Future Schedules

[dlsiouxfan]

Well this is certainly disappointing. With this schedule we should finish 7-4 or 8-3 at a minimum and we should probably go 5-1 at home. If any of the games against lower division teams are even close then Mussman had better have his resume handy.

[dmksioux]

Wow...that's going to be a tough schedule to sell to the average fan. I don't see any way to put a positive spin on this schedule. I'm not so sure our attendance will be as good as some are thinking. Yes we generally draw well on Potato Bowl, but our team could easily be 1-2 or even 0-3 going into that game. If our play on the field is any near as poor as it was this year, that Sioux Falls game may turn into a home field advantage for Sioux Falls. If they are going to bring in sub FCS teams, they should have at least tried to bring in some quality/regional DII 's such as Duluth or even Grand Valley. Perhaps Faison did and was unable to make it work. Enough of the negative nelly comments...

I do look forward to the Poly and USD game as well as the UNC game on the road. UNC typically finishes towards the bottom of the Big Sky so this game will perhaps give us a glimpse of where we may stack up heading into the first year of play in the Big Sky.

[darell1976]

Well this is certainly disappointing. With this schedule we should finish 7-4 or 8-3 at a minimum and we should probably go 5-1 at home. If any of the games against lower division teams are even close then Mussman had better have his resume handy.

Or if we lose like we did to Sioux Falls...Mussman and his staff better be gone in 2012. How are we to play against FCS teams, and conference play in the Big Sky if we are playing D2 or NAIA teams. This proves Faison is very lazy.

[mksioux]

Actually, I don't really like the Northern Colorado game either. I don't like UND being on the receiving end of a guarantee game from an FCS school. Or if the game was originally scheduled as a home and home before UND was admitted into the Big Sky, then UNC is getting a free game out of UND (like Montana did this year).

[mksioux]

Extremely tough to find three television games on this schedule. Cal Poly and South Dakota are a given. They usually televise the Homecoming game, but it would probably do more harm than good to televise a game against Montana Western. There's no chance Black Hills State game ends up being televised. Sioux Falls has a chance to actually win the game, so I don't think you want that one on TV again. I don't ever recall a Thursday night game being televised, but I personally hope they choose Drake as the third game.

[UND92,96]

I recall last off-season when it sounded like UND would have a 10-game schedule (before the SDSU game was added late), Mussman sounded comfortable with it. It would seem Faison doesn't feel the same way, as IMO a 10-game schedule with one fewer NAIA/transitional dII opponent would have been preferable to playing three of those opponents as part of an 11-game schedule. And maybe you get lucky and add a good home-and-home at the last minute like what happened last year.

[The Sicatoka]

Thank God for the Big Sky. One more year.

.

[bincitysioux]

Ya that was my thinking too at least the USD game should be a sell out.. I hope

My guess is that Cal Poly and USD will have the worst turnout of all the games. I believe the Poly game falls on the deer hunting opener, and hunting is still going on when the USD game will be played. Also, hockey is in full swing by November, and to a good number of fans, once hockey season starts football season is effectively over.

[MoSiouxFan]

My guess is that Cal Poly and USD will have the worst turnout of all the games. I believe the Poly game falls on the deer hunting opener, and hunting is still going on when the USD game will be played. Also, hockey is in full swing by November, and to a good number of fans, once hockey season starts football season is effectively over.

Not for some of us. I try to schedule a trip to Grand Forks on a weekend in Oct. or Nov. when there's both hockey and football home games.

[GeauxSioux]

Not for some of us. I try to schedule a trip to Grand Forks on a weekend in Oct. or Nov. when there's both hockey and football home games.

That's what I did last month. I got to go to Boosters on Friday afternoon, a WBB game on Friday night, hockey on Friday and Saturday nights, tailgating and football on Saturday.

Doesn't get much better that that.

[Ole in MSP]

A lot of schools have not released their football schedule for next year. I wouldn't be surprised if a majority of the FCS schools have not released the schedule for next year. I'm sure that the AD has his reasons. He seems to have a decent idea on how to do his job, so he probably knows when he should release the schedule. The rumor is that he has a complete schedule done (he has announced that himself), but is trying to upgrade games. Maybe he is trying to replace an NAIA team with a Big Sky opponent. Would you rather that he give up trying to get a better schedule just so that you can find out right now who they are playing next year? Most people are done with football whenever their favorite team gets done. The rest follow the playoffs and don't worry about next year until after the playoffs get done. Announcing a football schedule right now does little or nothing for the program. Announcing a schedule right now does not bring a great deal of attention back to the program. Actually, announcing after the holiday season would get more attention. Relax and the answer will be released in all due time.

Well, I am sure glad we waited, aren't you? I can hardly wait to spend $500 going to GF to watch BH State, SFU, or Montana Western. Thank God I am retired so I do not have to go into the office on Monday and hear "boy UND sure had a tough game this weekend". I know, I know, this is the transition. Just gotta hope things get better. Unfortunately I am not getting any younger so waiting is very painful.

[vlarson]

Well, I am sure glad we waited, aren't you? I can hardly wait to spend $500 going to GF to watch BH State, SFU, or Montana Western. Thank God I am retired so I do not have to go into the office on Monday and hear "boy UND sure had a tough game this weekend". I know, I know, this is the transition. Just gotta hope things get better. Unfortunately I am not getting any younger so waiting is very painful.

Very, very disappointing. If we are going to play NAIA or just out of NAIA, why don't we just go back to playing Crookston or Mary? Then, again I'm not sure we can win all three against Sioux Falls, Black Hills and Montana Western.

[dlsiouxfan]

Wow...that's going to be a tough schedule to sell to the average fan. I don't see any way to put a positive spin on this schedule. I'm not so sure our attendance will be as good as some are thinking. Yes we generally draw well on Potato Bowl, but our team could easily be 1-2 or even 0-3 going into that game. If our play on the field is any near as poor as it was this year, that Sioux Falls game may turn into a home field advantage for Sioux Falls. If they are going to bring in sub FCS teams, they should have at least tried to bring in some quality/regional DII 's such as Duluth or even Grand Valley. Perhaps Faison did and was unable to make it work. Enough of the negative nelly comments...

I do look forward to the Poly and USD game as well as the UNC game on the road. UNC typically finishes towards the bottom of the Big Sky so this game will perhaps give us a glimpse of where we may stack up heading into the first year of play in the Big Sky.

A loss to Drake would also be inexcusable. They fund exactly zero scholarships. That should be another blowout just like the NAIA games.

[vlarson]

A loss to Drake would also be inexcusable. They fund exactly zero scholarships. That should be another blowout just like the NAIA games.

For comparison,

NDSU/UND Transition Years - Lower Div. Opponents

Year One

'04 NDSU Montana Tech, Carson Newman

'08 UND TAM Kingsville, St. Cloud St., Wis. LaCrosse

Year Two

'05 NDSU Arkansas Monticello

'09 UND Sioux Falls, So. Oregon

Year Three

'06 NDSU Concordia St.P.

'10 UND NE State-OK

Year Four

'07 NDSU All D-1

'11 UND Sioux Falls, BH State, Montana Western

Year Five, Six, Seven

'08,09,10 NDSU All D-1

[darell1976]

For comparison,

NDSU/UND Transition Years - Lower Div. Opponents

Year One

'04 NDSU Montana Tech, Carson Newman

'08 UND TAM Kingsville, St. Cloud St., Wis. LaCrosse

Year Two

'05 NDSU Arkansas Monticello

'09 UND Sioux Falls, So. Oregon

Year Three

'06 NDSU Concordia St.P.

'10 UND NE State-OK

Year Four

'07 NDSU All D-1

'11 UND Sioux Falls, BH State, Montana Western

Year Five, Six, Seven

'08,09,10 NDSU All D-1

UND has better duplicate this. In 2012 and beyond there better not be any NAIA or D2 teams.

[BostonSiouxFan]

This is an embarrassing schedule. As far as I'm concerned, Cal Poly and USD are the only games worth driving from Fargo to watch. I don't expect multiple FBS opponents, but I find it hard to believe that this is the best competition UND could line up. Anything less than 7-8 wins MUST get Mussman fired. Drake is a non-scholarship program, and Black Hills State, Montana Western and Sioux Falls absolutely must be wins. Throw in a bad Northern Colorado team, and a .500 conference record (hardly a given I know) gives you seven wins. I for one think the current staff should already be gone, because if another poor season necessitates their dismissal, you enter the first Big Sky season with a new staff. I know hockey is and will always be king at UND, but I wish football didn't feel like such an afterthought (to say nothing of basketball).

[dmksioux]

A loss to Drake would also be inexcusable. They fund exactly zero scholarships. That should be another blowout just like the NAIA games.

I agree...but we really don't know what we have at qb going in to next year and it is the first game of the season. I also felt we should have handled Sioux Falls and Southern Oregon. With the way the past two seasons have gone, I will take nothing for granted with the football team until they start to prove otherwise. I really do want to see UND do well with football, it's the sport I like to follow the most which is perhaps why I'm so frustrated with it's current state.

[the green team]

I thought I had heard repeatedly that scheduling as we progessed through the transition would get easier, and better. Is that not the case? What the heck is this? This is an embarrasing schedule for our last year of the transition and to be honest it really does very little to prepare us for the grind of a full season within the Big Sky. Yuck

[Ole in MSP]

I thought I had heard repeatedly that scheduling as we progessed through the transition would get easier, and better. Is that not the case? What the heck is this? This is an embarrasing schedule for our last year of the transition and to be honest it really does very little to prepare us for the grind of a full season within the Big Sky. Yuck

I just cancelled any plans to attend one away game and one home game next year. I will really think hard about my financial support also. That trip to Europe next fall looks better and better.

[darell1976]

brian.faison@athletics.und.edu

I am going to email him and ask him why are they are putting out this garbage of a schedule.

[UND1983]

I just cancelled any plans to attend one away game and one home game next year. I will really think hard about my financial support also. That trip to Europe next fall looks better and better.

You have been nothing but negative all Fall about damn near everything. According to most of your posts your health is doubtful since you are questioning whether you are going to be around long enough to see a good schedule. I would go to Europe next year then since it seems you aren't going to make it until 2012 when the Big Sky begins.

[SooToo]

I just cancelled any plans to attend one away game and one home game next year. I will really think hard about my financial support also. That trip to Europe next fall looks better and better.

Your money. Obviously your choice. But will that really help a program you clearly support?

No doubt a brutal schedule. B.R.U.T.A.L. I'll attend the games that fit my schedule but can't imagine this does anything to build interest among casual fans, especiailly with the team down south coming off a playoff run and returning a very good team next year.

Are we simply economizing for our last transitional year, booking low-cost teams and hoping fans have their eyes on the Sky? The only positive -- and its a stretch -- is that perhaps a softer schedule allows a new quarterback and what again will be a very young team a chance to gain some game experience and perhaps build some confidence. A winning record in 2011 -- and I sure hope we will have one -- might be something that could be used to fuel some excitement, advertising-wise, going into the first year of the Big Sky. I agree, though, I'm not sure how a soft schedule next year realistically prepares this team for a full FCS slate.

[bincitysioux]

UND Press Release: Six home football games on tap for 2011

Cal Poly will be the homecoming game...................

1:00 start time for all home games except for Drake & Black Hills

[dlsiouxfan]

UND Press Release: Six home football games on tap for 2011

Cal Poly will be the homecoming game...................

1:00 start time for all home games except for Drake & Black Hills

WTF! I've been a supporter of Faison to this point but he needs to have his ass chewed over this. This is absolute garbage and has made us the laughing stock of the Dakota universities.

[Hansel]

WTF! I've been a supporter of Faison to this point but he needs to have his ass chewed over this. This is absolute garbage and has made us the laughing stock of the Dakota universities.

USD's schedule might look similar.

With Fullerton grabbing every remaining schollie FCS school in the west for the Big Sky, it will be interesting to see what Big Sky teams do for non-conf schedules. If the Big Sky stays at 8 league games- it wouldn't be surprising to see BSC teams play each other as a non-conf game in years in which they are not scheduled to play.