NDSU lost

[Bobcat Sig]

When I went to Frisco a couple of years ago I had seats in the corner of the stadium, which were not bad, but after walking around that Futbol stadium I told myself when we get back here again I'll just get SRO and walk around the entire game.

Same. I snagged two seats next to the NDSU student section. That was an entirely unpleasant experience, so I watched the game from the promenade above the seats.

[GoCats18]

So, this is exactly what it takes. For so many years, most of the MVFC has just not been capable of beating the big 2. Maybe now we will start to see NDSU and SDSU having to actually battle within their conference, instead of just having an easy road to home field in the playoffs. Hats off to South Dakota.

[MinnesotaBobcat]

NDSU lost some really good talent to graduation last year. They also lost quite a few players to the portal in the offseason. Some of the players that left would have seen significant time this year. As a result, there really aren’t many dynamic players in Fargo, and and they aren’t nearly as deep (this is from my cousin who is a big Bison fan). I’m thinking it might be a struggle for them to get to 8 wins this year, based on losing to South Dakota, and who they have on the schedule. I’d say that Bison fans might want to prepare to play on Thanksgiving weekend, but I’m sure the committee would reward them with no worse than a 3–seed with 3 losses.

[CodyCat]

NDSU lost some really good talent to graduation last year. They also lost quite a few players to the portal in the offseason. Some of the players that left would have seen significant time this year. As a result, there really aren’t many dynamic players in Fargo, and and they aren’t nearly as deep (this is from my cousin who is a big Bison fan). I’m thinking it might be a struggle for them to get to 8 wins this year, based on losing to South Dakota, and who they have on the schedule. I’d say that Bison fans might want to prepare to play on Thanksgiving weekend, but I’m sure the committee would reward them with no worse than a 3–seed with 3 losses.

I dont think NDSU is who they have been. But Im not willing to write them off just yet as some team that will be playing on Thanksgiving weekend. A three loss Bison team has a better strength of schedule than any team on the east coast.

[cats2506]

NDSU did lose a lot including to the portal, they have always developed players and while they did transfer a few in, that is not really something they are accustomed to doing.

I'm not sure what to say about their offense other than they don't really have that powerful back like they have always had. On defense they have just looked much slower than we expect from a NDSU D.

They are still a really good team but it looks like they have taken a step back from the dominate program that we are accustomed to. I think its a combination of many things, changing landscape of college football, difficulty maintaining at that level and coaching

[seataccat]

NDSU did lose a lot including to the portal, they have always developed players and while they did transfer a few in, that is not really something they are accustomed to doing.

I'm not sure what to say about their offense other than they don't really have that powerful back like they have always had. On defense they have just looked much slower than we expect from a NDSU D.

They are still a really good team but it looks like they have taken a step back from the dominate program that we are accustomed to. I think its a combination of many things, changing landscape of college football, difficulty maintaining at that level and coaching

I'm sure you are correct but dang USD looked really good in that game. They seemed to be loaded with athletes. Their RB looked like he belonged in the NFL.

[Lord Vigo]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

[cats2506]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

I just hope that if we do play them that it is in Bozeman.

Per the other comment, yes USD looked good, they have some players, I am not sure about USD but we have some teams in the BSC that used the transfer portal to make some big changes.

Now that players a limited to one transfer and as the players with the extra covid year start to leave the system, the ability of teams to make big changes in one year will be reduced.

There was a huge number of players in the portal at the end of last season, and some teams took advantage of that and were able to change their roster before the NCAA limited the transfers to one. EWU, PSU, ISU and NAU are teams that did that, I suspect USD may have also.

Development programs (Like NDSU) are at a disadvantage, young players no longer have to wait 3 years to see the field, after a year or 2 they will jump in the portal and move on.

I currently think that MSU (Vigen) has done a good job of getting those young players on the field and maintaining/building a culture that they want to stay at.

[coloradocat]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

Entz sounds like a much more successful version of a certain BSC coach.

I wouldn't say this is the demise of their program, they just aren't inevitable any longer. One conference loss against a good team doesn't mean they are even out of the elite tier. If they lose to anyone else besides SDSU then I'll reconsider.

[Bobcat Sig]

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

I am 1000% in for that game! I still have PTSD from that now infamous, cold, December playoff game with McGhee at the helm. What a heart-breaker. And the biSon fans that showed up to that game? Never again, never forget.

[Lord Vigo]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

Entz sounds like a much more successful version of a certain BSC coach.

I wouldn't say this is the demise of their program, they just aren't inevitable any longer. One conference loss against a good team doesn't mean they are even out of the elite tier. If they lose to anyone else besides SDSU then I'll reconsider.

I’m basing my opinion on them not being in the top tier any more on what I saw last year in the playoffs and this year so far. Any team can stub their toe. But I think there’s more to it than that in this case.

[kennethnoisewater]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

Entz sounds like a much more successful version of a certain BSC coach.

I wouldn't say this is the demise of their program, they just aren't inevitable any longer. One conference loss against a good team doesn't mean they are even out of the elite tier. If they lose to anyone else besides SDSU then I'll reconsider.

I’m basing my opinion on them not being in the top tier any more on what I saw last year in the playoffs and this year so far. Any team can stub their toe. But I think there’s more to it than that in this case.

It does seem that way. I'm withholding any judgment about their demise for a while. Even a bad year, to me, doesn't mean much. There were a lot of people on this board in 2020 who were sure NDSU was done, then the next legitimate season they kicked the crap out of the Cats in Frisco. I know that 2020 season didn't count, they didn't play Lance, etc, I'm just saying we've underestimated them before. You may very well be right, but I'm going to need to see more than a couple seasons of them not heading to Frisco before I rush to judgment.

[rfischer94]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

A win in the Dome would be more satisfying but that's harder than doing it in Bobcat Stadium. I also want to witness it in person and I'm not going to Fargo.

[AFCAT]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

I’ll believe it in five years if they don’t win anymore championships. They have a machine built there with a lot of money behind it and I don’t think it’s broken yet.

[Prodigal Cat]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

Entz sounds like a much more successful version of a certain BSC coach.

I wouldn't say this is the demise of their program, they just aren't inevitable any longer. One conference loss against a good team doesn't mean they are even out of the elite tier. If they lose to anyone else besides SDSU then I'll reconsider.

That game on Saturday was reminiscent of the Idaho/gris game last year. It felt like the Bison were underprepared, that they didn't even consider that they could lose the game. On a punt they acted like they had a fair catch but had never signaled for it. There was zero urgency in the first half. As the second half got going it was clear the Bison were the better team but not significantly better. In the past they were so much more talented that a 2 or 3 score game could be overcame but now they just don't have the juice to crush a team. Especially when they are losing. It's like they didn't know what to do and they were snapping the ball with 2 seconds on the play clock down multiple scores late in the 4th.

[cats2506]

I think we are seeing the demise of the NDSU program-- not in the sense that they're going to be bad by any means, but in the sense that they are leaving the elite tier of the FCS. Whenever I've seen Matt Entz or listened to him talk, it hasn't been a stretch at all to envision him as the guy who drops the baton. He rode the wave of the program in 2019 and 2021, but this team is now mostly his and it's clear he hasn't been able to replace graduating/transferring talent.

They were a step below MSU last year, and several steps behind SDSU. The gap is widening. I hope we get a shot at them in Bozeman in the playoff, because I think the Cats will be able to pound them, and we owe them that.

I’ll believe it in five years if they don’t win anymore championships. They have a machine built there with a lot of money behind it and I don’t think it’s broken yet.

I am not saying that the dynasty is dead, but the current football landscape doesn't fit will with NDSU's program. As we saw last year, players are not as willing to wait 2-3 years for the chance to see the field, they will jump in the portal and move on.

Entz's best years were when he still had players from the previous staff and Trey Lance, they currently are lacking power running backs like they have had in the past. The offense has changed, watch the USD game, how many times did USD stuff A-Gap Power? It doesn't work as well from a read option alignment. How often do they go under center now compared to a few years back?

NDSU is showing signs that they are not what they have been through their run. Are they a bad team? Certainly not, but they are not the same program that won all those championships.