2007 schedule

[SiouxMD]

Also, why are some Sioux fans mocking the new UNO helmet? It's not terrible.

We are not laughing at you...we are laughing with you. There is a difference.

[SiouxMeNow]

We are not laughing at you...we are laughing with you. There is a difference.

(WITH you...totally WITH you! )

[siouxnanigans]

Regarding NDSU not playing any playoff teams last year.... Saying that is kind of misleading. While it is true that NDSU did not play any teams that made the playoffs it is not true that NDSU didn't play teams that were some of the best in the country. After all, the playoffs are not always a good indicator of the best of the FCS.

If their season happened 2 years from now, both NDSU and SDSU would have made the playoffs (likely) with an at-large bid. Couple the fact that the other two teams that have historically made the playoffs (Cal Poly and UC Davis) were required to play each other, NDSU and SDSU I am not surprised that neither of those California schools did not make the playoffs. After all, this season the Great West was considered the best conference in the FCS.

All i'm saying is that while it's true that NDSU didn't play anyone who made the playoffs it is also true that their competition was MUCH stiffer than MOST of the teams that actually did make the playoffs. So in essance that statement is not totally accurate.

I for one am looking forward to the Great West competition. I think that it will be good for the Sioux. Hopefully once eligible we can prove our worth on the field.

[MplsBison]

Do you have any idea what you are talking about? UNO is not getting their football program cut.

You're losing too much money due to hockey. Something has to be done.

Not to mention all that "we may go DI" talk scared the folks in Lincoln. They'll find a way to get the program cut before UNO ever goes DI.

[sultan]

The same goes for the Northern Iowa too. Northern Iowa didn't make the playoffs either but would of been a playoff team if some teams hadn't gotten in by being an automatic seed from some conferences. Those schools took Northern Iowa's spot. You mentioned that NDSU and SDSU were highly ranked. I believe NDSU can't play themselves though. If SDSU was the best DIAA team they played does that make NDSU automatically the best team in DIAA . I doubt it. NDSU still didn't play or beat anybody that ended up in the playoffs in DIAA. Northern Iowa would have made the playoffs if they based it totally on who they played in DIAA. Unfortunately for them they got beat by the Sioux. SDSU did lose to a DIII team. Comparing the schedules of NDSU and UND, the Sioux probably played the best DIAA school in Northern Iowa. By the way, Northern Iowa did beat SDSU too. When you say historically certain teams make the playoffs in DIAA doesn't mean anything. It comes down to what a team has done for you now, not in the past. NDSU fans love to live in the past. Strength of teams is based on what a team did this year, not past years. A lot of the teams NDSU played this year were excellent in the past, but the reality is they weren't as good this year as they have been in the past.

[Bison Dan]

The same goes for the Northern Iowa too. Northern Iowa didn't make the playoffs either but would of been a playoff team if some teams hadn't gotten in by being an automatic seed from some conferences. Those schools took Northern Iowa's spot. You mentioned that NDSU and SDSU were highly ranked. I believe NDSU can't play themselves though. If SDSU was the best DIAA team they played does that make NDSU automatically the best team in DIAA . I doubt it. NDSU still didn't play or beat anybody that ended up in the playoffs in DIAA. Northern Iowa would have made the playoffs if they based it totally on who they played in DIAA. Unfortunately for them they got beat by the Sioux. SDSU did lose to a DIII team. Comparing the schedules of NDSU and UND, the Sioux probably played the best DIAA school in Northern Iowa. By the way, Northern Iowa did beat SDSU too. When you say historically certain teams make the playoffs in DIAA doesn't mean anything. It comes down to what a team has done for you now, not in the past. NDSU fans love to live in the past. Strength of teams is based on what a team did this year, not past years. A lot of the teams NDSU played this year were excellent in the past, but the reality is they weren't as good this year as they have been in the past.

You sure are worried about the Bison. Keep comparing scores because that's all you're going to be able to do for the next several years.

[HockeyMom]

Also, why are some Sioux fans mocking the new UNO helmet? It's not terrible.

It's a Canes knock off-I like the plain helmet better.

Nobody from Omaha ever makes jokes about the UND black and green color scheme.

Your home unies look like blood clots.

UND may very well be looking for a new mascot/logo soon yourselves.

That hurt. I still say we lose the nickname we go by North Dakota.....eventually there will be no animal mascots either.

[siouxnanigans]

Bottom line is this:

The Great West Football conference was the highest ranking conference in the FCS. That ranking was based on strength of schedule, record versus ranked/unranked teams. So all the talk about who beat who doesn't really matter.

The season ending GPI goes as follows (in a perfect world these teams would make the playoffs):

1 Appalachian St

2 Massachusetts

3 N Dakota St

4 Montana

5 Youngstown St

6 James Madison

7 New Hampshire

8 Illinois St

9 S Illinois

10 Portland St

11 Northern Iowa

12 Cal Poly

13 Montana St

14 UC Davis

15 Princeton

16 S Dakota St

You will see that NDSU played three teams that were ranked in the top 16.

This years playoffs included the following teams (7) that were not included in the 16 highest rated teams:

Coastal Carolina (#21)

Furman (#20)

Eastern Illinois (#29)

Lafayette (#53)

Hampton (#23)

Tennessee-Martin (#26)

McNeese St. (#34)

So I guess my point is that it's not really a good indicator of "who made the playoffs" to determine the worth (or schedule) of a team. I love that we beat Northern Iowa but we certainly can not discredit NDSU for their schedule because after all it was MUCH harder than ours.

[jimdahl]

I love that we beat Northern Iowa but we certainly can not discredit NDSU for their schedule because after all it was MUCH harder than ours.

You state opinion as if it's fact, and many of us disagree with your opinion. You're obviously a Bison fan and I'm obviously a Sioux fan, so we're biased, but the objective Massey ratings say:

NDSU SOS 1.63 (#144)

UND SOS 1.66 (#136)

Those are almost indistinguishable, and undoubtedly within some margin of error. I'm not the biggest trumpeter of the Massey ratings, but it is one of the few objective formulaic ratings we have that consider all games and cross divisions. While other algorithms would undoubtedly have slightly different conclusions, that such an algorithm puts UND as having a slightly stronger schedule means the two were probably actually pretty close.

[sultan]

So the season ending GPI would back up the statement I made that the the Sioux did actually play a better DIAA team than any DIAA team the Bison played. Thanks for the follow up.

[siouxnanigans]

You state opinion as if it's fact, and many of us disagree with your opinion. You're obviously a Bison fan and I'm obviously a Sioux fan, so we're biased, but the objective Massey ratings say:

NDSU SOS 1.63 (#144)

UND SOS 1.66 (#136)

Those are almost indistinguishable, and undoubtedly within some margin of error. I'm not the biggest trumpeter of the Massey ratings, but it is one of the few objective formulaic ratings we have that consider all games and cross divisions. While other algorithms would undoubtedly have slightly different conclusions, that such an algorithm puts UND as having a slightly stronger schedule means the two were probably actually pretty close.

Let's get a few things straight.

1. I am not a Bison fan. I attend the University of North Dakota during the mid-90s.

2. I am trying to be objective.

3. The Massey ratings are mostly objective. The problem is that they are somewhat flawed.

Why are they flawed? If you look at the link that you submitted you will notice that our record is 11-2. We only played 10 regular season games. The other three games that they are listed are the playoff games against Winona, UNO and Grand Valley. While the strength of schedule was good during the regular season our ratings are very inflated due to us going to the playoffs.

So if we are to compare strength of schedule to the Bison we really should do it on an even playing field. A fair example of strength of schedule would be to compare ours to the other FCS playoff teams.

[siouxnanigans]

So the season ending GPI would back up the statement I made that the the Sioux did actually play a better DIAA team than any DIAA team the Bison played. Thanks for the follow up.

Yes, that is true but the Bison played 3 teams that were ranked in that same group.

[FargoBison]

http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80343

Cal Poly is ranked above UNI in every single I-AA poll, I guess you can keep on touting those alway questionable computer rankings but I'll take the word of a real person over them any day. Also if you truely think UND's schedule was on an equal level with NDSU's they aren't even close.

[iramurphy]

http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80343

Cal Poly is ranked above UNI in every single I-AA poll, I guess you can keep on touting those alway questionable computer rankings but I'll take the word of a real person over them any day. Also if you truely think UND's schedule was on an equal level with NDSU's they aren't even close.

Who cares, the season is over. Lets just agree NDSU had a tougher schedule.

The AC should consider resuming the rivalry this year because with the graduation of Reed Manke UND will have an unproven QB and doesn't have the dominating defense it had in the past. They would be the prohibitive favorite to win the game and get the nickel back. UND is having one of its better recruiting years according to reports and will have an equal number of scholarships after this year. The game would be in Fargo if they resume the rotation and with all of that in their favor I think Taylor will agree unless they get a great deal from a D1AA or D1 team.

[UND92,96]

http://www.i-aa.org/article.asp?articleid=80343

Cal Poly is ranked above UNI in every single I-AA poll, I guess you can keep on touting those alway questionable computer rankings but I'll take the word of a real person over them any day. Also if you truely think UND's schedule was on an equal level with NDSU's they aren't even close.

It seems to me that Northern Iowa came closer to making the playoffs than did Cal-Poly. link. This argument is really getting old.

[FargoBison]

In the last GPI Portland St was 10th but wasn't picked to go to the playoffs. UNI, USD and Cal Poly were also in the top 15 and didn't make it while Montana St was 22nd and got picked. As far the playoffs are concerned I don't think the GPI is that important, I think the committee has their own criteria and just uses the GPI as one of many thing in selecting who gets in. Cal Poly's biggest problem was that they didn't have 7 DI wins so they never really got considered and from what I hear UNI didn't get much consideration either. It all came down to PSU vs MSU and since MSU beat PSU they got the last spot.

[UND92,96]

In the last GPI Portland St was 10th but wasn't picked to go to the playoffs. UNI, USD and Cal Poly were also in the top 15 and didn't make it while Montana St was 22nd and got picked. As far the playoffs are concerned I don't think the GPI is that important, I think the committee has their own criteria and just uses the GPI as one of many thing in selecting who gets in. Cal Poly's biggest problem was that they didn't have 7 DI wins so they never really got considered and from what I hear UNI didn't get much consideration either. It all came down to PSU vs MSU and since MSU beat PSU they got the last spot.

Again, taken directly from the NDSU release:

The Gridiron Power Index (GPI), the index ranking for I-AA/FCS and top indicator of at-large playoff selection...

[FargoBison]

It clearly wasn't the top indicator this year and also I-AA.org is calling it that and not the I-AA playoff committee. Who clearly must think otherwise since it picked the #22 ranked GPI team over 4 teams ranked in the top 15. This whole arguement is really pointless by the way, we are pretty much arguing over which team is better #15 or #16 and really they could just as well both be #15 because there is pretty much no difference between the two.

[sucka]

Since this is a 2007 Schedule post, does anybody know if there is a game on Sept 1st? I have to get married and my woman is making me do it that weekend. Has anybody heard anything?

[SiouxMD]

Since this is a 2007 Schedule post, does anybody know if there is a game on Sept 1st? I have to get married and my woman is making me do it that weekend. Has anybody heard anything?

Nobody knows for sure but both WWU and UNO have games on 01SEP07. I doubt UND would start the season with an off week.

You could always get married at the Alerus.

[The Sicatoka]

Nobody knows for sure but both WWU and UNO have games on 01SEP07. I doubt UND would start the season with an off week.

You could always get married at the Alerus.

http://www.aleruscenter.com/?page=weddings

[SiouxMD]

http://www.aleruscenter.com/?page=weddings

Halftime ceremony between the hash marks at the 50 yard line...the marching band providing the music...wedding reception with 11,000 of your closest friends. It would be BEAUTIFUL...

[MplsBison]

I doubt UND would start the season with an off week.

Interesting. I know of another school that has Sept 1st open as well...

[Matt]

Again, taken directly from the NDSU release:

I'm beginning to wonder which is the lesser of the evils: The GPI or the regional playoff selection committee. At least the GPI gets rid of the regional nonsense.

[iramurphy]

Since this is a 2007 Schedule post, does anybody know if there is a game on Sept 1st? I have to get married and my woman is making me do it that weekend. Has anybody heard anything?

That loud noise was the door slamming on your freedom!