MSU Backs out of the Game with NDSU to play a DII

Helcat72 · Post by **Helcat72** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:51 am

NDSUbison wrote:I understand MSU intended on going to NDSU from the start and bought out the game for money reasons but I hope you guys can also understand why most Bison fans are unhappy. It has nothing to do with us thinking your chicken and everything to do with the fact that we were looking forward to playing you guys and we also like home games as much as you guys do. We only have 3 home games scheduled as of now and will probably end up with just 5 which will make two straight years of 5 home games. Even though I disagree with buying out games I still have a ton of respect for both Montana schools.

Truthfully I would say that you have as much of a home field advantage as the Griz. You seem to kick the daylights out of everyone that plays in Fargo. However, if you only pay $100,000 I can see why you only have 5 home games. Anyone who can avoid you ...does... unless they need the paltry money real bad. Non conference teams that play the Griz go there even if they don't have to because I would assume the price is right. Does anyone know how much they pay?

When you have a system that doesn't reward strength of schedule as much as number of wins... that's what you get. You can't blame teams for avoiding you like the plague which is another good reason to get into a bigger conference quick!

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:08 am

MSU01 wrote:This is definitely unfortunate, and was probably brought on in large part by the addition of UNC to the conference...Before the addition of UNC, MSU would have been scheduled for 4 home conference games and 3 road conference games in '07. When UNC was added, that bumped it up to 4 road conference games and only 3 non-conference games. Since our administration seems committed to having 6 home games a year, and also to playing a I-A game every year, the NDSU trip had to be removed from the schedule. I'm sure this is frustrating both to NDSU fans and to the MSU fans who, quite frankly, would love to have NDSU and SDSU as Big Sky members right now.

The thing that concerns me about this is as long as this policy is continued, MSU will not be playing any non-conference road games against I-AA opponents unless a 12th game is added to the schedule. In the long run, I don't think this is a good thing at all. Hopefully, we can get to the point where we don't have to play the I-A game every year. My preference would be for MSU to be playing all I-AA opponents with no I-A's or D-II's, but that's not going to happen any time soon!

Yep, unfortunately this was brought on by the UNC addition to the conference. MSU will NOT play less than 6 home games a year you can pretty much guarantee that.

tcbison · Post by **tcbison** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:07 am

NDSU wants to play the best competition it can and both MSU and UM are that. So that is a compliment to the Montana teams.

It's funny because when NDSU wins a lot of people will say that their schedule is not very tough, but when NDSU tries to schedule the tough teams the only way they can get a game is if NDSU goes on the road, and then they won't come to Fargo. It's unfortunate that the Great West teams have so few home games.

The Gateway Conference would really help solve this problem or if the NCAA will vote to go to 12 games.

Go Bobcats, beat the Griz!

083190 · Post by **083190** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 11:34 am

The problem resides in Utah. The Dakota schools should be in The Big Sky. That bad decision has had a trickle down effect. Now everyone gets to travel to Greeley and play in front of 3000-5000 people. It has really opened up the old Denver market hasn't it?

grizzh8r · Post by **grizzh8r** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:39 pm

083190 wrote:The problem resides in Utah. The Dakota schools should be in The Big Sky. That bad decision has had a trickle down effect. Now everyone gets to travel to Greeley and play in front of 3000-5000 people. It has really opened up the old Denver market hasn't it?

94VegasCat · Post by **94VegasCat** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:34 pm

Was there that many people at the UNC/um game? I would have guessed 1500. Not intended as smack, but was really suprised to see the low number of fans and sparsley covered stands.

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:39 pm

083190 wrote:The problem resides in Utah. The Dakota schools should be in The Big Sky. That bad decision has had a trickle down effect. Now everyone gets to travel to Greeley and play in front of 3000-5000 people. It has really opened up the old Denver market hasn't it?

As much as I dislike Fullerton and his crew of cronies over at the Big Sky offices in Utah, we can't solely blame those guys for this mess. It was only by a vote of all the schools' presidents that UNC was voted in and the Dakota schools weren't. It is pretty common knowledge that both Montana schools' presidents were strongly in favor of adding the Dakota schools, but some of our red-headed stepbrothers on the West Coast were not. Sadly, those same schools that are an embarrassment to our conference in terms of fan support and facilities are the same schools that forced the addition of yet another with the same problems.

Helcat72 · Post by **Helcat72** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 2:32 pm

BozoneCat wrote:
083190 wrote:The problem resides in Utah. The Dakota schools should be in The Big Sky. That bad decision has had a trickle down effect. Now everyone gets to travel to Greeley and play in front of 3000-5000 people. It has really opened up the old Denver market hasn't it?
As much as I dislike Fullerton and his crew of cronies over at the Big Sky offices in Utah, we can't solely blame those guys for this mess. It was only by a vote of all the schools' presidents that UNC was voted in and the Dakota schools weren't. It is pretty common knowledge that both Montana schools' presidents were strongly in favor of adding the Dakota schools, but some of our red-headed stepbrothers on the West Coast were not. Sadly, those same schools that are an embarrassment to our conference in terms of fan support and facilities are the same schools that forced the addition of yet another with the same problems.

Bleedinbluengold · Post by **Bleedinbluengold** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:30 pm

sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?

Hell's Bells · Post by **Hell's Bells** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:32 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?

rumor has it georgia southern

Egg Salad · Post by **Egg Salad** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:17 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?

That's what I have been wondering. Especially since I thought Kramer said we wouldn't be scheduling DII's anymore.

On the other hand, why would Bisonbacker use facts when he can rely on rumor and hearsay?

Post by **SonomaCat** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:24 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?

I hope if we do play a D-II school, we play a really, really crappy one. There is no upside to a game like that regardless in terms of SOS (it's tossed out), so there's no point in playing a quality D-II school that could knock you off if they played well and the home team did not. Not that we know anything about things of this sort.

dakotadan · Post by **dakotadan** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:30 pm

I can think of a regional DII school that may be interested in getting some more experience playing against DI-AA schools.

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:44 pm

Bleedinbluengold wrote:sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?

Other than rumor, nothing about a D-II school that I've heard. Sounds like a deal with Southern Utah is close, but I haven't heard anything on the other home OOC game.

Not that I know anything.

Grizlaw · Post by **Grizlaw** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:47 pm

dakotadan wrote:I can think of a regional DII school that may be interested in getting some more experience playing against DI-AA schools.

How badly would that piss off the NDSU fans?

gtapp · Post by **gtapp** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:50 pm

This change is very unfortunate. I think this game (Cats vs NDSU) would develop into a great rivalry and should be scheduled every year as it was in the mid to late 70's. NDSU has great fans and the best part is that it is a HOME game for me.

GOKATS · Post by **GOKATS** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:12 pm

I can't blame anyone. Simple fact is that adding Northern Colorado leaves only one OOC game on the road and at least in the forseeable future it'll be a I-A game (yes, that changes after this weekend, so I'll say money game). Tex. A&M next year, Minn. in 2008 (your home game gtapp). Unless the NCAA approves the 12 game schedule I don't foresee an away game against what is now a I-AA team. Simple economics.

Eastcoastgriz · Post by **Eastcoastgriz** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:20 pm

94VegasCat wrote:Was there that many people at the UNC/um game? I would have guessed 1500. Not intended as smack, but was really suprised to see the low number of fans and sparsley covered stands.

It was reported at 4500ish

Egg Salad · Post by **Egg Salad** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 8:23 pm

Eastcoastgriz wrote:
94VegasCat wrote:Was there that many people at the UNC/um game? I would have guessed 1500. Not intended as smack, but was really suprised to see the low number of fans and sparsley covered stands.
It was reported at 4500ish

Sometimes I think we should have brought Carrol in instead.

vike_king · Post by **vike_king** » Mon Nov 13, 2006 9:22 pm

Hell's Bells wrote:
Bleedinbluengold wrote:sorry if this has been asked - who is the DII we scheduled instead of NDSU?
rumor has it georgia southern

Isn't Georgia Southern a perennial D1-AA power? Having a bad season?
Playing Furman this weekend?