Bye Week

[Former Hitman]

This may have been talked about, however I was thinking this morning a bye week really hurts our chances for playoffs. Of course, having 4 losses doesn't help, however we need to pull off quality wins to make a statement.

Now, if we had done what we had expected this season a bye would be perfect to rest up before the playoffs.

[roadwarrior]

Playing only 11 games may hurt us since most everyone else scheduled 12 games. 8-4 would be a better record than 7-4.

[gizmo]

8 wins or 7 wins doesn't matter much, IMO. It's the four losses that count. If we do win the remaining games, it's the loss to Wyoming that will keep us out of the playoffs. Let's hope that in the future the A.D. will think ahead to possible playoff implications when scheduling non-conference opponents.

[SDbison]

8 wins or 7 wins doesn't matter much, IMO. It's the four losses that count. If we do win the remaining games, it's the loss to Wyoming that will keep us out of the playoffs. Let's hope that in the future the A.D. will think ahead to possible playoff implications when scheduling non-conference opponents.
Its the fact the Bison are not very good that is keeping them out of the playoffs.......not the Wyoming loss. Conference losses to Youngstown, WIU and UNI are the biggest issue. If the Bison had only lost by 3 points to a respectably good FBS team then it would not be that big of a deal. It is now obvious the Bison are are an above average team when they occasionaly play their best while most of the time they are an average to below average team.

[HerdBot]

This may have been talked about, however I was thinking this morning a bye week really hurts our chances for playoffs. Of course, having 4 losses doesn't help, however we need to pull off quality wins to make a statement.

Now, if we had done what we had expected this season a bye would be perfect to rest up before the playoffs.

Certainly having 1 more D1 win would give us a better chance to rise in the polls. Now instead, we have to watch other teams lose if we are to make it.

I think the team expected to be in a better spot and thought the bye week would let them heal for the playoffs.

In the future, I would schedule an extra home game against an Ohio Valley Team or Patriot team. Why? Because the pollsters seem to think they are better than us so when we beat them by 40, we will see a nice jump in the polls.

[Bisonguy]

Its the fact the Bison are not very good that is keeping them out of the playoffs.......not the Wyoming loss. Conference losses to Youngstown, WIU and UNI are the biggest issue. If the Bison had only lost by 3 points to a respectably good FBS team then it would not be that big of a deal. It is now obvious the Bison are are an above average team when they occasionaly play their best while most of the time they are an average to below average team.

Very true. I think some folks on here are still having a difficult time grasping the concept that NDSU is currently the fifth ranked team in a nine team conference.

[VanClubPres]

Playing only 11 games may hurt us since most everyone else scheduled 12 games. 8-4 would be a better record than 7-4.

Agreed.

And how about putting another school in instead of WYO. I do beleive that we should have beaten them, but as hindsight is ALWAYS 20-20, it would have been nice to get a game that was a sure win, rather than playing up a conference. That might have given the team a chance to get a bit more confidence. But who knows......like I said, hindsight is always perfect 20/20

[roadwarrior]

And how about putting another school in instead of WYO.

But Wyoming was scheduled at such a late date that it was probably just about the only option left.

[VanClubPres]

But Wyoming was scheduled at such a late date that it was probably just about the only option left.

Very True.
Like I said, now it is just should haves and could haves.

[HerdBot]

Very true. I think some folks on here are still having a difficult time grasping the concept that NDSU is currently the fifth ranked team in a nine team conference.


Let's see where we are ranked when the season is over because right now doesn't mean squat. Remember last year when we were 1st in nation and 1st in the the Great West...oh, that's right we lost the last game and didn't win jack.

We play in arguably the toughest conference in the FCS and it was good before we showed up. To some fans, that doesn't mean much because they expected us to go 10-1 in the MVC and win every game by 40. Sorry folks but only 1 team has gone undefeated in the history of the Gateway/MVC.

It reminds me of th NCC in it's hey day when the 3rd best team could compete for the National Championship if given the opportunity...

[d3boys]

maybe that will happen this year
if we get in

[LITTLEGUYSINGREEN]

Agreed.

And how about putting another school in instead of WYO. I do beleive that we should have beaten them, but as hindsight is ALWAYS 20-20, it would have been nice to get a game that was a sure win, rather than playing up a conference. That might have given the team a chance to get a bit more confidence. But who knows......like I said, hindsight is always perfect 20/20

Are you kidding me? How many patsie's do you want to play in a season? Two wasn't enough? IMO the two gimmes hurt us this season. We really didn't know what kind of a team we had until the Yongstown game. Four games into the season is too late to start seriously evaluating the team. Had we played tougher teams right away, we would have known our weaknesses earlier and maybe could have done something about them.

IMO the Ohio State stratagy dose nothing to help your team. The tougher the competion the tougher the team.

[NDSUstudent]

IMO Gene put together a perfect schedule this year, all the games were winnable. Ultimately it was the team that failed and that loss at Wyoming was nothing but a glimpse of what was to come.

Our schedule isn't going to get any easier next year with games at Iowa State and Sam Houston State.

[stevdock]

Are you kidding me? How many patsie's do you want to play in a season? Two wasn't enough? IMO the two gimmes hurt us this season. We really didn't know what kind of a team we had until the Yongstown game. Four games into the season is too late to start seriously evaluating the team. Had we played tougher teams right away, we would have known our weaknesses earlier and maybe could have done something about them.

IMO the Ohio State stratagy dose nothing to help your team. The tougher the competion the tougher the team.

Ohio State?? The same Ohio St. team that played USC this year and Texas the last couple of years. I understand what you are saying though, but you gotcha pick a different team. Maybe like this years Gophers.

You gotta find a happy medium with this though. SDSU played a killer schedule this year and if they would have replaced 1 or 2 of those killer games they would be in the playoffs right now. Their 4 losses are to Cal-Poly, McNeese, Iowa St, and UNI. They've got a tough team, but replace 1 and they could make the playoffs. Replace 2 of them and they are a sure in if they take care of business the rest of the way.

I'd say in our conference, you need to have one tough game, one easy game, and one somewhere in the middle. We came close to that with our non-conference schedule.

[LITTLEGUYSINGREEN]

Ohio State?? The same Ohio St. team that played USC this year and Texas the last couple of years. I understand what you are saying though, but you gotcha pick a different team. Maybe like this years Gophers.

You gotta find a happy medium with this though. SDSU played a killer schedule this year and if they would have replaced 1 or 2 of those killer games they would be in the playoffs right now. Their 4 losses are to Cal-Poly, McNeese, Iowa St, and UNI. They've got a tough team, but replace 1 and they could make the playoffs. Replace 2 of them and they are a sure in if they take care of business the rest of the way.

I'd say in our conference, you need to have one tough game, one easy game, and one somewhere in the middle. We came close to that with our non-conference schedule.

If you look at Ohio State's non-conf schedule over the past 5+ years, you'll know what I mean. They also played Youngstown,the U of Ohio, and Troy this year. I used Ohio State as an example because of their tendency to loose the big game. I believe that if their non-conference schedule was tougher, they would be better prepared for the big game.

[tony]

I think the Wyoming game was a great pickup on the schedule. If Gene has an opportunity to get NDSU a winnable FBS game, I hope he jumps on it every time.

[d3boys]

I agree
remember how everybody was excited before the game
we just didnt win the game
I would take a game like that every year
builds excitement

[NDSUFan_Sav]

If you look at Ohio State's non-conf schedule over the past 5+ years, you'll know what I mean. They also played Youngstown,the U of Ohio, and Troy this year. I used Ohio State as an example because of their tendency to loose the big game. I believe that if their non-conference schedule was tougher, they would be better prepared for the big game.

Their best player was not on the field vs USC, granted i still think they lose by 14-17, def would not have been as bad of a game as it was.

[IzzyFlexion]

Playing only 11 games may hurt us since most everyone else scheduled 12 games. 8-4 would be a better record than 7-4.

I don't believe that NDSU has ever played a 12 game season. (at least in the modern era)
I don't know why that is?? The opportunity to put 8 wins up against 4 losses certainly looks better. I see that SDSU, UNI, YSU, and IND. ST. have 12 games on their schedule and the rest of the league has 11.

[NDSUFan_Sav]

I don't believe that NDSU has ever played a 12 game season. (at least in the modern era)
I don't know why that is?? The opportunity to put 8 wins up against 4 losses certainly looks better. I see that SDSU, UNI, YSU, and IND. ST. have 12 games on their schedule and the rest of the league has 11.

Indiana st. has 12 games so they have a better shot at getting a win :p
Sorry, had to say it!