Number 2 in USA Today Preseason poll

[onbison09]

http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11850&SPID=695&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=1506356
Is Montana overrated at 3?

[lakesbison]

VERY...VERY... VERY... OVERRATED for montana..

[BisBison]

5 teams in the top 15 from the Missouri Valley Football Conference? :bowdown: We better get ready for a weekly knock-down drag out :fight:Holy Crap what an exciting schedule. :biggrin: :biggrin: Can't wait for the season to start. :hungry: :hungry:

[roadwarrior]

Do we deserve to be ranked above UNI? This one goes against all of the other polls in that regard.

[onbison09]

Do we deserve to be ranked above UNI? This one goes against all of the other polls in that regard.
I thought 2 was a little high also but I guess we'll see. Preseason polls don't mean jack.

[99Bison]

Do we deserve to be ranked above UNI? This one goes against all of the other polls in that regard.

Perhaps looking at who was lost for all teams... You can make the argument... Except maybe SDSU ahead of Youngstown.

[Jdubs21]

I only have a couple things to say about the rankings and the first is that it doesnt matter what we are ranked, our schedule is set and if we are deserving of a higher rating we will prove it by beating the best of competion, also we are used to playing top 25 teams almost everygame, the GWFC was also a very stong league it just only had 4 teams

[X-Factor]

Montana is grossly overrated. They will have a good offensive line this year which is a good start, but not a whole lot else. Being generous, Montana should be in the 13-16 area based on their year to year history. EWU is clearly the front runner in the Sky for anyone that knows squat about FCS. UNI might be a few places too low but I also think they have a few more question marks than NDSU for what was probably fairly even teams last fall. I'm not convinced SDSU is a playoff team (ie top 16) this year but I guess prove me wrong! Just my $.02

[stevdock]

Do we deserve to be ranked above UNI? This one goes against all of the other polls in that regard.

There have been 2 other polls where we have been ranked ahead of UNI. One we were two and the other we were three. I can't find the link but I'm still looking. Oh but I honestly think 2 is too high for us right now. Yes we have most of our starters coming back and we have always done a good job at replacing seniors. But I don't remember our QB and our Def QB graduating at the same time where both were the heart and soul of each unit. There are questions that we have that just won't be fully answered until our 4th game. I don't know how much of a read we can get out of those first 3 games.

[HerdBot]

http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11850&SPID=695&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=1506356
Is Montana overrated at 3?

Considering we only graduated 11 from a phenomenal team and will be returning most starters on both sides of the ball along with the entire coaching staff...The #2 ranking is legit!

Everyone talks about the defense being the heart and soul of the team but on offense we got...

Roehl/Paschall/DJ will form the best trio of backs in college

We return our top 2 starters from last year in Heck and Belquist plus see Williams, Holloway, and Schultenover develop

Throw in Shamen Washington and we've got one deep group of skill players

Mertens adds a running dimension and has had 3 years to learn under Walker.

TE/FB is the deepest ever

Oline looks to be solid as ever

#2 is a good ranking and fair!

[WYOBISONMAN]

I would say the ranking over UNI is not legit. We have some huge transitions to get worked out......most notably the QB position.

[bisonmike2]

I'm I crazy for thinking SDSU is way overrated at 14? Didn't they lose alot of key players on both sides of the ball? I'm thinking they should be top 25 but 14 seems high.

Also I hate being ranked 2 at the start of the season. Huge target on our back from the get go. I'd rather be around 10 and then work our way to the top.

[BisonNeil]

VERY...VERY... VERY... OVERRATED for montana..

Montana is likely saying the same thing about us.

#2 with a new QB and MLB for the first time in 3.5-4.0 yrs, neither replacement with a lot of game experience. Only 2 returning starters on the OL.

Granted, we all think we have depth and talent there, but until they get experience in game situations, no one really knows.

I think #2 is high, too high, I don't know. I would rather be in SDSUs spot and work my way up rather than looking at the possibility of working my way down. But, it is what it is.

[mebisonII]

Montana is likely saying the same thing about us.

#2 with a new QB and MLB for the first time in 3.5-4.0 yrs, neither replacement with a lot of game experience. Only 2 returning starters on the OL.

Granted, we all think we have depth and talent there, but until they get experience in game situations, no one really knows.

I think #2 is high, too high, I don't know. I would rather be in SDSUs spot and work my way up rather than looking at the possibility of working my way down. But, it is what it is.

Are you sure? I'd rather be coming off two 10-1 season's with a 3-1 record against FBS and a 15-1 record against FCS, but that's just me ;) :blush:


p.s. I know what you mean, just being a smart-alek.

[X-Factor]

I would say the ranking over UNI is not legit. We have some huge transitions to get worked out......most notably the QB position.

Do you know what UNI is returning? If not you should take a look at what they lost to graduation. That isn't always the end all for preseason rankings, but it at least helps paint the picture along with knowing what they have returning for depth and coaching which is usually the toughest part of the equation to figure out. FYI, some of their biggest losses include two tackles drafted into the NFL and Payton candidate Eric Sanders among others. UNI has quite a few more holes to fill than NDSU, but not saying it can't be done! They will be solid again this year, but not quite a championship contender out of the gate. We will wait and see what happens by November. The showdown at the UNI Dome should be a doozie.

[Tatanka]

http://www.vocaro.com/trevor/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/dvd-playerscreensnapz003.png
We are number two.
Anyone (besides Bono) have an issue with that?

[UTH]

[picture of Tatanka's wuss]




We are number two.


Anyone (besides Bono) have an issue with that?



I'll be your Huckleberry
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff311/indio_rojas/tombstonehuckleberryDocHolliday.jpg
We're number one.


*preseason polls - causing 'fun' arguments since 1689...

[WYOBISONMAN]

Do you know what UNI is returning? If not you should take a look at what they lost to graduation. That isn't always the end all for preseason rankings, but it at least helps paint the picture along with knowing what they have returning for depth and coaching which is usually the toughest part of the equation to figure out. FYI, some of their biggest losses include two tackles drafted into the NFL and Payton candidate Eric Sanders among others. UNI has quite a few more holes to fill than NDSU, but not saying it can't be done! They will be solid again this year, but not quite a championship contender out of the gate. We will wait and see what happens by November. The showdown at the UNI Dome should be a doozie.
Yes....I do know what UNI lost, and I do know that they are trying to fill the QB hole that was left by the graduation of Eric Sanders with the Junior Pat Grace. I just feel that the holes left by Walker, Mays, and even Drago and what he could give us for field position is a bigger hole to fill that what the Panthers are dealing with......and then add to that the fact that the Panthers are a seasoned MVFC team and I feel they are deserving of a rating higher than the Bison. The fact that our first conference clash with them is at UNI is cause for this Bison fan to be very cautions about predicting the outcome. Not that we can't beat them, but I do think at this point we are the underdog compared to UNI.

[HerdBot]

Yes....I do know what UNI lost, and I do know that they are trying to fill the QB hole that was left by the graduation of Eric Sanders with the Junior Pat Grace. I just feel that the holes left by Walker, Mays, and even Drago and what he could give us for field position is a bigger hole to fill that what the Panthers are dealing with......and then add to that the fact that the Panthers are a seasoned MVFC team and I feel they are deserving of a rating higher than the Bison. The fact that our first conference clash with them is at UNI is cause for this Bison fan to be very cautions about predicting the outcome. Not that we can't beat them, but I do think at this point we are the underdog compared to UNI.

I agree. They are more seasoned. I won't have an easy time predicting a win late in the season at their house... unless of course we get Jarrett Crittenton to bolster the D-line!