Bison06

What are you basing this opinion on? Seems like an odd thing to say.

It will all work itself out in the wash. I honestly don't understand the emphasis people are putting on the rankings in week 3? A large portion of people vote in the first half of the season based on the past season as well unfortunately. No doubt UNI is enjoying the good will they built for themselves at the end of last season right now. Ultimately the only time that rankings matter is come playoff time. Is NDSU really the #1 team in the country right now? Who the hell knows we haven't beaten anyone in the FCS worth a damn yet. Nobody has earned their ranking in week 3 or week 4 I guess it would be. There just isn't a large enough sample size to make good decisions so people are voting with last season in mind.

I think UND should be ranked, but 12 seems a bit high at this point IMO. I would say 21-23 sounds right.

What rhetoric? I am speaking in generalities. I too don't think UNI should be ranked in the top 15, top 25 still, but probably not top 15. All I have said is SOS needs to be a consideration when ranking teams and come playoff time. Anything else that you concluded from my posts in simply you projecting your own preconceived notions onto them. For the record, I would argue the same thing for any other team who had run the gammut that UNI has these past 3 weeks. Also, let's not do the thing where we pretend that since they are a poor FBS team that it isn't a quality game or a quality win if you pull off the win. As UND fans can attest to, regardless of how "good" an FBS team is, it is quite the accomplishment to win those games.

So strength of schedule doesn't play into a discussion about playoffs, or rankings? It's interesting that to be a playoff counter that they must be a D-I team if strength of schedule doesn't play into the playoff committee's decision. Moral victories don't count, I never said they did. But let's not pretend 1-3 equals 1-3 regardless of who you play in the minds of the poll voters. Also, why so defensive man? I never said anything about UND. Would you be more impressed with a 4-0 UND team who played USF, Drake, SD Mines and PVAM. Or a 2-2 team, with one of those victories against San Diego State?

There is a difference between a fanbase taking pride in a "moral victory" and pollsters taking into account strength of schedule when determining where a team should be ranked.

Agreed, I know polls are based on an entire body of work, but in that same vein, how in the hell can a coach justify putting a 1-2 SHSU above a 3-1 Central Arkansas team that just beat them. I swear some coaches don't even look at who is winning these games. That's crap.

It's not a theory homer, GT has openly stated that is his goal. I am not privy to the information that lead him to stray from that formula in those years. Also, if NDSU ends up 7-4 either of those years and is left out of the playoffs, there will be a lot of second guessing about getting away from the way things are currently done.

They have only played one FCS game and it happened to be against a pretty good team. You are right that they likely won't make the playoffs, but IMO it is because their strength of schedule was ridiculous to try and get the athletic department out of some financial woes. Yet another example that makes the case for having too difficult of a schedule isn't a good thing.

Fair enough, SD Mines was a poor example because they are not a DI counter. But plug in some other DI team of equal talent from the east coast and you will see them on UND's schedule in the near future. My point is that football scheduling is not a contest to see who can have the hardest schedule year in and year out. In fact, in the FCS the team with the hardest schedule rarely makes the playoffs. I realize it was likely done for financial reason, but look at UNI this year. If they don't have the most difficult schedule in FCS it has to be pretty close to it. They might be eliminated from the playoffs after next weekend. How do you think the fanbase is going to respond to that? Scheduling is a balance between challenging games and giving yourself an opportunity to make the postseason and add revenue to the athletic department. Adding another high quality opponent on a consistent basis is not in the cards for NDSU due to the difficulty of the conference schedule.

Again, scared isn't the right word. If it makes you feel better to think NDSU is scared of UND go right ahead. In reality it is prudent scheduling with the ultimate goal of making the playoffs in mind. As I have said many times and it has beaten to death, our conference schedule already has us playing 3-5 ranked teams per year. UND will most likely become a team that is ranked in the top 25 year in and year out. With the strength of schedule we already have in place, why would NDSU add another high quality opponent, whether it is UND or someone else? Every team on the freaking planet schedules this way, hell UND schedules this way. Why do you think South Dakota Mines was on the schedule this year? Its good to have 1-2 easier games to prepare yourself for the difficult conference schedule. Looking at it from the state's perspective and revenue, why would the state want UND and NDSU to meet in the regular season each year with the possiblity of eliminating one or the other from the playoffs? It would be better for the state if both NDSU and UND made the playoffs and were able to both host home games.

You referenced the NCC, but you implied that to use possible playoff implications as a reason to not play the game today doesn't hold water because they used to play every year when playoffs were just as much on the line then as now. What you failed to point out was the major difference between then and now, UND and NDSU were forced to play due to the conference schedule. Thanks for your concern about my reading comprehension.

I am likely younger than some on here based on the names people have presented so someone correct me if this is incorrect. But it seems to me that historically the entrepenuership and business programs have probably served UND more in the capacity you are speaking about than the MD, Law and Aviation programs. I believe your point is fair and accurate though.

Conveniently forgetting that NDSU and UND were in the same conference back then?

We have had this conversation so many times it actually pains me to have it again with you. It doesn't mean NDSU is afraid, but NDSU has an increased chance of losing when playing a higher quality opponent, which UND is. Our conference schedule already provides us with playing 3-5 ranked teams a year. It is difficult enough. When did I say I was done responding to you? We can say whatever we want on message boards, it doesn't change the fact that people who actually get paid to make these decisions have decided that it isn't in their best interest. You all can run numbers and talk motives until you are blue in the face, but when your job is on the line you are forced to make the decision that makes the most sense for you. Obviously GT doesn't think this game benefits NDSU as much as doing things the way he has been for the last few years. There isn't much else to say about it.

Can't realistically win the national championship every year, but it is possible to make the playoffs every year. With NDSU historically having great attendance will likely get a home playoff game every year. It makes sense as a marketing strategy to give yourself the best possible chance to make the playoffs.

How is Portland State better? Because they come from a good conference? So what, they have been a bottom dweller in the Big Sky forever. We could go around on this all day. Bottom line, people in glass houses shouldn't throw bricks, UND is in a glass house when it comes to OOC scheduling. So is NDSU btw.

Haha, who says things like 3 out of the last 7? Did you check who those 7 wins were against in 2011? Two DII teams on the schedule that year. So they didn't "just miss the playoffs". Robert Morris made the playoffs in 2010.

They have a losing record all time and I can't find anything that says they have EVER been to the FCS playoffs. http://en.wikipedia....ikings_football If that doesn't qualify as a cupcake I don't know what does. Edit: Looks like they made the playoffs in the 80's and 90's, but they haven't been relevant in the Big Sky for years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Portland_State_Vikings_head_football_coaches

PSU, that's your ace in the hole? They are a cupcake and everyone knows it. When was the last time they were in the playoffs? If you want to bring up UCA then you have to give NDSU credit for Georgia Southern. Not sure which year, but Montana State also backed out of a home and home with NDSU.

Honestly Darell, please point out which games on these UND schedules are more impressive than the NDSU schedules you have just posted? I feel like you are making my point for me by posting what you just did.

FBS teams don't travel to FCS schools. We are talking about OOC schedules, why does that only include home games? Also, I see that you pointed out which games were replaced by other games on the UND schedule, but you didn't on the NDSU schedule. Why is that?

Why, oh why, are we not counting FBS games? Do they not play into strength of schedule or count as a DI win come playoff time?

What is wrong with that? He was hired to do a job and if he feels it isn't in NDSU best interest to play UND, for whatever reason he decides, that is his prerogative.