FCS Playoffs vs Bowl Games TV Ratings

[Elvis was a Bison]

I totally agree with all of those points. Couldnt agree more.
that being said.... lets just say we convince Montana, Maybe Montana State and UNI to jump with us... How much, if at all, does that sway your thought process on the jump? To me its more lucrative to have natural rivals, but obviously this is a veeeeery theoretical scenario...

Spend a little time on the fan boards of the teams you just mentioned. I see no great desire to move to a lower tier FBS program. I see a lot of talk about doing what we already do. Win FCS Championships

[Facts]

I see your point but Strongman and others tend to draw the WRONG conclusions from it.

We were not in any way dominating DII football. We were routinely losing to UND and playoff appearances were hit and miss. I think some people conveniently forget about that part of history. There's a reason for it. Our fundraising advantage wasn't available to us with a 36 scholarship limit. We can use it to max benefit with a 63 scholarship limit.

We moved up to be with more of our PEERS. Programs like Montana, UNI, etc have similar support and potential. We have the resources to be right at the top of FCS.

We also have the resources to be right at the top of conferences like the MAC and probably the MWC. The problem is that those conferences will NEVER be respected by the big dogs of FBS. They are LIGHT YEARS away from really competing.

I'm sick of the Boise State example. Boise was moving to the Big East because they understood that they were NOTHING in the eyes of the rest of the FBS unless they were in a REAL CONFERENCE. Unfortunately for them, the Big East crumbled so they aren't making the move. What people fail to understand is that Boise staying in the MWC DOES NOT MAKE THE CONFERENCE MORE RELEVANT. It just stops it from sliding into oblivion. Boise State remains where they always were. Getting no respect from the SEC, Big 10, PAC 10 etc.

Conferences like the MAC and MWC might have slightly more national relevance to college football fans than the FCS. It is so trivial that it is a distinction without a difference. Even programs like the Gophers look down on the MAC. That's a fact and it ain't changin guys.

THe MAC, Sun Belt, MWC, etc are not going to get a seat at the table if a real FBS playoff system is set up. Northern Illinois getting to the Orange Bowl is a problem that I doubt the Big conferences will allow to happen again. Did you hear any respect from the rest of FBS for NIU? I didn't. Cruise the message boards. Mostly outrage that they were there and a "more deserving" program didn't get the spot.

I agree with everything but the italicized statement. UNI may be an athletic peer, but in no way is it an academic peer (Montana isn't a land grant, I have no idea on their academics, probably und-like). NDSU is a Land Grant research institution with academic peers in the top echelon of research as described by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Ed. Our academics and land grant status strengthen our athletic opportunities in the future, whenever that may be.

[MankatoBison]

Spend a little time on the fan boards of the teams you just mentioned. I see no great desire to move to a lower tier FBS program. I see a lot of talk about doing what we already do. Win FCS Championships

I knooooooooow, I never said I thought going FBS is the way to go nor did I say that I wanted to go to FBS. and I also never said that montana, MSU or UNI wanted to go either, I'm just curious to know if it would alter B'Villers thoughts on jumping if other schools went with us.

[344Johnson]

The problem is that those conferences will NEVER be respected by the big dogs of FBS. They are LIGHT YEARS away from really competing.

I'm sick of the Boise State example. Boise was moving to the Big East because they understood that they were NOTHING in the eyes of the rest of the FBS unless they were in a REAL CONFERENCE. Boise State remains where they always were. Getting no respect from the SEC, Big 10, PAC 10 etc.

Conferences like the MAC and MWC might have slightly more national relevance to college football fans than the FCS. It is so trivial that it is a distinction without a difference. Even programs like the Gophers look down on the MAC. That's a fact and it ain't changin guys.

THe MAC, Sun Belt, MWC, etc are not going to get a seat at the table if a real FBS playoff system is set up. Northern Illinois getting to the Orange Bowl is a problem that I doubt the Big conferences will allow to happen again. Did you hear any respect from the rest of FBS for NIU? I didn't. Cruise the message boards. Mostly outrage that they were there and a "more deserving" program didn't get the spot.

Not that I 100% disagree with you, but the BCS conferences AT THIS POINT in time have to give a certain amount of respect to the MAC, MWC, etc. If one of those conferences has a member who is in the BCS formula's top 16 teams(I believe 16), and is rated ahead of a BCS conference champ, they automatically get into a BCS game. That doesn't mean that the other conferences necessarily respected those teams, but they have no choice but to let them join the dance.

I am not sure on the new format coming, I am guessing it will be extremely tough for a non-BCS team to make it to the play-off. From what I have experienced during my short lifetime, playoffs have never contracted, only expanded. I believe that this will also happen for the FBS playoff format. Whether it is in 10 or 20 years. I think at some point, any conferences left in the FBS as we know it, will have at least the conference champion in the tourney. That said, I would not be surprised if the big 4 (PAC, B1G, BigXII, SEC) broke off and did their own thing. In that event, I want NDSU in a league in where we can at least compete with the MAC, MWC, Sun Belt.

Whatever happens, I hope our leadership here in Fargo does whatever is right for the program. I'd like, when I am the age many of you are, to be able to take my kids to see the Bison compete in a playoff tournament.

[A1pigskin]

Bowl games are over rated.