bincitysioux

He was talking that the hockey team is ranked #1.

The teams on NDSU's schedule this season have a combined record of 20-41. SUU has many more scholarships than UND as well................. So, using the same school of thought, UND should be ranked #1 in the FCS polls today. Want to know why? Montana 37 SUU 17 UND 37 SUU 10 Can't we all just get along? Here are some logical statements based on fact: UND is undefeated and ranked #2 in the country NDSU is undefeated and ranked #2 in the country There is some good football being played in North Dakota on Saturdays this fall. Let's enjoy it.

Katie Houdek from Grafton has given a verbal to UND. She still has two years of high school left. Sioux land commitment

Offensively, they run a 50-50 run-pass offense. The passing portion is a vertical-style game and in no way resembles the West Coast offense. Lots of post patterns, flag routes, and quick outs. The strength of the offense is the O-line which is equally adept at pass protection and run blocking. They open big holes for a shifty and fast RB who reacts to defenders and makes amazing cuts. Defensively, UND runs the 3-4 and is geared to stopping the run, and neutralizing the short passing game. They have fast athletic linebackers that are more suited to run containment and pass defense than rushing the QB. The secondary largely plays a man-on-man scheme rather than zone. I won't speculate on who would win if we played this year, but my personal opinons on the two teams are as follows: NDSU has a much better defense than UND. UND has a much better offense than NDSU. UND has better players at every skill-position than NDSU, except punter.

Tickets have all been sold, thanks to everyone for the interest.

Thanks for all the emails and interest so far. I'm going to wait at least until mid-October before I start entertaining offers for individual games. To those that have already emailed me about individual game tickets, if I can't sell the tickets as a complete package, I will contact you in the order in which your email was received regarding the tickets you are interested in. Thanks again!

I have two tickets to the following games for sale: SUN, Oct. 7 vs Manitoba FRI, Nov. 2 vs Colorado College FRI, Nov. 23 vs UM-Duluth FRI, Dec. 7 vs. Minnesota SAT, Dec. 29 vs New Hampshire FRI, Jan. 11 vs Michigan Tech FRI, Jan. 25 vs Alaska-Anchorage FRI, Feb. 15 vs Denver SUN, Feb. 24 vs Bemidji St. FRI, Mar. 7 vs St. Cloud St. FRI, Mar. 14 --WCHA Playoffs, 1st Round Seats are located in the lower bowl: Section 103, Row P, Seats 15 & 16 I'm asking $30 per ticket for individual games, or $600 for the entire 11-game package. If nobody interested in the package, but if someone is interested in the tix for Manitoba, the tickets to the opening game of the WCHA playoffs are included. $60 for all 4. pm or email jci@invisimax.com

Ha, ha! As a farmer, I can honestly say that Fargo sucks!!!

Sounds like they are going to go from 16 teams to 18 teams and have two "play-in" games. FCS playoff expansion nears approval

Money talks. Travel expenses from Valley City are alot less than Omaha. I doubt that St. Cloud will ever play us in anything ever again (except hockey). Now they can officially join in lockstep with UMTC and adopt their nickname policy.

Like I said it will take time. Yes, UND will have DII's and NAIA's still playing in GF for the next few years. Mayville State will certainly be on the schedule in the future whether or not it will be an exhibition, I don't know. As far as getting former NCC teams, that might be a trick because they're now going to be playing 20-some conference games, and probably many won't be willing to use up one of their OOC games to travel to a DI school whose decision to leave the NCC caused their old conference to fold. From the "new" NSIC, perhaps Crookston will still play due to proximity and the need for money, and I hope that Mary will continue to come to GF. I'd look for at least 2 DAC schools to remain on the schedule for the next several years, probably more the first year or two (one of which will probably always be Mayville). I doubt you'll see any "big name" schools in GF next season. I'm thinking/hoping that this year's game with Iowa St. is the first installment of probably a 2-for-1 agreement, and we'll see them in GF by the 2009-10 season. The Montana schools are not out of the realm of possibilities, the UND women are hosting MSU this season in the first part of a home-and-home agreement. The biggest possible names I can foresee coming to GF in the next 4 years are Iowa St. and Northern Iowa. Reasonable travel for both schools to get to North Dakota, and coaches with UND ties leading both programs. But who knows what other ties Coach Jones has from his DI experience. I think that is a big reason he was hired.

I agree. I was thinking in terms of if we would have moved up at the same time as the xDSU's, and certain Big 10 schools did not have their idiotic policies, I think that UW and UMTC would have jumped at the chance to bring in UND for basketball and football games due to the history we already have with those schools. I'm alot more concerned about basketball scheduling than I am about football scheduling, due to the shear number of games needed.

NDSU's arena is horrible and that is part of their somewhat low attendance, although I think they did draw better than UND this year. The main reason for any attendance woes for any transitioning school, is the teams they're playing against. There has only been a handful of exciting games in Fargo since their move up. I'd expect interest to get better for them starting this season when they have a full slate of conference foes for their fans to familiarize themselves with. UND will undergo these same problems over the next few years until we get in a conference. It could be worse even, if coach Jone's doesn't turn our team around and start winning this year (which I expect he will). NDSU has supposedly been raising money to remodel the BSA, and the Mayor of Fargo is trying to build them a brand new arena connected to the Fargodome. Either would give a boost to attendance of course, as is normally the case when a new and modern venue opens up. You should make a trip up the the Betty for a basketball game. It is a great place to watch a game with an awesome atmosphere.

Remember, this is NDSU's (transiton year 4) first year with an exclusive DI schedule. Up until this year, NDSU has had at least one DII on the schedule since the transition, and they've all drawn well. I'm amused that UND's expansion talks when referred to Bison fans has approached the 35,000 seat area. It shows that you think highly of our program. In reallity, I agree that if it would be feasible to expand the Alerus to ~15,000, that would be ideal. If UND could draw 15,000 per game, I think that would be a monumentarl success, and also not out of the realm of possiblities. If the Alerus cannot accomadate those numbers, I'm not adverse to the idea of 15,000-20,000 seat outdoor stadium, that could be expandable in the distant future if warranted. You're right, I think that 15k is a magic number. Not many I-AA's play more than one I-A team per year, and NDSU won't after they are eligible for the playoffs either. This is an area in which our nickname-controversy will hurt us, unless certain schools reconsider their stance. If a Gopher-Bison "bodybag" game draws 60,000, then I feel a Gopher-Sioux game would easily draw 70,000 just due to significantly more familiarity with the opponent. Same goes for Wisconsin. Don't worry about us, we'll be just fine.

UND will not/does not pay conference foes to come to Grand Forks (i.e. current NCC teams or future GWFC teams). I don't believe that SUU paid UND to come this year, as it was the first part of a home-and-home agreement and SUU will come to the Alerus next season. This agreement was in place before UND joined the Great West. IIRC, last year, UND got $50,000 for going to Northern Iowa. I think that UND typically has paid non-conference foes ~$20,000-30,000 like Humboldt St., Mesa St. etc. The other option is to make home-and-home agreements in which UND would play an opponent at their place one year, and the opponent would come to GF the next year or vice-versa. There is usually no "guarantee" money exchanging hands in this type of agreement. It is very unlikely that a I-A team would come to GF. We are just talking about the future. NDSU and SDSU saw about a 25% increase in attendance in their first DI season. If the same trend holds true for UND, the Alerus could be at or near capacity in our first DI season. NDSU is currently enjoying a 41% increase in attendance from their last year in DII. If UND sees demand anywhere close to that, their could be waiting lists, ticket price hikes, and more Fighting Sioux Club memberships (just like hockey) which could all point to the need for a larger stadium in the future.

Well, let's just assume that a Griz ticket costs $20. They sell every game out so that's $460,000 in ticket revenue, plus consessions and things like that. Take away $50-60,000 or so to pay the opponent for coming. I'll bet that Montana makes ~$400,000 or more for every home game. Like NDSUgrad said, Montana is a unique situation. Once the transition is over, and hopefully we have more members in our conference, I wouldn't mind playing one DII game a year, as long as it is either a Top 10-15 ranked school, or a regional opponent that may be of interest to our fans. It's going to be a balancing act.

Are you aware of the fact that so far this season, UND's opponents have just as many DI wins as NDSU's opponents? Just like, last year, your favorite squad's schedule is shaping up to be a flop.

They're a college team from Manitoba.

Since we are joining a 5 team conference and they are joining a 5 team conference, I wouldn't be surprised if we see one of the two on our schedule for the next few years. Neither one of them have been bashful about playing FCS opponents in the past.

I can't believe he can't even get 10 yards per carry!

Just like UND, Western Washington is undefeated against the Great West Football conference, which as nearly all Bison fans like to point out, is without question the toughest conference in the FCS.

Butt-warmers would definately be the way to go.

I agree with those sentiments. IIRC, three of the four finalists were Buning, Bollinger, and the guy from Gustavus Adophus. I can't remember the fourth. But of the four, Buning was known as a fundraiser, and had experience with DI in general, and DI hockey in particular. That's why I liked the hire. It will be hard to find an A.D. that can be both "a man of the people/coaches" (RT, Gino Gasparini), and a "numbers cruncher" (Buning, Wanless).

I guess Gene Taylor dispelled that myth when asked about it by Mike McFeely

NCAA considers moving up to 24 teams