NDSU should go to the FBS!

[aucat]

I read today that NDSU is ranked second (tied) among teams regarding winning streaks against Power 5 teams:

Here's the current ranking:
1. LSU 12 straight wins
2. NDSU 5 straight wins
3. Notre Dame 5 straight wins
4. Tennessee 5 straight wins

JEEZ, why is NDSU still a FCS school??

[91catAlum]

There's a lot more to consider in "moving up" than just a great football team.

[coloradocat]

They aren't moving up. They know they would fail. Enough with the NDSU threads!

[Cat Grad]

It is my contention that the continued success (total domination) of the FCS by NDSU will expedite the inevitable NCAA merging of the Group of 5 conferences with those few schools in the FCS. I personally miss the years when the majority of the Group of 5 schools and the FCS schools had a simple designation of Division II and were recognized as the small college national champion.

[gtapp]

Where would they go? There would be a drop in exposure and interest to go to an FBS conf with the likes of Miami of Ohio and Marshall. I think it would also hurt recruiting. The Big Ten would be interesting but no way they get in that conf with a 19k seat facility. They could build a small (by big ten standards) outdoor facility like the U of Minnesota did. But at a price of $260M that is not going to happen.

[GoCats18]

How about the teams in the MVFC step up their game. Imagine the difference if NDSU came into the playoffs without home field advantage. How long were the Griz a powerhouse in the Big Sky? Then look at what happened (not talking about the issues with the law) the other schools in the Big Sky started getting better. They hired better coaches and built better facilities. It is only a matter of time.

[robgriz]

They aren't moving up. They know they would fail. Enough with the NDSU threads!

I agree they aren’t moving up, but not because they would fail. The reasons they aren’t going are purely financial. IMO

[John K]

How about the teams in the MVFC step up their game. Imagine the difference if NDSU came into the playoffs without home field advantage. How long were the Griz a powerhouse in the Big Sky? Then look at what happened (not talking about the issues with the law) the other schools in the Big Sky started getting better. They hired better coaches and built better facilities. It is only a matter of time.

I don't really get why some people on here seem to think the MVFC has to "step up it's game"? In my opinion, it's still arguably the best FCS conference in the nation. The BSC was probably slightly better this year, but during most of NDSU's run, the MVFC was clearly better than the BSC. Intra-conference foe ISU gave them their only tough game in the playoffs this year other than JMU, and SDSU was probably one of the top 5 teams in the nation, despite being upset in their first playoff game. The MVFC has had two teams in the championship game other than NDSU during their run, while the BSC has had a team in title game only once during that time. NDSU has lost more conference games in the last 9 years than they've lost playoff games or FBS games. Yet some people seem to think the MVFC must not be that strong, just because NDSU dominates the conference, just like they would dominate any FCS conference.

[onceacat]

They aren't moving up. They know they would fail. Enough with the NDSU threads!

I agree they aren’t moving up, but not because they would fail. The reasons they aren’t going are purely financial. IMO

Yeah, no power 5 conference is going to take them because there's no financial motivation. The Fargo/Moorhead media market it too small. And why would NDSU want to go to a Group of 5? Theres not really even a good G5 fit...you'd have to give up all your regional rivalries.

NDSU is right where they belong.

[2011BisonAlumni]

How about the teams in the MVFC step up their game. Imagine the difference if NDSU came into the playoffs without home field advantage. How long were the Griz a powerhouse in the Big Sky? Then look at what happened (not talking about the issues with the law) the other schools in the Big Sky started getting better. They hired better coaches and built better facilities. It is only a matter of time.

How about teams in the Big Sky step up their game?

MVFC has had three different programs in the championship game since 2014 and has clearly been the best conference in the FCS this past decade.

ISU has a championship in 2014 if they don’t play NDSU and who the heck knows how many SDSU would have won by now.

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program. JC is doing it the right way and you will eventually be there IMO.

[Hawks86]

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program.

What focusing techniques do you suggest?

[GoCats18]

So when NDSU goes undefeated year after year, that is because of the Big Sky? I am not bitching about what you have done, I am bitching about what others haven’t. The MVFC is a tough conference, minus the fact that there is one team that clearly should be playing in FBS. When the other teams in your conference can beat NDSU in conference games, well then maybe that will be the end of your run.

[John K]

So when NDSU goes undefeated year after year, that is because of the Big Sky? I am not bitching about what you have done, I am bitching about what others haven’t. The MVFC is a tough conference, minus the fact that there is one team that clearly should be playing in FBS. When the other teams in your conference can beat NDSU in conference games, well then maybe that will be the end of your run.

As I pointed out in my earlier post, NDSU has lost more conference games the last 9 years than they've lost in the playoffs and to FBS teams combined, so I don't really understand your logic. They've lost 8 games during their run, and 6 of them have been to MVFC teams. The other 2 being JMU in the 2016 playoffs, and UM in 2015. So they've averaged almost one conference loss per season. I think you could make the opposite argument...the rigors of playing in the toughest conference in the nation have helped to prepare them for the playoffs every year. It's somewhat analogous to the SEC in FBS. SEC teams have won 11 of the last 17 NC. The best team coming out of the best conference is likely to also be the best team in the entire country.

Edit...NDSU's 6 conference losses came against 5 different teams, so that shows the MVFC has plenty of depth. It's not like just 1 or 2 teams have been competitive against them during their run, with the rest of the league being a bunch of patsies.

[2011BisonAlumni]

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program.

What focusing techniques do you suggest?

Increase fundraising so you can provide FCOA and increase salaries for coaches.

[2011BisonAlumni]

So when NDSU goes undefeated year after year, that is because of the Big Sky? I am not bitching about what you have done, I am bitching about what others haven’t. The MVFC is a tough conference, minus the fact that there is one team that clearly should be playing in FBS. When the other teams in your conference can beat NDSU in conference games, well then maybe that will be the end of your run.

Other teams can and have beat NDSU.

2011- Unranked YSU beats NDSU in the Fargodome
2012- Unranked Indiana State beats NDSU in the Fargodome
2013- NDSU is down 23-10 to UNI in the 4th quarter and wins the game 24-23.
2014- NDSU has a TD pass with 54 seconds left to beat SDSU
2014- Trey Roberson has a TD run in the national championship game with 1:38 left to put Illinois State up by 4. Carson Wentz goes down the field and goes ahead for good with a TD run with 38 seconds left
2015- Unranked USD beats NDSU in the Fargodome
2016- SDSU beats NDSU in the Fargodome
2017- SDSU beats NDSU in Brookings
2019- SDSU is tied with 2:34 left in the game, has NDSU in a 4th and 1 at the 29, and gives up a 71 yard TD run

Multiple games where MVFC teams have won, been very competitive etc.

[Hawks86]

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program.

What focusing techniques do you suggest?

Increase fundraising so you can provide FCOA and increase salaries for coaches.

I'll get on that first thing in the morning.

[TomCat88]

How about the teams in the MVFC step up their game. Imagine the difference if NDSU came into the playoffs without home field advantage. How long were the Griz a powerhouse in the Big Sky? Then look at what happened (not talking about the issues with the law) the other schools in the Big Sky started getting better. They hired better coaches and built better facilities. It is only a matter of time.

How about teams in the Big Sky step up their game?

MVFC has had three different programs in the championship game since 2014 and has clearly been the best conference in the FCS this past decade.

ISU has a championship in 2014 if they don’t play NDSU and who the heck knows how many SDSU would have won by now.

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program. JC is doing it the right way and you will eventually be there IMO.

Who do you predict will beat ndsu?

[2011BisonAlumni]

How about the teams in the MVFC step up their game. Imagine the difference if NDSU came into the playoffs without home field advantage. How long were the Griz a powerhouse in the Big Sky? Then look at what happened (not talking about the issues with the law) the other schools in the Big Sky started getting better. They hired better coaches and built better facilities. It is only a matter of time.

How about teams in the Big Sky step up their game?

MVFC has had three different programs in the championship game since 2014 and has clearly been the best conference in the FCS this past decade.

ISU has a championship in 2014 if they don’t play NDSU and who the heck knows how many SDSU would have won by now.

You guys all need to quit bitching and complaining about NDSU winning and just focus on getting better as a program. JC is doing it the right way and you will eventually be there IMO.

Who do you predict will beat ndsu?

Oregon game one next year.

Eventually I could see Cal Poly becoming a dominant team.

[GoCats18]

Wow....I am at a total loss. So if Bama was winning year after year, even though they play in the SEC, your telling me it would up to the teams in the Pac 12 to do their job and beat them. No, it would mean the teams within the SEC would have to step it up, knock them out of the playoffs......oh wait, kind of like what happened this year.

[John K]

Wow....I am at a total loss. So if Bama was winning year after year, even though they play in the SEC, your telling me it would up to the teams in the Pac 12 to do their job and beat them. No, it would mean the teams within the SEC would have to step it up, knock them out of the playoffs......oh wait, kind of like what happened this year.

It's not just other SEC teams that have beaten Alabama in the years they didn't win the NC though. In 2 of the last 4 years, it was Clemson that beat them, not one of their fellow SEC members. Your argument makes no sense. You seem to be implying that since no teams from any other conferences have been able to beat them in the playoffs, the only way to prevent them from continuing to win NC, is for more MVFC teams to beat them in the regular season, so they either miss the playoffs completely, or at least lose 2 or 3 conference games so they won't have home field advantage all through the playoffs. If that ever happened, the odds are that it would just be another MVFC team that would win the NC, rather than a team from another conference. And I wouldn't be too quick to bet against them, even if they did have to play a game or 2 on the road. After all, they are 8-0 in championship games on a neutral field. And do you really think that we would have had a legitimate chance of beating NDSU this year, if the game had been in Bozeman rather than Fargo? It may not have been quite as much of a blowout, but it still wouldn't have been close, no matter where the game was played.