NDSU should join the Big Sky Conference?

[Regimen]

Just wanted Bobcat Nationers thoughts? I think it would elevate the conference and be a challenge to everyone. Plus we would have two north Dakota schools... The only issue is Lake Bison and the rest of their fans...

[luckyirishguy25]

The BSC should have taken them when they wanted in... they will never join the BSC, they have their own power conference right now. their next move will be FBS.

[Regimen]

The BSC should have taken them when they wanted in... they will never join the BSC, they have their own power conference right now. their next move will be FBS.

The Missouri valley is a power conference? When did they want to join the big sky?

[The Butcher]

Agree, Misouri Valley is hardly a power conference...

[luckyirishguy25]

MVFC was picked the strongest conference this year, (NDSU, SDSU, YSU, UNI, ISU, all very good teams). If you don't think MVFC is a power conference you don't know much about fcs football. NDSU wanted into the BSC when they were making the move from DII... BSC said no.

[Regimen]

MVFC was picked the strongest conference this year, (NDSU, SDSU, YSU, UNI, ISU, all very good teams). If you don't think MVFC is a power conference you don't know much about fcs football. NDSU wanted into the BSC when they were making the move from DII... BSC said no.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1392 ... es/page/14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[CPrice91]

Just wanted Bobcat Nationers thoughts? I think it would elevate the conference and be a challenge to everyone. Plus we would have two north Dakota schools... The only issue is Lake Bison and the rest of their fans...

I wish. Hopelessly obnoxious fans or not, it'd be a huge boost for an already powerful conference... But like irish said, it's a no-go now.



Missouri Valley was often claimed to be the best FCS conference last year, by the way. Same goes this year. It's absolutely grown into a "power" conference.

[luckyirishguy25]

MVFC was picked the strongest conference this year, (NDSU, SDSU, YSU, UNI, ISU, all very good teams). If you don't think MVFC is a power conference you don't know much about fcs football. NDSU wanted into the BSC when they were making the move from DII... BSC said no.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1392 ... es/page/14" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There's another article somewhere (sportsnetwork.com I believe), that ranked MVFC #1 and I tend to agree, 2 time Defending champions NDSU have only been stopped by teams from their conference over the past 2 years. I don't see us competing with NDSU quite yet.

[webdav]

It's be great. But not going to happen.

I would enjoy the BSC having a higher geographic concentration around the area instead of pulling in from further away. No disrespect to Davis and Sac State, etc.

When rivalries are closer geographically, they get more intense, I think.

[luckyirishguy25]

If we did have NDSU is the BSC, we'd probably get every team with a winning record into the playoffs... it would be clear which conference was the best. but again that's a pipe dream.

[bozbobcat]

I'm not going to say that NDSU to the Big Sky is a totally dead deal, but it won't have much to do with football.

First off, I felt that the Big Sky should have taken NDSU and SDSU in 2006. I know that we've talked on many levels about what kinds of schools have been added to the conference, location, distance, and otherwise. The conference could have had 2 more land grant institutions instead of commuter schools. (I'm not going to badmouth the addition of Northern Colorado here, since they've done quite well in the Big Sky outside of football.) I know that distance was a concern for other Big Sky schools. By the time UND was added, the landscape of college athletics had changed enough that if a conference wasn't growing, it was dying. If NDSU had been available in 2010 or 2011, they'd be in the Big Sky right now without a doubt.

Like I said, it's not going to be football that would push NDSU toward the Big Sky. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is strong and stable. However, it is the Summit League, the place where NDSU parks its basketball team and Olympic sports, hasn't been all that stable. Members keep wanting to leave and the Summit League is one step above the WAC in terms of stability. If NDSU is close to losing their home for everything else, I bet that the Big Sky won't make the same mistake that they did in 2006. And with the way conference realignment has gone in the last few years, we never know what could happen. NDSU would certainly help on the basketball side of things strengthening the conference, and we're overlooking that South Dakota State has sent both of their basketball teams to the dance in recent years. It's always interesting to think what might have been.

[BLACKnBLUEnGOLD]

NDSU would instantly be by far the strongest team in the conference. No other team in the conference could constantly brag about how all of the Big Sky is so far below them and about how the Big Sky is holding them back and how they should have moved up ages ago. NDSU would give fans of the other teams a model for what a team that needs to move up actually looks like.

Long story short, I'm in favor of anything that will shut the Griz up.

[GoCats18]

I would think NDSU would move up to FBS before they would ever join the Big Sky. They have beat an FBS school the last 4 years in a row. They can play at the next level and probably should.

[GoCats23]

Agree with what is being said here, NDSU will not being joining our conference. They do play in the best conference in FCS. I think us and SDSU would be a phenomenal game.

[codecat]

MVFC was picked the strongest conference this year, (NDSU, SDSU, YSU, UNI, ISU, all very good teams). If you don't think MVFC is a power conference you don't know much about fcs football. NDSU wanted into the BSC when they were making the move from DII... BSC said no.

Definitely agree with the schools you listed-one or more of them have represented the conference well most years on the national state. In addition the GPI Ranking as of 11/19/12 was as follows:

Rank, League, Total Average
1. Missouri Valley Football Conference (22.87)
2. Big Sky Conference (31.19)
3. Southern Conference (33.05)
4. Ohio Valley Conference (35.59)
5. Southland Conference (37.61)
6. Colonial Athletic Association (39.36)
7. Patriot League (59.43)
8. Ivy League (59.63)
9. Big South Conference (62.16)
10. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (65.74)
11. Northeast Conference (67.79)
12. Southwestern Athletic Conference (75.83)
13. Pioneer Football League (76.27)

[UNDSioux]

I'm not going to say that NDSU to the Big Sky is a totally dead deal, but it won't have much to do with football.


Like I said, it's not going to be football that would push NDSU toward the Big Sky. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is strong and stable. However, it is the Summit League, the place where NDSU parks its basketball team and Olympic sports, hasn't been all that stable. Members keep wanting to leave and the Summit League is one step above the WAC in terms of stability. If NDSU is close to losing their home for everything else, I bet that the Big Sky won't make the same mistake that they did in 2006. And with the way conference realignment has gone in the last few years, we never know what could happen. NDSU would certainly help on the basketball side of things strengthening the conference, and we're overlooking that South Dakota State has sent both of their basketball teams to the dance in recent years. It's always interesting to think what might have been.

Winner here!!!

The Summit is down to 8 teams and everybody there is looking to leave (IPFW, IUPUI, W Ill want in the Horizon League, Denver wants in the Big West, WCC, MWC, or anywhere that is a step up, Omaha, USD, SDSU, and NDSU would listen to the Big Sky or WAC). The Summit League is a conference held together with duct tape: the only thing they have in common is that no body else wants their basketball teams. The MVC expanded this past year with Loyola: rejected all their football only schools. Pretty big slap in the face, but bottom line is that FCS does not help the MVC.

NDSU isn't getting an invite from the MWC or MAC for FBS. The Sun Belt won't offer them as they are too far out of their footprint. Somehow, if either the Big Sky or MVC have to find a way into FBS status, the other Dakota schools would join a Big Sky with future FBS status.

Bottom line, the Summit League will likely implode and those schools have to go somewhere. The MVC has little interest in any of them except potentially Omaha and Denver. The other Dakota schools would either go to the WAC or Big Sky.

[KeepTheChange]

No

[wooden shoe]

I think its funny whenever a FCS team has a couple of really good seasons, some of the fans begin to think their team should move up. Anybody remember Marshall? They were one of the best teams in FCS back in the early 90's then they moved up because they thought they were so good, but when was the last time you heard the name "Marshall"? How about Idaho? Same thing. Nevada has had a bit more luck and Boise State too but as good as Boise State has been they will never play for a national title ever again simply because of who they are. U of M had enough common sense to understand that but if NDSU think they are worthy of moving up then more power to em, just don't expect to win any national titles any time soon....like for the next 50 years or so.

[canyoncat]

If NDSU were to try and move up, would they have to expand their current stadium? As everyone knows they play in a dome that seats somewhere between 19 and 20 thousand. Could that be a road block to a potential FBS conference or could they add another 5 to 10 thousand seats?

[BadlandsGrizFan]

Just wanted Bobcat Nationers thoughts? I think it would elevate the conference and be a challenge to everyone. Plus we would have two north Dakota schools... The only issue is Lake Bison and the rest of their fans...

You guys do know that if the Bison did join the BSC you would have to actually play them right? I don't believe you can buy out of a conference game, than again if there is a way I'm sure you kitties would find it.