Football Champs

[homer]

This whole issue started when NDSU moved down in the rankings and UND moved up in the rankings due to an obvious mix up between the 2 teams from North Dakota. That is why USD isn't being brought up. No one voted for USD because they confused them with NDSU. For me, it wasn't an issue of what UND was ranked. It was an issue of NDSU moving down. UND's moving up at the same time just showed the reason that NDSU dropped, so obviously UND will get brought up. In the end it didn't matter, but if we would've still been ranked 6 at the end of the season, the playoffs could've been completely different.

I believe the reason that NDSU fans are talking about it now is because last year, UND fans claimed that there was no way voters could've confused the 2 schools, and that UND deserved to move up in the rankings after a loss to an FBS team and NDSU deserved to move down after a bye. Obviously if people within the NCAA can confuse the two schools and send the banner to the wrong location, the voters could too. Honestly, I could care less where UND was ranked. I think NDSU fans are just trying to get UND fans to admit there was a mix up in the polls in the beginning of last season, and that's not necessarily because it's UND. I believe it's simply because it's nice to prove people wrong, which is what this banner issue has done. Again, I could care less where UND was ranked. NDSU won the national championship and that's all that matters. Whether the UND fans want to admit they were wrong or not is up to them, but I believe this banner situation has given plenty of proof to back the theories of the NDSU fans at the beginning of last season.

Have Kolpack, Boll and company got anyone to admit they made a mistake? Just curious cause I'm sure they called every voter. They have had 10 months.

[darell1976]

Well I wonder why that would be Darell? Could it be that NDSU fans don't really care about USD and they do care about UND?

Which is sad since USD is NOW in your conference. Another team that could bump NDSU out of the playoffs and not just in football. If NDSU were on the bubble and they end up getting bumped from the playoffs in favor of USD...will UND still come up? How about Kolpack, and the rest of the Herd worry more about their conference mates than the former ones.

[Bison06]

Which is sad since USD is NOW in your conference. Another team that could bump NDSU out of the playoffs and not just in football. If NDSU were on the bubble and they end up getting bumped from the playoffs in favor of USD...will UND still come up? How about Kolpack, and the rest of the Herd worry more about their conference mates than the former ones.

Don't flatter yourself, it's the offseason and there is nothing else to do.

[Bison Dan]

Do you feel the winner of the Great West should be ranked or do you feel winning the Great West is not a big accomplishment? I don't think some of those teams ranked 18 and below would have walked through the Great West like you like to assume.

The GWC last year was the poorest it's ever been. UC Davis is at a low point and Cal Poly which team would show up?

[darell1976]

Don't flatter yourself, it's the offseason and there is nothing else to do.

It could be in the middle of the season and UND will come up and the only talk about USD will be in a thread titled Game day NDSU vs USD.

[Siouxperfan7]

This whole issue started when NDSU moved down in the rankings and UND moved up in the rankings due to an obvious mix up between the 2 teams from North Dakota. That is why USD isn't being brought up. No one voted for USD because they confused them with NDSU. For me, it wasn't an issue of what UND was ranked. It was an issue of NDSU moving down. UND's moving up at the same time just showed the reason that NDSU dropped, so obviously UND will get brought up. In the end it didn't matter, but if we would've still been ranked 6 at the end of the season, the playoffs could've been completely different.

I believe the reason that NDSU fans are talking about it now is because last year, UND fans claimed that there was no way voters could've confused the 2 schools, and that UND deserved to move up in the rankings after a loss to an FBS team and NDSU deserved to move down after a bye. Obviously if people within the NCAA can confuse the two schools and send the banner to the wrong location, the voters could too. Honestly, I could care less where UND was ranked. I think NDSU fans are just trying to get UND fans to admit there was a mix up in the polls in the beginning of last season, and that's not necessarily because it's UND. I believe it's simply because it's nice to prove people wrong, which is what this banner issue has done. Again, I could care less where UND was ranked. NDSU won the national championship and that's all that matters. Whether the UND fans want to admit they were wrong or not is up to them, but I believe this banner situation has given plenty of proof to back the theories of the NDSU fans at the beginning of last season.

Another reason that Bison fans are so irrate about the whole poll confusion issue is because there was even confusion in the first place. Bison fans feel, and maybe rightfully so, that people in the FCS world should know who they are because they have made a lot of noise since movin up. They had a few 10+ win seasons and have beaten a few FBS teams. UND fans know that and NDSU fans deffinitely know that. Why they are so mad about the mixup is they feel that even after all the accomplishments they have had at the FCS level, they still cannot get the recognition the feel they deserve and seperate themsleves from being confused with another North Dakota school. Especially from their rival who they despise.

[homer]

The GWC last year was the poorest it's ever been. UC Davis is at a low point and Cal Poly which team would show up?

Based on your "nonbiased" opinion?

[Bison06]

Do you feel the winner of the Great West should be ranked or do you feel winning the Great West is not a big accomplishment? I don't think some of those teams ranked 18 and below would have walked through the Great West like you like to assume.

I don't think the winner of the Great West should be automatically ranked no. I think we can look at each conference on a year to year basis and determine if the quality of play within the conference is at a high enough level to warrant a certain ranking.

Last year, no, and believe it or not it has nothing to do with my opinion on UND. There were no playoff teams out of the Great West last year, even if UND and USD were eligible they still wouldn't have made the playoffs. So, no, I don't think that last year the Great West was playing football at a high level.

[dlsiouxfan]

I don't think the winner of the Great West should be automatically ranked no. I think we can look at each conference on a year to year basis and determine if the quality of play within the conference is at a high enough level to warrant a certain ranking.

Last year, no, and believe it or not it has nothing to do with my opinion on UND. There were no playoff teams out of the Great West last year, even if UND and USD were eligible they still wouldn't have made the playoffs. So, no, I don't think that last year the Great West was playing football at a high level.

For the first four years of the Great West's existence the only fully funded teams were NDSU and Cal Poly (and I'm not sure about Cal Poly). How can the league have been that much tougher back then when most schools were funding 35-40 scholarships than it was last year when every school was fully funded to the FCS max? I'm anxious to hear your reasoning.

[Bison06]

For the first four years of the Great West's existence the only fully funded teams were NDSU and Cal Poly (and I'm not sure about Cal Poly). How can the league have been that much tougher back then when most schools were funding 35-40 scholarships than it was last year when every school was fully funded to the FCS max? I'm anxious to hear your reasoning.

Remind me where I said that it used to be better.

Are you of the opinion that conferences have exactly the same level of play each year? Or is it possible for a conference to have a down year?

[homer]

I don't think the winner of the Great West should be automatically ranked no. I think we can look at each conference on a year to year basis and determine if the quality of play within the conference is at a high enough level to warrant a certain ranking.

Last year, no, and believe it or not it has nothing to do with my opinion on UND. There were no playoff teams out of the Great West last year, even if UND and USD were eligible they still wouldn't have made the playoffs. So, no, I don't think that last year the Great West was playing football at a high level.

Again, pick a school ranked 20 or below and in my opinion they don't walk through the GreatWest. Was the winner of the conference last year a top 15 team? Absolutely not, no one on this board is saying they were. However, I would feel pretty confident with UND or Cal Poly facing any of those teams 16 and lower. They wouldn't win them all, but I feel they would win more than they would lose.

[Bison06]

Again, pick a school ranked 20 or below and in my opinion they don't walk through the GreatWest. Was the winner of the conference last year a top 15 team? Absolutely not, no one on this board is saying they were. However, I would feel pretty confident with UND or Cal Poly facing any of those teams 16 and lower. They wouldn't win them all, but I feel they would win more than they would lose.

So even if you aren't saying it overtly, basically you are saying that you think UND or Cal Poly were playoff caliber teams last year.

http://www.collegesp...top-25-rankings

Stony Brook, Norfolk St. and JMU were all playoff teams last year. You would feel pretty confident against them based on what?

[choyt3]

Winning the GWFC is worthy of buying rings to some schools. Did UND's team do that last year?

[Bison06]

Winning the GWFC is worthy of buying rings to some schools. Did UND's team do that last year?

What on earth does that possibly contribute to the conversation. I didn't say it wasn't a big deal. Winning your conference is better than losing your conference regardless of the competition. But some football fans are discerning enough to know when they are watching good football, maybe you just aren't one of them.

If UND wasn't spending all it's money fighting the never ending fight maybe they would have had the funds to reward the players for coming to UND without having a chance at the postseason the way NDSU did.

[UND1983]

So even if you aren't saying it overtly, basically you are saying that you think UND or Cal Poly were playoff caliber teams last year.

http://www.collegesp...top-25-rankings

Stony Brook, Norfolk St. and JMU were all playoff teams last year. You would feel pretty confident against them based on what?

UND beat Stony Brook two years ago so they would have a decent chance of victory and I guarantee they beat Norfolk State. That conference is really bad. UND would not beat James Madison, more than likely.

[homer]

So even if you aren't saying it overtly, basically you are saying that you think UND or Cal Poly were playoff caliber teams last year.

http://www.collegesp...top-25-rankings

Stony Brook, Norfolk St. and JMU were all playoff teams last year. You would feel pretty confident against them based on what?

Obviously UND or Cal Poly did not have enough wins to get into the playoffs last year. If UND, Cal Poly or even SUU were in the Ohio Valley, the Southwestern confernece or the MEAC I don't know how any wins they would have had. There are some pretty poor teams in those conferences and some easy victories. The key to the playoffs is 7 wins, thats it. And yes, those 3 teams teams you named are ranked between 16-25. So were Harvard, Jackson St and Liberty so whats your point.

[Bison06]

Obviously UND or Cal Poly did not have enough wins to get into the playoffs last year. If UND, Cal Poly or even SUU were in the Ohio Valley, the Southwestern confernece or the MEAC I don't know how any wins they would have had. There are some pretty poor teams in those conferences and some easy victories. The key to the playoffs is 7 wins, thats it. And yes, those 3 teams teams you named are ranked between 16-25. So were Harvard, Jackson St and Liberty so whats your point.

Not to nitpick, and maybe my link isn't correct, but I don't see Harvard or Liberty between 16-25. Ohio Valley definately isn't a top conference and the MEAC is very poor, but the SWAC doesn't participate in the playoffs.

UND beat Stony Brook two years ago so they would have a decent chance of victory and I guarantee they beat Norfolk State. That conference is really bad. UND would not beat James Madison, more than likely.

Stony Brook was a damn good team last year, did you watch them play? I wouldn't guarantee a UND victory against Norfolk State. But I agree that conference is weak.

I failed to mention Tennessee Tech was also a playoff team last year.

My point isn't to diminish what UND accomplished. My point is that unless UND was a playoff caliber team last year, they shouldn't have been in the top 25 because 16-25 includes a lot of playoff teams.

[homer]

Not to nitpick, and maybe my link isn't correct, but I don't see Harvard or Liberty between 16-25. Ohio Valley definately isn't a top conference and the MEAC is very poor, but the SWAC doesn't participate in the playoffs.

Stony Brook was a damn good team last year, did you watch them play? I wouldn't guarantee a UND victory against Norfolk State. But I agree that conference is weak.

I failed to mention Tennessee Tech was also a playoff team last year.

My point isn't to diminish what UND accomplished. My point is that unless UND was a playoff caliber team last year, they shouldn't have been in the top 25 because 16-25 includes a lot of playoff teams.

They are there. 16 and 25 respectively. Again, key to the playoffs is 7 wins. A average team can be in a poor conference and play two easy nonconference and get to 7 wins.

[Bison06]

They are there. 16 and 25 respectively. Again, key to the playoffs is 7 wins. A average team can be in a poor conference and play two easy nonconference and get to 7 wins.

I'll make my point one more time then I'll be done, because the conversation is getting circular. I watched every playoff team last year, based on what I saw and where they ended up in the rankings, I am not sure what to base my opinion on other than what my eyes saw, but I don't think UND was on the same level as ANY of the playoff teams last year. I feel like UND's record was vastly inflated due to the strength of schedule. I also believe there are many UND fans who feel the same way and know that UND had some serious weaknesses last year.

Lastly, 7 wins doesn't necessarily get you into the playoffs. This will be even more true in the future with the playoffs expanding, there will be many 7 win teams sitting home in December.

[UND1983]

I'll make my point one more time then I'll be done, because the conversation is getting circular. I watched every playoff team last year, based on what I saw and where they ended up in the rankings, I am not sure what to base my opinion on other than what my eyes saw, but I don't think UND was on the same level as ANY of the playoff teams last year. I feel like UND's record was vastly inflated due to the strength of schedule. I also believe there are many UND fans who feel the same way and know that UND had some serious weaknesses last year.

Lastly, 7 wins doesn't necessarily get you into the playoffs. This will be even more true in the future with the playoffs expanding, there will be many 7 win teams sitting home in December.

Huh? When playoffs expand, that means more 7 counter win teams will get in. I am predicting a 6 counter win team will get in next year when it goes to 24 teams. I believe all 7 counter win teams got in the playoffs this past year, correct? I guess I don't know about some awful conference like the MEAC but I am talking the Top 6 conferences.

[Bison06]

Huh? When playoffs expand, that means more 7 counter win teams will get in. I am predicting a 6 counter win team will get in next year when it goes to 24 teams. I believe all 7 counter win teams got in the playoffs this past year, correct? I guess I don't know about some awful conference like the MEAC but I am talking the Top 6 conferences.

Haha, sorry you are correct. I confused myself for a second there.

Illinois St had 7 wins in inarguably a top 3 conference and they sat home.

[jpiehl]

I just think it is funny that there are a number of Bison fans on a UND board talking about how the poll thing doesn't bother them and doesn't matter, but they are taking the time to go to an opponent's board, many months later, to point out how it was an error. After a championship season by their own team. And lecturing UND fans about how UND cares more about NDSU while they are on the UND board.

[homer]

Huh? When playoffs expand, that means more 7 counter win teams will get in. I am predicting a 6 counter win team will get in next year when it goes to 24 teams. I believe all 7 counter win teams got in the playoffs this past year, correct? I guess I don't know about some awful conference like the MEAC but I am talking the Top 6 conferences.

I'm glad I didn't have to point that out.

[Bison06]

I just think it is funny that there are a number of Bison fans on a UND board talking about how the poll thing doesn't bother them and doesn't matter, but they are taking the time to go to an opponent's board, many months later, to point out how it was an error. After a championship season by their own team. And lecturing UND fans about how UND cares more about NDSU while they are on the UND board.

Doesn't it get old saying the exact same thing over and over and over and over again? I don't speak for NDSU, I don't speak for the NDSU fanbase, I speak for me. I have never once claimed to be over or not care about UND.

[homer]

I'll make my point one more time then I'll be done, because the conversation is getting circular. I watched every playoff team last year, based on what I saw and where they ended up in the rankings, I am not sure what to base my opinion on other than what my eyes saw, but I don't think UND was on the same level as ANY of the playoff teams last year. I feel like UND's record was vastly inflated due to the strength of schedule. I also believe there are many UND fans who feel the same way and know that UND had some serious weaknesses last year.

Lastly, 7 wins doesn't necessarily get you into the playoffs. This will be even more true in the future with the playoffs expanding, there will be many 7 win teams sitting home in December.

So are you basing your opinion on what your eyes saw or UND's record? I think Tennessee Tech, Stoney Brook, Harvard and Jackson St.'s record were vastly inflated due to the strength of their conferences. Each of those conferences has 5-6 poor teams in them. A team with weaknesses could still win 5-6 games in those conferences.