Great article on the new Gateway

[tony]

Dakotas and Gateway make perfect match By Matt Dougherty, FCS Editor (http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/cfoot2/news/AGN4067924.htm)

Lots of good points, most we've seen before so I'll stick to the ones that are more "fresh."

1. It will be harder for the Gateway to get three teams into the playoffs, much less four. I still think that the Gateway will get at least two teams in every year but, as Dougherty pointed out, it is a lot harder to have three teams with records good enough for the playoffs when schools have only one non-conf FCS game. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

2. We know Cal Poly and UC Davis are in a jam for scheduling but Dougherty correctly points out that the Big Sky, Southland, and Gateway teams all have one less slot for non-conf games so it's quite a bit tougher than when NDSU started out. I hope they can find some teams around to fill the roster a bit.

Lots of good stuff in the article.

[IowaBison]

Matt has a point with his playoff issue.

However, getting 7 wins is not a 'huge' hurdle.


Teams who schedule more than 1 tough to beat FBS or DII teams in a season are going to have a problem. But why schedule that way?

[BisonMav]

Great link, the Gateway feels better every day. :)

[BisonNeil]

It was a nice article, but I really liked his points on winners and losers, especially the big losers such as:

North Dakota and South Dakota - Both programs were a day late and a dollar short behind their in-state brethren already, and now they’ll sit and watch as their fellow state schools become playoff eligible in a premier conference in 2008 while they enter the first-year of their transition, which will probably come in an unstable conference. In-state rivalries can be renewed, but the Dakota state schools have all the leverage and are in a favorable position that North Dakota and South Dakota will have to wait at least a few years, and probably more, to have a chance to obtain.

You gotta love it!

[NDSU1980]

It was a nice article, but I really liked his points on winners and losers, especially the big losers such as:Bot

]North Dakota and South Dakota -both programs were a day late and a dollar short [/highlight]behind their in-state brethren already, and now they’ll sit and watch as their fellow state schools become playoff eligible in a premier conference in 2008 while they enter the first-year of their transition, which will probably come in an unstable conference. In-state rivalries can be renewed, but the Dakota state schools have all the leverage and are in a favorable position that North Dakota and South Dakota will have to wait at least a few years, and probably more, to have a chance to obtain.

You gotta love it!

That was absolutely the highlight of the article.

[Hammerhead]

C'mon now. Some of the crybabies at siouxsports.com aren't happy that we didn't wait for the flickertails to be ready to make the jump to D1 before moving up. ::)

[Tatanka]

Well, we did wait a year, which gave them enough time to charge $27.50 and call a press conference.

[NDSU1980]

Has anyone posted the link over on siouxsports yet? I can't do it, I'm not a member over there, thank God.

[tony]

Oh no! Let's try to keep the UND stuff out of the football topic. They know their situtation better than we do. Besides, in 2002 we were in exactly the same boat as UND and things turned out OK.

I will say this though: I think Chapman's decision to move up to DI after the NCC voted to stay in D2 has been completely vindicated. No matter what happens, he put NDSU in the best possible position to succeed. He made that call even though he got a hundred times more flak for going DI than he would have had he kept NDSU in D2.

[Bison_Dan]

Oh no! Let's try to keep the UND stuff out of the football topic. They know their situtation better than we do. Besides, in 2002 we were in exactly the same boat as UND and things turned out OK.

I will say this though: I think Chapman's decision to move up to DI after the NCC voted to stay in D2 has been completely vindicated. No matter what happens, he put NDSU in the best possible position to succeed. He made that call even though he got a hundred times more flak for going DI than he would have had he kept NDSU in D2.


He and NDSU got a hundred times more flak than und is getting in their unannounced move to DI.

[tcbison]

Has anyone posted the link over on siouxsports yet? *I can't do it, I'm not a member over there, thank God.

I have read the comments on siouxsports but I will never become a member or post over there. I don't see the point of doing that.

[NDSUguy]

Is it really about the amount of "flack" that Chapman got???? It is true that he was crucified by the media and by the school to the North BUT why are we stuck on trying to give back as much flack back to them.

In the end the facts are clear. Chapman was a visionary and it's obvious that the flack was unjustified. We should not dish it back because we know that in the end we came out better than UND.

[Bison74]

Guys, The fact of the matter is NDSU has moved on to bigger and better things. Let's not live in the past but look forward to big things in the future. This article just reinforces the fact that we did what was right for us. The football program is going to succeed at our new level and to hell with the naysayers.

[BisonMav]

I have read the comments on siouxsports but I will never become a member or post over there. I don't see the point of doing that.

It's not so bad, just have to take a shower after doing so. ;)

[Gamehunter]

only 2 bids from the Gateway? no way.

We will see 3 every year but once in a blue moon.

[NDSUguy]

only 2 bids from the Gateway? *no way.

We will see 3 every year but once in a blue moon.

with more than half of the teams in the gateways being "top teams", it will be difficult to get 2 at large bids to the playoffs (due to beating up on each other).

The league is much more difficult to navigate now than last season. I think that once in a blue moon we'll see 3 teams but more likely two.

[mikelsch]

I think a total of 3 playoff teams will be standard from the Gateway (conference champ + 2 At-Large)

[2006gwfcchamps]

If A10 gets 3 every year the Gateway better.

[NDSUguy]

It's not really about how many one conference gets over another. If you look at the playoff bracket for this year you will notice that none of the teams with an atlarge bid had less than 8 wins. Considering that we'll soon have 8 conference games if we go 6-2 (which would be a GREAT season considering the competition), we'd still have to win two or three non-conference games to get in just to be considered.

With the Gateway bringing in us and SDSU it just got that much harder to finish atop the league. I think that we'll be surprised at how much parody there really is in the league.

We're used to playing teams like davis and poly. We respect them and think of them as a good match. The Gateway has 4 teams regularly that have just as much if not more talent than than Poly and Davis.

[DenverBison05]

It's not really about how many one conference gets over another. *If you look at the playoff bracket for this year you will notice that none of the teams with an atlarge bid had less than 8 wins. *Considering that we'll soon have 8 conference games if we go 6-2 (which would be a GREAT season considering the competition), we'd still have to win two or three non-conference games to get in just to be considered.

With the Gateway bringing in us and SDSU it just got that much harder to finish atop the league. *I think that we'll be surprised at how much parody there really is in the league. *

We're used to playing teams like davis and poly. *We respect them and think of them as a good match. *The Gateway has 4 teams regularly that have just as much if not more talent than than Poly and Davis.

Montana State was 7-4

[NDFAN2]

I see NDSU doing well in this conference. :)

[Scooter]

It's not really about how many one conference gets over another. *If you look at the playoff bracket for this year you will notice that none of the teams with an atlarge bid had less than 8 wins. *Considering that we'll soon have 8 conference games if we go 6-2 (which would be a GREAT season considering the competition), we'd still have to win two or three non-conference games to get in just to be considered.

With the Gateway bringing in us and SDSU it just got that much harder to finish atop the league. *I think that we'll be surprised at how much parody there really is in the league. *

We're used to playing teams like davis and poly. *We respect them and think of them as a good match. *The Gateway has 4 teams regularly that have just as much if not more talent than than Poly and Davis.

If you can't finish at or near the top of your league, then you don't deserve to be playing for a national championship. *It's kind of funny how that works. You are going to have to beat these teams sooner or later. If you can't beat them sooner... you don't deserve a later.*

[Gamehunter]

It's not really about how many one conference gets over another. If you look at the playoff bracket for this year you will notice that none of the teams with an atlarge bid had less than 8 wins. Considering that we'll soon have 8 conference games if we go 6-2 (which would be a GREAT season considering the competition), we'd still have to win two or three non-conference games to get in just to be considered.

With the Gateway bringing in us and SDSU it just got that much harder to finish atop the league. I think that we'll be surprised at how much parody there really is in the league.

We're used to playing teams like davis and poly. We respect them and think of them as a good match. The Gateway has 4 teams regularly that have just as much if not more talent than than Poly and Davis.

Anymore I would consider 6-2 in the Gateway to be a good season, definately not a great season. Last time I checked the Bison are pretty good, and you can mark it down it will stay that way at least through 2008. After that we lose quite a few guys just like the mens basketball team but the good thing is that leaves several years for the next few recruiting classes to develope into starting roles to fill in. I think to many people are used to mediocre Bison football.

[NDSUguy]

It's not really about how many one conference gets over another. If you look at the playoff bracket for this year you will notice that none of the teams with an atlarge bid had less than 8 wins. Considering that we'll soon have 8 conference games if we go 6-2 (which would be a GREAT season considering the competition), we'd still have to win two or three non-conference games to get in just to be considered.

With the Gateway bringing in us and SDSU it just got that much harder to finish atop the league. I think that we'll be surprised at how much parody there really is in the league.

We're used to playing teams like davis and poly. We respect them and think of them as a good match. The Gateway has 4 teams regularly that have just as much if not more talent than than Poly and Davis.

Anymore I would consider 6-2 in the Gateway to be a good season, definately not a great season. Last time I checked the Bison are pretty good, and you can mark it down it will stay that way at least through 2008. After that we lose quite a few guys just like the mens basketball team but the good thing is that leaves several years for the next few recruiting classes to develope into starting roles to fill in. I think to many people are used to mediocre Bison football.

I believe that we will be a top 25 team year in and year out. That being said, getting through the Gateway schedule is going to be at least twice as hard as coming out on top of the GWFC. 6-2 will be a great season. I certainly have faith in our team but I won't let myself be delusional and think that we will always come in first or second place in the conference.

You can mark my words... We will NOT make the playoffs every year in the Gateway. If we do, i'll be happy but I just don't think that it will happen.

[Scooter]

If you make the playoffs every year maybe you should consider moving up a class.

Perfect example..... Grand Valley State University.....what a school with over 22500 students is doing playing in division II is embarrassing. *12000-15000 students is considered a very large Division II University. The average Division II school has less than 4500 undergraduates.

[99Bison]

If you make the playoffs every year maybe you should consider moving up a class.

Perfect example..... Grand Valley State University.....what a school with over 22500 students is doing playing in division II is embarrassing. 12000-15000 students is considered a very large Division II University. The average Division II school has less than 4500 undergraduates.

I used to think school attendance had something to do with classification, then I looked at the rest of the universities in the US. It is all over the map. You have D1 schools that have about 2-3k students.

Now maybe they don't have football, but generally the notion that attendance dictates athletic prowes isn't necessarily true... Of course you could say with more alumni you can gather more funds, but that is a whole different debate.

[NDSU1980]

If you make the playoffs every year maybe you should consider moving up a class.

Perfect example..... Grand Valley State University.....what a school with over 22500 students is doing playing in division II is embarrassing. 12000-15000 students is considered a very large Division II University. The average Division II school has less than 4500 undergraduates.

I used to think school attendance had something to do with classification, then I looked at the rest of the universities in the US. It is all over the map. You have D1 schools that have about 2-3k students.

Now maybe they don't have football, but generally the notion that attendance dictates athletic prowes isn't necessarily true... Of course you could say with more alumni you can gather more funds, but that is a whole different debate.


Support from the community (ie students) in the way of attendance is one measure of support, but support from your administration is probably an even bigger factor. NDSU has proven how important it is to have someone like Joe Chapman and Gene Taylor calling the shots, rather then say someone like Bob Entzion.

[BisonNeil]

If A10 gets 3 every year the Gateway better.

Not true. Atlantic 10 only got 2 teams in the playoffs in 2005, so not "3 every year".

However, A10 DID get 4 in 2004, as did the Gateway a few years back. So, it is possible that can happen again.

This discussion demonstrates that the attraction of the Gateway was NOT the auto bid. I have said before, that is over blown. If Bison are good, Great West at large bid just as good a chance (and one could make the argument it would be better and easier in the Gr W) as Gateway.

The Gateway is all about scheduling, which is tough for any team W of Miss R, and the TV exposure.

[Bisonguy]

If A10 gets 3 every year the Gateway better.

Not true. Atlantic 10 only got 2 teams in the playoffs in 2005, so not "3 every year".

However, A10 DID get 4 in 2004, as did the Gateway a few years back. *So, it is possible that can happen again.

This discussion demonstrates that the attraction of the Gateway was NOT the auto bid. I have said before, that is over blown. If Bison are good, Great West at large bid just as good a chance (and one could make the argument it would be better and easier in the Gr W) as Gateway.

The Gateway is all about scheduling, which is tough for any team W of Miss R, and the TV exposure.



Bohl has repeatedly stated the autobid is huge. He backs it up with how last year after Cal-Poly barely lost at Montana, they got man-handled by NDSU the following week, and NDSU dropped in the polls after that game.

[WYOBISONMAN]

After league play in the Gateway, the playoff opening round won't seem so tough..........

[Scooter]

If you make the playoffs every year maybe you should consider moving up a class.

Perfect example..... Grand Valley State University.....what a school with over 22500 students is doing playing in division II is embarrassing. *12000-15000 students is considered a very large Division II University. *The average Division II school has less than 4500 undergraduates.

I used to think school attendance had something to do with classification, then I looked at the rest of the universities in the US. It is all over the map. You have D1 schools that have about 2-3k students.

Now maybe they don't have football, but generally the notion that attendance dictates athletic prowes isn't necessarily true... Of course you could say with more alumni you can gather more funds, but that is a whole different debate.


Support from the community (ie students) in the way of attendance is one measure of support, but support from your administration is probably an even bigger factor. *NDSU has proven how important it is to have someone like Joe Chapman and Gene Taylor calling the shots, rather then say someone like Bob Entzion.

Yeah, you have a point about the size of schools being all over the place, but I think it would be much easier to raise funds with twice the number of allumni. Do you think that the NDSU fundraisers would love an extra 2000 allumni every year? I think they would. I would immagine that it would be a heck of a lot harder for a school with 3000 average students to raise $$$ than a school who averages 23000.

[Bison_Backer]

I have read the comments on siouxsports but I will never become a member or post over there. I don't see the point of doing that.

It's not so bad, just have to take a shower after doing so. *;)


AGREED!

[sambini]

I have read the comments on siouxsports but I will never become a member or post over there. I don't see the point of doing that.

It's not so bad, just have to take a shower after doing so. *;)


AGREED!
+++++++++++++