Does NDSU/MSU feel like a rivalry to you?

[WYOBISONMAN]

To me this thing already feels like a major rivalry.....what do the rest of the Bison faithful think?

[Whatever_]

I guess to me every game feels like a "big game" we need to get past these first few years before we have a real D-1 rival. At least thats how it feels to me.

[go_bison]

I don't know, it would be bigger I think if we were in the same conference. A little bit more meaningful.

[roadwarrior]

Well for us older guys that remember playing the Bobcats in the 70's and 80's, it definitely has a rivalry feeling to it.

[kchats]

Montana State doesn't have to be in our conference to be a rival. They are in our division and we share the same poll with them and in 2008 we'll be playing for playoff spots against them. I would love to rekindle the Northern Iowa rivalry too. The Bison have so many old rivals that are division I we should have no problem filling a schedule unless they are afraid to play us. :D

[coloradobison]

They might all be afraid after the start we are off to, and the finish we will have.

[JBB]

They sold it out. That should tell you something.

[Tatanka]

Unfortunately the return game isn't until 2007 (or later?). When we start playing them on a regular basis it can feel like more of a rivalry.

Definitely has potential.

[sambini]

Its a rivalry no doubt about it.

[scottheck]

Feels like it to me and it doesn't hurt that the AA is promoting it with satellite coverage.
I've heard from several alumni in our area that I haven't heard from before who are interested in watching locally.

[IowaBison]

Montana State doesn't have to be in our conference to be a rival. *


The Cyclones and the Hawkeyes are in different conferences and hate each others guts.

What's missing is the proximity and tradition, the latter of the two may be overcome, but only with competitive games and crazy fans.

[go_bison]

Could be a good rivalry, if we play them every year. We haven't played them in many years and need to play each other several years in a row. If Bison and Bobcats don't play again for 2 or more years, its tough to build a good rivalry. If it does happen, it would be sweet to have our enemy in the Big Sky that we faced every year. What would be a good traveling trophy? Velcro chaps..... ;D (doubt MSU could part with them when we beat them) ;D

[BisonMav]

I still feel the Great West teams UCD, Cal-Poly and UNC are more of a rivalry then any other teams. SDSU is a lovefest, not a rivalry.

[Rodentia]

This sounds more like a big game than a rivalry. It's easy to mistake them. It may well be on its way to being a rivalry, especially if MSU and NDSU play each other every year or nearly every year. Perhaps it is a proto-rivalry.

[swany_spectrum]

This can be a great series, but not a true rivalry in the sense of what a rivalry entails.

For example, this could be similar to the Pitt State rivalry of the 90s or the UC-Davis rivalry of the 80s. We don't know if we'll play them every year, but when we do it will be a big game.

Second, the distance is too great for students and fans to travel. With UND and SDSU you always had (w/UND) and will always have (with SDSU) a good, loud, away team contingent at the games.

Good intersectional rivalry, but not a prime time rivalry game in the true sense of the word.

[Shakermaker]

I think it could be a great out of state rivalry. *Kind of like the Idaho Vandals being almost as big, or as big a rival for some Griz fans, as the Bobcats are. *We played U of I probably the second longest, in terms of years, next to the Cats when they were in the Big Sky. They were a hell of a I-AA team, but moved up to IA and has become a sad program. Boise State moved out of the Big Sky the same year and has gained some respect at the IA level.

I'd like to see NDSU and U of M play more in the future. *I think the potential for a rivalry is there as well. *I thought it was a shame that UNC made it into the Sky and NDSU didn't. *You guys are a far better fit to the Big Sky than UNC. *Politics I'm guessing. *BS!

[sambini]

Thanks shakermaker, I hope we get in the bigsky. I think as time goes on it will feel like a rivalry game.