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Whoever the donors are in the silent phase, normally they have very specific designations. One donor may designate entirely to the business school, while a former football player may just want his donation toward another goal. Once the campaign kicks, areas of need that didn't get specific donations would be highlighted. If $184 truly is the number, most of that is likely designated very specifically.

That's likely a very accurate forecast. What Minnesota will to placate the in-state schools is push the DQ cup. Regular season series between UMTC and outstate schools will more likely be on the model of UMTC-MSUM, where Mankato schedules one of it's home games at the Excel. But in the new system, Minnesota and the outstate schools share that Exel revenue. Michigan and Michigan St will probably push for some type of regular season in-state championship along the same lines. But all the changes likely won't happen for three or four years. Penn State probably will play in the CCHA for a couple years - as a number of media contracts would need to expire and Penn State needs to gets it's feet wet before the BTHC can really start.

Roman Augustovicz

If indeed there is real substantive talk of a football stadium, how the city would deal with even greater Alerus losses would be a major political issue. Going back to the last years of Kupchella, there had long been rumors that a group of very wealthy donors really had wanted to make an impact. Sounds like we find out on Homecoming Friday.

Hockey flies commerical, not charter like football.

Wouldn't say everyone is upset, but change of any kind is unsettling. As far as ditching the little guys, you either run with the big dogs or stay on the porch. This would be way down the road, but what if schools like Utah, Iowa State, Washington, Marquette, or even Texas get the idea that they wouldn't mind pulling a Penn State and being in a hockey league of big name dogs like Notre Dame? That never would have been possible with the old setup. Ralph's intention when he gave the arena was to allow UND to run with the big dogs.

Maybe another interpretation is that $184 of a $300 stretch target has been raised.. Let's see: the new Winnipeg Stadium under construction for 33,000 people costs $C105 . For 25,000 people, a similar stadium could be more like $70. A rolling roof concept, like that proposed for the Kaufman / Arrowhead complex might be about half the stadium cost. Throw in a new building for the Business College and assorted scholarships with what's left over.

The two teams that have beaten UND, Drake and Utah State, are both unbeaten. Utah State received a number of votes in this week's Volleyball poll, making it effectively the #28 team in the nation. Penn State lost this weekend for the first time in like two years.

Politically, the Minnesota DII schools will have to stick together, but just can't see UND sticking with them. Even UMD was not an original member of the WCHA, and SCSU, MSU-M and Bemidji are all relatively recent adds. We have much more history with DU and CC than any of them. The worst aspect would be the loss of the Final Five.

Expect Trev Alberts to move Omaha to DI next year. Omaha wants to be a player. With a new western conference of mostly DI schools and Notre Dame, that might be enough for schools like DePaul, Marquette, or Iowa State to consider hockey.

Denver isn't going to be pleased whatsoever with staying in a new WCHA. Same with Notre Dame in the CCHA: Notre Dame has no vested interest in helping Upper Peninsula schools the way Mich and Mich St did. Denver and Notre Dame will join forces and start a new league and could instantly add CC, Omaha, Miami (and Bowling Green and WMU if Notre Dame wanted them.) UND would have to chose between that league and the WCHA. The reverse situation just happened in lacrosse with Notre Dame, when the Big East insisted that all Big East lacrosse schools fall under one banner. Denver, Air Force, and Ohio State had been conference mates with Notre Dame. Lacrosse had been much like hockey in that traditional conference boundaries did not matter: but that entirely changed when the Big East forced the issue on Syracuse and the other five Big East lacrosse teams (Notre Dame, Vilanova, St John's, Providence, Georgetown). There was immediate wholesale shuffling of conferences, with the western lacrosse league folding, and with Denver, Ohio State, and Air Force moving to the ECAC, which is actually a power conference in that sport.

INCH: Penn State to make official DI Hockey announcement this coming Friday (Sept 17)

The NIU board, which is mostly in meltdown, had praise for Landry for avoiding sacks. Agree with comments that Landry needs to step up in the pocket and that the OL isn't providing the needed run blocking support. Their board also agrees that NIU, with new running QB Harnish, was a much better team than they showed vs Iowa State (NIU lost 27-10 to ISU) with a different pass-oriented QB. UND did a good job of stopping NIU's star RB, but could never stop Harnish.

For the past few years, there seem to have been a pause in projects that were rumored to be imminent like a Business School addition or new theater with a downtown campus. With the name change, were a number of projects delayed to provide momentum as a result of the impending name change?

Utah State beat UND 3-0.

Half Time UND: 7 1st downs, 112 net yards NIU: 10 1st downs, 240 net yards The Yahoo stats had to be wrong: now showing NIU with 15 1st downs, 364 total yards

UND beats Montana 3-2. Effectively, the championship game is coming up shortly vs Utah St. Utah St beat Montana 3-1 and Temple 3-1.

Without the turnovers and especially the bone-headed interceptions, the Idaho game would have been more like 31-17. Getting positive in the turnover margin is the key: we would need to be at +2, not -4, for the game to be winnable. We aren't as bad as the Idaho game, but not sure who we are yet. If turnovers are even: NIU 24, UND 13.

Actually, these words do seem to indicate speaking on behalf of others. Just my opinion, of course.

The Next Big Thing in defense: Saban's success sparks renewed interest in 3-4

Actually think that best shot is against Idaho next year when they don't have Enderle. We should be much stronger, deeper, and more experienced then. The San Diego St game is also one that may be very winnable. Not saying that wins in his year's games vs Idaho and N Illinois aren't possible, just that our depth, athleticism, and experience are not yet at those opponents, for this year.

I share your optimism that the defense can be much improved, but I still believe Idaho will score in the 30's or even 40's. Reason #1: Enderle and their WRs. Enderle himself may be worth 3 touchdowns to the Vandals. Idaho was a high octane team last year against the WAC. Even if their OL struggles by allowing a few sacks and QB rushes, Idaho's O will still likely put up points. Reason #2: With the platoon system, UND's defense is still very young and prone to mistakes, especially in the 2nd depth spot. It may take a number of games to gain that experience, so, overall I'm excited about the defense. But I'm also optimistic that UND can really get it's offense going. Landry is supposedly much improved. With a dual back / slot system of Murray and Sutton combined with the no-huddle and a maturing OL, the O may really be capable of moving the ball consistently. Moreover, Idaho's defense isn't that good. If UND can get a WR or two in gear, the points could be flowing. That said, I still have to give Idaho the edge: Vandals 42-38 and hope I'm wrong.

Maybe after that on-ice performance, Joe Pa could finally retire.

With Penn State hockey imminent, with the Big Ten eyeing further expansion and with the Big Ten having no history of adding affiliate schools in select sports, the chances of UND being a part of a BTHC are now very remote. Also, politically, Minnesota and Michigan schools will want to get a BTHC at low membership so they can play in-state schools. That being said, affiliation with Notre Dame post-BTHC will likely require DI affiliation. Paul Tagliabue is working with the Big East to start it's own network, and hockey with a Notre Dame super-league could very well be on their plate. Schools like Western Michigan and Bowling Green - as bad as their hockey facilities are- would probably get a look just from the DI-FBS standpoint. Theoretically, the idea of a Big East hockey conference could open the potential for a number of schools to start hockey: Syracuse, DePaul, Marquette, Pitt and entice Connecticut to start offering men's scholarships. To get started, a "Big East" conference would first need hockey power schools: like UND, Miami, Denver to go with Notre Dame. Granted, a Big East hockey conference is probably way out there in speculation: but a Big East Network is being worked on right now, and, just like the BTN, it will want a wide variety or programming.

The MAC has so many choices - east and west - that Lakes would need to spend the rest of his life in a monastery to ever have a prayer of a chance to see NDSU in the MAC. Now if the WAC is down to just a few teams, Lakes may be on to something. NDSU and UND would never ever have a shot at a WAC with schools like Fresno or Boise still in it.