A new and better FBS thread

[Professorbum]

Quoting that guy’s article:
Straight out of the gate: absolutely no football independence for the Bison. They need conference payouts to offset travel costs that could be astronomical. And besides, unless you’re Notre Dame, BYU or Army, independence is where football goes to die. Don’t believe me? Ask New Mexico State, UConn, and UMass.

He thinks the Bison belong in the PAC-12 or the Big -10 but absolutely poo poos the idea of FBS independence. What’s even more laughable is he thinks NDSU wouldn’t take a P5 invite in an instant no matter if it’s the Big 12 or and other bottom P5 league. NDSU would take any G5 invite too if one came.

There is more risk going FBS independent than there is staying in the FCS, hence why NDSU hasn’t left…….

I don't ask NMSU, UConn, or UMass because they are not, and never have been, football brands. NDSU has a brand and a reputation for good football that could make it work IMO.

[NDSU_grad]

Yeah we’d get about 3 home games. For sure 1 FCS. NMST, Liberty and UMASS would be on the schedule normally. Maybe 2 P5 games (maybe) the rest would probably be random bottom G5. With no ties to a bowl game.

NMSU and Liberty are set to join CUSA. UConn and Umass are still independent along with Army. I just don’t think any of those teams would be willing to come to Fargo.
The home schedule would probably be heavy on FCS teams with some MAC teams thrown in. Maybe a lower level P5 at US Bank that could count as a home game.

[OrygunBison]

There's no doubt in my mind that if we don't go independent that we won't go at all. I can't see a path where it makes financial sense for all of the rest of the NDSU sports to go to either the MAC or the MWC. The other options on the table are even worse financially. The only conference affiliation that would make financial sense for ALL sports at NDSU would be the Big12 but that has basically zero chance of happening.

This assumes that no conference would want NDSU as a football-only member...which I feel is a very strong assumption.

Back to FBS independence, I would not be making decisions at NDSU because of what happened at NMSU, UConn, or UMass. Those schools suck at football and clearly NDSU does not. The Bison have a regional following, a national brand, a culture of success, and (hopefully) the financial backing of its boosters. I also do not think it relegates fans to having only 3 home games. With several alignments with other schools (admittedly, difficult to establish and maintain) a somewhat regular schedule could be created.

[23Bison]

Well there you go. Even the possible independent schools have found homes.

[El_Chapo]

Well there you go. Even the possible independent schools have found homes.

so a conference would take a fbs independent over a fcs program almost every time huh

[daddy daycare]

The only chance going independent has a sniff if they had a GUARANTEE conference invite and used it as a 1-2 year bridge. For example "we will play independent in 2022 and 2023 and start the MWC/MAC or whatever in 2024."

Going independent without a guarantee...what's zero divided by zero...

[NDSU92]

I'm all for the "Sim City video game" version of FBS independent where we get to be like Notre Dame or BYU and all the fun schools want to schedule us and we get sweet home games

I'm not at all for the reality version of FBS independent where literally not one school will want to play us. We don't bring millions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of fans, millions of eyeballs like the schools above do. We bring a football team that will kick your football team's ass, and not much else. Why play with a honey badger when you can schedule a prairie dog?

NDSU forced the B10 to make a rule to not allow their programs schedule FCS schools for a while. We've been blacklisted from playing B10, B12, and soon the PAC12. That doesn't change with us being FBS.

[scottietohottie]

I never run into any trouble restructuring conferences or scheduling games in ncaa football 14. Just saying. It can be done.

[23Bison]

so a conference would take a fbs independent over a fcs program almost every time huh

The point genius, is that it would be even harder to make a schedule with less independent schools.

[El_Chapo]

The point genius, is that it would be even harder to make a schedule with less independent schools.

I think NDSU would be unique then!
there's FBS conferences with open weeks during the season that would play.
Play 4 kick ass Non Conference games vs Power 5 and sprinkle in the teams below.

2.1 Army
2.2 BYU
2.3 Liberty
2.4 New Mexico State
2.5 Notre Dame
2.6 UConn
2.7 UMass