D2 schools looking at moving up

[td577]

I heard the bottom half of the big fluffy is thinking about it.

[HerdBot]

There is nothing left in DII. GVSU is really the most attractive school and they want nothing to do with DI. In fact they ripped us when we moved up.

The last few schools who came from DII are very unattractive...Incarnate Word, Houston Baptist and Abilene Christian. Keep adding these schools and eventually they'll get together and propose to cut scholarships. None of them have the resources to compete, especially with schools like us or Montana. We'll be going right back down the same old road we were on not so long ago.

The best thing the FCS could do is somehow talk the Ivy League into competing in the playoffs. Those schools have resources and support and would make a positive impact on the subdivision.

Northwest Missouri State would be outstanding and they fit the Missouri Valley footprint perfect. As a D2 school they are already better than most of these teams we whoop ass on. Give them more scholarships and thats a good program. Their facilities would need some work but they draw as good as Missouri State and would probably beat them right now. 15-0, National Champs their 4th and 8th appearance since 1998. I would poach some of their coaches

[tjbison]

I'm not going to sugar coat it...we moved to late, have had a blast and will in the future but we should have been FCS at least 15 yrs earlier.

let's all remember when the Gateway fans were against adding us and now we have held the flag and put the MVFC on the map which has led to the conference schools stepping up

we at NDSU lead we don't follow

[CHADSTAUS]

I though I herd a rumor that UND wanted to move up from D-2?

[Vitojr130]

dont think its bitterness, there is nothing NDSU brings to the conference. no one wants to travel that far

I don't think travel distance has as much of an influence as you think it does at the D1 level.

The only thing that distance has a huge influence on is fans. The team and coaches have no problem with an extra 20 minutes of flying..

[BisonFan02]

I don't think travel distance has as much of an influence as you think it does at the D1 level.

The only thing that distance has a huge influence on is fans. The team and coaches have no problem with an extra 20 minutes of flying..

All fine and good until you include the rest of the sports. Who would be a travel partner for bball?

[JSUBison]

There is nothing left in DII. GVSU is really the most attractive school and they want nothing to do with DI. In fact they ripped us when we moved up.

The last few schools who came from DII are very unattractive...Incarnate Word, Houston Baptist and Abilene Christian. Keep adding these schools and eventually they'll get together and propose to cut scholarships. None of them have the resources to compete, especially with schools like us or Montana. We'll be going right back down the same old road we were on not so long ago.

The best thing the FCS could do is somehow talk the Ivy League into competing in the playoffs. Those schools have resources and support and would make a positive impact on the subdivision.

The Ivy schools are a frustrating bunch. They would be great for the playoffs, but the old men in charge of those schools just don't care. I think it's a bit early to judge the Texas schools, it's only year 1 in their transition. The Summit and MVFC hit a home run with the D2 school's they added. NDSU and SDSU have killed it, and USD and Omaha will have success, just not as early or as often. I wonder about Omaha sometimes though. If you have to cut your two best sports to go DI, you're doing it wrong. For the FBS move-uppers, I have a unrealistic but fun theory and it involves both the Missouri Valley and the MVFC, Wichita State football, and Omaha starting football again. The chances are near zero but who cares.

I'll add Pittsburg State and North Alabama as two schools who could bring something to the table. North Alabama wants to be DI, but can't find a conference. I think they'd fit in good in the SoCon, they'd be a good travel partner for Samford. Samford is in Birmingham and UNA is in Florence. UNA also has good attendance, near 10,000 which would put them near tops in the GSU/ASU-less SoCon. They'd have in state rivalries with Jacksonville State, Alabama State and Alabama A&M.

I haven't seen anything that Pitt State wants to move or can even afford it, but if they did they would fit best in a Summit/MVFC configuration. Perfect travel partner for ORU if Arkansas Little Rock doesn't happen. The eastern Summit and MVFC schools would likely whine of course. Pitt State could also fit into the Southland, but that conference is approaching Big Sky bloat levels. Pitt State also has good attendance, 10,000+ last year, and I bet if they replace whoever is in their D2 conference with Missouri State, UNI, NDSU, etc they could be 3 or 4 in attendance in the Valley. There are no FCS schools in Kansas, and Pitt State could also work in my mythical Grain Belt Conference.

Central Missouri-I don't know much about this school, but would fit the Summit/MVFC footprint.

[natstar1]

I was curious about Pitt State. According to this they've only had over 10K fans 4 times in their history.
http://www.pittstategorillas.com/spo...07.aspx?id=296

North West Missouri State must have a decent following.

[NDSUstudent]

The Ivy schools are a frustrating bunch. They would be great for the playoffs, but the old men in charge of those schools just don't care. I think it's a bit early to judge the Texas schools, it's only year 1 in their transition. The Summit and MVFC hit a home run with the D2 school's they added. NDSU and SDSU have killed it, and USD and Omaha will have success, just not as early or as often. I wonder about Omaha sometimes though. If you have to cut your two best sports to go DI, you're doing it wrong. For the FBS move-uppers, I have a unrealistic but fun theory and it involves both the Missouri Valley and the MVFC, Wichita State football, and Omaha starting football again. The chances are near zero but who cares.

I'll add Pittsburg State and North Alabama as two schools who could bring something to the table. North Alabama wants to be DI, but can't find a conference. I think they'd fit in good in the SoCon, they'd be a good travel partner for Samford. Samford is in Birmingham and UNA is in Florence. UNA also has good attendance, near 10,000 which would put them near tops in the GSU/ASU-less SoCon. They'd have in state rivalries with Jacksonville State, Alabama State and Alabama A&M.

I haven't seen anything that Pitt State wants to move or can even afford it, but if they did they would fit best in a Summit/MVFC configuration. Perfect travel partner for ORU if Arkansas Little Rock doesn't happen. The eastern Summit and MVFC schools would likely whine of course. Pitt State could also fit into the Southland, but that conference is approaching Big Sky bloat levels. Pitt State also has good attendance, 10,000+ last year, and I bet if they replace whoever is in their D2 conference with Missouri State, UNI, NDSU, etc they could be 3 or 4 in attendance in the Valley. There are no FCS schools in Kansas, and Pitt State could also work in my mythical Grain Belt Conference.

Central Missouri-I don't know much about this school, but would fit the Summit/MVFC footprint.

The problem a lot of these schools have is that they are small schools in tiny markets. Hard to overcome being in a tiny market and also being in the shadow of bigger FBS schools at the same time.

[SamsRams]

All fine and good until you include the rest of the sports. Who would be a travel partner for bball?

Winner Winner chicken dinner. Now if its a football only invite (which they would only consider if NDSU won 10 championships in a row) you jump at it. The point is baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball. softball and baseball already drop a bunch of money to play down south in non conference. Now to have to go back to the southwest for half your conference schedule. Millions I tell you..........MILLIONS and the point isnt that NDSU may find another few million each year for travel. The Mountain West teams will never ever consider it.