NDSU to move to FBS with an invite from the Sun Belch?

[The Sicatoka]

I get what you are saying but GSU was probably the worst Sun Belt team you could have picked since we kind of have a long distance love affair with them. They came to the dome twice in the playoffs, Bison fans would love to play GSU every year. The others probably not so much. 

 

GSU? Which Sun Belt "GSU"? Georgia State or Georgia Southern?  

 

But to your point, App'y State and Troy? 

 

The average NDSU (or UND for that matter) fan would say "Troy who?"  

[SiouxVolley]

If NDSU goes to the Sun Belt, that would be a huge deal.  If NDSU wants to go FBS, the Sun Belt would be a vastly superior option than the Big Sky hypothetical you talk about.  The Sun Belt is actually FBS and will be continue to be FBS.  The Big Sky is FCS with no guarantee of anything beyond that.  Your Big Sky FBS theory is, at best, a long shot.  Not only do we not know whether the NCAA would allow it, we don't even know if any of the Big Sky Presidents even want to try to do it.  If NDSU wants to go FBS, it makes zero sense to wait around for the Big Sky.

 

I think NDSU's casual fans would be very happy with a Sun Belt schedule and all the extra benefits in non-conference scheduling that would go along with being an FBS school.  With as much as you dislike NDSU, I'm not sure why would "love it" if NDSU went to the Sun Belt.  If NDSU is able to pull this off, they would leave UND in the dust for another generation.    

I said that NDSU has about a 10% chance of being accepted to the Sun Belt.  That league would much prefer teams in states like Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, or Virginina, but will take a 12th team as an associate in football as it would mean a championship game for them on ESPN or network TV.  The Sun Belt has never been a launching pad for any school, unless you include La Tech, FIU, FAU, Middle Tenn, or Western Ky which are now in CUSA.  The days of an interloper like Boise State making waves are probably dead.  Why did Chris Petersen go to Washington rather than stay with his beloved Boise?  IMHO, he saw the writing on the wall.  The PAC12 schools are seeing a huge increase in TV revenue, which they will use to build better facilities and staff,  Boise St won some battles but lost the war to be a P5 school.  The Big 12 would take SDSU, Fresno, Colo St, or UNM before Boise St, and its highly doubtful that the Big 12 will take any of them.

 

The sole purpose of this thread is for UND fans to understand the ramifications if the Big Sky won't go or can't obtain FBS status. 

[mksioux]

 

 

The sole purpose of this thread is for UND fans to understand the ramifications if the Big Sky won't go or can't obtain FBS status. 

I'm not sure I'm following you.  You stated in your initial post that there is a 10% chance NDSU gets invited to the Sun Belt as early as this spring.  That potential invitation would come long before the Big Sky could or would pursue FBS status.  So if the invitation comes, NDSU will make its decision and that decision will have nothing to do with the Big Sky.  (Unless you think an FBS decision by the Big Sky is imminent, which I don't think you're saying.) 

[SiouxVolley]

When Idaho accepted a bid to the Big Sky in 2012, that was a sure sign that at least part of the Big Sky signaled it would go FBS.  Idaho is not giving up its precious FBS status and would have stayed in the WAC as an FBS independent or affiliate if the BIg Sky had no FBS plans.  The Big Sky called off a merger with the WAC because most of the Big Sky schools that had FBS goals were not ready, but they agreed to be ready be late in the decade.

 

NDSU, SDSU, and probably USD have all been contacted about going FBS with the Big Sky, so its not like NDSU is operating in a vacuum.  In the Sun Belt, NDSU will have to be content with that conferences bowl tie-ins, which are the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, and the New Orleans Bowl.  The BIg Sky would have the Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise,  and probably two new bowls in Seattle and in Vikings Stadium in Mpls.  Idaho wouldn't attract many fans to the Sun Belt bowl locations, so an FBS Big Sky is the best of all worlds.  NDSU could choose the Sun Belt in part out of spite and in part to be the first mover.  The Big Sky can't begin the FBS transition until 2018 when Idaho football comes aboard.

 

 

I'm not sure I'm following you.  You stated in your initial post that there is a 10% chance NDSU gets invited to the Sun Belt as early as this spring.  That potential invitation would come long before the Big Sky could or would pursue FBS status.  So if the invitation comes, NDSU will make its decision and that decision will have nothing to do with the Big Sky.  (Unless you think an FBS decision by the Big Sky is imminent, which I don't think you're saying.) 

 

[The Sicatoka]

Volley, I'm going to "devil's advocate" you here for a minute: 

 

Idaho jumped out of the WAC because they saw what the WAC was becoming: Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Bakersfield. That's not who they are. They put athletics with similar schools (Montana, Montana State, North Dakota) with the exception of affiliate FBS football in the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). They'll be content with that until the SBC gives them the boot (ala what the SBC did to Denver a while back).

 

However, with SBC football at 11 today, the SBC pulling in NDSU would give the SBC the magic number for a conference championship game. And it would implode your notion of Idaho football returning to the Big Sky (and serving as the catalyst to an FBS Big Sky). 

 

Thoughts. 

[SiouxVolley]

Volley, I'm going to "devil's advocate" you here for a minute: 

 

Idaho jumped out of the WAC because they saw what the WAC was becoming: Chicago State, Grand Canyon, Bakersfield. That's not who they are. They put athletics with similar schools (Montana, Montana State, North Dakota) with the exception of affiliate FBS football in the Sun Belt Conference (SBC). They'll be content with that until the SBC gives them the boot (ala what the SBC did to Denver a while back).

 

However, with SBC football at 11 today, the SBC pulling in NDSU would give the SBC the magic number for a conference championship game. And it would implode your notion of Idaho football returning to the Big Sky (and serving as the catalyst to an FBS Big Sky). 

 

Thoughts. 

The Big Sky normally doesn't take any school unless it brings with it football.  Idaho will bring it, but it will be the Big Sky's ticket to FBS.   That's why the Big Sky is patient because some schools are not ready for FBS, including UND.  If Idaho was going to drop to FCS, why didn't they do it this year?  

 

Idaho would never bring 10,000 to any of the SunBelt bowl games.  The Vandals would be lucky to get 2000 in New Orleans or Mobile or Montgomery.   That is unacceptable to the Sun Belt.  But Idaho would bring 20K to Boise and maybe 10K to Seattle.  Meanwhile, bizon fans have shown they can travel to a "bowl" game down south:  what's the difference as far as Frisco or New Orleans or Mobile?   The Sun Belt expects their teams to bring at least 10K fans to their bowl games, otherwise the bowls would be forced to drop to conference.  The Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise would love a Big Sky team instead of a MAC team, which doesn't contribute more that a few hundred fans.  The Potato Bowl puts up with the MAC because its all they can get,  Ideally, they want a MWC vs a Big Sky matchup.

 

The Sun Belt was desperate when Idaho and NMSU were added, as it was down to six members and three in transition.  As I said earlier, NDSU isn't the ideal candidate and they want some schools first that would say no, but NDSU has traveling fans for bowls and a championship game, and that serves the Sun Belt well.  Idaho doesn't help in either category.  If NDSU and the Sun Belt came to some agreement, it would be with a substantial exit fee for NDSU with the first eight to ten years, and then would go down.  A Dallas or Frisco bowl is also possible for the Belt if they can choose from Texas St, NMSU, and NDSU.  A Sun Belt bowl in Frisco or Dallas isn't assured that a 'local' team would qualify.  The other Sun Belt bowls are practically assured of a reasonably local team or one that travels well (Ark St and La-La travel very well).

[MafiaMan]

Thank you for picking out my bad example. How excited would NDSU fans be to play them? Making a road trip to Georgia in your fan bus is bound to be just as fun as a road trip to Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Etc.

Going to FBS in a conference with regional ties would be one thing. Going FBS in a conference with no familiar foes and no teams remotely close would be a terrible idea for NDSU.

It's not like it'd be the first time a non-regional team played in a conference nowhere near its home. Utah and Colorado in the Pac-12? Nebraska, Rutgers, and Maryland in the Big 10? West Virginia in the Big 12? ACC from Miami all the way up to Boston?

I totally agree with you though: colleges are throwing away long-time rivalries every other day in this day and age. It's a shame.

[bison73]

So you have lakes and one of his other aliases spooging each other over the sun blah and you think all of BV is for it? LOL LOL

 

You have one person pounding his pud over this. Lakes

[darell1976]

So you have lakes and one of his other aliases spooging each other over the sun blah and you think all of BV is for it? LOL LOL

 

You have one person pounding his pud over this. Lakes

Pump it up. Sun Belch or nothing.

[bison73]

Pump it up. Sun Belch or nothing.

Yeah his idiocy is---well his idiocy. :silly:

[SiouxVolley]

So you have lakes and one of his other aliases spooging each other over the sun blah and you think all of BV is for it? LOL LOL

 

You have one person pounding his pud over this. Lakes

No one at BIsonville even mentioned the Sun Belch until I did.  They keep talking delusional when the MAC and MWC get brought up.   The Sun Belch is a reasonable goal for Bresciani and he knows it.   The Sun Belt needs teams that can show up for bowl games, otherwise their bowls go under.  The Sun Belt also wants a bowl in Texas.  NDSU has proven that it will attract fans to Frisco.  The most powerful team in the Sun Belt is Ga Southern, which isn't even out of transition yet.  Why would the Sun Belt not like NDSU except for the distance?

 

I thought you lived in Arkansas.  Right up your alley.

[The Sicatoka]

The Big Sky normally doesn't take any school unless it brings with it football.  Idaho will bring it, but it will be the Big Sky's ticket to FBS.   

 

Volley, I'm going to keep pushing because that's how ideas get drawn out: 

 

You said a key word in there ... "normally". The Big Sky wants all of Idaho (read: football too) back in the fold, but they couldn't get that. They (BSC) got what they could get.

 

Beyond that, a lot of things have to fall just right: Sun Belt has to look to consolidate geographically*, Idaho has to put FB back in the BSC, the NCAA has to allow your "transition conference to FBS because an FBS school found a landing spot there" scenario. There are a lot of moving parts there and I'm more an Occam's Razor kind of guy.**

 

 

*Your "NDSU could go SBC" scenario refutes this very notion as grabbing NDSU would clearly not be a geographical consolidation of the SBC. The "scoop and score" on geographic consolidation for the SBC would involve some CAA teams and Missouri State (after deep-sixing Idaho and NMSU). 

 

**Occam's Razor would say the SBC would try to get some in-footprint teams in the fold and then divest itself of Idaho and NMSU. 

[Maddogg1971]

Ummmm......let me see......it's the bissssssson. WHO CARES!

[Herd]

When Idaho accepted a bid to the Big Sky in 2012, that was a sure sign that at least part of the Big Sky signaled it would go FBS.  Idaho is not giving up its precious FBS status and would have stayed in the WAC as an FBS independent or affiliate if the BIg Sky had no FBS plans.  The Big Sky called off a merger with the WAC because most of the Big Sky schools that had FBS goals were not ready, but they agreed to be ready be late in the decade.

 

NDSU, SDSU, and probably USD have all been contacted about going FBS with the Big Sky, so its not like NDSU is operating in a vacuum.  In the Sun Belt, NDSU will have to be content with that conferences bowl tie-ins, which are the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, and the New Orleans Bowl.  The BIg Sky would have the Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise,  and probably two new bowls in Seattle and in Vikings Stadium in Mpls.  Idaho wouldn't attract many fans to the Sun Belt bowl locations, so an FBS Big Sky is the best of all worlds.  NDSU could choose the Sun Belt in part out of spite and in part to be the first mover.  The Big Sky can't begin the FBS transition until 2018 when Idaho football comes aboa

 

 

If Idaho shows up to play football in the Big Sky, how does that somehow allow the Big Sky to move FBS.   That is a massive assumption on your part that has < 5% chance of ever coming to fruition.   NDSU to the Sunbelt for FB only is a slam dunk in comparison to Idaho to the Big Sky making the Big Sky FBS.   That scenario is a pipe dream.   Even if it would be allow rule wise (which it is not), the NCAA would be hugely pumping the brakes on poor football quality alone.   A Big Sky conference that is well down the list in the FCS rankings could not compete at the FBS level, at all.

 

So when the CAA talked to the NCAA about moving FBS as a whole, why didn't they exercise your loophole and just invite in one existing FBS team and magically make their conference FBS?    The CAA and every other FCS conference who has had talks with the NCAA about moving FBS would be crying foul loudly to the NCAA if this Big Sky scenario was OK'd by the NCAA.   Other FCS conferences would be against the Big Sky moving FBS and every FBS conference would be against the Big Sky becoming FBS.   So how on earth would the Big Sky actually get approval?  Truth is, they would not, not in a million years with the existing FBS/FCS system that will likely be in place well beyond 2017-2018.

 

If something would change with the FBS/FCS model, then its possible.  But then it would be possible for all FCS conferences, but just the Big Sky.   Face it, there is no common sense in your arguments, and nothing magical that the BSC will be allowed to do.

[mksioux]

When Idaho accepted a bid to the Big Sky in 2012, that was a sure sign that at least part of the Big Sky signaled it would go FBS.  Idaho is not giving up its precious FBS status and would have stayed in the WAC as an FBS independent or affiliate if the BIg Sky had no FBS plans.  The Big Sky called off a merger with the WAC because most of the Big Sky schools that had FBS goals were not ready, but they agreed to be ready be late in the decade.

 

NDSU, SDSU, and probably USD have all been contacted about going FBS with the Big Sky, so its not like NDSU is operating in a vacuum.  In the Sun Belt, NDSU will have to be content with that conferences bowl tie-ins, which are the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, the GoDaddy Bowl in Mobile, and the New Orleans Bowl.  The BIg Sky would have the Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise,  and probably two new bowls in Seattle and in Vikings Stadium in Mpls.  Idaho wouldn't attract many fans to the Sun Belt bowl locations, so an FBS Big Sky is the best of all worlds.  NDSU could choose the Sun Belt in part out of spite and in part to be the first mover.  The Big Sky can't begin the FBS transition until 2018 when Idaho football comes aboard.

I don't think Idaho going back to the Big Sky was a "sure sign" of anything, except the fact that the Big Sky is obviously more appealing to Idaho than what has become of the WAC.  

 

If the Big Sky has contacted the Dakota schools about going FBS, then all three of those schools are awfully good at keeping secrets, as their has been no hint of it in media reports.  I just don't buy it.  

 

NDSU to the Sun Belt is is infinitely more probable than NDSU going to an FBS Big Sky.  And if NDSU goes to the Sun Belt, I think there is a reasonably good chance they will be successful.  Maybe they won't be another Boise State making it to the Fiesta Bowl, but they will regularly compete for conference championships and will regularly be in bowl games.  And we can poo poo that all we want, but it would be a HUGE deal, in my opinion.  The separation would be complete, and possibly permanent.  Which is why I think NDSU will take the opportunity, if invited.  

[SiouxVolley]

Volley, I'm going to keep pushing because that's how ideas get drawn out: 

 

You said a key word in there ... "normally". The Big Sky wants all of Idaho (read: football too) back in the fold, but they couldn't get that. They (BSC) got what they could get.

 

Beyond that, a lot of things have to fall just right: Sun Belt has to look to consolidate geographically*, Idaho has to put FB back in the BSC, the NCAA has to allow your "transition conference to FBS because an FBS school found a landing spot there" scenario. There are a lot of moving parts there and I'm more an Occam's Razor kind of guy.**

 

 

*Your "NDSU could go SBC" scenario refutes this very notion as grabbing NDSU would clearly not be a geographical consolidation of the SBC. The "scoop and score" on geographic consolidation for the SBC would involve some CAA teams and Missouri State (after deep-sixing Idaho and NMSU). 

 

**Occam's Razor would say the SBC would try to get some in-footprint teams in the fold and then divest itself of Idaho and NMSU. 

The Big Sky could have refused Idaho unless they brought back FCS football now.  They didn't, even though they had the leverage.

 

Been through this before, but Montana and Montana St backed out on the WAC at the last minute.  They would have been invited at the same time as Texas St and UTSA.  The Montana schools still have FBS aspirations, but with their own league.  The MWC conference schools have too big of budgets, too large of stadiums, to ever consider Idaho, Montana, MSU, or even NDSU.  It would be athletic suicide for any of those schools to accept an invitation to that league.  Sure, they might be competitive for a year or two, but most years they'd be absolutely blasted in every sport.  NDSU fans that talk up getting into the MWC or even Big Ten live in a different reality,.  A collaboration for NW regional schools is the only way that all can succeed at FBS, except possibly NDSU. 

 

The California and Oregon schools all want FBS eventually, but the education cuts in their states were really bad, so FBS wasn't feasible at that time.  The triad of Idaho, Montana, and Montana St had to buy time with the west coast schools plus E Wash and UND, who both need an FBS compliant stadium.  The delay serves them well to meet FBS standards.  If Montana and MSU had joined the WAC in 2011 or 12, they wouldn't have had conference homes for all sports.

 

 When Idaho is notified after the 2015 season that they will be kicked out of the Summit after 2017 season, expect a lot of talk of FBS at that time.   Idaho has already creased the skids with Emmert that an NCAA rule change is needed.  The P5 schools will be in support so it will happen.

[Herd]

The Big Sky could have refused Idaho unless they brought back FCS football now.  They didn't, even though they had the leverage.

 

Been through this before, but Montana and Montana St backed out on the WAC at the last minute.  They would have been invited at the same time as Texas St and UTSA.  The Montana schools still have FBS aspirations, but with their own league.  The MWC conference schools have too big of budgets, too large of stadiums, to ever consider Idaho, Montana, MSU, or even NDSU.  It would be athletic suicide for any of those schools to accept an invitation to that league.  Sure, they might be competitive for a year or two, but most years they'd be absolutely blasted in every sport.  NDSU fans that talk up getting into the MWC or even Big Ten live in a different reality,.  A collaboration for NW regional schools is the only way that all can succeed at FBS, except possibly NDSU. 

 

The California and Oregon schools all want FBS eventually, but the education cuts in their states were really bad, so FBS wasn't feasible at that time.  The triad of Idaho, Montana, and Montana St had to buy time with the west coast schools plus E Wash and UND, who both need an FBS compliant stadium.  The delay serves them well to meet FBS standards.  If Montana and MSU had joined the WAC in 2011 or 12, they wouldn't have had conference homes for all sports.

 

 When Idaho is notified after the 2015 season that they will be kicked out of the Summit after 2017 season, expect a lot of talk of FBS at that time.   Idaho has already creased the skids with Emmert that an NCAA rule change is needed.  The P5 schools will be in support so it will happen.

Let's be a little bit honest here.  The Big Sky would galdly take Idaho with or without Fooball, without in this case.  So bringing Idaho in for olymipic sports means nothing with regard to FB.  If Idaho brings football to the Big Sky, they will be FCS.   If something changes with the existing model and FCS conferences would be allowed to increase scholarships and move FBS, then we'll talk.   Until then, Idaho FB in the Big Sky means Idaho is FCS.   You can try to spin it, but its just that, spin.   And why on earth would the P5 be in support of the Big Sky moving FBS?  Why on earth? . . .  that is a completely illogical suggestion.  The P5 could care less about Idaho and the Big Sky conference.  If they spoke out, it would be strongly against making exceptions for adding teams to the bottom of the Subdivision.   If Idaho was the best team in a conference, the P5 would laugh and say no thank you.   I've said it before but I'll say it again.  The only way to move FBS, under existing rules, is by going to an existig FBS conference one or two teams at a time.  Anything else, like a whole FCS conference trying to move up, will be quickly rejected.

 

And, all this has nothing to do with NDSU volley, but go ahead and try to work NDSU in and make something up, like you always do. 

[The Sicatoka]

The only way to move FBS, under existing rules, is by going to an existig FBS conference one or two teams at a time.  

 

I see your concern and issue ("under existing rules"), but I believe Volley's theory addresses that, namely, 

 

 Idaho has already creased the skids with Emmert that an NCAA rule change is needed.  The P5 schools will be in support so it will happen.

 

Why might the P5 schools support such a notion? Cheaper FBS games (more FBS teams). Keep the anti-trust wolves at bay. Have a greater swirl (more in-fighting for position within the G5) so there's less chance of a G5 team rising up to the top of "Olympus" with the P5*. 

 

 

*"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Top G5 schools are the 'enemy' of P5s, so, why not bring in some more FCS schools ('enemies' of the G5) to the G5? 

[cberkas]

I see your concern and issue ("under existing rules"), but I believe Volley's theory addresses that, namely, 

 

 

Why might the P5 schools support such a notion? Cheaper FBS games (more FBS teams). Keep the anti-trust wolves at bay. Have a greater swirl (more in-fighting for position within the G5) so there's less chance of a G5 team rising up to the top of "Olympus" with the P5*. 

 

 

*"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Top G5 schools are the 'enemy' of P5s, so, why not bring in some more FCS schools ('enemies' of the G5) to the G5? 

 

The Power 5 are wanting to play only Power 5, and two of those conferences PAC-12 and B1G want everyone to play the same number of conference games. The number of conference games is either all Power 5 conferences play 9 conference games or 10 conference games which would exclude conference title games. If the Power 5 all play they same number of conference games it would help figure out who should be in the playoffs.

 

Why would the Power 5 or any conference if the FBS want to add another conference? The FBS is at 10 conferences which makes dividing the bowl money evenly amongst the conferences (I'm sure the Power 5 get more money from the bowls then the G5). So let's say the Big Sky gets added to the FBS, the bowl money that the Big Sky would get is going to come from somewhere. Those other FBS conferences are not going to want to loose the money that they'd get to the Big Sky.

[SiouxVolley]

The Power 5 are wanting to play only Power 5, and two of those conferences PAC-12 and B1G want everyone to play the same number of conference games. The number of conference games is either all Power 5 conferences play 9 conference games or 10 conference games which would exclude conference title games. If the Power 5 all play they same number of conference games it would help figure out who should be in the playoffs.

 

Why would the Power 5 or any conference if the FBS want to add another conference? The FBS is at 10 conferences which makes dividing the bowl money evenly amongst the conferences (I'm sure the Power 5 get more money from the bowls then the G5). So let's say the Big Sky gets added to the FBS, the bowl money that the Big Sky would get is going to come from somewhere. Those other FBS conferences are not going to want to loose the money that they'd get to the Big Sky.

The Big 10 and Pac 12 want to force the SEC to play nine conference games so that they beat up on themselves.  The Big 10 and Pac 12 and ACC have enough patsies so playing among themselves gives them a big advantage.

 

The CFB playoffs have a formula to divide the playoff money set in stone until 2025.  The G5 conferences are named, so if another G5 conference appears, they would not be eligible for playoff money unless they were written into a new agreement starting in 2026.  Even though the G5 receives table scraps from that agreement, it still amounts to $1 mill per team.  (up to 12 teams per conference, so CUSA has to divide $12 mill by 14 instead of 12).  The P5 conferences are not penalized for having more teams and make 10 x the money.

 

When a Big Sky FBS appears, it might get written in to the agreement that begins in 2026, which should be more $'s and as many as 8 or 16 teams.  But in the mean time, Big Sky FBS teams would benefit more by being visiting teams of the PAC12 and Big 10, by getting a real cable contract, and getting bowl games like the one in Boise against the MWC, maybe one in Mpls against the MAC, and maybe one in Seattle or N Calif against the MWC.  The Big Sky would not get a bowl game against any of the P5 unless possibly the playoffs would expand to 16.  Right now, the SEC has three lower levels beneath it in its region of FBS football.  If the SEC is major league, the American is like an AAA league, CUSA is AA, and the Sun Belt is A.  For the PAC 12, it only has a AAA league in the MWC.  If wants an "A" league for more and cheaper games against FBS.  The Big Ten really only has an AAA league in its eastern part, and an A league in Ohio and Michigan (mainly), so it would like an A league for its western teams.

[BisonCardinal]

To answer the thread title, not likely at all.  I do not believe NDSU will make an FBS-type move without some company.

 

What I would like personally is to keep the Dakota schools together, meaning a Big Sky east division or Missouri Valley west division.  I believe UND will eventually end up back with the other three Dakota schools.  With the Summit showing some real strength/stability with the addition of Denver and Oral Roberts, for some reason I believe that Douple/Faison could each swallow some pride and mend the UND/Summit relationship.  The problem is with football.  I can see Youngstown football ending up in some eastern conference. This would drop the MVFC down to nine members, which some say is the perfect size for a football conference.  So, unfortunately, even with YSU leaving, it still may not provide an opening for UND football as the MVFC has a problem with adding western teams.

 

I am not as thrilled with the Missouri Valley conference as some.  They have shown their desire to be a basketball only conference with the addition of Loyola - Chicago.  If the MVC, for some reason loses Wichita State, they won't be nearly as sexy as previously thought.  Creighton and Wichita State seemed to be the only ones to make any noise in that conference.

 

Seems to me if the MVC had their act together, they would be aggressively seeking expansion (adding the Dakota schools) instead of taking a wait and see attitude.  There is strength in numbers.  I am guessing that they think they can poach any Midwestern team that they want anytime they want, like an Eastern Illinois from the OVC, etc.  I think the Summit (NCC 2.0) could become a force to be reckoned with the Dakota schools as the core.

 

My two cents.

[darell1976]

To answer the thread title, not likely at all. I do not believe NDSU will make an FBS-type move without some company.

What I would like personally is to keep the Dakota schools together, meaning a Big Sky east division or Missouri Valley west division. I believe UND will eventually end up back with the other three Dakota schools. With the Summit showing some real strength/stability with the addition of Denver and Oral Roberts, for some reason I believe that Douple/Faison could each swallow some pride and mend the UND/Summit relationship. The problem is with football. I can see Youngstown football ending up in some eastern conference. This would drop the MVFC down to nine members, which some say is the perfect size for a football conference. So, unfortunately, even with YSU leaving, it still may not provide an opening for UND football as the MVFC has a problem with adding western teams.

I am not as thrilled with the Missouri Valley conference as some. They have shown their desire to be a basketball only conference with the addition of Loyola - Chicago. If the MVC, for some reason loses Wichita State, they won't be nearly as sexy as previously thought. Creighton and Wichita State seemed to be the only ones to make any noise in that conference.

Seems to me if the MVC had their act together, they would be aggressively seeking expansion (adding the Dakota schools) instead of taking a wait and see attitude. There is strength in numbers. I am guessing that they think they can poach any Midwestern team that they want anytime they want, like an Eastern Illinois from the OVC, etc. I think the Summit (NCC 2.0) could become a force to be reckoned with the Dakota schools as the core.

My two cents.

That is a nice post. I hope some day the Dakota 4 will be all in the same conference in all sports. I wonder if the SL will get a TV deal like the Big Sky Conference, if that happens plus the MVFC offering UND football membership may persuade UND to look at that option, of course dealing with Douple may be another issue.

[BisonCardinal]

I know there is some real hard feelings with UND and Douple.  But I don't think Douple is a dumbie.  I would think that he wants to build the Summit into a league that competes with the Missouri Valley, and  the Big Sky for that matter, on a regular basis.  Adding another strong ND team to the league will add the rock solid base core he is looking for.

 

Wouldn't it be something if the Summit were to get two teams into March Madness and the MVC only one?  Last year, if you would won your last basketball game, ND would have had more teams in the big dance than the basketball state of Indiana.

[nd1sufan]

That is a nice post. I hope some day the Dakota 4 will be all in the same conference in all sports. I wonder if the SL will get a TV deal like the Big Sky Conference, if that happens plus the MVFC offering UND football membership may persuade UND to look at that option, of course dealing with Douple may be another issue.

I think an NDSU move to the Missouri Valley in all sports is more likely than either the Sun Belt or Big Sky. The Indiana State media have been saying all along that the MVC should add NDSU, and now they say there may be some movement among the conference schools that it may be a good idea. They are afraid that with the football success that NDSU is having that they are becoming more attractive to FBS conferences (like the MWC or MAC) and that the window may be closing to get them in the MVC. NDSU has powerful allies in the MVC, like both ISU's, and UNI. They just would probably have to find a private, non-football school to go with them, possibly ORU or Denver. .

[choyt3]

How would that be viewed by a fan base with B1G or BigXII aspirations? Moving to the MVC in other sports does nothing for those fans, as the goal is to move up, not over.