siouxfan512

Back to UND FOOTBALL!!! Glad the bye week has passed! We all know exactly what UND needs to do take make the playoffs. Win! It’s that simple. Beat UNC and Cal-Poly and you are in the discussion. Unfortunately, there are several other Big Sky teams that have a similar record, and are also in the discussion. So for entertainment purposes, where does UND line up with the other teams. Most of these teams have the potential to end 7-4, so how will it all play out. I’ve put together my own assessment, and it is very speculative, so feel free to make arguments, but I did the best I could. I think it because very evident (as you read below) just how important that FBS win could be, and just how much a D2 win can work against you. Team (Record) (Remaining Schedule) N. Colorado (5-4) (@ UND, vs. Abilene Christian) This one is pretty simple, UND wins and we stay in the playoff picture. N Colorado has the potential to win out and be at 7-4, but I don’t think their strength of schedule puts them in the playoff picture with a D2 win. Ideal: UND wins this week Montana (5-4) (vs. E Washington, @ Montana St) Another team that needs to win out, with two tough games left. E. Washington is beatable, and had several close games prior to losing this last one … but they will put up point. This could be another shootout. As for the Montana St game, this is all the Bobcats have left to play for, and we all know how those rivalry games can play out. Hopefully E. Washington can take care of business this weekend and take the Griz out of the playoff conversation. If the Griz win out and end with a 7-4 record how do they compare to UND? We have the FBS win, but they smoked us. Advantage – Montana Ideal: Montana beats E. Washington but loses to Mt. St. (I would also be happy to see MT lose this weekend, and be out of the playoff picture right away) N Arizona (6-3) (vs Sacramento St, @ Southern Utah) I really do not see N Arizona losing out, though this is a team that lost to UC-Davis, so I guess anything is possible. Though, it will be tough for them to go into Cedar City and beat Southern Utah, as S. Utah is undefeated at home and putting up a lot of offense. For argument sake, let’s assume N Arizona goes 1-1 to end the season 7-4. UND beat Wyoming; N Arizona beat a D2 school – Advantage – North Dakota Ideal: N Arizona loses to Sacramento St, but beats S. Utah Portland St (7-2) (vs S. Utah, @ E. Washington) Portland St. is really a curious situation. They are at 7-2, which is great. They have to play against S. Utah and at E. Washington, which is not great. They have TWO FBS WINS, which is great. They lost to UNC and UND (who could end with the same record) which is not great. After losing to UNC, I really do see Portland St. bouncing back; remember how they bounced back after losing to us? (a 66-7 win @ N Texas). I think Portland State wins, at least, one more and is in the playoffs. If they drop their next two, they are at 7-4. Two FBS wins, but if they are compared to a 7-4 UND team, who has the edge? I would think UND, as we beat them (in Oregon), but 2 FBS wins should count for something. Not sure how this one would get looked at. Ideal: Portland St beats S. Utah and E. Washington (Solidifies our win over Portland St.) E. Washington (6-3) (@ Montana, vs Portland St.) E Washington is another team who needs (at least) one more win. They have had several close games (They beat MT ST, Cal Poly, N Colorado and Weber St by a COMBINED TOTAL of 9 points!; and none of these are dominant teams this year). The Eagles better bring their game these next two weeks, because they could easily drop two and be completely out of the playoffs. Again for the sake of argument, let’s say they go 1-1 to end the season 7-4. They have an FBS loss (Oregon), UND has an FBS win (Wyoming) – Not comparable FBS games, but it is what it is. Other Key Wins: (UND – Portland St & MT St) (EWU – TBD) The Eagles key wins/losses will be these last two weeks). It would also be important to note, if both team are 7-4, UND would have a 3 game win streak, while EWU would have a 3 game losing streak. If both teams are 7-4, I have to give UND the edge with the FBS win and winning at the end of the season, though this is a pretty close one if both teams are 7-4 Ideal: EWU loses to MT and Portland St. S. Utah (7-2) (@ Portland St, vs N. Arizona) S. Utah has not lost since week 2 at SDSU, but they have also not played the toughest schedule (until now). 1 win and they are in for sure. 0 wins, and they are right in that 7-4 mix. Again, if this team ends at 7-4, I give UND an edge over them. FBS win vs a D2 win. Ideal: S. Utah Loses to Portland St and N. Arizona.

I'm interested to see how close this is. I think a lot of the Nodaks crowd, will move to Roughriders.

Are we really going to go over this again?!?!?!?! Yes, people are justified in North Dakota being eliminated. Not because of the fact that it was eliminated, but because of the timing of when it was eliminated. This option (given its popularity) should have either been eliminated on day one, or left as an option throughout the process. You don't dangle the carrot out there, then take it away at the end. If people on this message board can understand the ramifications of eliminating a very popular option, and how it would tick of stake holder, then member of this "committee" should have certainly had that understanding. On the first day of nickname discussions, this should have been an agenda item: So team, North Dakota/No Nickname is going to be a very popular option, though certainly controversial ..... How should we approach it. - We allow the fans/students/alumni what they want to keep up moral, maintain school and program interest, and minimize offending our stakeholders.- We squash this option right away, and announce that it is just not feasible. No Nickname would be a hardship on the school from a sales, marketing/branding, advertising perspective.Pick either #1 or #2, then stick with it. Removing North Dakota/No Nickname WHEN THEY DID, was just the beginning of a sting of inconsistencies that have everyone believing that this entire process was a joke. I've heard a little to much defending of this committee that they did their job in eliminating North Dakota. Maybe they did, but with a horrible approach. Undoubtedly, this committee DID NOT do their job, or even abide by their own guidelines. Had they done so, Fighting Hawks would not have even made the initial cut, as there is nothing unique about it. Bottom Line: People are completely justified to be upset with the President, the committee, the process, the final nickname. None of this was handled well from day one. I will give credit where credit it due. When the voting initially started, they seemed to do that well. It was restricted to the most vested of stakeholders (ticket holders, students, alumni, etc.), but then they managed to even screw that up, but changing the voting process halfway through (and that was to include my personal choice). This entire thing has be a debacle.

I don't think I'll be able to completely make myself forget about those two horrible losses, because UND was such a surprise going into that Idaho St. game. Nevertheless, this team has shown a ton of improvement. Closing this season out the right way would just reinforce the improvements we have seen so far, and would show that not only has our skill improved, but that our team is developing a winning mentality. Ask the Bison player and fans about it, they have developed the kind of winning mentality that winning programs need. This has been a really fun season for UND football, and I can't believe there is only to weeks left in the regular season. Playoffs Baby! Lets do it!

well said

I was a big time Nodak supporter, going back quite a while, and I'll now be moving to roughriders. Not happy about it, but it has become even more of a less of two evils for me. It is what it is.

Kind of a terrible name for a podcast

Well I took a little bit of crap from some people after I posted this saying, UND just needs to win (which we do), It doesn't matter what other teams do (which it does). The hope for this weekend was to clear up the playoff picture a bit, but instead the waters are even muddier. All of a sudden, N Colorado has new life, and an outside shot at the playoffs. Basically and help UND could have gotten this weekend, they didn't. S Utah, Portland St are both in. Barring a terrible two weeks E Washington will be in (though they have had several close wins and they still need to go TO Montana and host Portland St)N Arizona will likely win one more (Sac State next weekend, in Flagstaff)Montana has new life (E Washington-in Missoula, Mt State - in Bozeman remaining)North Dakota and Northern Colorado determine something next weekend. 1 will be out of the playoff run for sure, the other's fate will come down to the final weekend with UND closing the season @ Cal Poly and N Colorado closing out the season against Abilene Christian.UND needs to put the foot on the gas because the playoffs start right now.

Where is gfhockey? I fully expected him on here saying tippett would have won that one, or Blais would have had the boys ready to play .... blah blah blah natty

That last goal is on the defense. Can't let a guy cruise down the slot untouched.

I almost guarantee someone said that out of pure (poor) speculation, and it somehow transpired among bison fans (I married into some bison fans too) into a general undisputable fact.

nevermind

Anyone having sound issues with the webcast?

hopefully he gets in a post game argument with eaves. Then eades shows up and squirts eaves with a waterbottle, meanwhile Rylan Kaip will show up and start a fight. And the student will litter the rink with dead badgers.

Pretty much, he'd rather try to beat the breezers off his own kid every year.

The students better not disappoint when MN finally comes back to the Ralph. I expect plenty of gophers on the ice.

Particularly in hockey. Whenever the team struggles and they interview a player, they always say, "We need to get back to playing Fighting Sioux hockey". While it completely sucks that we were forced into retiring the nickname for the school, it particularly sucks for hockey. Mainly because that is the sport that had garnered the most national attention when it came to recognition of that nickname and logo.

Haha, nice. I know there are people that absolutely hate some of that stuff, but you gotta love some of those old school traditions. Unfortunately, half of that gets missed when you watch on tv.

Look at you, getting the blog posted on the main siouxsports page. I assume that is new, as I haven't seen it before. Nice work.

It'll be interesting to see if someone can get one in. I remember when I was in college in the mid 2000's and some guys snuck one in. If my memory is right, it was a Halloween night game, and they snuck it in inside one of their costumes. I remember it lying right in front of the Wisconsin players as they were lined up for the anthem.

Any word from the recruiting trail? Who they are visiting?

There is still time for Fabbro to change his mind jk

any chance it was a thumbs up or a friendly wave?

Agreed, I don't think we are talking incredibly expensive upgrades. Addressing the natural light issues would be nice too, especially on the concourses, though that would be more expensive. I can also acknowledge that a lot of the improvements needed for a solid game day experience stem from winning. Win and the fans will come, Win and the tailgating will improve. Look at what NDSU tailgating has become over the past 4 years. It comes from winning, and it really is amazing to see how their game day has exploded. There are so many Buses and RVs and tailgate setups down there. I was there a few weeks ago, and it was a blast (especially because South Dakota won, hahaha) but seriously, you can hate their program and their team, but serious respect to what they have turned that game day experience into.

Have you considered applying to manage the Alerus Center? You just put more though into your reply, than the Alerus has put into a game day improvements over the last 15 years.