Herd

Going FBS, can you even define what going FBS is at this point? I would say that going FBS would be moving to 85 scholarships to join the current G5. But let's be honest, there is no way in hell that the BSC has the resources to do that. So MACtion is right, you throw around the term FBS. But what you really mean is you hope the G5 gets kicked out of the FBS and stumbles down to your level. Please don't insult my intelligence by calling that FBS.

Ya, and that whole DI thing, that will never work either! Nice take, welcome to the 21st century.

I would say that NDSU's sports offerings have been streamlined for DI, while some of UND's offerings are legacy DII sports that are along for the ride. NDSU has been planning and preparing for this day, and UND was probably hoping NDSU didn't go down this road. Will UND maintain its hockey first approach, and turn its eye west to do what other Big Sky programs are doing and not worry about NDSU? Or is UND willing to cull some sports and roll up its sleeve for FCOA? Get your popcorn ready.

Sorry, NDSU has had a boatload of meaningful games. I can understand why UND is excited about this game, they have had few meaningful games. Let's be honest here. With the next game 4 years later, let's calm down and keep things in perspective. Its an OOC game that NDSU needs to win to stay on course for the playoffs, with UND needing to win to get some respect in the state. The rivalry ain't what it used to be.

Certainly better than, were heading to the Big X, go find your own conference. Having a major conference affiliation is certainly better than losing one.

I don't think that Wyo, Air Force, NDSU, SDSU will have problems getting regular duels with the Big XII Wresting programs, especially if you are top 25. It might be harder for UVU than the others.

NDSU will have top notch facilities and will wear the Big XII patch. Regular home duels with Iowa State, OU and Okie State will be awesome for the fans. Another step forward for NDSU's athletic profile which is steadily growing year by year.

So Iowa State and Kansas are dropping to Tier 2? Many in the P5 can't afford to add scholarships, the P5 is more than just Alabama, LSU, Ohio State and USC. If anything, they might be able to add 5 to 90, if conference tv money is available to pay the bill.

An FBS schedule? . . . you need to be more specific. They play their conf, 1-2 vs. other G5's, 1 game vs. FCS and 1 or 2 games vs. P5 teams. Most FCS play their conf, 2 FCS and 1 game vs. G5/P5. Not a huge difference really, depending on the conf strength.

All we can do at this point is speculate, but it would likely take a minimum number of scholarships to be able to play games vs. the P5 teams, and it will be higher than 63 I would think in the future. If it's higher than 63, most of the FCS isn't going there, period. I would agree with you that some number below 85 and above 63 will be the minimum scholarship number for an adjusted Tier 2 in college football and some FCS teams will try to get to this level with some FBS teams reducing down to try to better afford college football. 74 is as good of a guess as any. I would guess that 70 or 75 will be the minimum.

MVFC compares quite well, the others have some work to so. CONFERENCE CENTRAL MEAN SIMPLE AVERAGE TEAMS WIN50% 1 SEC-WEST (A) = 88.75 88.95 ( 1) 7 88.88 ( 1) 2 PAC-12(SOUTH) (A) = 80.09 78.64 ( 3) 6 79.31 ( 3) 3 SEC-EAST (A) = 79.55 78.78 ( 2) 7 79.35 ( 2) 4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.22 76.60 ( 5) 10 76.32 ( 5) 5 BIG TEN-EAST (A) = 76.14 78.09 ( 4) 7 78.49 ( 4) 6 ACC-ATLANTIC (A) = 74.80 74.13 ( 8) 7 74.60 ( 7) 7 PAC-12(NORTH) (A) = 74.79 76.14 ( 6) 6 75.27 ( 6) 8 ACC-COASTAL (A) = 74.35 74.78 ( 7) 7 74.54 ( 8) 9 BIG TEN-WEST (A) = 73.09 73.11 ( 9) 7 73.10 ( 9) 10 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 68.49 67.79 ( 10) 4 68.43 ( 10) 11 MWC-MOUNTAIN (A) = 66.80 66.41 ( 11) 6 66.64 ( 11) 12 MISSOURI VALLEY (AA)= 64.12 64.35 ( 12) 10 64.34 ( 12) 13 CONFERENCE USA-EAST (A) = 62.30 63.41 ( 13) 7 62.73 ( 13) 14 MAC-WEST (A) = 61.61 59.95 ( 16) 6 61.09 ( 14) 15 AMERICAN ATHLETIC (A) = 60.88 59.97 ( 15) 11 60.47 ( 16) 16 CONFERENCE USA-WEST (A) = 60.15 61.40 ( 14) 6 60.84 ( 15) 17 MWC-WEST (A) = 57.52 57.13 ( 17) 6 57.24 ( 17) 18 SUN BELT (A) = 55.95 55.78 ( 18) 11 55.89 ( 18) 19 MAC-EAST (A) = 53.09 52.90 ( 19) 7 52.91 ( 19) 20 BIG SOUTH (AA)= 52.56 52.56 ( 20) 6 52.57 ( 20) 21 SOUTHERN (AA)= 50.54 50.59 ( 21) 8 50.53 ( 21) 22 COLONIAL (AA)= 48.11 48.00 ( 22) 12 48.09 ( 22) 23 SOUTHLAND (AA)= 47.11 44.58 ( 27) 11 47.30 ( 23) 24 BIG SKY (AA)= 46.47 47.18 ( 23) 13 46.90 ( 24) 25 OHIO VALLEY (AA)= 45.52 45.25 ( 24) 9 45.52 ( 25) 26 I-AA INDEPENDENTS (AA)= 44.63 44.63 ( 26) 1 44.63 ( 27) 27 PATRIOT (AA)= 44.45 44.97 ( 25) 7 44.67 ( 26) 28 NORTHEAST (AA)= 42.68 41.12 ( 28) 7 42.21 ( 28) 29 IVY LEAGUE (AA)= 39.84 39.55 ( 29) 8 39.84 ( 29) 30 MID-EASTERN (AA)= 36.13 35.33 ( 30) 11 35.99 ( 30) 31 SWAC-WEST (AA)= 32.11 31.32 ( 32) 5 31.55 ( 32) 32 SWAC-EAST (AA)= 31.59 32.23 ( 31) 5 31.78 ( 31) 33 PIONEER (AA)= 24.27 24.76 ( 33) 11 24.55 ( 33)

The lower G5 and FCS will not be joining any time soon unless a unified scholarship level is set. What Fullerton doesn't understand is that the BSC is in big trouble if they have to increase scholarships, most of them can't. A move to even 70 would be painful for most if not all. You won't be joining the G5 at 63 Doug.

The thing that Fullerton is talking about here is not FBS, it's a defined tier 2 that is something other than FBS, and something other than the top scholarship tier and the top championship. Don't kid yourself. If you think this makes you right or smarter than everyone else, don't, your not. If you went to 85 scholarships tomorrow and your championship was the the one that Ohio State won last year, you would be going FBS. That is not what Fullofhimself is talking about here.

If NDSU went to the Sunbelt, they would win it, and pretty soon the Sunbelt would start looking pretty good to gFU. Does that scenario sound familiar.

Yes, please don't make light of events in Grand Forks . . . That's what the Fargo thread is for, where making light of deadly events is fair game.

Your data lives in the past. It's 2015 and this is DI FCS football.

That is relatively meaningless data. I don't think they are cutting scholarships to the bone anytime soon.

No, I'm not on board with whole conferences being allowed to move up, that's a silly notion. I was just noticing your contradictory opinion in this post.

Why would the MAC need to take them . . . all they have to do is move their entire conference to FBS!

Are they reducing scholarships again Darrell? Huh, no one told me!

You do realize that after this game, they play again 4 years later, right? It's not like the teams are going to be playing every year. If you've been paying attention, there hasn't been a lot of enthusiasm for the other sports who have played in recent years. IMO, the basketball games have been less than enthusiastic. So . . . I don't expect a 4 quarter game on this one in 2015, and the atmosphere might disappoint those of you who are expecting a UNI, SDSU type of barnburner game. We'll see I guess. Bubba and Lennon didn't get it done at SIU and 2014 was losing season, so I don't have much faith that Sweigert is a miracle worker.

The ncaa has given an emphatic NO to FCS conferences requesting to move up in the past, last case was the CAA. So, you can keep starting rumors if you like, but a BSC request to move up would be . . . DENIED, under current rules. Thanks for playing.

Getting into the top 3rd of the Big Sty seems pretty elusive for GFU. Maybe it's the jet lag?

Having hockey will likely cause UND to drop a few of its sports as it tries to be competitive in DI. So why would you suggest NDSU add sports, so NDSU can have more underfunded sports too?

Some people like hockey some don't. Making generalizations about fans bases doesnt really matter, but go ahead if you must. What matters is your ability to fund sports so you can have success in DI. Clearly hockey is a financial drag on the two major national sports, and has no place in ndsu's current model. Adding hockey would be a negative, regardless of your like or dislike of the sport.