Matt

This is a good win. I know Wayne Nelson throws this in the ring as a possible "signature win of the division 1 era", but I"m not willing to go quite that far, mainly becuase I think a win with that moniker should have a helluvalot more meaning (like the opponent being ranked and having a good season) so my expectations for this program are higher than that, but it's a good win just the same. It does let the griz and their fans know they have more to deal with now than the old guard of the BSC. There are tons of things to pick on, but that analysis is for another thread I think. Good win.

Man, there are so many "coulda beens" if Hanson had a usual UND defense behind him.

That's just odd. I could understand addressing a suspension which was previously announced, or maybe even announcing something like that, but a teaser?

GPI has been revised for some reason http://www.collegesp...wer-Index-(GPI) North Dakota State Holds on to No. 1 in the 10/15/12 Gridiron Power Index (GPI) Published on 10-15-2012 06:07 PM Despite a loss to top 25 Indiana State, the Bison of North Dakota State remain on top of the Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection. The Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association have five teams in the top 25; the Big Sky Conference has four teams; the Southern Conference has three; the Ohio Valley and Southland Conference have two each; the Northeast and Big South Conferences plus the Ivy and Patriot Leagues each have one. (Games through 10/14/12) For conference average rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference extended their lead with the Southern and Big Sky Conferences maintaining at two and three. The Colonial Athletic Association and the Southland Conference are in a virtual tie at fourth and fifth and the Ohio Valley Conference is close behind in sixth. The Final 2012 GPI will be released once all the college football games have been played, in January 2013. The GPI is an exclusive property of College Sporting News, maintained since 2001. The GPI has been used officially by the NCAA since 2008 for selecting specific Division I Football National Championship tournament participants. 10/15/2012 GPI Top 25 Rank School (No. of #1 Ratings) (Rating) 1. N Dakota St (4) (2.14) 2. E Washington (2) (3.43) 3. Ga Southern (5.29) 4. Cal Poly (2) (5.71) 5. Montana St (8.29) 6T. Northern Arizona (1) (11.00) 6T. S Dakota St (11.00) 8. Sam Houston St (11.14) 9. Illinois St (11.86) 10. James Madison (12.00) 11. Appalachian St (12.43) 12. Indiana St (13.71) 13. Harvard (14.00) 14. Wofford (14.29) 15. Youngstown St (14.57) 16. Cent Arkansas (15.14) 17. Stony Brook (16.57) 18. Old Dominion (17.43) 19. Tennessee St (19.57) 20. Villanova (20.14) 21. New Hampshire (21.14) 22. E Kentucky (22.29) 23. Albany (22.86) 24. Towson (23.71) 25. Lehigh (24.43) Conference Ranking: Rank, League, Total Average 1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (23.86) 2. Southern Conference (30.48) 3. Big Sky Conference (32.56) 4. Colonial Athletic Association (38.34) 5. Southland Conference (38.39) 6. Ohio Valley Conference (40.86) 7. Ivy League (55.77) 8. Patriot League (56.55) 9. Big South Conference (64.41) 10. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65.27) 11. Northeast Conference (66.71) 12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (75.71) 13. Pioneer Football League (77.49)

? There's a lot of words to describe what I've seen in these Big Sky games and in the MVFC. Bland isn't one of them.

The hockey relationships have been a big disappointment in leveraging football games all through the transition.

Kicking ass and taking signatures.

Would they take them?

Things become watered down when too much is added to it, not taken away. Low budget NAIA schools moving into D2 caused it to get watered down. They contributed to a voting block which successfully decreased scholarships. To me, this situation revealed where the good coaches were in the NCC. After the reductions, the ac could no longer just out athlete people, they had to scheme...and Joe Glenn and Roger Thomas were just consistently better than Hager.

Gophers do have openings in '17 and '18 http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/future-schedules.html#2017

You're right. I didn't recognize eastern on there. I don't think they would pull the trigger on that. False hope.

Gophers and UND now both have open date on Sept 13 2014. GET THIS DONE. I know there is already an FBS team scheduled as the opener, but a game with MN would be a much needed jumpstart for this fan and alumni base. http://www.gopherspo...dules.html#2014 http://www.startribu...41.html?refer=y http://www.undsports...0&Q_SEASON=2014

Sure. The past two years they've played very well vs FBS competition. I didn't expect that to change vs SDSU this year. As for Sac and Portland? Coming into this season I didn't exactly view them as Montana/Montana State. At Sac and Portland home didn't worry me a lot. Loseable if they didn't play well? Sure. But certainly winnable games. Of course, no one knew then that the defense would be an abomination this year. Yes, the competition is much better. But this defense is HISTORICALLY bad. Bad as in, among the worst defenses in the country, bad. Can't win with that.

http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?826-2012-Gridiron-Power-Index-(GPI)-has-Cal-Poly-as-the-New-No.-1 The Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for the NCAA Division I FCS and a top indicator of at-large playoff selection has unbeaten Cal Poly as the new #1. The Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association have five teams in the top 25; the Big Sky Conference has four teams; the Southland and Southern Conferences have three each; the Ohio Valley Conference has two; the Northeast and Big South Conferences plus the Ivy League each have one. (Games through 10/14/12) For conference average rankings, the Missouri Valley Football Conference extended their lead with the Southern and Big Sky Conferences maintaining at two and three. Also the Southland Conference slipped in front of the Colonial Athletic Association with the Ohio Valley Conference staying close behind. The Final 2012 GPI will be released once all the college football games have been played, in January 2013. The GPI is an exclusive property of College Sporting News, maintained since 2001. The GPI has been used officially by the NCAA since 2008 for selecting specific Division I Football National Championship tournament participants. 10/15/2012 GPI Top 25 Rank School (No. of #1 Ratings) (Rating) 1. Cal Poly (2) (2.29) 2. N Dakota St (4) (2.71) 3. E Washington (2) (3.71) 4. Ga Southern (5.29) 5. Montana St (8.14) 6T. Northern Arizona (1) (8.57) 6T. S Dakota St (8.57) 8. Illinois St (9.71) 9. Harvard (10.43) 10. Appalachian St (11.43) 11. Indiana St (13.29) 12. Youngstown St (13.71) 13. Cent Arkansas (15.43) 14. James Madison (16.29) 15T. Stony Brook (16.86) 15T. Sam Houston St (16.86) 17. Villanova (18.43) 18. Wofford (19.00) 19. Albany (19.43) 20. Old Dominion (19.57) 21. E Kentucky (20.43) 22. Tennessee St (21.14) 23. McNeese St (22.14) 24. Towson (23.57) 25. New Hampshire (24.00) Conference Ranking: Rank, League, Total Average 1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (23.24) 2. Southern Conference (30.89) 3. Big Sky Conference (32.12) 4. Southland Conference (38.64) 5. Colonial Athletic Association (39.08) 6. Ohio Valley Conference (40.83) 7. Ivy League (55.32) 8. Patriot League (57.27) 9. Big South Conference (64.45) 10. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65.27) 11. Northeast Conference (66.33) 12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (75.71) 13. Pioneer Football League (77.49)

Coming off last season's success, with new additions and the talent returning...no argument here.

That may have made them feel better about themselves, but the ac had trouble with lots of NCC teams at that time. Baumann and Heckendorf at St Cloud, Jamie Pass at Mankato, Behrns' Omaha teams, McGuffy and UNCs back to back titles...there was a lot more than UND pushing them out.

FCS Coaches Poll http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/FCS/polls/2012/2012_FCS_Coaches_Poll/index.html Week Seven Poll - October 15, 2012 Team (No. 1 Votes) 2012 Record Points Previous Ranking 1. Eastern Washington (11) 5-1 615 6 2. James Madison (7) 5-1 608 5 3. Georgia Southern (2) 5-1 573 7 4. North Dakota State (4) 5-1 556 1 5. Montana State (1) 6-1 514 2 6. Sam Houston State (1) 4-2 510 8 7. Lehigh 7-0 462 10 8. Old Dominion 5-1 447 3 9. Wofford 5-1 439 4 10. Stony Brook 6-1 422 11 11. Appalachian State 5-2 390 12 12. Cal Poly 6-0 356 14 13. Illinois State 6-1 348 16 14. New Hampshire 5-2 329 13 15. Northern Arizona 5-1 262 18 16. Youngstown State 4-2 252 9 17. Central Arkansas 5-2 237 17 18. Tennessee State 7-0 221 20 19. Towson 3-3 184 19 20. Harvard 5-0 152 21 21. McNeese State 4-2 106 15 T-22. Delaware 4-2 100 22 T-22. Albany 6-1 100 24 24. Eastern Kentucky 5-2 93 23 25. Indiana State 5-2 56 NR Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota State (48), Villanova (25), Sacramento State (12), Alabama A&M (7), Bethune-Cookman (7), UT Martin (7), The Citadel (4), Samford (4), Eastern Illinois (4).

They didn't play anybody. Sorry, that's too easy.

Updated Stats: out of 121 teams Rushing Defense Rank Name Games Carries Net Avg TDs Ydspgm Wins Losses Ties #108 North Dakota 7 286 1601 5.60 12 228.71 3 4 0 Passing Defense Rank Name Games Patt Pcomp Papct Ydscmp Int Intpct Yds Ydsatt TDs Ydspgm CM Wins Losses Ties #69 North Dakota 7 197 122 61.93 12.31 6 3.05 1502 7.62 18 214.57 0 3 4 0 Total Defense Rank Name Games Plays Yds Avg TDs Ydspgm Wins Losses Ties #101 North Dakota 7 483 3103 6.42 32 443.29 3 4 0 Scoring Defense Rank Name Games TDs Kxp Oxp Dkxp Doxp FG Sf Points Ptspgm Wins Losses Ties #95 North Dakota 7 32 28 1 0 0 4 0 234 33.43 3 4 0

Bracketology-http://www.sportsnetwork.com/fcs/FCS_Bracket.pdf

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/misc/tsn-div-1aa-poll.htm The Sports Network FCS Top-25 College Football Poll Team (First-place votes) Record Points Previous Rank 1. Eastern Washington Eagles (92) 5-1 3,982 6 2. James Madison Dukes (42) 5-1 3,831 4 3. Georgia Southern Eagles (9) 5-1 3,621 7 4. North Dakota State Bison (12) 5-1 3,527 1 5. Montana State Bobcats 6-1 3,366 2 6. Sam Houston State Bearkats (2) 4-2 2,949 9 7. Old Dominion Monarchs 5-1 2,684 3 8. Wofford Terriers 5-1 2,674 5 9. Lehigh Mountain Hawks (3) 7-0 2,647 10 10. Stony Brook Seawolves (1) 6-1 2,531 11 11. Illinois State Redbirds 6-1 2,448 14 12. New Hampshire Wildcats 5-2 2,203 12 13. Appalachian State Mountaineers 5-2 2,202 13 14. Cal Poly Mustangs (3) 6-0 2,022 15 15. Youngstown State Penguins 4-2 1,759 8 16. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 5-1 1,659 16 17. Tennessee State Tigers 7-0 1,447 18 18. Towson Tigers 3-3 1,258 17 19. Central Arkansas Bears 5-2 1,132 21 20. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 5-1 994 20 21. Indiana State Sycamores 5-2 962 NR 22. Harvard Crimson (1) 5-0 766 22 23. Eastern Kentucky Colonels 5-2 677 23 24. Villanova Wildcats 5-2 541 NR 25. Delaware Blue Hens 4-2 458 24 Others receiving votes: Albany 332, McNeese State 309, Samford 105, UT Martin 95, Sacramento State 80, The Citadel 79, Northern Iowa 50, Bethune-Cookman 47, Alabama A&M 45, Richmond 43, Georgia State 23, Stephen F. Austin 12, Jacksonville 11, Tennessee Tech 9, Montana 8, SE Louisiana 7, Eastern Illinois 7, Southern Illinois 6, Chattanooga 5, North Carolina Central 3, Jacksonville State 3, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 2, Western Illinois 2, UC Davis 1, Drake 1

There was a time when we were all a little more accustomed to this kind of schedule. Look back to the 90s and there would be a run of Omaha, St Cloud/Mankato (whichever was good at the time), UNC, and the ac. That was at a time when only 2 teams were likely to make the playoffs due to regionalization.

I wasn't accusing you of that, if you read my post. You are absolutely correct in that NAU is not as good without Bauman as with him. But we can make that claim with every team with a playmaker like Bauman! Unless you hope he doesn't show up, or try to knock him out (the sarcasm with the Saints route), as a team your playmakers have to match theirs. Or, I'll just throw it to you-Montana is not as good without Mckinney or Nguyen. What do you do with that information since they are scheduled to play this week?

Whatever their (the ac and bunnies) reasons were, is anyone prepared to argue they made the wrong choice? I can't help but wonder if this program wouldn't be better off today had they made the decision then, rather than wait.

I didn't claim it was hypothetical...I questioned the relevance. We all understand that, without your team's best player, yes, you probably have a very good chance of looking good by comparison and an increased chance of winning the game. What exactly do you do with that as a coach, player, or fan? Hope your opponents don't show up with their best line up? Go the Saints route and get a bounty system in place? If your program can't win against your opponents' starting line up, you just have to get better yourself. That this is even in our thought process shows that we are either still talent poor in very key areas or are getting out schemed or both . Didn't mean to jump down your throat, frustration is setting in. Sorry.