UND @ Northern Iowa: Done Deal!

[CDog]

Panther's official website has UND @ Northern Iowa on September 9th. The following week, the Panthers play host to SDSU. Very interesting.

[KEH]

Is UND off Mesa State's schedule then?

[CDog]

Is UND off Mesa State's schedule then?

That's an interesting question. UND is still on Mesa States schedule. I'm guessing that some $ will need to change hands soon.

[SiouxMD]

Crap.

This would be a game I would travel for...but I will be out of country.

Crap.

GO SIOUX!

[4siouxnow]

Will look forward to the Sioux comming to NOrthern Iowa, hopefully many other sports will be comming this way in the future also.

[bincitysioux]

Here's the link.

UNI Releases 2006 Football Schedule; Six Home Games on the Docket

[bincitysioux]

Anybody know if UNI televises its games on KU Free-to-Air Satellite? Iceberg, are you there?

[4siouxnow]

UNI plays Drake the week before the they play UND, Drake is one of those strange D1 non scholarship football programs so they won't be much of a measuring stick, and UND should provide a much better challenge to UNI. What a diverse schedule UNI has a non scholarship progam, a DII school, and a BCS school in Iowa State on their schedule.

This sounds much like what I would expect if UND make the move to DI.

[MplsBison]

Drake is one of those strange D1 non scholarship football programs

Schools like Drake, Dayton, etc. used to be able to play DIII in football. But other DIII schools claimed they had an unfair advantage in that they could use money from basketball to pay for football facilities, coaches, etc.

So the NCAA said that if you're DI in basketball, you're DI in everything.

Thus, the DI schools who still don't have scholarships for their football teams (Drake, Butler, Dayton...basically the Pioneer League).

[The Sicatoka]

Drake, Butler, Dayton...

Alpo, er, I mean Valpo ....

[Cratter]

Alpo, er, I mean Valpo ....

Hey maybe UND should have scheduled IAA Drake to measure how good they'd be in DIAA.

[CDog]

Anybody know if UNI televises its games on KU Free-to-Air Satellite? Iceberg, are you there?

I have a feeling that there might be local TV for this game.

[JESUS,family,rutgers]

How did Northern Iowa build a 16,000 indoor stadium for only $7.5 million? Will they go to North Dakota in 2007?

[bincitysioux]

How did Northern Iowa build a 16,000 indoor stadium for only $7.5 million? Will they go to North Dakota in 2007?

Highly unlikely that this is a home-and-home agreement. It is for straight out cash, a guarantee game. A program like UNI isn't likely to travel to a 1st year DI school (which is what we'd be in 2007 if we declared an intent to move by this coming Semptember), and is no way gonna travel to a DII program (if we stay).

[BringDeanBack]

Sooooo, now what is UND's excuse going to be for not playing NDSU in football anymore? Isn't a game against UNI as "damaging" to playoff seeding criteria as a game against NDSU?

[The Walrus]

Sooooo, now what is UND's excuse going to be for not playing NDSU in football anymore? Isn't a game against UNI as "damaging" to playoff seeding criteria as a game against NDSU?

Yep!

But we called NDSU to fill our Oct 21 2006 date..and NDSU refused to play us..?

[RD17]

Sooooo, now what is UND's excuse going to be for not playing NDSU in football anymore? Isn't a game against UNI as "damaging" to playoff seeding criteria as a game against NDSU?

In 2004 when UND decided not to continue the series with NDSU, Division II was using a formula that heavily penalized teams for playing I-AA opponents. That formula was in place in 2003 and it essentially kept NDSU out of the playoffs because they played two I-AA schools.

Now that formula is gone and RPI is used. So playing a I-AA school doesn't damage UND's chances of making the postseason like it did a couple of years ago.

[bincitysioux]

In 2004 when UND decided not to continue the series with NDSU, Division II was using a formula that heavily penalized teams for playing I-AA opponents. That formula was in place in 2003 and it essentially kept NDSU out of the playoffs because they played two I-AA schools.

Now that formula is gone and RPI is used. So playing a I-AA school doesn't damage UND's chances of making the postseason like it did a couple of years ago.

Also, there was an article in the Forum a couple months ago that said Buning and Taylor had discussed it for 2006, but the date was Oct. 21. That's the same day the Gophers wanted NDSU. You can't fault NDSU for taking a $300,000 game. UND would do the same thing. Don't worry, whether UND goes DI or not, the two schools will probably be playing again by 2007.

The fact that Buning pursued an NDSU game coupled with the addition of UNI now on the schedule makes me believe that our A.D. is actively pursuing games against higher quality competition, and I like that. It is a nice turn in direction from the RT era, when we saw teams like Crookston, Mesa, and Newberry.

[The Walrus]

In 2004 when UND decided not to continue the series with NDSU, Division II was using a formula that heavily penalized teams for playing I-AA opponents. That formula was in place in 2003 and it essentially kept NDSU out of the playoffs because they played two I-AA schools.

Now that formula is gone and RPI is used. So playing a I-AA school doesn't damage UND's chances of making the postseason like it did a couple of years ago.

RD17,

Is there a catch on 11 game schedule vs. a 10 game schedule..?

I was told they have to count 10 games, if you play 11 you can throw one out of the rpi...?

[RD17]

Bob,

Is there a catch on 11 game schedule vs. a 10 game schedule..?

I was told they have to count 10 games, if you play 11 you can throw one out of the rpi...?

I'm not sure. But after you mentioned it in another post earlier today I thought I'd send out a couple of emails and see what I can find out. I'll let you know what I learn.

[SiouxMeNow]

Highly unlikely that this is a home-and-home agreement. It is for straight out cash, a guarantee game. A program like UNI isn't likely to travel to a 1st year DI school (which is what we'd be in 2007 if we declared an intent to move by this coming Semptember), and is no way gonna travel to a DII program (if we stay).

$50,000 cash + travel expenses from UNI vs. paying $60,000+ to fly to Mesa - you do the math...

[rabidrabbit]

How did Northern Iowa build a 16,000 indoor stadium for only $7.5 million? Will they go to North Dakota in 2007?

UNI dome built in 1977. Suspect, that like USD, they've replaced the teflon-coated, fiberglas roofing system at least once, and may not have an air supported system at this time.

UNI will not be coming to Grand Forks as long as UND stays D-2. Neither will SDSU or NDSU. It's a completely losing situation for the D-1's to go to a smaller school's home field.

Should UND decide to bite the bullet and go D-1, your first year's home games will consist of the D-2 games, and if go Big Sky (huge assumption) then whatever conference games you get. If you go Great West (assuming there is a Great West to go to), then you will fill in the scheduling spot that UNC made when they went Big Sky. Your OOC - look to play the non-schollies D-1AA (Alpo, Drake, Dayton). Of course, Ga Southern has shown a great willingness to play new transitionals (their powerpuff games). But be assured the first year of transition, no power school will play you at home. For verification, see NDSU, SDSU 2004 schedules and U Cent Ark (2006) schedules for info. Good games, against top schools, those you can get. But as away games.

Hope this is the initiation to consistent D-1AA play. Otherwise, great success to you in the NCC and D-2.

[bigmrg74]

UNI will not be coming to Grand Forks as long as UND stays D-2. Neither will SDSU or NDSU. It's a completely losing situation for the D-1's to go to a smaller school's home field.

Ummm.... Right now NDSU and SDSU are still transitional schools and for another 2-3 years or so and are not elligable for the playoffs in D1-AA. A NDSU-UND game or a SDSU-UND game would probably bring them a decent gate either way. And gee, is it just me, or are all of the SDSU and NDSU fans just desperate to get UND to jump up to D1??

[GeauxSioux]

UNI will not be coming to Grand Forks as long as UND stays D-2. Neither will SDSU or NDSU. It's a completely losing situation for the D-1's to go to a smaller school's home field.

If you mean enrollment, UND is larger than both NDSU and SDSU. If you are talking about athletic budgets, UND is larger than both NDSU and SDSU. If you are talking about attendance, UND has better football attendance than SDSU.

[IowaBison]

Should UND decide to bite the bullet and go D-1, your first year's home games will consist of the D-2 games, and if go Big Sky (huge assumption) then whatever conference games you get. If you go Great West (assuming there is a Great West to go to), then you will fill in the scheduling spot that UNC made when they went Big Sky. Your OOC - look to play the non-schollies D-1AA (Alpo, Drake, Dayton). Of course, Ga Southern has shown a great willingness to play new transitionals (their powerpuff games). But be assured the first year of transition, no power school will play you at home. For verification, see NDSU, SDSU 2004 schedules and U Cent Ark (2006) schedules for info. Good games, against top schools, those you can get. But as away games.

I don't think that UND will have any more difficulty scheduling games than NDSU did. The Bison's 2004 schedule was a very good one.

I'd hope they'd schedule a DII or two or three their first year, or a non-scholly school. They'll likely be able to get home and homes with good teams from the Big Sky, Great West, and Southland. They need OOC games as bad as anybody.

The only elite program in the west in my opinion is Montana (although their program is starting wane to 'good' status). Given the cash they make at home the only time they'll come to Grand Forks is if the [insert New Nickname Here] join the Big Sky.

You'd likely only see four decent home games (which is about three more than you saw last year).