Realignment

[Long Time Cat]

I don't believe anyone has brought up academic pier institutions. The Big Sky has 3 flagship universities (MSU, um, UI) two academically elite schools (UC Davis, Cal Poly, football only), three commuter schools (PSU, Weber, Sac), three directional schools (UNC, EWU, NAU), and Idaho St (not sure how to classify them). We are much more aligned academically with the schools in the MWC than most schools in the Big Sky. I think it is important for the future to align with other smaller, high research geographically significant institutions. You are who you hang out with.

If the opportunity presents itself, I truly hope that we push hard to align ourselves with the schools of the MWC.

Academically, I would consider Idaho state to be on par, or perhaps, even above University of Montana. I’m pretty sure they have business, science, engineering, computer science, they also have a doctorate programs in pharmacy, physical therapy, and nurse practitioner. On top of that they have about 50% more students than Missoula. Pretty good school they just have not been very good at sports.

[Cataholic]

The G5 has been talking about a playoff structure for months. This was already discussed in a previous forum. Can we please discard the argument about playing in crappy bowl games at the end of the season? Here are a couple of articles.

https://herosports.com/fbs-group-of-fiv ... ason-cpcp/

https://nevadasportsnet.com/newsletter- ... off-system

Has it been approved yet? Is it a for sure thing? No, so why would that argument go away? The G5 has to decide if they ate ok being iced out of the CFP and becoming tier 2 DI.

Successful businesses are always identifying future trends ahead of time. That requires making educated guesses based on the facts available. Do you believe the G5 will not end up having their own playoffs? Or do you want to be the last one to the party and be left playing against smaller schools with little following?

[allcat]

I've never been for moving up, I already think it costs too much. Now I think you almost have to. Sacramento wants sac State to go up, the school doesn't want to, they can probably get the money if they decide to do it. If we get an invite, I think we have to go. You can always make at least a conference title game, then some bowl, no one ever heard of. If the TV guys can get the money,then the playoffs.

[coloradocat]

I don't believe anyone has brought up academic pier institutions. The Big Sky has 3 flagship universities (MSU, um, UI) two academically elite schools (UC Davis, Cal Poly, football only), three commuter schools (PSU, Weber, Sac), three directional schools (UNC, EWU, NAU), and Idaho St (not sure how to classify them). We are much more aligned academically with the schools in the MWC than most schools in the Big Sky. I think it is important for the future to align with other smaller, high research geographically significant institutions. You are who you hang out with.

If the opportunity presents itself, I truly hope that we push hard to align ourselves with the schools of the MWC.

Get out of here with that talk. Academics has no place in college athletics!

[BleedingBLue]

The G5 has been talking about a playoff structure for months. This was already discussed in a previous forum. Can we please discard the argument about playing in crappy bowl games at the end of the season? Here are a couple of articles.

https://herosports.com/fbs-group-of-fiv ... ason-cpcp/

https://nevadasportsnet.com/newsletter- ... off-system

Has it been approved yet? Is it a for sure thing? No, so why would that argument go away? The G5 has to decide if they ate ok being iced out of the CFP and becoming tier 2 DI.

Successful businesses are always identifying future trends ahead of time. That requires making educated guesses based on the facts available. Do you believe the G5 will not end up having their own playoffs? Or do you want to be the last one to the party and be left playing against smaller schools with little following?

I don't care about other team's followings. I do believe the G5 will have their own playoff eventually, and you are right, the powers that be will have to identify the trends and make that decision. As a fan however, without a for sure playoff it's a no for me.

[onceacat]

I'm definitely in the minority here, but moving up isn't at all enticing to me. The only way it would be, is if, as Kenneth said, there is a G5 playoff. In which case it's a "move up" today, but we'd be right back where we were in the 90s and 2000s, playing against a bunch of former FCS schools. The added benefit would be competing against teams that have been FBS for a long time but got left behind. You can bet your butt the CFP is a Power 4 only playoff if the G5 adds their own playoff. The Power 4 doesn't need the G5 at all. We wouldn't have to worry about attendance numbers either because we wouldn't be going 10-2 every year and fighting for a playoff spot, at least not for awhile.

A big argument for moving up whenever given the opportunity is that if we were to wait until there was a G5 playoff it might be too late. The G5 might close the door and throw away the keys so they don't water down the revenue distributions at that point. If it's assumed that it will eventually happened we almost have to go as soon as someone asks us so that we're there for it. We might not go 10-2 every year but we'd still likely win at least 7-8 games and build from there.

I agree it might be too late, I'm just saying it's a tough sell for some fans, like me, to go up and hope we get to play in the Famoujs Idaho Potato Bowl until/if/when a G5 playoff materializes.

Let's say for arguments sake we move up and waffle between 7-8 wins a year for the first 5 years. Will support remain the way it is now with the team playing in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl or the Isleta New Mexico Bowl every year?

To be clear, I have zero desire to see the Cats play in those meaningless bowl games. But I'm a bit torn, because at the FCS level we are getting playoff games with the likes of NC Central, Drake, Austin Peay, Lafayette, Garner Webb, and Mercer. 24 teams in the playoffs, but only 5 or 6 with a legit chance to even reach the Semis...

Is that REALLY a lot better than the Spud Bowl?

I guess watch a spud bowl game in person and compare that with the NDSU or SDSU playoff atmosphere in Bozeman the past few years and then decide.

I'm not talking about NDSU/SDSU since they will be G5 sooner rather than later. I'm also not talking about Sam Houston (or JMU or Coastal Carolina in Missoula) since they are long gone too.

Once the DSUs leave, do you really think its going to be fun to beat up on Southeast Louisiana or Tarleton State?

Mercyhurst, Lendenwood, Bryant, Austin Peay, Southeastern Missouri, McNeese for OOC...

And UNCU, Cal Poly, Idaho State...

Man, talk about a compelling season of meaningless football.

How long do you think the Cats keep packing the stands for home and homes with Dixie State?

Well, we don't know for certain yet that any of those teams are leaving. The Cats are selling out every home game for years now, including against some of those that you wrote down. Those schools may be bad now but good competition down the road too.

I could ask you the same question. Do you believe it will be more exciting playing the dregs of the FBS then? Nevada (actually, that might be fun), New Mexico (pick one), Utah State, Hawaii, etc. etc.? MSU could also be the NCU, Utah Tech, Bryant, or Idaho State of the FBS if and when they move up, at least for quite a few years. How packed will the stands be for that period of time?

Yes. These are all teams that field a similar level of talent as MSU. They have similar sized stadiums. Similar academics. Slightly but not significantly larger. MSU & Davis are the two colleges in the west that fit into a larger conference, although the quality of football at the DSUs and UM might justify an invite...its just that MSU is a bump up institutionally and academically, which sometimes matters.

MSU won't be a drag in that conference. Hell, MSU could play (football) competitively in the new Pac whatever, although the MW is probably a better fit. The Cats beat NMSU, & were within inches of beating Wyoming a couple years ago. Being a sub .500 team in the MWC is NOT an issue.

[onceacat]

I don't believe anyone has brought up academic pier institutions. The Big Sky has 3 flagship universities (MSU, um, UI) two academically elite schools (UC Davis, Cal Poly, football only), three commuter schools (PSU, Weber, Sac), three directional schools (UNC, EWU, NAU), and Idaho St (not sure how to classify them). We are much more aligned academically with the schools in the MWC than most schools in the Big Sky. I think it is important for the future to align with other smaller, high research geographically significant institutions. You are who you hang out with.

If the opportunity presents itself, I truly hope that we push hard to align ourselves with the schools of the MWC.

Get out of here with that talk. Academics has no place in college athletics!

Davis is a pretty clear candidate for an invite to the Pac whatever IF they were to commit institutional resources to athletics. Big If.

[onceacat]

Winning football games and being one of the best teams in the country is always fun. Watching my team go 7-5/8-4, regularly finishing 4th or 5th in the conference and playing in the LA Bowl presented by Gronk isn't. I'd be a Utah State fan if it was.

Personally I don't find it nearly as fun as it was 10, 15, 20 years ago to follow the FCS division because let's be honest - there's a 90% chance that when we make it to Frisco in January the two teams there are going to be some combination of NDSU, SDSU, MSU, and UM. Those four programs are just so much stronger and have such better resources and facilities than the rest of the division that it's almost unfair to everyone else at this point. I'd rather watch MSU go 7-5 against a better schedule than pay half of my season ticket money to watch MSU play snoozers against the likes of Maine, Mercyhurst, and Northern Colorado that are over by the end of the first quarter. But I'm sure we all have different views here, and if MSU receives an invite to move up the decision will be made from a much wider viewpoint of what's best for the university and athletics department as a whole than just what's best for the football team.

These two posts summarize probably >95% of BN. Either you want to go 10-2 or better every year with a deep playoff run regardless of how bad the competition is, or you are ok losing a few more games with a good shot at a bowl game as long as the competition is comparable to the Bobcats (plus the possibility of a future G5 playoff).

Season tickets are ranging anywhere from $400-$1200 per seat, or $50-$200 per game. Thats close to what I pay for single seat tickets for former Pac 12 teams. Utah Tech seats were $10.

$200/game per seat is A LOT to pay for watching the 2s play for 15-30 minutes every game.

Cats (and Griz and DSUs) don't belong in this division, simple as that. If beating up on sub-par competition is the goal, then the Cats should just drop down to NAIA so we can win a championship every year & spend a lot less money doing it.

[coloradocat]

Winning football games and being one of the best teams in the country is always fun. Watching my team go 7-5/8-4, regularly finishing 4th or 5th in the conference and playing in the LA Bowl presented by Gronk isn't. I'd be a Utah State fan if it was.

Personally I don't find it nearly as fun as it was 10, 15, 20 years ago to follow the FCS division because let's be honest - there's a 90% chance that when we make it to Frisco in January the two teams there are going to be some combination of NDSU, SDSU, MSU, and UM. Those four programs are just so much stronger and have such better resources and facilities than the rest of the division that it's almost unfair to everyone else at this point. I'd rather watch MSU go 7-5 against a better schedule than pay half of my season ticket money to watch MSU play snoozers against the likes of Maine, Mercyhurst, and Northern Colorado that are over by the end of the first quarter. But I'm sure we all have different views here, and if MSU receives an invite to move up the decision will be made from a much wider viewpoint of what's best for the university and athletics department as a whole than just what's best for the football team.

These two posts summarize probably >95% of BN. Either you want to go 10-2 or better every year with a deep playoff run regardless of how bad the competition is, or you are ok losing a few more games with a good shot at a bowl game as long as the competition is comparable to the Bobcats (plus the possibility of a future G5 playoff).

Season tickets are ranging anywhere from $400-$1200 per seat, or $50-$200 per game. Thats close to what I pay for single seat tickets for former Pac 12 teams. Utah Tech seats were $10.

$200/game per seat is A LOT to pay for watching the 2s play for 15-30 minutes every game.

Cats (and Griz and DSUs) don't belong in this division, simple as that. If beating up on sub-par competition is the goal, then the Cats should just drop down to NAIA so we can win a championship every year & spend a lot less money doing it.

I've held back multiple times from suggesting that we drop down to D2 if the DSUs get called up and the G5 starts a playoff system without us. At that point we might as well just save money on scholarships and run the table on smaller schools.

[Cataholic]

I don't believe anyone has brought up academic pier institutions. The Big Sky has 3 flagship universities (MSU, um, UI) two academically elite schools (UC Davis, Cal Poly, football only), three commuter schools (PSU, Weber, Sac), three directional schools (UNC, EWU, NAU), and Idaho St (not sure how to classify them). We are much more aligned academically with the schools in the MWC than most schools in the Big Sky. I think it is important for the future to align with other smaller, high research geographically significant institutions. You are who you hang out with.

If the opportunity presents itself, I truly hope that we push hard to align ourselves with the schools of the MWC.

Get out of here with that talk. Academics has no place in college athletics!

Davis is a pretty clear candidate for an invite to the Pac whatever IF they were to commit institutional resources to athletics. Big If.

I give Davis less than a 5% chance they will be invited to the Mountain West. If you have visited Davis’ stadium, you will understand that they are not a big time draw or have marketable facilities. Stanford, Cal, Nevada, Fresno State and San Jose State are all less than 3 hours away. And you have Bay Area professional sports to compete with. Davis is definite drop down for sports.

[Cataholic]

The G5 has been talking about a playoff structure for months. This was already discussed in a previous forum. Can we please discard the argument about playing in crappy bowl games at the end of the season? Here are a couple of articles.

https://herosports.com/fbs-group-of-fiv ... ason-cpcp/

https://nevadasportsnet.com/newsletter- ... off-system

Has it been approved yet? Is it a for sure thing? No, so why would that argument go away? The G5 has to decide if they ate ok being iced out of the CFP and becoming tier 2 DI.

Successful businesses are always identifying future trends ahead of time. That requires making educated guesses based on the facts available. Do you believe the G5 will not end up having their own playoffs? Or do you want to be the last one to the party and be left playing against smaller schools with little following?

I don't care about other team's followings. I do believe the G5 will have their own playoff eventually, and you are right, the powers that be will have to identify the trends and make that decision. As a fan however, without a for sure playoff it's a no for me.

If we wait for the G5 to officially make a playoffs, we will be left behind in a 3rd level of collegiate sports. I don’t want MSU to be irrevelant. I can only hope that our administration also sees an opportunity for bigger and better things - whether a G5 playoff is finalized or not.

[St George]

I still think they should create 3 divisions out of the FCS and FBS. 129 FCS and 134 FBS. 85, 85, and 83. All 3 having 16 team playoffs. NIL moneys collected would be equally distributed, as well as a maximum dollar amount per player. Portal would allow an athlete to transfer one time. If you are going to realign it, REALIGN IT.

[Cats92]

Ultimately I guarantee the Montanas and Dakotas would be competitive in the G5 Level. Currently I would favor MSU/ UM over a lot of G5 programs. Last year’s SDSU might be the team to make the playoff if they played in a G5 conference with the current FBS playoff setting. And I bet most of the NDSU teams over the last decade plus would be in the same boat. It has been discussed in the past that the BOR would only allow a team to move up if both schools could move up. I wonder if North and South Dakota would be the same way. Assuming that’s the case, you’re looking at a minimum of 6 teams to replace 4 in the MWC. I don’t care if MSU moves up. It would just be a bummer to lose any FCS team the MWC. The FCS just isn’t what it used to be with all the other teams from the east coast moving up over the years.

[allcat]

Winning football games and being one of the best teams in the country is always fun. Watching my team go 7-5/8-4, regularly finishing 4th or 5th in the conference and playing in the LA Bowl presented by Gronk isn't. I'd be a Utah State fan if it was.

Personally I don't find it nearly as fun as it was 10, 15, 20 years ago to follow the FCS division because let's be honest - there's a 90% chance that when we make it to Frisco in January the two teams there are going to be some combination of NDSU, SDSU, MSU, and UM. Those four programs are just so much stronger and have such better resources and facilities than the rest of the division that it's almost unfair to everyone else at this point. I'd rather watch MSU go 7-5 against a better schedule than pay half of my season ticket money to watch MSU play snoozers against the likes of Maine, Mercyhurst, and Northern Colorado that are over by the end of the first quarter. But I'm sure we all have different views here, and if MSU receives an invite to move up the decision will be made from a much wider viewpoint of what's best for the university and athletics department as a whole than just what's best for the football team.

These two posts summarize probably >95% of BN. Either you want to go 10-2 or better every year with a deep playoff run regardless of how bad the competition is, or you are ok losing a few more games with a good shot at a bowl game as long as the competition is comparable to the Bobcats (plus the possibility of a future G5 playoff).

Season tickets are ranging anywhere from $400-$1200 per seat, or $50-$200 per game. Thats close to what I pay for single seat tickets for former Pac 12 teams. Utah Tech seats were $10.

$200/game per seat is A LOT to pay for watching the 2s play for 15-30 minutes every game.

Cats (and Griz and DSUs) don't belong in this division, simple as that. If beating up on sub-par competition is the goal, then the Cats should just drop down to NAIA so we can win a championship every year & spend a lot less money doing it.

I've held back multiple times from suggesting that we drop down to D2 if the DSUs get called up and the G5 starts a playoff system without us. At that point we might as well just save money on scholarships and run the table on smaller schools.

Think about it. Scholarships don't cost much at all. It's just an accounting gimmick. There may be other savings but do you think they have to actually add professors because of the amount of players?

[Cataholic]

Winning football games and being one of the best teams in the country is always fun. Watching my team go 7-5/8-4, regularly finishing 4th or 5th in the conference and playing in the LA Bowl presented by Gronk isn't. I'd be a Utah State fan if it was.

Personally I don't find it nearly as fun as it was 10, 15, 20 years ago to follow the FCS division because let's be honest - there's a 90% chance that when we make it to Frisco in January the two teams there are going to be some combination of NDSU, SDSU, MSU, and UM. Those four programs are just so much stronger and have such better resources and facilities than the rest of the division that it's almost unfair to everyone else at this point. I'd rather watch MSU go 7-5 against a better schedule than pay half of my season ticket money to watch MSU play snoozers against the likes of Maine, Mercyhurst, and Northern Colorado that are over by the end of the first quarter. But I'm sure we all have different views here, and if MSU receives an invite to move up the decision will be made from a much wider viewpoint of what's best for the university and athletics department as a whole than just what's best for the football team.

These two posts summarize probably >95% of BN. Either you want to go 10-2 or better every year with a deep playoff run regardless of how bad the competition is, or you are ok losing a few more games with a good shot at a bowl game as long as the competition is comparable to the Bobcats (plus the possibility of a future G5 playoff).

Season tickets are ranging anywhere from $400-$1200 per seat, or $50-$200 per game. Thats close to what I pay for single seat tickets for former Pac 12 teams. Utah Tech seats were $10.

$200/game per seat is A LOT to pay for watching the 2s play for 15-30 minutes every game.

Cats (and Griz and DSUs) don't belong in this division, simple as that. If beating up on sub-par competition is the goal, then the Cats should just drop down to NAIA so we can win a championship every year & spend a lot less money doing it.

I've held back multiple times from suggesting that we drop down to D2 if the DSUs get called up and the G5 starts a playoff system without us. At that point we might as well just save money on scholarships and run the table on smaller schools.

Think about it. Scholarships don't cost much at all. It's just an accounting gimmick. There may be other savings but do you think they have to actually add professors because of the amount of players?

You have a raised a question that I have never been able to get a solid answer. In regard to scholarships, does the football program actually cut a check to the university for every players tuition? Or does the university just provide a player a direct scholarship and no money changes hands? Such a “paper” transaction would be considered institutional support and that number could cause see huge fluctuations. For example, more out of state players on a roster would mean higher tuitions and increased institutional support. Also, schools like Cal Davis with $40,000 per year tuitions would have huge institutional support numbers just because tuition is higher.

[allcat]

Winning football games and being one of the best teams in the country is always fun. Watching my team go 7-5/8-4, regularly finishing 4th or 5th in the conference and playing in the LA Bowl presented by Gronk isn't. I'd be a Utah State fan if it was.

Personally I don't find it nearly as fun as it was 10, 15, 20 years ago to follow the FCS division because let's be honest - there's a 90% chance that when we make it to Frisco in January the two teams there are going to be some combination of NDSU, SDSU, MSU, and UM. Those four programs are just so much stronger and have such better resources and facilities than the rest of the division that it's almost unfair to everyone else at this point. I'd rather watch MSU go 7-5 against a better schedule than pay half of my season ticket money to watch MSU play snoozers against the likes of Maine, Mercyhurst, and Northern Colorado that are over by the end of the first quarter. But I'm sure we all have different views here, and if MSU receives an invite to move up the decision will be made from a much wider viewpoint of what's best for the university and athletics department as a whole than just what's best for the football team.

These two posts summarize probably >95% of BN. Either you want to go 10-2 or better every year with a deep playoff run regardless of how bad the competition is, or you are ok losing a few more games with a good shot at a bowl game as long as the competition is comparable to the Bobcats (plus the possibility of a future G5 playoff).

Season tickets are ranging anywhere from $400-$1200 per seat, or $50-$200 per game. Thats close to what I pay for single seat tickets for former Pac 12 teams. Utah Tech seats were $10.

$200/game per seat is A LOT to pay for watching the 2s play for 15-30 minutes every game.

Cats (and Griz and DSUs) don't belong in this division, simple as that. If beating up on sub-par competition is the goal, then the Cats should just drop down to NAIA so we can win a championship every year & spend a lot less money doing it.

I've held back multiple times from suggesting that we drop down to D2 if the DSUs get called up and the G5 starts a playoff system without us. At that point we might as well just save money on scholarships and run the table on smaller schools.

Think about it. Scholarships don't cost much at all. It's just an accounting gimmick. There may be other savings but do you think they have to actually add professors because of the amount of players?

You have a raised a question that I have never been able to get a solid answer. In regard to scholarships, does the football program actually cut a check to the university for every players tuition? Or does the university just provide a player a direct scholarship and no money changes hands? Such a “paper” transaction would be considered institutional support and that number could cause see huge fluctuations. For example, more out of state players on a roster would mean higher tuitions and increased institutional support. Also, schools like Cal Davis with $40,000 per year tuitions would have huge institutional support numbers just because tuition is higher.

Governmental accounting rules are different than those for business. In a business everything is actually supposed to flow to the top. In government these can be considered different entities and it only takes transferring them over with a pen. Very few understand governmental accounting.

[catsrback76]

I’ve always been for moving up if the invitation is presented. Heck I can remember back in the day playing Fresno State, Boise, Reno, and being competitive with all of those teams. The move up would bring new realities and opportunities as well as funding and costs. I think the competition level would be an upgrade, but didn’t we just beat a UNM team that is FBS and our support and program easily wins the day. I also believe that the fan base is more interested in playing harder competition than they are playing Mercyhurst and Simon Fraser or Utah Tech or even Maine. I get that it’s fun to watching winning football, but I would contend the win over UNM was far more exciting and entertaining for more fans than the wonderful time had at Gold Rush against Maine…the game day notwithstanding!

Move up, adjust, compete, win…and have some fun again with Boise, Wyoming, the DSU’s, the Renos and Fresno States of whatever conference we’d be offered in!

[AFCAT]

I’ve always been for moving up if the invitation is presented. Heck I can remember back in the day playing Fresno State, Boise, Reno, and being competitive with all of those teams. The move up would bring new realities and opportunities as well as funding and costs. I think the competition level would be an upgrade, but didn’t we just beat a UNM team that is FBS and our support and program easily wins the day. I also believe that the fan base is more interested in playing harder competition than they are playing Mercyhurst and Simon Fraser or Utah Tech or even Maine. I get that it’s fun to watching winning football, but I would contend the win over UNM was far more exciting and entertaining for more fans than the wonderful time had at Gold Rush against Maine…the game day notwithstanding!

Move up, adjust, compete, win…and have some fun again with Boise, Wyoming, the DSU’s, the Renos and Fresno States of whatever conference we’d be offered in!

Let’s also remember that when MSU was playing Boise and Reno, those teams were 1-AA/FCS programs. The last ten meetings against Boise the Cats were 3-7 and all time against Reno 6-12.
Everyone mentions teams like Maine or Utah Tech as teams they don’t want to play. I totally get that and understand the point, but there are two types of teams the Cats would play in pre-conference games at the FBS level. Those pre-conference games would be money games against power five teams or playing lower level games against FCS schools. Heck, even Maine is playing Oklahoma this season. Utah Tech played UNLV. New Mexico played MSU. Wyoming played Idaho. Colorado State played Northern Colorado. Fresno State and San Jose State played Sac State. Those pre-conference games would be either against lower level FCS opponents at home or big FBS money games away with the odd same level opponent thrown in, just like the Cats do now. There isn’t going to be much change in that part of the schedule. Conference will be different though.

[CalgaryCat]

10-15 years ago I wanted no part in moving up, but the CFB landscape has changed a lot since then. The Montana schools need to take whatever invitation is available to move up when it’s available, because once the P4 splits off from the G5 (G6?), that opportunity will be gone. I understand where the people who love the playoff atmosphere are coming from, but I have lost a ton of interest in the regular season in the last few years. It’s painful to only have 1-2 meaningful football games before November.

If the Dakota schools move up and we don’t, the national championship is going to come down to us, the Griz, and maybe Idaho every single season. That is not a healthy football division. Like someone said earlier, if your idea of fun football is just beating up on weak teams, let’s just move down and save some money

[coloradocat]

I’ve always been for moving up if the invitation is presented. Heck I can remember back in the day playing Fresno State, Boise, Reno, and being competitive with all of those teams. The move up would bring new realities and opportunities as well as funding and costs. I think the competition level would be an upgrade, but didn’t we just beat a UNM team that is FBS and our support and program easily wins the day. I also believe that the fan base is more interested in playing harder competition than they are playing Mercyhurst and Simon Fraser or Utah Tech or even Maine. I get that it’s fun to watching winning football, but I would contend the win over UNM was far more exciting and entertaining for more fans than the wonderful time had at Gold Rush against Maine…the game day notwithstanding!

Move up, adjust, compete, win…and have some fun again with Boise, Wyoming, the DSU’s, the Renos and Fresno States of whatever conference we’d be offered in!

Let’s also remember that when MSU was playing Boise and Reno, those teams were 1-AA/FCS programs. The last ten meetings against Boise the Cats were 3-7 and all time against Reno 6-12.
Everyone mentions teams like Maine or Utah Tech as teams they don’t want to play. I totally get that and understand the point, but there are two types of teams the Cats would play in pre-conference games at the FBS level. Those pre-conference games would be money games against power five teams or playing lower level games against FCS schools. Heck, even Maine is playing Oklahoma this season. Utah Tech played UNLV. New Mexico played MSU. Wyoming played Idaho. Colorado State played Northern Colorado. Fresno State and San Jose State played Sac State. Those pre-conference games would be either against lower level FCS opponents at home or big FBS money games away with the odd same level opponent thrown in, just like the Cats do now. There isn’t going to be much change in that part of the schedule. Conference will be different though.

Except we currently play multiple lower level FCS opponents on our conference schedule every year. Those games would go away. Instead of play as many as 5 "down" games a year we'd play 1.

As far as MSU's record back in the day, do you think we have a better program now than we did back then or not?