What conference will the other Dakotas be in 2015?

[darell1976]

It's a good thing we don't need a vote from either them, were fine right where we are. It's ridiculous to even entertain the idea of leaving the Big Sky, even in the hypothetical.

Exactly!! Why ruin a good thing.

[SiouxVolley]

It's a good thing we don't need a vote from either them, were fine right where we are. It's ridiculous to even entertain the idea of leaving the Big Sky, even in the hypothetical.

Exactly. If Fullerton has a route to FBS, and that's UND's longer term goal, why change course and associate with a group that is totally dysfunctional in its decision making?

Funny how Bison fans want an FBS option, but refuse to acknowledge that the Big Sky may be the only course of action to that end. The Summit League / MVFC is an deserted island with no charter flights get to FBS, which should be one of NDSU's primary concerns.

[SiouxVolley]

This is the school the Summit should add, but they probably would want to be with UMKC.

http://blogs.umsl.edu/news/2013/05/08/bob-sundvold/

[SiouxVolley]

Bet IUPUI will be out the door with this news. Changes the way other conferences look at them.

http://news.iupui.edu/releases/2013/05/jaguars-at-coliseum.shtml

[GeauxSioux]

What does a recent defector think?....http://forum.orusports.com/index.php/topic/9387-oakland-u-to-join-horizon-league-on-tuesday/

[GeauxSioux]

Bet IUPUI will be out the door with this news. Changes the way other conferences look at them.

http://news.iupui.ed...-coliseum.shtml

Nice joint.

[SiouxVolley]

What does a recent defector think?....http://forum.oruspor...gue-on-tuesday/

That's a very perceptive group of fans. Agree with almost everything they said:

Departures by Southern Utah, ORU, UMKC and now Oakland signaling the end for the Summit League as a viable D-1 conference, unless it can recruit some bigger schools from Mountain or Pacific time zones.

The XDSUs wanted to be the king-pins in their league. Just proof again.... be careful what you ask for!

I have to think, as awful as WIU, IUPUI, & IPFW are (in general), that those 3 have to be looking elsewhere.

But this is what the XDSU's and Summit wanted right? Hopefully they settle in for a long, long relationship with each other... And some provisional D-1 members... And maybe Chicago State, if they ask nicely.

i think Douple might be looking for a job soon. he has alienated every school not in the Dakotas, mishandled the UND situation, and has not properly prepared for losing 2 of his top schools in the last year.

[SiouxVolley]

Looked at the Bison board and, wow, are they ever holding onto to the MVFC as the best thing ever. NDSU and SDSU fans are like groupies, screwing around out with the roadies so they can get closer to the real star, the MVC, even though the MVC basically just spits in their face.

NDSU and SDSU will allow their flirtations to effect their own family relationships in the Summit, liking forcing everyone else in their lives to abandon them as they won't remove their fixation with the MVFC. It's a pitiful situation. If they just took their football out, the Summit would immediately have many more options, but NDSU and SDSU desire the MVFC more than the Summit, and in the MVFC they are just third rate citizens with no control. If they would just start their own Summit football, add SE Mo St and E Ill from the OVC, the Summit would instantly be changed and have enough members. Summit football and the six-team MVFC would have to cross schedule anyway, so it wouldn't be a true separation. Both SEMO and EIU are outliers in the OVC league. Get SIUE too or add UMSL and that would be a reasonable division for basketball: SEMO, WIU, EIU, UMSL, IUPUI, IPFW.

But it will never happen because the Dakota schools are so enamored by the MVFC they will destroy the Summit to keep the MVFC.

[farce poobah]

Looked at the Bison board and, wow, are they ever holding onto to the MVFC as the best thing ever. NDSU and SDSU fans are like groupies, screwing around out with the roadies so they can get closer to the real star, the MVC, even though the MVC basically just spits in their face.

NDSU and SDSU will allow their flirtations to effect their own family relationships in the Summit, liking forcing everyone else in their lives to abandon them as they won't remove their fixation with the MVFC. It's a pitiful situation. If they just took their football out, the Summit would immediately have many more options, but NDSU and SDSU desire the MVFC more than the Summit, and in the MVFC they are just third rate citizens with no control. If they would just start their own Summit football, add SE Mo St and E Ill from the OVC, the Summit would instantly be changed and have enough members. Summit football and the six-team MVFC would have to cross schedule anyway, so it wouldn't be a true separation. Both SEMO and EIU are outliers in the OVC league. Get SIUE too or add UMSL and that would be a reasonable division for basketball: SEMO, WIU, EIU, UMSL, IUPUI, IPFW.

But it will never happen because the Dakota schools are so enamored by the MVFC they will destroy the Summit to keep the MVFC.

The other Dakota schools will also be without a paddle when Omaha leaves for the MVC ... perhaps as early as the end of their probationary period. With UNO hockey moving out of the Qwest Center, that leaves room for Creighton and UNO to share it for basketball.

[FargoBison]

Looked at the Bison board and, wow, are they ever holding onto to the MVFC as the best thing ever. NDSU and SDSU fans are like groupies, screwing around out with the roadies so they can get closer to the real star, the MVC, even though the MVC basically just spits in their face.

NDSU and SDSU will allow their flirtations to effect their own family relationships in the Summit, liking forcing everyone else in their lives to abandon them as they won't remove their fixation with the MVFC. It's a pitiful situation. If they just took their football out, the Summit would immediately have many more options, but NDSU and SDSU desire the MVFC more than the Summit, and in the MVFC they are just third rate citizens with no control. If they would just start their own Summit football, add SE Mo St and E Ill from the OVC, the Summit would instantly be changed and have enough members. Summit football and the six-team MVFC would have to cross schedule anyway, so it wouldn't be a true separation. Both SEMO and EIU are outliers in the OVC league. Get SIUE too or add UMSL and that would be a reasonable division for basketball: SEMO, WIU, EIU, UMSL, IUPUI, IPFW.

But it will never happen because the Dakota schools are so enamored by the MVFC they will destroy the Summit to keep the MVFC.

NDSU would be better off in the Big Sky than to be a part of that mess.

The MVFC is a premier FCS conference and as long as we are in the FCS we won't settle for anything less.

[UND1983]

NDSU would be better off in the Big Sky than to be a part of that mess.

The MVFC is a premier FCS conference and as long as we are in the FCS we won't settle for anything less.

Thats not a conference. Its a football scheduling alliance. NDSU's 'conference' is the Summit.

[FargoBison]

Thats not a conference. Its a football scheduling alliance. NDSU's 'conference' is the Summit.

It is a real football conference, which just so happens to be NDSU's marquee sport. UND's marquee sport is in a similar situation. Of course college hockey is a bit different but the point remains the same. NDSU isn't going move its marquee sport into anything but another power conference.

[darell1976]

I don't think it would be a bad idea to invite the SU's and USD as an non football member. If given that option would they go for it? Maybe NDSU would but since the SL tourney is in SF I don't think the jacks and Yotes would.

[SiouxVolley]

It is a real football conference, which just so happens to be NDSU's marquee sport. UND's marquee sport is in a similar situation. Of course college hockey is a bit different but the point remains the same. NDSU isn't going move its marquee sport into anything but another power conference.

It's not the same situation. Hockey isn't infringing on the reason we stay in the Big Sky. We're not pimping our basketball to any conference just to keep hockey happy, like NDSU is pimping out basketball and accepting instability just to keep football happy.

UND needs to stay in a top conference for recruiting reasons to compete with BC, Wisconsin, Michigan etc. At the FCS level, it only matters that a school be in a full scholarship conference. So you're saying NDSU has to stay in the MVFC in order to stay competitive in the FCS?

NDSU isn't competing with Alabama, USC, Notre Dame for football recruits. It will gain low level FBS/ high level recruits by offering full scholarships, but not high FBS level recruits. To most of the recruits, they don't know the difference between S Illinois and E Illinois anyway. Most of them are just happy to get a full scholarship.

If Summit football teams pulled out, the remaining MVFC schools would want a cross scheduling agreement, so 3-4 of the MVFC would always be played just to fill out schedules.

Thereafter, if the MVFC lost even one school, the Summit football conference could add the rest of the MVFC as affiliates. It's a bold move,but if the Summit could get two more football schools, the Summit could be a big winner longer-term.

But really, you just proved that nothing is really important to NDSU but football. NDSU won't sacrifice anything to make the Summit better.

[FargoBison]

When you have people spending large amounts of money for season tickets/tailgating you better be a in a football conference that has a multiple teams fans want to see you play against. The conference that was mentioned had one school Bison fans even value playing against. I don't think UND fans realize just how much different NDSU football has become since the DII days.

Also Gene Taylor can barely fill our schedule every year with 8 conference games, now you suggest going down to five. There was years when we didn't have our schedule filled until almost June when we were in the Great West. NDSU isn't going to risk the good thing they have going with football, the only acceptable move from the MVFC is to the Big Sky or an FBS conference.

Also ever since basically right now NDSU's Olympic sports were in a perfectly respectable conference. Maybe the league should have worked at bit harder trying to keep the other schools not in the Dakota's happy but Douple went all in and now we are paying for it. I view Douple as being responsible for some of the league's issues. He should have been fired after the UND kerfuffle.

[IrishSiouxFan]

When you have people spending large amounts of money for season tickets/tailgating you better be a in a football conference that has a multiple teams fans want to see you play against. The conference that was mentioned had one school Bison fans even value playing against. I don't think UND fans realize just how much different NDSU football has become since the DII days.

Also Gene Taylor can barely fill our schedule every year with 8 conference games, now you suggest going down to five. There was years when we didn't have our schedule filled until almost June when we were in the Great West. NDSU isn't going to risk the good thing they have going with football, the only acceptable move from the MVFC is to the Big Sky or an FBS conference.

Also ever since basically right now NDSU's Olympic sports were in a perfectly respectable conference. Maybe the league should have worked at bit harder trying to keep the other schools not in the Dakota's happy but Douple went all in and now we are paying for it. I view Douple as being responsible for some of the league's issues. He should have been fired after the UND kerfuffle.

Wouldn't the Big Sky provide the multiple match ups your season ticket holders would want to see (UND, Montana, MSU, and EWU)?

[FargoBison]

Wouldn't the Big Sky provide the multiple match ups your season ticket holders would want to see (UND, Montana, MSU, and EWU)?

The Big Sky is very comparable to the MVFC as a far as exciting match ups are concerned. A lot of Bison fans bash it but yet they were excited to play MSU and can't wait to play Montana. UCD and Cal Poly were also fun match ups back when we were in the Great West and of course there is UND.

[IrishSiouxFan]

The Big Sky is very comparable to the MVFC as a far as exciting match ups are concerned. A lot of Bison fans bash it but yet they were excited to play MSU and can't wait to play Montana. UCD and Cal Poly were also fun match ups back when we were in the Great West and of course there is UND.

I think the Big Sky is a much better fit for NDSU than any other FCS conference. I'm not a huge of NDSU, but that's mainly because of people like Lakes and a few others. With that said, I think NDSU is a really good school both academically and athletically and would be a nice addition to the Sky. Both UND and NDSU would be guaranteed at least one sold out game every other year in football, and every year for basketball. Not to mention the great atmosphere those games would provide fans from both schools. Wouldn't this rivalry be a lot more fun if there were a conference championship on the line, instead of our alumni just trolling each other over battles no longer fought? I want to hate NDSU for the right reasons.

[jdub27]

Interesting article by Kolpack in the Forum today. I believe that two of his main points were the MVFC is better than Big Sky (top to bottom) and being in a big conference is bad, there is too much competition for the autobid. Seems a little contradictory that he argues that NDSU likes the MVFC because the conference in stronger and competition is better and then follow that up with the argument that they are better off in a smaller league (Summit) because there is less competition for the autobid.

Also, I believe he has his facts wrong on maintaining the basketball autobid though (SiouxVolley?). He said it takes six schools to maintain that autobid (among other requirements). I believe the six school rule is for sports other than basketball. For basketball, seven sponsoring schools are required. Might not seem like a big deal, but when your conference is flirting with that line, it kind of matters.

[bincitysioux]

Looked at the Bison board and, wow, are they ever holding onto to the MVFC as the best thing ever. NDSU and SDSU fans are like groupies, screwing around out with the roadies so they can get closer to the real star, the MVC, even though the MVC basically just spits in their face.

NDSU and SDSU will allow their flirtations to effect their own family relationships in the Summit, liking forcing everyone else in their lives to abandon them as they won't remove their fixation with the MVFC. It's a pitiful situation. If they just took their football out, the Summit would immediately have many more options, but NDSU and SDSU desire the MVFC more than the Summit, and in the MVFC they are just third rate citizens with no control. If they would just start their own Summit football, add SE Mo St and E Ill from the OVC, the Summit would instantly be changed and have enough members. Summit football and the six-team MVFC would have to cross schedule anyway, so it wouldn't be a true separation. Both SEMO and EIU are outliers in the OVC league. Get SIUE too or add UMSL and that would be a reasonable division for basketball: SEMO, WIU, EIU, UMSL, IUPUI, IPFW.

But it will never happen because the Dakota schools are so enamored by the MVFC they will destroy the Summit to keep the MVFC.

I get where you are coming from with the idea that football can stabilize a conference, in theory. But look at the WAC, the Southland, the SoCon, the CAA. All have football, and all have experienced significant turnover lately. The realignment/instability going on right now seems more geographic at the mid-major level to me. I think the Big Sky seems more stable, because there are fewer options in the west for programs to move to.

I honestly don't care for the way that Fullerton floated the notion of going to 16 teams. With 16 teams, you have two 8 team conferences just waiting to be birthed. That's what happened with the WAC in the mid to late 90's that led to the formation of the Mountain West. I believe the Big East had 16 or 17 members, and that blew up.

I really like how the Sky will be made up starting in 2014 when Idaho comes online. I would have preferred to have their football program and go to divisions in football, but the way it is will work too. I don't have any problems with the "rival" scheduling format in Big Sky football. And the 12 teams for the rest of the sports will make for good divisions and travel partners.

X Division:

North Dakota

Northern Colorado

Montana

Montana St.

Idaho

Eastern Washington

Y Divsion:

Portland St.

Sacramento St.

Idaho St.

Weber St.

Southern Utah

Northern Arizona

[darell1976]

I get where you are coming from with the idea that football can stabilize a conference, in theory. But look at the WAC, the Southland, the SoCon, the CAA. All have football, and all have experienced significant turnover lately. The realignment/instability going on right now seems more geographic at the mid-major level to me. I think the Big Sky seems more stable, because there are fewer options in the west for programs to move to.

I honestly don't care for the way that Fullerton floated the notion of going to 16 teams. With 16 teams, you have two 8 team conferences just waiting to be birthed. That's what happened with the WAC in the mid to late 90's that led to the formation of the Mountain West. I believe the Big East had 16 or 17 members, and that blew up.

I really like how the Sky will be made up starting in 2014 when Idaho comes online. I would have preferred to have their football program and go to divisions in football, but the way it is will work too. I don't have any problems with the "rival" scheduling format in Big Sky football. And the 12 teams for the rest of the sports will make for good divisions and travel partners.

X Division:

North Dakota

Northern Colorado

Montana

Montana St.

Idaho

Eastern Washington

Y Divsion:

Portland St.

Sacramento St.

Idaho St.

Weber St.

Southern Utah

Northern Arizona

Maybe he mentioned 16 with the addition of 3 teams...NDSU, SDSU, and USD. However they won't leave the MVFC so these 3 mystery teams could be DII teams moving up maybe a Central Washington or Minot State for example. It's kinda scary to have that huge a conference.

[JohnboyND7]

Maybe he mentioned 16 with the addition of 3 teams...NDSU, SDSU, and USD. However they won't leave the MVFC so these 3 mystery teams could be DII teams moving up maybe a Central Washington or Minot State for example. It's kinda scary to have that huge a conference.

Minot State will not go D-I.

[UNDBIZ]

Minot State will not go D-I.

Agreed. Silly to even suggest it.

[the green team]

Minot State will not go D-I.

If they do- I'm sure they will be a Summit League candidate. As that seems to be along the lines that the XDSU's fan bases are at right now. What about Duluth? Or how bout Mankato or St. Cloud or Augie? I thought the company line for many years of those fanbase's has been that "we are too big of deals to deal with those "type" of schools". Now it's ok to pursue those schools, they weren't good enough but now they are? I can't keep up, as it seems the argument from a certain side keeps changing.

[IrishSiouxFan]

If they do- I'm sure they will be a Summit League candidate. As that seems to be along the lines that the XDSU's fan bases are at right now. What about Duluth? Or how bout Mankato or St. Cloud or Augie? I thought the company line for many years of those fanbase's has been that "we are too big of deals to deal with those "type" of schools". Now it's ok to pursue those schools, they weren't good enough but now they are? I can't keep up, as it seems the argument from a certain side keeps changing.

I would think Saint Cloud would be the best contender of the bunch you listed off. They have a decent sized student body, decent (not stellar) academics, and a desirable media market. Would be a good road trip for Bison fans.