So they're paying attention to us...

[CaBisonFan]

...meaning they're scared. I haven't seen this much outside activity since we played Kansas in basketball.

I'm more concerned with getting a win in Brookings and against UNI at home.

If we get those, we set ourselves up for another run at home-field advantage in the playoffs.

People that are concerned with the lousy home schedule will get their fill of home games in December.

The Kansas State game is a fun activity. The Bison will play well...come what may.

We have much bigger goals for the season.

Perspective

PS - As for anyone who starts making fun of the state of North Dakota...remember how Minnesota treated us? Low class.

PS2- Treat Ferris St. with great respect.

[TransAmBison]

I love it when CA gets philosophical...it means we are in for a heckuva season.

[HerdBot]

...meaning they're scared. I haven't seen this much outside activity since we played Kansas in basketball.

I'm more concerned with getting a win in Brookings and against UNI at home.

If we get those, we set ourselves up for another run at home-field advantage in the playoffs.

People that are concerned with the lousy home schedule will get their fill of home games in December.

The Kansas State game is a fun activity. The Bison will play well...come what may.

We have much bigger goals for the season.

Perspective

PS - As for anyone who starts making fun of the state of North Dakota...remember how Minnesota treated us? Low class.

Make no mistake, the #1 goal is Frisco but a win over KSU will do so much for the program, you can't even measure it. From a recognition stand point, it would be bigger than a three peat. This isn't some weak team. It's the Big 12 Champion on National TV. Kansas is in the heart of our recruiting territory and everyone in the Big 10/12 footprint we recruit so heavily will see it and know we are real. It could push us to a level of fan support and recruiting we have never seen. It's basically a Championship game before the Championship game. Now if we can beat KSU and three peat... wow! Either way it's a win-win for us. If we keep it close, we will earn respect. If we win, it's massive. I really think we have the team to do pull it off.

History on Appalachian State...
nation champs '05 and '06
Stadium capacity was 16,650 in 2007
They beat Michigan on the Big Ten Network, who was ranked #5 and finished the year ranked in the top 20 and three peated. (barely they lost 2 regular season games and one 2 squeakers in the playoffs)

Since the Michigan win, there have been three separate expansion projects in the last five years have upped the number of seats to 23,150

they doubled the size of their scoreboard

Opened a 120,000-square-foot state of the art Appalachian Athletics Center

Opened an indoor practice facility

were the first team in America to get the new field turf version in 2011

and they were invited to an FBS conference

And they have been pretty average by Appalachian Standards too. They lost in the Championship game in 2008 and made the playoffs every year since


Win this game and suddenly may see some real talk about adding corner seating in the dome, an indoor practice facility, FBS conferences may be interested, bigger basketball conferences may take notice, more and more donations... like Simmers says, success breeds sucess

[tjbison]

Make no mistake, the #1 goal is Frisco but a win over KSU will do so much for the program, you can't even measure it. From a recognition stand point, it would be bigger than a three peat. This isn't some weak team. It's the Big 12 Champion on National TV. Kansas is in the heart of our recruiting territory and everyone in the Big 10/12 footprint we recruit so heavily will see it and know we are real. It could push us to a level of fan support and recruiting we have never seen. It's basically a Championship game before the Championship game. Now if we can beat KSU and three peat... wow! Either way it's a win-win for us. If we keep it close, we will earn respect. If we win, it's massive. I really think we have the team to do pull it off.

History on Appalachian State...
nation champs '05 and '06
Stadium capacity was 16,650 in 2007
They beat Michigan on the Big Ten Network, who was ranked #5 and finished the year ranked in the top 20 and three peated. (barely they lost 2 regular season games and one 2 squeakers in the playoffs)

Since the Michigan win, there have been three separate expansion projects in the last five years have upped the number of seats to 23,150

they doubled the size of their scoreboard

Opened a 120,000-square-foot state of the art Appalachian Athletics Center

Opened an indoor practice facility

were the first team in America to get the new field turf version in 2011

and they were invited to an FBS conference

And they have been pretty average by Appalachian Standards too. They lost in the Championship game in 2008 and made the playoffs every year since


Win this game and suddenly may see some real talk about adding corner seating in the dome, an indoor practice facility, FBS conferences may be interested, bigger basketball conferences may take notice, more and more donations... like Simmers says, success breeds sucess

they were also ramping up for the FBS move, that did just happen because they beat Michigan

[MNLonghorn10]

...meaning they're scared. I haven't seen this much outside activity since we played Kansas in basketball.

I'm more concerned with getting a win in Brookings and against UNI at home.

If we get those, we set ourselves up for another run at home-field advantage in the playoffs.

People that are concerned with the lousy home schedule will get their fill of home games in December.

The Kansas State game is a fun activity. The Bison will play well...come what may.

We have much bigger goals for the season.

Perspective

PS - As for anyone who starts making fun of the state of North Dakota...remember how Minnesota treated us? Low class.

PS2- Treat Ferris St. with great respect.

WTF are you even talking about?

[EndZoneQB]

I think I've pinpointed it. CA is the inverse of lakes.

[THEsocalledfan]

I got roasted two years ago when I said the Minnesota game was the most important game (which it was; UNI was not), but I need to go further. You can rightfully argue this is the most important game NDSU has played in probably since the first Gopher win. These victories put you on the map and give the program the recognition it deserves. Let's remember this baby is on NATIONAL TV basically launching a new sports network with good cable access. It may very well have a higher rating than the FCS Title game. Everyone who watched will be hearing about the excellent program Craig Bohl has built and how they are trying to three peat and here they are with a BCS bowl team in transition. If NDSU can somehow pull off the upset, make no mistake, the media coverage will be WAY more than the second FCS title nationally. (remember ap st. vs. Mich) I, for one, want the rest of the country to know just how good NDSU is. I guess Lakes and I must be the same in that regard.

So yes, this is the single most important regular season game of the year. Even from a playoff perspective (admit I don't understand new system) it should help them immensely if they win. While I personally value the national title wins more, this is bigger than any other game in the last 5 years. The only game that could eclipse it this year is if NDSU has a chance to go for the 3-peat; not even a semi-final is this big for the program.

[bisonaudit]

Even from a playoff perspective (admit I don't understand new system) it should help them immensely if they win.

Have I missed something? I don't think anyone knows much beyond the fact that its expanding to 24 and their looking at a new "formula" to guide the selection committee. But there aren't any details on what that "formula" is going to be, so there isn't anything to understand at this point, unless I've missed an update, which is possible because Dom has been stuck in Vermont behind a tractor wreck.

[HerdBot]

I got roasted two years ago when I said the Minnesota game was the most important game (which it was; UNI was not), but I need to go further. You can rightfully argue this is the most important game NDSU has played in probably since the first Gopher win. These victories put you on the map and give the program the recognition it deserves. Let's remember this baby is on NATIONAL TV basically launching a new sports network with good cable access. It may very well have a higher rating than the FCS Title game. Everyone who watched will be hearing about the excellent program Craig Bohl has built and how they are trying to three peat and here they are with a BCS bowl team in transition. If NDSU can somehow pull off the upset, make no mistake, the media coverage will be WAY more than the second FCS title nationally. (remember ap st. vs. Mich) I, for one, want the rest of the country to know just how good NDSU is. I guess Lakes and I must be the same in that regard.

So yes, this is the single most important regular season game of the year. Even from a playoff perspective (admit I don't understand new system) it should help them immensely if they win. While I personally value the national title wins more, this is bigger than any other game in the last 5 years. They only game that could eclipse it this year is if NDSU has a chance to go for the 3-peat; not even a semi-final is this big for the program.

The Gophers was bigger for exposure in our backyard and recruiting area but the Championship was close. I think the 2006 game is what fired up the fan base. The growth since then has been insane. Fair question. Would we have signed Marcus, Grant Olson, Perry, Crocket, Littlejohn, and Jirik without the Gophers exposure in '06 and '07? Maybe or maybe not. Would we have signed ALL of them? Then against the senior class that beat the Gophers had nothing todo with it as they were from 2003.

KSU is a different animal than the Gophers because KSU is a good team. It will have way more viewers and will help in areas outside of Minnesota. Would give us an edge on players like Pierre Gee Tucker who probably didn't even know who Minnesota was but may have been impressed with the playoff atmosphere and saw us as elite because we are the best FCS team in the nation

And the playoff committee would love a KSU win!

[thundarsdaddy]

The Gophers was bigger for exposure in our backyard and recruiting area but the Championship was close. I think the 2006 game is what fired up the fan base. The growth since then has been insane. Fair question. Would we have signed Marcus, Grant Olson, Perry, Crocket, Littlejohn, and Jirik without the Gophers exposure in '06 and '07? Maybe or maybe not. Would we have signed ALL of them? Then against the senior class that beat the Gophers had nothing todo with it as they were from 2003.

KSU is a different animal than the Gophers because KSU is a good team. It will have way more viewers and will help in areas outside of Minnesota. Would give us an edge on players like Pierre Gee Tucker who probably didn't even know who Minnesota was but may have been impressed with the playoff atmosphere and saw us as elite because we are the best FCS team in the nation

And the playoff committee would love a KSU win!

Well said, VERY well said in my opinion. The Gopher game in 2006 was HUGE in all the aspects you mentioned, as the major fear in the D-1 move was that NDSU would be a mediocre program for years. Showing we could give Minnesota a decent game was one thing, showing we could BEAT them, which we ultimately did was another!
Bringing all the(forgive the phrase) out-of-state talent to NDSU after our showing against the Gophers was huge!
BUT.....I have to add one thing, that credit should go to Coach Bohl, all the coaches and to NDSU in general for somehow, keeping these talented players focused on TEAM play. Its way too common for the so-called SuperStars to lose perspective and just play for themselves, or not give a sh** in general. However it gets done, the NDSU program demands team-play and team concept and it shows. To me this is where all the success and the team concept NDSU showed for decades at the D-2 level, has bled over to the current D-1 generation.
Again..well said, Thanks Gabe!