Hansel Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 The report by Hallstrom that NDSU is talking with the Sunbelt Conference is highly curious, to say the least. In spite of the talk about the Mid-Con and Horizon, those conferences will absolutely not take a BB ineligible school until there is no threat of more conference realignment. The conferences that are actively searching for new members can be counted on one hand: ConferenceUSA, Southland, Sunbelt, and soon probably the WAC. Each of them have very specific requirements: Conference USA wants a decent IA football team east of the Rockies (and probably soth of the Mason-Dixon line), the Southland wants a IAA football school in Texas or a neighboring state, and the Sunbelt would consider practically any school that is playing or moving up to IA in football. The Sunbelt is probably the only conference that would even consider adding a basketball ineligible school as it easily meets the basketball requirements to maintain their auto bid, but it needs to increase the number of football schools to stay a IA football league. The Sunbelt Commissioner, Wright Waters, is a highly respected leader who has managed to hold together a conference that a few months ago seemed on its last legs when they lost N Mex St and Utah St. The Sunbelt wants 1-4 more IA teams, as they could lose football members with the new attendance rules. Losing just one member would jeopardize the Sunbelt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Isn't WKU in the SunBelt for all sports except FB where they are IAA in the Gateway Conference. Also the Sunbelt has IAAA schools such as Denver so I don't think having IA football would be a requirement for SunBelt. I don't see NDSU going IA in many many many many moons (almost certainly never)> WKU, Denver, UALR, USA, and U of New Orleans are all remnants of the pre-football Sunbelt. The IA football schools hold the power now, and they will protect their IA football interests: that means only expanding the conference with a IA football playing school. WKU may still move to IA football, either in the Sunbelt or in the MAC. Denver is known to be dissatified with the situation, and UALR, USA, and UNO really have no better options. Considering that Idaho is a IA school with poorer facilities then NDSU, it could be within the realm of possiblities. My main point is: by Hallstrom mentioning the Sunbelt as a possible conference, either Halstrom is putting up another smokescreen of a conference feigning interest (far removed from reality a la Big Sky but even more exaggerated), Hallstrom has extremely poor , disconnected or inaccurate sources, or if Hallstrom is speaking truthfully, then NDSU truly is contemplating a move to IA football in this decade. Those are the really the only options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Chapman & Taylor have always very open about their plans. If they were seriously considering jumping straight to DI-A, we'd have heard all about it. I'd never rule out DI-A but it isn't happening in the short term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Question: If the Sunbelt really is shopping for future I-As, wouldn't they be smart enough to shop for DI-AA schools that already meet the DI-A attendance requirement? DI-AA teams that averaged more than 15000 in 2002: Jackson St. Delaware Montana Southern U. Florida A&M Youngstown St. N.C. A&T McNeese St. Alcorn St. Citadel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND92,96 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 It sounds like the Great West may be down to six teams, according to the Forum: St. Mary’s football in flux One of NDSU’s 2004 opponents looks to be in serious jeopardy of dropping football. St. Mary’s College (Calif.), which is set to host NDSU Nov. 20, has called a news conference for today. Apparently, the school’s Board of Regents is scheduled to report that the expense of I-AA football is too much. St. Mary’s has 15 full scholarships in a division where the maximum is 63. St. Mary’s was the only team in the newly formed Great West Football Conference not to have a news conference last week. The Board of Regents reportedly has serious questions about the program, so it decided to put off its role in the Great West Football Conference. If St. Mary’s does drop the sport, the Great West we be left with six teams: NDSU, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, California Davis, California Poly and Northern Colorado. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmrg74 Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 Star2city, you did forget to include the MAC in your list of conferances that might be looking for new members because of the realignement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WYOBISONMAN Posted March 3, 2004 Author Share Posted March 3, 2004 I really doubt that NDSU has any interest in D1A football. As far as the Sunbelt as a BB conference option, I think the chances are slim and none.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 3, 2004 Share Posted March 3, 2004 St. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hansel Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 I can't fight the resistance to laugh at that conference. They are already losing members. Six teams, half from the NCC, if I was a Bison fan, i'd sure as heck hope another conference came knocking soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 The NCC has lost four teams in the last couple years, not one. The NCC is 19-24 with one national championship in the DII playoffs. The Great West is 61-40 with 8 national championships (not counting NDSU's three poll championships). The average attendance at a Great West game next year is likely to average almost twice what an NCC game does. If you are laughing at the Great West, you must have ruptured a spleen laughing at the NCC. Peru State, Moorhead (at least twice), Upper Iowa (at least three times), Wisconsin-La Crosse (at least twice), Bemidji State, Oklahoma Panhandle, Northern State, Crookston, Concordia St Paul (at least twice), and SW Minnesota State? Nice non-conference scheduling... for a DIII conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfer Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Davis had eight scholarships the year UND beat us in the Semi's. Then again, a lot of our guys get by on the prize money they win in the surfing competitions over the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmrg74 Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Wouldn't winning prizemoney make them ineligable in the NCAA's eyes?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 So the conference that one of NDSU's 16 intercollegiate athletics programs is in is already losing a team, in less than a week after inception. No announcements yet on conferences for the other 15 of 16 programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WYOBISONMAN Posted March 4, 2004 Author Share Posted March 4, 2004 It was interesting reading in the Forum today that Kolpack is getting a very different read from the BSC that is Hallstrom. In the long run, the BSC is the best fit for NDSU, but there are some things that need to happen first. Since NDSU is provisional (or what ever the technical term is) for the next 5 years, it will significantly detract from our ability to attract a conference. After that I think it will be not that difficult to get BSC affiliation. No one thought this would be easy, and the fact that St. Mary's left the GWC is no big deal. The core of the conference is made up of teams that would challenge for the NCC title every year (if not win). It is very much a step above NCC ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend334 Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 step above NCC ball....every team in that conference couldnt beat UND the last how many years...SDSU hasnt done squat, UNC since Joe Glenn left has been marginal and you know how medicore NDSU is so I wont even go there....UC Davis lost to UND so how do you figure those teams are any better than the NCC you just left....check the NDSU arrogance at the door.....you were 20 years ago when you had more scholarships......heard today that SDSU may be dropping football too....wouldnt that be interesting..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 step above NCC ball....every team in that conference couldnt beat UND the last how many years...SDSU hasnt done squat, UNC since Joe Glenn left has been marginal and you know how medicore NDSU is so I wont even go there....UC Davis lost to UND so how do you figure those teams are any better than the NCC you just left....check the NDSU arrogance at the door.....you were 20 years ago when you had more scholarships......heard today that SDSU may be dropping football too....wouldnt that be interesting..... Wyo didn't say UND, he said the NCC. I only see two NCC teams that would compete next year with any of the GWFC teams. UND and UNO. It took UND overtime, at home, to beat a mediocre NDSU team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 heard today that SDSU may be dropping football too.... Huh? Do expand please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corella Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Wyo didn't say UND, he said the NCC. I only see two NCC teams that would compete next year with any of the GWFC teams. UND and UNO. It took UND overtime, at home, to beat a mediocre NDSU team. So you're saying SDSU would beat the rest of the NCC teams? Lets not get ridiculous now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoteauRinkRat Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 So you're saying SDSU would beat the rest of the NCC teams? Lets not get ridiculous now. I agree, just by moving up a level doesn't automatically make SDSU better than the rest of the NCC teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 St. Mary's of CA versus MSU-Mankato: a game of evenly matched teams. Too bad we will never see that game because St. Mary's has dropped football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hansel Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 So you're saying SDSU would beat the rest of the NCC teams? Lets not get ridiculous now. If "the rest of the NCC teams" means the NCC minus UND and UNO well SDSU did beat the rest of the NCC teams last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corella Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 Next Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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