Bison_Kent

Here is the UND preview from College Sports Journal. http://www.college-sports-journal.com/2018-college-football-team-previews-north-dakota-fighting-hawks

Here is the College Sporting News Big Sky football preview for 2012. http://www.collegesportingnews.com/content.php?766-2012-Big-Sky-Conference-Preview-Will-A-Growing-Conference-Result-In-More-Playoff-Teams

I don't believe ESPN will allow any over-the-air syndication of their broadcasts any more. This was the case for the football playoff games for NDSU this past fall in the first two rounds. I believe WDAY contacted them about getting the rights to show it live but they said no. ESPN finally gave into the calls of the Montana, Montana State, and NDSU fans to allow for the games to go to the ESPN Gameplan package. Not sure if that is an option for the hockey tournament but I would be highly suprised if ESPN would allow for the games to be broadcast live by anything but their ESPN3 on-line coverage unless it is some short of pay-per-view.

Yes, PFL should get an auto bid. To be honest, the PFL is much better than the NEC, who did get an autobid when the field was converted from 16 to 20. The Big South Conference was the other conference to get an autobid at that time. The PFL and NEC used to have their champions play each other for about 4 years and the PFL champion won 3 of the 4 games. Both conference teams, however, will continue to have tough times against the top FCS teams. But like has been mentioned earlier, the NCAA basketball tournament has #16 seeds that don't have much of a chance against the #1 seeds yet they still get a chance.

The Sioux - Vandal game will be broadcast on Altitude TV (Denver based sports network). I know it is channel 681 if you have the Sports Pack on Direct TV. I think it is also on the Dish Network but don't know the channel as I have Direct TV. Here is a link to the schedule for Altitude showing the game on opening Thursday night. http://altitude.tv/WhatsOn/default.aspx

Here is a review for the Great West for the 2008 season I compiled. http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com...p;tb=1&pb=1

The Bison home schedule in 2003 (first transitional year) had six games--four against DI playoff eligilbe teams (Northwestern State, Cal Poly, Southern Utah, Valpo). The other two were a NAIA and a DII team that came off a playoff season the year before in Carson Newman. NDSU defeated Northwestern State and NSU made the DI playoffs that year. Cal Poly beat NDSU by a field goal in the Fargodome and finished 8-3 yet were not selected to the postseason--due to playing two transistional DI teams. NDSU also had Southern Utah at home (a Bison win) in that first year so NDSU actually had three scholarship fully playoff eligible teams on their home schedule. Valparaiso, although a non-scholarship team, won the Pioneer League title the year before (2003). Remember, the Pioneer League last year had some wins over scholarship teams so they are not like DIII teams in my opinion. Drake beat Illinois State. San Diego beat Northern Colorado. Dayton beat playoff team, Fordham. We will see how UND's home scheduled teams do but I highly doubt any will make the DI playoffs or be on the verge like two teams that NDSU played.

Tell Villanova and Georgetown that they are just I-AA schools. The last I checked both are former Division I basketball champions of the past 25 years and yet they play what is currently called I-AA football. I have seen writers call other schools at the I-AA level for all sports when that is not the case. There is just one Division I level for all sports other than football. Face the facts, all schools at the I-A and I-AA level for football are all Division I for all other sports.

Star2City, I agree that the bitterness should be on the field between the Bison and Sioux. I hope that all three Dakota schools get into the Big Sky. It will enhance that conference unlike any of the previous four expansion schools, which included Sacramento State, Portland State, Cal State-Northridge (no longer in the 'Sky), and the most recent, Northern Colorado. While some of these schools have had good teams, overall, they have been average or below in most sports. I think getting three major state schools would appease the two Montana schools from wanting to leave the conference to the WAC as these three schools would have more in common with them than any of the current schools both from an athletic point of view and also an accademic point of view. While I cheer for the Bison on the field, I am one Bison fan that wants to see the Bison/Sioux rivalry return and hopefully it is as a Big Sky Conference game to end a season in all sports.

This is incorrect. NDSU had few DI schools last year totally either on the road or at home because they counted as a DII team for the DI opponents. This season NDSU will be hosting Idaho, Idaho State, Maine, Denver, and Eastern Michigan and will see such teams as Kansas State the following year after making visits to these schools this year. NDSU will have road contests at Minnesota, Wisconsin, Drake, Montana State, Colorado State, and Wisconsin-Green Bay. I know these schools aren't Kentucky or Duke but these schools are still better opponents than Crookston or Bemidji.

The Gateway is one of I-AA's top conferences. It would be great to get into this conference from either a NDSU or SDSU standpoint. As far as being excited about the Missouri Valley, I would be trilled to be in the MVC. Last year, two schools got into the Field of 65 and should have as many this year, if not more. In most years, it is considered the top Mid-Major conference in the country and I would be excited about it completely. Wichita State, Illinois State, Indiana State, Northern Iowa, Creighton, and the rest have seen great success in the Division I ranks. Indiana State (with Larry Bird) made it to the Final Four in 1979. Wichita State has won three or four College World Series titles. Northern Iowa has been in the NCAA Field of 65 a couple times in the past couple years, as has Creighton. Of course, I for one, would not mind the Mid-Con for NDSU. I know that this is one of the conferences near the bottom of Division I play but it is a good start to get the feet wet in DI play. Plus, NDSU and SDSU would likely see some DI success right away in this conference--as it would in the Big Sky. I still think the Big Sky is not done and that Montana is a long way from moving to DI-A. They still have a big budget defecit to over come and I think they want this balanced before they make any kind of move. Anyway, we shall see. NDSU still has three plus years of its transition and after this time, I know their will be a conference in place.

UND-1, I agree that NDSU should have moved in 1990 but NDSU would not have seen three straight women's basketball titles, a softball title and a couple more wrestling titles in the last decade. NDSU Football, in my opinion, got worse due to scholarship reductions over this time period. I find it sort of ironic that DII is again talking scholarship reductions. That is all we have seen from the division over the past 25 years and every time that it happened NDSU was against it. Twenty-five years ago, DII was just under where I-AA is now in scholarship number. Could this be the reason so many top DII schools are leaving the division? --no it couldn't be. Over the past 25 years, we have seen DII powers Troy (AL) State, Portland State, Delaware, SW Texas State (now just Texas State), Eastern Illinois, Cal Poly, Jacksonville (AL) State, Northern Colorado, UC Davis, and NDSU leave the division. Scholarship redcuction in football played a huge role in these schools leaving the division. I think (didn't do it) if you count the number of DII championship game participants from the start of DII play in 1973, you will see that the majority are now either in I-AA or even in I-A play.

Very good wording UND-1. I think both UND and NDSU fans can agree on this fact. I would eventually like UND and NDSU back in the same conference so we can be roudy in talking about our teams and not have to be this way in talking about conference affiliations and the DI/DII debate. I am not sure all the "eggs are in one basket" like was mentioned earlier. I think attention may be to the Mid Con now. I for one, did expect things not to go smoothly in the transition for DII to DI. All Bison fans knew this was not an easy process to proceed into but we knew that in the long run it would be best for the school to be in Division I. NDSU is just in their second year of a five year process of being a full DI member. UNC is in their third year and now appears to have received their DI conference invite. Maybe NDSU and SDSU will get that invite next year at this time.

The BCS teams are those from the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, and PAC-10. The winners of these conferences are guaranteed a spot in one of the four BSC bowls (the Rose, Sugar, Orange, or Fiesta) All other I-A conferences are non-BSC conferences. These non-BSC conferences include the Mountain West, WAC, Sun Belt, MAC, and Conference USA. However, the new legilation includes that the non-BSC automatic bid conference team is rated in the Top 6 in the BSC rankings that they would get a bowl bid. I hate the BSC. Auburn, Utah, and Boise State are all undefeated and will not get a chance to proove they are the national title winner. All three could finish undefeated along with either Oklahoma or USC. Let's get a playoff system like DII or I-AA.

By the way, I saw a mistake in The Sicatoka longitude and latitude claim anyway. Idaho State is in Pocatello, not Moscow. U of Idaho is in Moscow and that school is now in the WAC.

The Big Sky basketball tournament is hosted by the regular season winner and I don't recall any sponsorship by Coors. It wouldn't make much sense if Eastern Washington is the host like they were last year for the men's tournament. I just don't see the Big Sky presidents wanting a non-football playing member. The Big Sky, while it is a great I-AA football league, is a small Division I conference on the whole so there likely will always be members looking for that next higher step like Sac State and Portland State looking for the next level such as the WAC. The WAC is a step above and could easily find replacements for a team that might leave from the Big Sky, WCC, or Big West. The Big Sky does not have this luxury.

I am not sure why Denver would want to go to the Big Sky after coming from the Sun Belt. The Big Sky has a lesser RPI then the Sun Belt. Denver might just as well stay in the Sun Belt, where every so often a second NCAA basketball team is invited. The Big Sky likely will never have two teams get in the tournament as it hasn't happened in the past 20 years. With multiple invites, a conference will recieve a higher percentage of the revenue from the CBS deal. I would think that Denver would stay put in the Sun Belt or go to the WAC or WCC (should an invite come) long before considering the Big Sky just for that reason alone. And like it was pointed out before, Denver would still need to find homes for roughly half of their other sports in-which the Big Sky does not offer.

The 10/9 rule might come true!! But just not in the Big Sky. The WAC is looking to add another member that does not play football according to the Honolulu paper and WAC Commish Benson. Denver is in the Sun Belt and the WAC just took three western teams from the Sun Belt (Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State). Wouldn't it be in Denver's best interest to look at the WAC instead of the Big Sky? Denver would keep its three western rivals from the Sun Belt and the WAC (a much stronger basketball league) would get the Denver market. The 10/9 arguement holds water for the more basketball power WAC then it does for the Big Sky. I see Denver going here instead of the Big Sky. Here is the Honolulu paper link: http://starbulletin.com/breaking/breaking.php?id=2814

Gonzaga likes where they are in the West Coast Conference. ESPN has a deal with the WCC to show their games and I think it is a better TV deal then the Big Sky has for basketball. Money talks!!!

I don't think Denver will be an option. What happens when one team leaves (such as Sac State or Montana). Now your down to nine total team with eight that play football. I think the Big Sky will be smart an remain an entirely All-Sport conference. The Big Sky is wanting to expand because it thinks teams will be leaving. No teams have yet but it is speculated that several teams in the Big Sky may want to jump to I-A ball. Adding Denver just leaves a hole that can't be easily filled. Northern Colorado, Southern Utah, NDSU, and SDSU are the teams that will be discussed. I am not saying NDSU will be the team picked but I am sure the league will pick schools that play all the Big Sky sports.

Here are the schedules for all the Great West Football Conference members minus NDSU as the schedule has not been totally released yet since one more game is needed. Top 5 I-AA conference in the Gateway Conference member Indiana State was rumored to come to Fargo. But that is highly tenative http://greatwestfootball.ocsn.com/scheds/gwfc-scheds.html I am very happy with the schedule. Valpo and Montana Tech are most likely easy home wins but Northwestern State of Louisiana and Cal-Poly were both rated in the I-AA top 25 last year and should be very tough opponents. It seems that no one mentions from the Sioux clan mentions anything but the Valpo and Montana Tech poor games. However, there are three very good I-AA teams coming to Fargo this fall. The third good home game being Southern Utah for homecoming. If you look at last year's schedules from UC Davis and Northern Colorado, no I-AA opponents (other then them playing each other) were on their schedules. This upcoming year is a lame duck year as NDSU (and SDSU) are considered DII teams in the eyes of I-AA or higher opponents but are considered I-AA against DII or lower opponents. Given that fact, I am very happy with the schedule.

Apparently, the city of Fargo as a whole did care about NDSU in 1990 and again in 1994 to tax themselves to allow the building of the FargoDome and Newman Field to be built on NDSU property.

Well, I was wrong. NDSU is getting a top I-AA to come to Fargo Oct. 30th. Northwestern State of Louisana was a I-AA playoff team in 2001 and 2002 but did finish 6-6 last season. Here is the Forum article: http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=49790

TNT, If you did a little research, NDSU will be considered I-AA in playing DII teams but a DII in playing I-AAs for just 2004. Plus, I will agree that NDSU beating Montana last year has some of the tougher I-AA teams a little scared in playing the Bison. Since NDSU would still count as a DII team to this schools, a loss would hurt their chances at a I-AA playoff spot. In 2005, NDSU will be considered I-AA for all competition they play and scheduling home games will be much easier even if NDSU remains as an independent. Also, a little research shows that two schools that moved up last year had similar tough scheduling problems. Both UC-Davis and Northern Colorado had no home I-AA competition games at home. They had all DII teams as home games. The fact that NDSU has a I-AA game at home is an accomplishment that these two schools could not do. NDSU has Cal-Poly in Fargo. I do think the remainder of the NDSU schedule may include one more road game to either Western Illinois or Montana State and the rest against DII teams. As Bison fans, we have to take our lumps this upcoming season, with the rewards coming the following year. In 2005, NDSU will for sure have home games against N. Colorado, UC-Davis, St. Mary's of California, and S. Dakota State.

I can think of two current men's basketball players from ND in the DI ranks. Nick Jacobson for Utah (Fargo Shanley, I believe) Tyler Koenig for Wisconsin-Green Bay (Fargo South)