And to think if we kept the name we wouldn't be hosting a playoff game at the Alerus next month, plus dealing with the mess with Standing Rock. YIKES!!
Also one home game in the next 7 non conference games before conference play starts. Next home game Dec 16 vs NDSU. If they can get a bunch of wins on the road that will be a big confidence boost in the team especially with Jones' track record against non-conference road games.
Last year they played Wisconsin, UNI, and Kansas State all good non-conference teams, got beat twice by 14, and 46 by UNI. This year they play UNI and Iowa.
http://mcfeely.areavoices.com/2016/11/22/und-is-part-of-states-football-landscape-again-bison-fans-like-it-or-not/
McFeely has a good blog post. Funny how the Bison got their way with the USD broadcasting rights. Once they hit their skid and don't win Valley titles (let alone NC titles) their negotiating strength will decrease.
Towards the end they were naming off teams in the other bracket and said North Dakota State without missing a beat and they didn't even catch their error. Hopefully after this year they will remember who we are.
Bubba had the motto#LeaveNoDoubt, well we are in the playoffs, so let's LeaveNoDoubt we belong in the playoffs. Those ESPN guys not only called us North Dakota State, but didn't really talk about much. Let's change that with a big win Dec 3rd.
Maybe cause the level playing field wasn't level. NDSU had more scholarships than UND did. Plus at least in football you got punished come playoff time for playing an FCS team. Of course NDSU didn't care they were playoff eligible until 2008.
Don't forget UND terminated the OOC with SDSU yet the Jacks had better class than NDSU and accepted a home/home with UND in 2010/2012. NDSU were still little pissy pants in Fargo.
So if Montana and Montana State got invited in the MWC and UND didn't. Don't think the Montanas are going to decline the offer because we didn't get in. They will do whatever pleases their interests, just like NDSU and SDSU didn't wait for UND and USD before moving up. They did what's best for them. Schools should look out for themselves first, then worry about their neighbors.