Non-UND FCS Thread

[UND-FB-FAN]

I'm not saying anything, I'm merely asking a question that many people are asking today. Is the Big Sky style of play built to win in the playoffs? I believe UND is headed in the right direction under Schweigert, but given some of those "big wins" turned out to be against teams that may not have been as good as they looked at the time(I think that's a fair statement) does that do anything to temper the excitement of going 7-4?

It wasn't meant as a knock in any way. If NDSU was in the same situation and beat let's say a 9-2 UNI team, and then UNI lays an egg in the playoffs, I would wonder how good of a win that UNI win really was. I'm guessing many UND fans may be saying the same about the PSU win at this point.

Like I said, I think you are all correct in your optimism about the direction of the program, just wondering if that optimism is hedged a bit given the outcome of the Big Sky teams in the playoffs. The vast majority seem to say it doesn't, great, it's just a discussion starter.

I'll answer this as objectively as I possibly can. 

Many teams in the Big Sky Conference play a pass-happy, spread offense and don't have top end defenses; however, that doesn't make UND's 7-4 season unsuccessful or less successful. Why? Because UND is only in the 2nd season of Bubba's rebuilding project; the team is heavily based on freshmen and sophomores, not upperclassmen yet. Thus, UND should only continue to improve as UND gains more experience and depth. 

As for the style of play, Bubba is building UND like the MVFC teams are built. UND recruits from the same footprint that MVFC schools NDSU, SDSU, USD, and UNI recruit from. I'll admit the top 3 of the MVFC (NDSU, Illinois State, UNI) in 2015 are better than the top 3 of the Big Sky Conference (Montana, Portland State, SUU) in 2015, but that doesn't negatively affect UND. If UND plays in a lesser conference, so be it; it will only ease the path to the playoffs. This season, playoffs did not happen (although it should have); however, UND easily could have been 9-2 this season and won the conference. Next season, UND returns the vast majority of its team, which brings with it a bunch of enthusiasm from the fan base because UND should be a favorite to win the Big Sky Conference next season and get the autobid. All of this produces excitement, regardless of how poor the Big Sky Conference is at stopping the run and running the ball. UND does things the "MVFC-way" within the Big Sky Conference. In my opinion, we started seeing that do good things this season (UND arguably was playing the best within the BSC to end the regular season). Next season, we should see that style of play take the next step and put UND in a position to win the conference. 

[SiouxVolley]

Looks like three 5-7 teams made bowls:

Minnesota plays Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit

Nebraska plays UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara

San Jose St plaus Georgia St in the Cure Bowl in Orlando

Both Appalachian St and Georgia Southern will plas in bowl games in the first year they are eligible.

[Cratter]

What would be better?

UND beating Sam Houston State for a FCS Championship?

Or

UND beating the Gophers in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit?

 

 

 

[SiouxVolley]

What would be better?

UND beating Sam Houston State for a FCS Championship?

Or

UND beating the Gophers in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit?

 

Beating the Gophers is much more important to the school than beating Sam Houston.

[Dagger]

Why are Bison fans continually worried about UND?

[Cratter]

Gopher fans would never hear the end of it. 

[Longtime fan]

I am not overly concerned cause UND is building a program like a successful MVC team.  Once our offense got going we were well rounded other than the pass defense on occasion.  Portland St. could stop the pass better than the run, they had a good team to play in the Big Sky, but UND took it to them, not surprised UNI did, too.  I think UND with their run D would have been a tougher matchup for UNI.

After reading your post I did a little referencing between UNI and UND.  

They have three common opponents this year : @ndsu @ Port st @ cal poly.  Both teams were 2-1 against the three with the loss being to ndsu. 

First and foremost I'm not saying und is better then uni this year, because they're not, but the stats between the two teams and three common opponents are fairly equal 

With those three common opponents the game totals on the defensive side are as follows :

und gave up 49 first downs / passing d- 649 yards 6 tds 0 int / rushing d -120 carries 365 yards 3.0 ave 3 tds. 

N Iowa gave up 67 first downs/ passing d- 517 yards 5 tds 6 ints/ rushing d- 155 carries 671 yards 4.3 ave 4 tds  

They both gave up 9 tds, und was much better against the run and the 6 ints from n Iowa proves their secondary is better.   

The offensive stats against the 3 common opponents are as follows: 

und passed for 448 yards 2 tds 1 int/ rushed  129 carries  483 yards  3.7 ave and 6 tds 

n Iowa passed for 422 yards 2 tds 3 int / rushed  136 carries 882 yards 6.5 ave 9 tds 

Interesting that und passed for more yards and less ints then n Iowa but n Iowa doubled up und on the rushing.  

Neither team passes which is obvious just surprised at the rushing differential.  

Would've liked to seen the matchup to see what und could or couldn't do as they were hot at the end of the season.  

 

[geaux_sioux]

After reading your post I did a little referencing between UNI and UND.  

They have three common opponents this year : @ndsu @ Port st @ cal poly.  Both teams were 2-1 against the three with the loss being to ndsu. 

First and foremost I'm not saying und is better then uni this year, because they're not, but the stats between the two teams and three common opponents are fairly equal 

With those three common opponents the game totals on the defensive side are as follows :

und gave up 49 first downs / passing d- 649 yards 6 tds 0 int / rushing d -120 carries 365 yards 3.0 ave 3 tds. 

N Iowa gave up 67 first downs/ passing d- 517 yards 5 tds 6 ints/ rushing d- 155 carries 671 yards 4.3 ave 4 tds  

They both gave up 9 tds, und was much better against the run and the 6 ints from n Iowa proves their secondary is better.   

The offensive stats against the 3 common opponents are as follows: 

und passed for 448 yards 2 tds 1 int/ rushed  129 carries  483 yards  3.7 ave and 6 tds 

n Iowa passed for 422 yards 2 tds 3 int / rushed  136 carries 882 yards 6.5 ave 9 tds 

Interesting that und passed for more yards and less ints then n Iowa but n Iowa doubled up und on the rushing.  

Neither team passes which is obvious just surprised at the rushing differential.  

Would've liked to seen the matchup to see what und could or couldn't do as they were hot at the end of the season.  

 

UNI has a great secondary. I hope ours can look like theirs in the near future.

[petey23]

This is going to come off as smack and it's a difficult question to ask this passionate group, but does seeing the lack of Big Sky success in the playoffs do anything to temper the excitement of what I consider to be a successful season for you guys?

I hope that doesn't come across as an a-hole question, I'm sure it has crossed a few of your minds this morning. It would mine if the tables were turned.

BTW, I was actually impressed with PSU last night, it's hard to gauge a game that's played in such crappy conditions though.

Nope.

Regionalization hurts the Big Sky as well. I have no problem acknowledging that the MVFC is the top conference and 2 of the Big Sky teams lost to MVFC teams in the playoffs and one lost to pretty good and experienced Sam Houston State team at the wire. The FCS "playoff" bracket is what it is and that is a tournament to be run as cheaply as possible and not to necessarily advance the best teams. I think you could have sent any of SDSU, Montana, Portland State, UND, Eastern Washington, and S. Utah on the road to the Richmond and/or Colgate section of the bracket and you would have a pretty good chance that any of those 6 teams would still be playing football next week. 

[petey23]

Looks like three 5-7 teams made bowls:

Minnesota plays Central Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit

Nebraska plays UCLA in the Foster Farms Bowl in Santa Clara

San Jose St plaus Georgia St in the Cure Bowl in Orlando

Both Appalachian St and Georgia Southern will plas in bowl games in the first year they are eligible.

I am not sure how the Gophers can accept that game. There athletic department policy prohibits them from playing against teams with hostile and abusive nicknames unless it is a conference game.

[ClassB]

After reading your post I did a little referencing between UNI and UND.  

They have three common opponents this year : @ndsu @ Port st @ cal poly.  Both teams were 2-1 against the three with the loss being to ndsu. 

First and foremost I'm not saying und is better then uni this year, because they're not, but the stats between the two teams and three common opponents are fairly equal 

With those three common opponents the game totals on the defensive side are as follows :

und gave up 49 first downs / passing d- 649 yards 6 tds 0 int / rushing d -120 carries 365 yards 3.0 ave 3 tds. 

N Iowa gave up 67 first downs/ passing d- 517 yards 5 tds 6 ints/ rushing d- 155 carries 671 yards 4.3 ave 4 tds  

They both gave up 9 tds, und was much better against the run and the 6 ints from n Iowa proves their secondary is better.   

The offensive stats against the 3 common opponents are as follows: 

und passed for 448 yards 2 tds 1 int/ rushed  129 carries  483 yards  3.7 ave and 6 tds 

n Iowa passed for 422 yards 2 tds 3 int / rushed  136 carries 882 yards 6.5 ave 9 tds 

Interesting that und passed for more yards and less ints then n Iowa but n Iowa doubled up und on the rushing.  

Neither team passes which is obvious just surprised at the rushing differential.  

Would've liked to seen the matchup to see what und could or couldn't do as they were hot at the end of the season.  

 

really interesting -- I would have pegged UNI as a really solid test for UND at the end of the year, two fairly hot teams with similar plans. I hadn't looked into it, but the turnovers on UNI's part look to be like a good equalizer.

Here's to hoping we get to play UNI and NDSU next fall in the playoffs.

[darell1976]

Why are Bison fans continually worried about UND?

They can see UND getting better and the thought of us getting into the playoffs, and stealing recruits worry them, or else why would they be here.

[Longtime fan]

Nope.

Regionalization hurts the Big Sky as well. I have no problem acknowledging that the MVFC is the top conference and 2 of the Big Sky teams lost to MVFC teams in the playoffs and one lost to pretty good and experienced Sam Houston State team at the wire. The FCS "playoff" bracket is what it is and that is a tournament to be run as cheaply as possible and not to necessarily advance the best teams. I think you could have sent any of SDSU, Montana, Portland State, UND, Eastern Washington, and S. Utah on the road to the Richmond and/or Colgate section of the bracket and you would have a pretty good chance that any of those 6 teams would still be playing football next week. 

I've mentioned that same thing.  Mvfc is the best conference in the fcs, that's no secret.  But in reality ndsu is about the only team ( including gateway conf) that has done anything in the 2000s. Top to bottom a very talented league tho.  The big sky can gripe about regionalization just as much as the guys can from the mvfc being the big sky teams are in the same bracket.......all the time!!  Things won't change for as long as the committee keeps regionalizing.  

We just need to take care of business in the big sky and be seeded for the playoffs. Play one less game and have home field advantage is big. And bubba ball is built for November and December.  

[molden]

UND fans would be thrilled with one FCS championship.

[UNDBIZ]

UND fans would be thrilled with one FCS championship.

Were ndsu fans not thrilled when they won their first FCS championship?

[homer]

UND fans would be thrilled with one FCS championship.

So would SDSU fans.  Did you post the same thing there?

[molden]

So would SDSU fans.  Did you post the same thing there?

I don't follow the bunny board at all.

[The Sicatoka]

UND fans would be thrilled with one FCS championship.

Yes, yes they would, because that's where you have to start. 

[molden]

Yes, yes they would, because that's where you have to start. 

Well, seeing how some of the members here don't think that an FCS championship is a very big deal, I just made the obvious comment.

[Siouxperman8]

Well, seeing how some of the members here don't think that an FCS championship is a very big deal, I just made the obvious comment.

Most on here agree that FCS championships are a big deal.

[Longtime fan]

Well, seeing how some of the members here don't think that an FCS championship is a very big deal, I just made the obvious comment.

????  Who wouldn't think a championship isn't a big deal????

[UNDColorado]

There has been debate in the past about an FCS Championship Vs. D1 Hockey Championship. Really semantics but at the end of the day nobody has diminished an FCS Championship. 

[The Sicatoka]

Well, seeing how some of the members here don't think that an FCS championship is a very big deal, I just made the obvious comment.

An FCS championship is a championship and I'd take it. 

But is it "The" championship? No. 

[Siouxphan27]

Well, seeing how some of the members here don't think that an FCS championship is a very big deal, I just made the obvious comment.

well, it's not a Goat Roping title or a Sheep Shearing crown, but its a big deal nonetheless.

[UNDvince97-01]

I don't follow the bunny board at all.

You don't follow your "rival" and their board?

Well, there you go...

Anyone who is reasonably objective and open-minded understands winning a FCS Championship is a big deal because it's the same one we are after at the level we play at.  It's childish to suggest otherwise