Future Schedules

[darell1976]

Can we please stop making a fuss about the SD Mines game? Is it an ideal home opener? No. Could it cost us a playoff spot? Possibly. Does anyone think non-D1 games are going to be a trend after this game? HELL NO! Have any of you looked at the 2013 schedule? 7 home games all against D1 teams including one out of conference against Montana. The year after that we'll travel to San Jose St and have Robert Morris at home with one open date left. I have 100% confidence that the open date will be filled with a D1 home game.

I imagine the Mines game was scheduled before the Big Sky was officially in the picture when we needed any home game we could get and efforts to replace it were not financially feasible. The point someone else made is a good one about needing 10,000 fans just to cover the buyout and cost to bring in another team. This means we would need to find an opponent that is a big enough draw to sell out the Alerus just to have a chance to break even on the game. This while the football budget for next year has likely already been finalized.

The only alternative I see at this point is to find an FBS that will give us a payday big enough to cover the Mines buyout, travel costs, and still have a hundred thousand or two to pump in to the budget for the following seasons. Obviously a game like that is almost impossible to find at this point.

Let's stop ripping on Faison about this game, hope it doesn't cost us a playoff spot in our first year of eligibility, and get excited for the great schedules we have to look forward to in the years to come.

In 2013 2 of our OOC games are back ends of home and homes (SDSU and Montana). Tell me how much would that cost to bring that in if it wasn't a home and home compared to buying out SD Mines and replacing them with a FCS team. Also how many people are going to show up at the Alerus against Mines? 5000 maybe 6000. Its like seeing a NFL exhibition game..nobody cares. You could have Drake in there and more people will show because at least Drake is a DI team and it counts to our playoff goal of 7 or 8. My money will be spent the following week at the Potato Bowl game against FCS Portland State.

[bincitysioux]

how many people are going to show up at the Alerus against Mines? 5000 maybe 6000. Its like seeing a NFL exhibition game..nobody cares.

The SD Mines game will draw 10,000.

I care.

[Feff]

First football home game of the year with halfway decent weather and you'll have people turning out to watch whoever and to tailgate. Doesn't really matter if it's that good of a game. You think a large number of fans show up because they want to see a good game or decent competition? A lot of casual fans will show up for the gameday experience, and the first game of the year offers that, as does the Potato Bowl, which is why those two games are usually the most heavily attended regardless of competition.

[darell1976]

The SD Mines game will draw 10,000.

I care.

I say 7-8K tops. No way 10,000.

[Siouxperfan7]

First football home game of the year with halfway decent weather and you'll have people turning out to watch whoever and to tailgate. Doesn't really matter if it's that good of a game. You think a large number of fans show up because they want to see a good game or decent competition? A lot of casual fans will show up for the gameday experience, and the first game of the year offers that, as does the Potato Bowl, which is why those two games are usually the most heavily attended regardless of competition.

Besides the team we are playing this year, the home opener will be great. New season, the weather will be great, starting a new conference, and everyone will want to check out the new turf!! I think that UND and the Alerus should not publish any pictures of the new turf before the game. It will add that extra hype to the game!! Although I have complained about the SOM game repeatedly, I will diffinitely be there!!

[jdub27]

I have mixed opinions. Home opener is always a large draw, regardless of opponent. I think what will hurt more is that it is a Thursday game, so the out-of-town crowd will be light.

[darell1976]

Besides the team we are playing this year, the home opener will be great. New season, the weather will be great, starting a new conference, and everyone will want to check out the new turf!! I think that UND and the Alerus should not publish any pictures of the new turf before the game. It will add that extra hype to the game!! Although I have complained about the SOM game repeatedly, I will diffinitely be there!!

Don't forget the unvailing of the new 2011 GWFC Co-Champions banner. That will be a nice sight to our impressive collection of championship banners.

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Don't forget the unvailing of the new 2011 GWFC Co-Champions banner. That will be a nice sight to our impressive collection of championship banners.

Don't forget, we will likely have a former UNC QB starting for us also!

[darell1976]

Don't forget, we will likely have a former UNC QB starting for us also!

I hope he is good

http://www.statefans...e-lack-thereof/

T.J. Yates now makes the 6th UNC QB to be drafted by the NFL, the first since Chris Kupec in 1975. None of those previous 5 draft picks threw a single pass in the NFL.

Scott Stankavage is the only UNC QB to throw a pass in the NFL. He played 1 game for the Denver Broncos in 1984 and 3 games in 1987 for the Miami Dolphins. His career stats are 8 of 25 for 66 yards with 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and a rating of 7.9.

No UNC player has ever started at quarterback in the NFL.

The 1987 Dolphins stat was when the NFL starters(and Dan Marino) were on strike.

[bincitysioux]

I say 7-8K tops. No way 10,000.

I thought you said 5-6,000...................

Home opener attendances:

2011: 8,484 Drake

2010: 9,719 Northeastern St.

2009: 12,431 South Dakota

2008: 11,434 Texas A&M-Kingsville

2007: 10,178 Humboldt St.

2006: 10,333 Winona St.

Throw out 2009 because it was South Dakota and it was homecoming. 2008 was a Thursday game and set the record for home opener attendance at the time.

I'm optimistically saying it'll be right around 10,000 given the fact that it is the opener and bringing back an 8-3 conference championship team that could possibly be ranked in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2007.

[Hambone]

I hope he is good

http://www.statefans...e-lack-thereof/

The 1987 Dolphins stat was when the NFL starters(and Dan Marino) were on strike.

Well, that was earlier. Now there is a UNC QB with a playoff victory under his belt. Our QB was that QB's backup. That means he must be good

In all seriousness, I hope that we do get a consistent passing attack this year. I think our offense could be very tough if the playbook opens up a little and our key players make some plays.

[Dagger]

I wish we weren't playing Mines too. But there will be more people there than youi might think. Season opener. Interest in new quarterback. Interest in new team. Tailgating when the weather is nice. Rxcitement for being out of transition. Excitement for being in the Big Sky. Excitement for the first time we make the playoffs in FCS. When the game is over everyone will wish we had played a better opponent but will be happy the game is behind us. Everyone will be thrilled for the future and the absolutely tremendous games on our schedule and in particular for all the great home opponents we have the rest of the year. in some respects it won't be a bad game to give our quarterback and other first time starters a chance to get their feet wet. I just wish we could tee it up tomorrow. The bottom line is there will be a nice crowd there.

[The Sicatoka]

It's on the schedule.

It's a game that the defense should win on its own.

It's a game that the offense should use to figure out what works.

But it's also a late enough date that it's not going to change. Make lemonade.

[darell1976]

I thought you said 5-6,000...................

Home opener attendances:

2011: 8,484 Drake

2010: 9,719 Northeastern St.

2009: 12,431 South Dakota

2008: 11,434 Texas A&M-Kingsville

2007: 10,178 Humboldt St.

2006: 10,333 Winona St.

Throw out 2009 because it was South Dakota and it was homecoming. 2008 was a Thursday game and set the record for home opener attendance at the time.

I'm optimistically saying it'll be right around 10,000 given the fact that it is the opener and bringing back an 8-3 conference championship team that could possibly be ranked in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2007.

Throwout 2007-2006 and beyond since those are games that counted in DII. SD Mines doesn't count in DI. Look at the difference in 2010-2011 thats a loss of 1300. At that pace the SD Mines will be around 7100.

[bincitysioux]

Throwout 2007-2006 and beyond since those are games that counted in DII. SD Mines doesn't count in DI. Look at the difference in 2010-2011 thats a loss of 1300. At that pace the SD Mines will be around 7100.

Actually, none of the last 4 home openers "counted".

2010 and 2011 were coming off of 6-5 and 3-8 seasons. Grand Forks loves a winner.

You give the casual fans too much credit. How many regular football attendees do you really think are aware of the seven DI win rule? Stuff like that is for the die hard rubes like us. The average prospective football ticket buyer in Grand Forks just wants to see a good old fashioned drubbing of pretty much any opponent for the season opener...............

[Let'sGoHawks!]

Actually, none of the last 4 home openers "counted".

2010 and 2011 were coming off of 6-5 and 3-8 seasons. Grand Forks loves a winner.

You give the casual fans too much credit. How many regular football attendees do you really think are aware of the seven DI win rule? Stuff like that is for the die hard rubes like us. The average prospective football ticket buyer in Grand Forks just wants to see a good old fashioned drubbing of pretty much any opponent for the season opener...............

Speaking of the casual fan: when we played Kingsville in 2008, I am willing to bet that some people thought we were playing THE Texas A&M. I know one person who asked me if that was the case before that game.

[darell1976]

Actually, none of the last 4 home openers "counted".

2010 and 2011 were coming off of 6-5 and 3-8 seasons. Grand Forks loves a winner.

You give the casual fans too much credit. How many regular football attendees do you really think are aware of the seven DI win rule? Stuff like that is for the die hard rubes like us. The average prospective football ticket buyer in Grand Forks just wants to see a good old fashioned drubbing of pretty much any opponent for the season opener...............

I do hope 2012 has a lot of winners for UND.

[Teeder11]

I have mixed opinions. Home opener is always a large draw, regardless of opponent. I think what will hurt more is that it is a Thursday game, so the out-of-town crowd will be light.

Hopefully the students will show because it's on a Thursday night, instead of going home to mama and papa on the weekend-- at least they might stay for the first half.

[UND Fan]

Hopefully the students will show because it's on a Thursday night, instead of going home to mama and papa on the weekend-- at least they might stay for the first half.

Will the students be back on campus on August 30th?

[82SiouxGuy]

Will the students be back on campus on August 30th?

I hope so. Classes start on August 20th and last day to add a class is August 29th. If they aren't back on campus by the 30th they probably aren't coming.

[Siouxperfan7]

Hopefully the students will show because it's on a Thursday night, instead of going home to mama and papa on the weekend-- at least they might stay for the first half.

I hope the students realize what is happening. They have already been moved down a section. If they don't start showing up, they are going to sloly but surely move to the ends of the Alerus like where they put the NDSU students in the Fargodome!!

[KBH2010]

I hope the students realize what is happening. They have already been moved down a section. If they don't start showing up, they are going to sloly but surely move to the ends of the Alerus like where they put the NDSU students in the Fargodome!!

That is my worst fear.

[Cratter]

And here people think the Alerus is going to look more full by moving the students....not!!! I sit on that side. The current section over from the students. It aint' near full....most games.

Students aren't the only ones not showing up.

[PhillySioux]

Word from Vermillion is that a home at home with the Yotes is in the works for 2013-2014.

We would be on the road in 2013 and home in 2014.

If true, with the addition of USD, thats a hell of a 2013 schedule:

Thu, Aug 29 Valparaiso Sat, Sep 07 South Dakota State Sat, Sep 14 Montana Sat, Sep 21 Open Sat, Sep 28 Montana State * Sat, Oct 05 Idaho State * Sat, Oct 12 Eastern Washington * Sat, Oct 19 Portland State * Sat, Oct 26 Sacramento State * Sat, Nov 02 Northern Arizona * Sat, Nov 09 Northern Colorado * Sat, Nov 16 UC Davis * .

[UNDBIZ]

Word from Vermillion is that a home at home with the Yotes is in the works for 2013-2014.

We would be on the road in 2013 and home in 2014.

If true, with the addition of USD, thats a hell of a 2013 schedule:

Thu, Aug 29 Valparaiso Sat, Sep 07 South Dakota State Sat, Sep 14 Montana Sat, Sep 21 Open Sat, Sep 28 Montana State * Sat, Oct 05 Idaho State * Sat, Oct 12 Eastern Washington * Sat, Oct 19 Portland State * Sat, Oct 26 Sacramento State * Sat, Nov 02 Northern Arizona * Sat, Nov 09 Northern Colorado * Sat, Nov 16 UC Davis * .

I'm counting 11 games without USD, are we losing the South Dakota State or Montana games??