizona, Portland St., and Eastern Washington Southern Utah 3-8 Overall 2-6 Big Sky Conference losses to Portland St., Montana St., Montana, Eastern Washington, North Dakota, and Northern Arizona Sacramento St. 3-8 Overall 2-6 Big Sky Conference losses to North Dakota, Southern Utah, Eastern Washington, Cal Poly, Montana St., and UC Davis Idaho St. 2-9 Overall 1-7 Big Sky One conference WIN against Weber St. in the rival game Northern Colorado 2-9 Overall 1-7 Big Sky One conference WIN at home against Idaho St.

geaux_sioux, I think it is safe to say that you and I agree on the Jameer Jackson potential....................

Me too! We have had some receivers of decent size in recent years, but none with the athletic ability or "thickness" of Jackson...................

Sell

Frickin Frackers

I actually felt that the '03 defense was even better. But I'd love to have the secondary from either one right about now.............................

Buy or sell: North Dakota finishes higher than 7th in the Big Sky in pass defense

Dom Bennett = Buy Jackson for 5 TD's = Buy (I agree with everything geaux_sioux said) Brenneman for 10 Sacks = Sell (I think he'll get 9)

Buy means you agree Sell means you don't

Agree with all you said. Just seems that North Dakota and Poly match-up so well with one another, and each game thus far has been very close. As long as both teams stay on their current course, I'll probably pick the home team each time they meet. I figure CP to finish as one of the top two teams in the conference this season.

Miller over 1,000 = Buy Redshirts = Sell Attendance over 10,000 = Buy Hardin for 1,000 = Buy Hansen for 3,000 & 30 = Sell Buy or Sell: Sutton misses multiple games due to injury Buy or Sell: North Dakota finishes over .500 conference play

End of independence purgatory dude.