Playing the FBS

[mhyer63]

I'm sure just about everyone wants to see how we will do against the FBS schools. Minnesota seems to be a great example of who to play, they are in our recruiting area and the TV coverage works for us. I'm kind of wondering about Colorado though, seems to me that we will not get much coverage from a game against them ( can't recall the last time if ever that I saw them on national TV ), they are not really in a area that we try to recruit from ( Big Sky area I would think ), and it seems like there program has been in decline so there probably would not be much if any recognition from a win. I would have rather seen a game against a very strong FCS team at home. But with that said, lets say U of M is a given as far as a good choice, who else can or should we try to play. Well to start with lets not go east of Chicago, and stay out of at least for the time being the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies unless we intend on starting some serious recruiting push over there. In my mind schools like Nebraska, Kansas would be good, as well as a Texas and a Arizona program.
I'm sure some people will say what about Ohio St, or Penn St, and I have to admit it would be interesting, but it seems to me that those schools would not be in our best interest at this time unless we were mostly looking for a big payday. To me I would ask myself before playing a FBS school, can we beat them if all pistons are going off just right and then take it from there.

[CaBisonFan]

I'd buy into playing mostly Big 12 schools...for recruiting...and to build our reputation as being a strong program within the corridor from North Dakota, going south through Texas. Show that part of the country that we can play ball with all of them. When they have a need for a new school or two...the Bison Brand is so strong that they'd have to look at us. That's where we belong eventually. No...we're not there yet. Yes...we eventually need...shhhhh...a bigger dome. Yep...dome...in the 30-40 thousand area...

In the meantime, it's also the main recruiting region...adding Wisconsin & Illinois. We're on the right track. We need to continue to show that NDSU is a strong option as opposed to UNI, Minnesota, SDSU, USD, etc.

As for the Colorado State game...I tend to agree...but I suppose it's mostly about getting a nice check after the game. It's also a nice trip for the team & fans.

[bisonaudit]

We should play whoever writes the biggest check.

[IndyBison]

I'm not sure if this factored in but Denver has a fairly large alumni base for NDSU so this game could be as much about getting out to where alumni are rather than getting into an area with a high potential of recruits. Wyoming was along the same lines. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska give you both.

[344Johnson]

We should play whoever writes the biggest check.

No thank you, I am not interested in playing Oklahoma or Texas or some other school who would throw 40 points on us in the first half.

[SDbison]

No thank you, I am not interested in playing Oklahoma or Texas or some other school who would throw 40 points on us in the first half.

Honestly, that wouldn't happen. They may be better than NDSU, but not that much better.

[CaBisonFan]

Honestly, that wouldn't happen. They may be better than NDSU, but not that much better.

...this...^^^^^^...

[344Johnson]

It very easily could happen during a normal year for either of them. You know...when they are top 5 or top 10 like they tend to be. Va Tech. dropped what, Like 65 on Appalachian State? You think that Bradford and Company or McCoy and Company wouldn't have absolutely mopped the floor with NDSU? This year we probably could have kept it closer because our defense was legendary but I have a hard time believing we'd have kept it remotely close.

Recall the Minnesota game? They had a 10 play, 95 yard drive for a Touchdown. All rushing plays. If Minnesota can do that to us, imagine what some of the bigger schools would do. I'd rather avoid playing games where our chance of winning is extremely low. I like playing the Minnesota's, Iowa State's, and coming up, Iowa and Kansas St.'s of the world. Do they have better recruits? Yep. Do they have bigger venues? Yep. Do we still have a solid opportunity to beat them? Yep.

[Bisondan]

Honestly, that wouldn't happen. They may be better than NDSU, but not that much better.

Thank you for putting this troll back in his place.

NDSU would have had a very good chance of beating this year's version of the Texas Longhorns. I'd say 60%.

[344Johnson]

Thank you for putting this troll back in his place.

NDSU would have had a very good chance of beating this year's version of the Texas Longhorns. I'd say 60%.

This year's Texas, I'd give us a decent chance. They were anemic on offense, truly bad from what I saw. A normal year for Texas? No. And seriously, calling me a troll cause I, like most people on here, know that we'd probably get demolished during a normal year for Texas (aka 10-2 or 11-1 type season).

Wouldn't mind throwing Penn State on the schedule, they are down right now. It would look mighty nice to recruits....and our athletic budget.