Is the current state of the FCS really just the old DII days rebranded?

[MAKBison]

I'm looking around FCS and not seeing U of Mary, Crookston, Minot, Duluth, Northern State, SW Minnesota, Winona, Upper Iowa, or any of the type of newcomers in our region that made leaving D2 inevitable.

The schools in our region that are in DI are exactly the ones NDSU wanted to go DI with NDSU in the first place.

True, but are you seeing anything special in their place? My thoughts are no not really. Maybe MT, but most all the others schools I would say are "something" are no longer in FCS.

[ZHerd]

I'm ignorant regarding the old D2 days. Did D2 play D1 games (as in the current FBS and P5) and if so how did they fare? Eight FBS wins in FCS shows that the Bison are competitive with the top of D1 (P5) and have been/are playing high caliber D1 football. That doesn't happen with 32 scholarships. I'm not sure how they stacked up before the scholarship reductions. Im guessing that the level of ball and who we are competitive against is much higher in FCS than it was in D2.

[Bison"FANatic"]

The talent we have on the field and opponents put on is far from DII. Multiple nfl caliber players each year and they are not just getting tryouts they are sticking in the league

[NorthernBison]

Ok, besides the obvious..... number of scholarships, the quality of the game and cost. what is different?

Every other sport on campus is D1.
Every playoff game is on ESPN.
The National Championship game is in Jan.
4-5 teams from our conference make playoffs (instead of 2 max in DII)
Nobody in DII has our type of facilities or anything like the top FCS programs.


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[BisonAccountant44]

How far back are you considering the old D2? The 70's pre the 1AA split, the 80's in our heyday, or the watered-down years before we finally left?

[silkamilkamonico]

Division 2, tier 2, level 2. It's all the same call it whatever you want. The best fcs teams aren't playing on Saturday in the college playoffs that's for sure.

[MAKBison]

So collectively we are essentially saying that there is a difference between the 4th Level of FB (DII) and the 3rd Level of FB (FCS).

Essential the 3 broad categories below are the primary differences and as result the following has occurred..........

1) A Higher cost (to the fans, University);

But has resulted in a

1) Higher level of quality (facilities, coaches, players) and
2) Created more exposure for the university and community. (ESPN, NFL, TV, Radio)


Am I missing anything?

[MAKBison]

How far back are you considering the old D2? The 70's pre the 1AA split, the 80's in our heyday, or the watered-down years before we finally left?

I dont think it really matters

[Bisonator98]

I think your reading too much into this. The question is I just that…. a question! It is not a statement about jumping not jumping etc.

I don't understand what you're looking for in an answer. Would the 1990 NDSU football team been able to beat the 1990 Iowa Hawkeyes? No I don't beleive so, nothing against those players or that team which was one of NDSU's best ever but IMO there is just simply not the talent from every position nor the depth to compete at that level. So to answer your question, no I don't see FCS as a rebranded version of the old DII.

[Bisonwinagn]

Every other sport on campus is D1.
Every playoff game is on ESPN.
The National Championship game is in Jan.
4-5 teams from our conference make playoffs (instead of 2 max in DII)
Nobody in DII has our type of facilities or anything like the top FCS programs.


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We had the same facilities in D2??!!