Best Bison Team Ever?

[No_Skill]

Towards the end of the post game show yesterday, Phil Hansen sort of blurted out that he thinks that this year's team is the best Bison team ever. *He seemed kind of hesitant when he said it at first and then just went with it. *I was a little shocked that Phil said it, knowing the caliber of teams he played on.

I am a relatively new Bison fan (10 yrs). *I am curious what some of you old timers think of that statement.

[TransAmBison]

They are right up there...

[kchats]

Hard to judge since they don't get a chance to play in the playoffs. Very good team but the 1986 team was dominant as was the 1990 team. I also believe that some of the 1960's teams were right up there.

[TransAmBison]

I know I can't prove it since we cannot get to the playoffs, but I completely believe after our game with the Mustangs that we would win the National Championship. I am not saying it would be close, some teams would be difficult, blah, blah, blah. I'm saying we'd take them all. Period. This team has what it takes.

[semobison]

I saw all the teams in the eighties. There were some great ones. This team ranks right up there. It is a National Championship caliber team! What a shame they dont have the oppertunity to prove it on the field

[THEsocalledfan]

I know I can't prove it since we cannot get to the playoffs, but I completely believe after our game with the Mustangs that we would win the National Championship. *I am not saying it would be close, some teams would be difficult, blah, blah, blah. *I'm saying we'd take them all. *Period. *This team has what it takes.

This team is really fuc*ing good. I agree, at least in my lifetime, the teams that come close are 1986 and 1990 as they were dominant like this team.

If I had to guess which is the best ever, I would say this team. Why? I have 63 reasons why I think they are better with or without playoffs.

[Gully]

There is no doubt this is the best team ever....although it's pretty meaningless to compare teams from different eras. The teams in 10 years will be better than this team. What is important is how the teams perform relative to their peers. In that sense, the 80s teams were better.

[sambini]

It ranks right up there+++

[Scooter]

The future looks very good. *The former Bison players must be very proud of this bunch of young men.

Best performance...third quarter of 1990 National Championship game. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *What was it...5 TD's in 7 plays? *Wow.

* * * * * * * * * * * * ....the three quarters vs. Cal Poly? * Wow.

* * * * * * * * * * * * ....Fargo has no idea how blessed they are.

[BisonMav]

Best fans ever are on Bisonville 8-)

[sambini]

Give this team a special sendoff with a full house on saturday++++

[CaBisonFan]

Towards the end of the post game show yesterday, Phil Hansen sort of blurted out that he thinks that this year's team is the best Bison team ever. *He seemed kind of hesitant when he said it at first and then just went with it. *I was a little shocked that Phil said it, knowing the caliber of teams he played on.

I am a relatively new Bison fan (10 yrs). *I am curious what some of you old timers think of that statement.

This team is loaded with talent. *It has power, some speed in the right places, quickness, athleticism, size, desire, no fear, great leadership, great coaches, and probably the best all-around quarterback that NDSU has ever had....and that's saying a lot. *Bentrim & Simdorn ran the veer to perfection....and I mean perfect. *They were wizards of the veer. *Not great passers. *But they were extremely athletic. *They were like Houdini. *Bentrim would get tackled on the option play and be inches from the ground, the defense would think they had ended the play, and the ball would magically flip out to one of the backs.....touchdown !!!!!!! * It was a piece of art. *They would have raised some major hell in Gopherland. *It's the best run option game that I've ever seen....including Nebraska, the old Texas teams, Oklahoma, and others. *They had better athletes....but the Bison ran it better. *It was squeaky clean and efficient. *Then there was the battering ram called Chad Stark. *Oh my God....he was a bull with speed. *Teams would key on the QB and the halfback....so Bentrim would see it and hand off to Stark......gone !! *It was brutal. That era of players won 3 championships in 4 years.....and lost the 4th championship game on a 50 something fieldgoal to Troy State with a couple of seconds left. We ran over them....but they snuck up on us. *

Comparing them isn't easy. *The game is different. *The competition is different. *This year's team is the best passing team that I've ever seen in the region....bar none. *And they can mix it with power & finesse running. *Walker is a Houdini too....in a different way. *Incredible. *Steffes does whatever it takes to win. *He is amazing.

What I will say is this in defense of a few of the great teams from the past. *There were parts of games when they were perfect. *They were like a machine. *Some very good teams were mowed down like they weren't on the field. *DII was much more powerful in the 'old days.' *The list of great players is too long to even start.

On this team, I've noticed the unbelievable athleticism of Humber and Mayes at linebacker. *There's more depth. *Steffes is one of the best ever at SU. *I would have to put Satter above him....but Satter was a totally different kind of runner. *I never got to see Lamar Gordon in person...so I can't relate to his ability. *

The team with Chad Stark, Jeff Bentrim, Tyrone Braxton, Molstre, Phil Hansen, and a load of other great players is one of the most dominant teams that I've ever seen. *The 90 team was close...but the 86 team was machine-like in its efficiency. *

If I had to vote for one, I'd probably vote for the 2006 edition based upon the athleticism and depth. *But as far as how the 'team' played as a cohesive unit, the 86 team was nearly perfect....scary good. *They destroyed some very, very good teams. *

How about this....all of the championship teams were truly great. *I consider this team to be a championship team. *They're a modern version of the truly great Bison tradition. *

It's the tradition. *One thing has led to the next, with periods of down cycles. *I really thought that it was gone as we entered the mid 90s. *It was a mess.

My faith has been restored. *The Bison are most definitely back. *

It's really about the tradition, the dynasty, and the attitude. *They were 'all' great. *It started with Mudra and Erhardt. *They really deserve the credit for pulling the program up to win national championships, to beat Grambling, and to beat Montana twice in the Camelia Bowl....which was considered the national championship bowl game of that era. *They were like old Packer teams. *Hard-nosed SOB's with a swagger. *They're the real champions. *I was a little kid when that started. *Before that, SU had decades of embarrassing teams mostly. *Mudra & Erhardt came in and taught SU how to win. *That's where the swagger began. *And they earned it. *

The best team?

All of them. *Every player played on a great team. *Even some of the off years weren't very 'off.' *To wear a Bison jersey is to be a part of something very special. *They're all champions.

That's the best team......every player.....every team....everyone that has been a part of the greatest DII program ever....and now one of the elite teams in I-AA. *

Sounds like a copout doesn't it. *But as I've written this....my heart tells me that every Bison player since Mudra and Erhardt deserves the title of being on the 'best team.' *

The best team is every Bison player that gave their heart and soul to the team. *They're all one team.

[Bisonfan1]

Your last sentance says it all ! Very good post CaBisonFan ! :)

[AJ]

CaBisonFan - I have never read anything on that board that was more true that your last post. That pride and cohesiveness throughout the decades is why I believe that Bison football is the greatest program in the country. Call it bias but I truely believe that. I've played on the good teams and a down year but you know that everyone before you made Bison Football better and you do everything you can to make it better for the next class. Great post!!!

[56BISON73]

"""It's really about the tradition, the dynasty, and the attitude. They were 'all' great. It started with Mudra and Erhardt. They really deserve the credit for pulling the program up to win national championships, to beat Grambling, and to beat Montana twice in the Camelia Bowl....which was considered the national championship bowl game of that era. They were like old Packer teams. Hard-nosed SOB's with a swagger. They're the real champions. I was a little kid when that started. Before that, SU had decades of embarrassing teams mostly. Mudra & Erhardt came in and taught SU how to win. That's where the swagger began. And they earned it.

The best team?

All of them. Every player played on a great team. Even some of the off years weren't very 'off.' To wear a Bison jersey is to be a part of something very special. They're all champions.

That's the best team......every player.....every team....everyone that has been a part of the greatest DII program ever....and now one of the elite teams in I-AA.

Sounds like a copout doesn't it. But as I've written this....my heart tells me that every Bison player since Mudra and Erhardt deserves the title of being on the 'best team.'

The best team is every Bison player that gave their heart and soul to the team. They're all one team. """


Very well said!!!!!! PL

[mikelsch]

If the Bison win on Saturday --- this is the best Bison team ever

This year's defense would shut down the veer, and this year's offense is tough to defend

[OrygunBison]

Best team I've seen prior to this one was the '89 team, that surprisingly didn't win a NC. I've only been to one game this year - MN - but from what I saw + what I read through this board, this is a better team than that.

[Constantine]

I'm biased, I'll admit it up front. I no longer lived in Fargo to see the 1990 team, and was too young for the 1960's teams. But I do remember the 1986 team. Just dominating. That would be my personal pick.



But as far as most memorable season. It would be 1985. The team started 2-2, finally found their stride, and wound up 8-2-1. If my memory serves me right. The team was ranked 17th in the polls, and only the top 8 made it into the playoffs. The Bison weren't scheduled to play the weekend after Thanksgiving, so the players checked in their equipment, and headed home to enjoy a Thanksgiving with their families.

Then the inconceivable happened. On the final weekend of the season, every team ranked higher than the Bison either lost or tied. Suddenly, the Bison catapulted from #17 to #8, and were in the playoffs. The scramble was on to get the players back, unpack the gear, all in a snowstorm.

They traveled out west to play UC-Davis, the number one ranked team, and won, going on to win the national championship. The next year brought the beast that was the undefeated national champions.

Hollywood couldn't have written it better.

[DIBISON]

Chad Stark is on PTS discussing the current Bison football team with those of the 1980s. His biggest concern right now for Bison football is to retain Coach Bohl.

[NDSUFREAK10]

It seems as though that Coach Bohl is devoted to BISON football. I can't see him leave behind a student section that chants his name for him to go over there while the players are stretching. I don't see him letting those guys down because they, as a long with many BISON faithful, love him as a coach.
But who knows, money speaks louder than Texas A&M fans on saturday....

[ddaly15]

This team has to be the greatest team ever. A 10-1 1AA team ranked in the top 5 in the country vs. a national championship d2 team? I know the d2 talent level was a lot stronger in the 80's but still this team has to be the best bison team ever.

[rabidrabbit]

Slostang can probably reference this better than me, but Cal Poly beat Boise St. some time mid 80's. Cal Poly won the DII title that year, and Boise St. won the I AA title that year.

Therefore, it is inconclusive that this year was a better team for NDSU than an undefeated DII title winner.

Regardless, the Bison were an excellent team this year, and I saw that at least two voters still had them #1 at AGS.

[sambini]

I'm a little partial to the 1986 team. One word would be DOMINATE . And thats what they did.+++

[kchats]

I was a freshman in 1986. I remember going to the games and by the end of the first quarter it was usually at least 28-0 most of the time 35-0. That team didn't need to pass to score quickly but did occassionally. I took flag football as a physical education and asked the instructor (a football coach on the staff) why the Bison didn't pass more. He said we will pass when someone can stop our running game. Nobody every did.

[1bizon1]

DIAA.....Coach Bohl and the rest of the coaching staff.....current players & *future signees......

Bizon fans, I do not think we have seen the best Bizon team yet......

Gateway Conference.....are you listening?! * *Scary isn't it!!!

GOD, it's *Great to be wearing the Green and Gold of the THUNDERING HERD!!!!

Thought of this song by BTO....."You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!"

[sambini]

Its on the horizon++++

[99Bison]

Directly from Bisonville records below.

1986 Bison = Domination, no questions asked just as sambini mentioned.

9/6/1986 Northern Michigan 52-7
9/20/1986 Minn. State - Mankato 48-7
9/27/1986 South Dakota 21-12
10/4/1986 Northern Colorado 33-12
10/11/1986 South Dakota State 49-7
10/18/1986 St. Cloud State 49-7
10/25/1986 Morningside College 63-0
11/1/1986 Nebraska-Omaha 25-3
11/8/1986 Augustana College 25-0
11/15/1986 North Dakota 62-13
11/29/1986 Ashland 50-0
12/6/1986 Central State - Ohio 35-12
12/13/1986 South Dakota 27-7

http://www.bisonville.com/zd001980.html

13 points scored against was the most... Hello!
6.69 pts per game against average... Hello!
To go along with 41.46 for per game... Hello!
Closest games were 9, 20, 21, 22 points... Hello!

Looks like the definition of domination on paper in addition to watching it.

[ccrider]

1986....no further discussion needed. Thanks for playing.

[CaBisonFan]

Nice discussion, but they're all the best. 8-)

[kuby300]

I was one of the lucky ones that had to drive home to Milwaukee in 85. I happened to bring my bud Gary Barta home to show him the great town of Milwaukee. We got the call early Sunday to get our butts back(had a bit of a hangover, thought we were dreaming). It was worth driving 1200 miles in 3 days. P.S. Best team ever, 86

[Hammerhead]

Just digging up an old thread for comparison to the teams of yore...

1986 Bison won playoff games by an average of 31 points and the 2013 Bison won the first two playoff games by an average of 32.5 points.




Directly from Bisonville records below.

1986 Bison = Domination, no questions asked just as sambini mentioned.

9/6/1986 Northern Michigan 52-7
9/20/1986 Minn. State - Mankato 48-7
9/27/1986 South Dakota 21-12
10/4/1986 Northern Colorado 33-12
10/11/1986 South Dakota State 49-7
10/18/1986 St. Cloud State 49-7
10/25/1986 Morningside College 63-0
11/1/1986 Nebraska-Omaha 25-3
11/8/1986 Augustana College 25-0
11/15/1986 North Dakota 62-13
11/29/1986 Ashland 50-0
12/6/1986 Central State - Ohio 35-12
12/13/1986 South Dakota 27-7

http://www.bisonville.com/zd001980.html

13 points scored against was the most... Hello!
6.69 pts per game against average... Hello!
To go along with 41.46 for per game... Hello!
Closest games were 9, 20, 21, 22 points... Hello!

Looks like the definition of domination on paper in addition to watching it.

[56BISON73]

From CABison

The best team?

All of them. *Every player played on a great team. *Even some of the off years weren't very 'off.' *To wear a Bison jersey is to be a part of something very special. *They're all champions.

That's the best team......every player.....every team....everyone that has been a part of the greatest DII program ever....and now one of the elite teams in I-AA. *

Sounds like a copout doesn't it. *But as I've written this....my heart tells me that every Bison player since Mudra and Erhardt deserves the title of being on the 'best team.' *

The best team is every Bison player that gave their heart and soul to the team. *They're all one team.

[DORMIE]

to kuby300. Those were some great times. I was an origional road warrior. We also included your dad and John Stark. Never forget the time your dad climbed up and changed the billboard in Florence. The South Dakota will rise again go Coyotes to The South Dakota will lose again go Bison. 1985 was the trip to Cal Davis and the famous pitch play and 86 we got to pound USD again. Hope things are well in Cudahy.

[bloodmakesthegrassgrow]

to kuby300. Those were some great times. I was an origional road warrior. We also included your dad and John Stark. Never forget the time your dad climbed up and changed the billboard in Florence. The South Dakota will rise again go Coyotes to The South Dakota will lose again go Bison. 1985 was the trip to Cal Davis and the famous pitch play and 86 we got to pound USD again. Hope things are well in Cudahy.

1985 at South Dakota was the famous pitch play. If you are talking about the pitch from Bentrum to Molstre.

[SoCalBison]

1985 at South Dakota was the famous pitch play. If you are talking about the pitch from Bentrum to Molstre.

Great memory. I was living in Sioux Falls then and got to see that game in Vermilion. The option was unstoppable.

[IBleedYellow]

Lots of football left guys.

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk

[WYOBISONMAN]

I do think this is the best team ever. But, remember how many more scholies we have than when we were D2. I don't think is is really a good comparison. The Bison have had many great teams. Obviously Steve Walker's era was something very special as well. Those teams would have made deep playoff runs, but never had the chance.

[bisonboone11]

What is the actual number of seniors that are starters right now? How many on offense, and how many on defense?

[BisonNeil]

There is no doubt this is the best team ever....although it's pretty meaningless to compare teams from different eras. The teams in 10 years will be better than this team. What is important is how the teams perform relative to their peers. In that sense, the 80s teams were better.

I totally agree with you as there is a complete fallacy in that type of thinking. This discussion has absolutely nothing to do with comparing teams insomuch as comparing who would beat whom. Comparisons among eras can ONLY be made by looking at what each team did within their era playing like competition. In that way you can compare which team might be better, and I agree with your assessment that the 80s, and to be exact, the 1986 team was better.

The 1986 national championship team, led by the very first Harlan Hill trophy winner Jeff Bentrim, dominated their competition by an average score (rounded off) of 42-7. No Bison team before or after has even come close to dominating the competition they played in route to a natty and it is very unlikely that any team ever will. They are clearly the best team ever to play for NDSU.

With that said, the current team is right up there. But before I can ever discuss whether or not they are among the "best ever", they will have to win the 2013 national championship, something that has yet to happen.

However, if they do win it, winning three in a row makes a hell of a statement, but that whole argument is obfuscated by the fact that the 2011 team is different from the 2012 team and from the current team, just as the 1986 team was different from the 1983, 1984, and 1985 teams despite the fact that those seniors played in four NC games.

[BisonNeil]

DIAA.....Coach Bohl and the rest of the coaching staff.....current players & *future signees......

Bizon fans, I do not think we have seen the best Bizon team yet......

Gateway Conference.....are you listening?! * *Scary isn't it!!!

GOD, it's *Great to be wearing the Green and Gold of the THUNDERING HERD!!!!

Thought of this song by BTO....."You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!"

Say what? Who?

[BisonNeil]

This team has to be the greatest team ever. A 10-1 1AA team ranked in the top 5 in the country vs. a national championship d2 team? I know the d2 talent level was a lot stronger in the 80's but still this team has to be the best bison team ever.

Your thinking is all wrong and badly misconceived. See my earlier post. Besides, this team has not yet won the national championship so this whole discussion is complete waste of time. I am done with it. Talk about putting the cart before the horse!

[bisonboone11]

Your thinking is all wrong and badly misconceived. See my earlier post. Besides, this team has not yet won the national championship so this whole discussion is complete waste of time. I am done with it. Talk about putting the cart before the horse!
Call me crazy, but I think he may have been talking about the 2006 team (since he wrote it in 2006). :hide:

[BisonNeil]

Call me crazy, but I think he may have been talking about the 2006 team (since he wrote it in 2006). :hide:

Regardless of the recent team, this type of thinking is ill-conceived when comparing teams of different eras.

[344Johnson]

Regardless of the recent team, this type of thinking is ill-conceived when comparing teams of different eras.


Very difficult to compare. If we are talking dominance relative to competition, this years team is about as close to the '86 team as we'll see. Still have potentially two games left, and it is not like the Bison can't lose a game if they play bad.

[GOB1SON]

I don't know if this is the best Bison team of all time. That is great message board fare, but there is no right answer. We have had so many exceptional seasons.

What I do know is that I am entering my fourth decade as a Bison football fan, and I think that the football the past 5 games is the absolute best football I have ever seen NDSU play. Complete in all phases. Defense is in lockdown mode. Offense is as balanced as they can be and basically gets whatever they want. The special teams are spot on.

Is there even a single play over the past 5 games that you can find to really complain about? A bad coaching decision? Bad clock management? A bad throw? A blown coverage? Anything???

[Strongman]

Hard to judge since they don't get a chance to play in the playoffs. Very good team but the 1986 team was dominant as was the 1990 team. I also believe that some of the 1960's teams were right up there.


LMAO. Seriously?! The NDSU Bison teams from these last 3 National Champions would crush those teams. Talent, speed, size, depth, coaching, etc. IS NOT EVEN CLOSE. You are comparing great DII teams to great DI AA teams. It is analogous to comparing Alabama versus NDSU this season.

[NorthernBison]

LMAO. Seriously?! The NDSU Bison teams from these last 3 National Champions would crush those teams. Talent, speed, size, depth, coaching, etc. IS NOT EVEN CLOSE. You are comparing great DII teams to great DI AA teams. It is analogous to comparing Alabama versus NDSU this season.

The speed, strength, and athleticism of today's athlete is far superior to what it was 20-30 years ago. No comparison. You simply cannot compare teams across the decades.

FWIW, I routinely go to area High School basketball games and see teams with three or four kids ON THE SAME TEAM who do things that NOBODY did when I was that age.

[bisonboone11]

The speed, strength, and athleticism of today's athlete is far superior to what it was 20-30 years ago. No comparison. You simply cannot compare teams across the decades.

FWIW, I routinely go to area High School basketball games and see teams with three or four kids ON THE SAME TEAM who do things that NOBODY did when I was that age.
I have often thought the same thing about athletics; however, there was a recent study that showed children ages 9-17 right now actually take 90 seconds longer to run a mile than that same age group did 30 years ago. That is probably over the general population though, and the kids that are actually involved in athletics may be faster/more athletic than 30 years ago.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/kids-today-run-slower-parents-study-finds-article-1.1522349

[Mayville Bison]

I don't know if this is the best Bison team of all time. That is great message board fare, but there is no right answer. We have had so many exceptional seasons.

What I do know is that I am entering my fourth decade as a Bison football fan, and I think that the football the past 5 games is the absolute best football I have ever seen NDSU play. Complete in all phases. Defense is in lockdown mode. Offense is as balanced as they can be and basically gets whatever they want. The special teams are spot on.

Is there even a single play over the past 5 games that you can find to really complain about? A bad coaching decision? Bad clock management? A bad throw? A blown coverage? Anything???

I think you need to listen to Bison Rewind more often. Plenty of people looking for something to complain about. I mean CC did score 14 points on Saturday, right? /purple

[BlueBisonRock]

I think you need to listen to Bison Rewind more often. Plenty of people looking for something to complain about. I mean CC did score 14 points on Saturday, right? /purple

I personally wonder where a number of the Rewind callers got their coaching certificate. Best guess is they were purchased through Montgomery Ward, who has been out of business for years. The only one who has shown some credibility is that Mike dude from Sioux Falls.

[Kermit]

Regardless of the recent team, this type of thinking is ill-conceived when comparing teams of different eras.

I agree. Funny how it is always the young bucks who never saw the "old-timers" who want to make these comparisons.

[No_Skill]

I have this feeling that many people reading this thread didn't notice that it was originally posted in 2006...

[NorthernBison]

I have this feeling that many people reading this thread didn't notice that it was originally posted in 2006...

I saw that. This subject is what sports talk is all about. It's a common theme for every sport and at every level.

[56BISON73]

I have this feeling that many people reading this thread didn't notice that it was originally posted in 2006... ever.

Yep and that was the greatest team ever etc etc etc.

[Scooter1]

Five years from now I want everyone in the nation to say...

"Yes, The Bison are the best to EVER play FCS football... it's not even close."

(who gives a crap which year was better)

[SFBison]

Pretty hard to argue against it. You add another title or two and a couple more wins vs. Big 10 or Big 12 schools and it's a slam dunk.

[westnodak93bison]

Impossible to compare teams from different decades. IMHO, you would have to some how compensate the older team for not having the training and resources of the current team. I doubt the 86' team had all the bells and whistles and modern training equipment, sports medicine, techniques etc. I would also suspect the current team put more into off season training as well. Just a sign of the times.
I do know it is awesome to have so many Bison teams in the discussion with a current team that is two games shy of a three peat. Go Bison!

According to the following website the 2006 and 2013 team are essentially equal.
http://nationalsportsrankings.com/index.php?option=com_oneonone

Did the 86' team get votes in the final AP poll? I think I remember someone telling me that when I was younger. Maybe they were bull shitting me.
Also, was there some kind of position rating where the 86' Bison Oline was rated really high for all divisions?

[kingbison]

I agree that it is impossible to compare teams from different decades. I remember watching those playoff games in the late eighties where they had won the game once the other team (Cal Poly) stepped off the bus! No this years team on the doorstep of 3 straight national titles is unbelievable. However, I do believe that this team has done something that no team has done for Bison football, and that is put us on the National football map. No one ever dreamed that the flagship of college football would be parked in downtown Fargo telling the world how great the tradition is at NDSU and NDSU has been mentioned every Saturday since.

On the field comparisons is for discussion and debate. The off the field impacts of this team is unquestionable in my opinion.

[ndsubison1]

I don't know if this is the best Bison team of all time. That is great message board fare, but there is no right answer. We have had so many exceptional seasons.

What I do know is that I am entering my fourth decade as a Bison football fan, and I think that the football the past 5 games is the absolute best football I have ever seen NDSU play. Complete in all phases. Defense is in lockdown mode. Offense is as balanced as they can be and basically gets whatever they want. The special teams are spot on.

Is there even a single play over the past 5 games that you can find to really complain about? A bad coaching decision? Bad clock management? A bad throw? A blown coverage? Anything???

calling a timeout with 16 seconds left last game in 1st half. still got a FG but who knows if we get a td

[SafeTeeJ]

^^^^^ this ^^^^^

c'mon man! I was thinking WTF was up with that!