Matt

I think think the NDSU athletic dept would agree with you.

Now that they can sell seats in the student sections, they may actually have more buts in seats.

Bison in. With everything else this year it doesn't help recruiting but at least gives optimism that next year can turn around in a hurry.

I would like to be a fly on the wall in the selection committee meeting room (or a hacker on the WebX in todays technology) and hear any arguments for/against NDSU/Montana. Montana has a long p(l)ayoff tradition the NC$$ may not want to turn their backs on. I suppose they could take the $$ for both teams and someone else is out.

Is this really surprising? Those of you picking a close game or a win have to ask yourselves if you are really seeing things clearly. We knew the offense has difficulty scoring and sustaining drives. How long did anyone think the D could hold them off? The disappointing thing to me is I thought they may be able to match up up front. According to the radio, the Jax are pushing them around on the LOS. We all have to stop looking at this football program in they way we want them to be, and evaluate it as it is. A poor team this year. The youth isn't an excuse. Other teams are playing plenty of freshman and sophs and performing. I really hope the Bison lose today and don't make the playoffs, and thank God the Big Sky opportunity came about because I would hate to go into a recruiting season with all this crap.

Considering the state of the home crowds, I'm not optimistic the road following will be impressive.

Something to consider: The Sioux have scored more than 21 points in a win in only 3 games this year vs NE OK; NW St and Lamar. They scored 21 in losses to SUU and Poly. Is the offense better today than it was earlier in the season? If they are to win this game I don't know how the over/under can be more than 40.

Just can't pick this team to win on the road. 24-10 Jacks

Sic-in English please, I don't speak freaky deaky Dutch! Besides, you know how everyone feels about the Dutch.

Word in Fargo is they win they are in. Plus, at least for the first round it is a bid process. I would bet NDSUs bid would be larger than the entire gate plus concessions to get a home game. Consider it a loss leader to ensure more season tix next year.

My bad, I thought he was limping prior to the TD run. I emailed TV today, and he responded that there hasn't been an update on his status yet.

I think Minett tweaked his ankle, he kept playing but he wasn't 100%. I would be surprised if he doesn't play in his final career game, unless an MRI shows much more severe damage this week.

I would anticipate the Jacks' staff will be smart enough to figure out what everyone here seems to have done: stack the box and make the QB flavor of the day beat you with his arm. The question for the Sioux staff this week: how do you get an efficient passing game? We know they are capable of hitting the deep ball, but I don't think that is what will win this game. Let's say they do get 7-10 points off hitting on a couple deep passes. I think it will be the ability to convert on the many 3rd and 6+ situations which are likely to be there on Saturday, with an efficient passing game that will be the difference between winning a tight game, and losing by 3 or more scores.

I don't know about claiming moral victories, but he will tell you about a hundred times in the interview or coaches show "our guys battled". Are we supposed to be happy we don't have to worry about quitting during a game?

While I don't think Mussman should be fired, I am curious as to why you think "he has earned it". I think if he had earned it, the question as to whether or not he should continue as the head coach would be much easier to answer. I think he should keep his job because I think the odds of getting a good quality coach here at this low point in the transition are small. Mussman is part and parcel of digging the hole the program is now in. Let him keep the shovel until they are playoff eligible. At that point, either he turns it around or the job is now more attractive to someone who can. I do not however, agree that Mussman has earned that opportunity. The lack of quality wins is evidence of that.

That's what it took for the Bison to win at home.

Why don't we just call a spade a spade and refer to the Summit/MVFC as what it is...The NCC? I officially move the stated reference for the Summit/MVFC alignment on this site be the NCC. Makes it much easier to type, and represents where both UND and NDSU are today. Moved on

I think you would get answers like this: Bison fans love the MVFC...love it. However, although they like the limited (in comparison to the BSC) travel in the Summit, they would rather have the institutional affiliations of the BSC. Not really all that different than many Sioux fans would see it I would guess.

I would have thought the omission of SUU in his statement made his feelings about as clear as he could reasonably be expected to publicly make them.

...and you really only need one of those. Look at NDSU in transition: no playoffs meant playing for the pride of a conf title only; good home opponents were rare; game dates weren't any different from UND Winning is the differentiator.

I look forward watching Montana on a yearly basis, but lets not inflate the Montana ego any more than it already is. That said, UND has to carry some water before a UM-UND is a game with national interest any more than a usual BSC game.

I would argue the baseline has changed further up the axis. Think of it this way: I wouldn't accept a "self correction" of hockey attendance to the pre Ralph levels, and nor do I for football.

That 2,000 drop from 2008-2010 is what catches my attention. That is a huge dropoff, what about 20%?. It's very difficult to move a season average by that much. If anyone has the time, I'd be interested to see if any of the other sports' avg attendance moved in either direction by that much, even from a historical perspective. Before I even see the data, I am gonna make an educated guess that the football fans in GF are particualarly fickle. Or, maybe it is the Alums in Fargo that just aren't driving up when the team isn't good?

While the point is obviously moot for this season since there are no more home games, it is still worth mentioning: Is there any way to change the camera angle from facing the visitors' bench to facing the home bench? It is nothing short of embarassing to have the camera facing an entire side of the field that is virtually empty. Yes it absolutely is a cheap ploy to cover up the reality of the situation, but seeing the stands that empty gives a bush league quality to the program that serves neither the program, the network, nor the sponsors.

The nice thing about all of this is that we will be able to watch and find out if the coaching staff will follow through with all of this. I think we will see some very public recruiting battles in the region representing not only UND v NDSU, but a choice between BSC v MVFC.