A new and better FBS thread

[BigHorns]

You could maybe say that for our 2013, 2018, 2019 and MAYBE 2021 teams. Last year’s team was not up to the standard and would’ve lost multiple games in the MW for sure.

I still think we would be a good, above average MWC team on day 1. We would likely make a bowl.

BUT ... I'm pretty confident the top 3 MWC teams wouldn't have lost to Arizona last year. And a full FBS season tends to cause more injuries and require going further down the roster than we did for that game. A few folks have lost touch with reality after we've dominated fcs so long.

[NDSU92]

This makes me wonder why you would want to have anything to do with the MW. You don't respect MW football (you can't think of one football team that could beat you) If the MW is full of stiffs as you suggest, they won't be a springboard for you to reach bigger and greater heights.

Why exactly would the MW want to add a school who finds your future conference mates beneath you.?

I believe participants who make the CFP earn 6 million bucks for their conference. That would be split 12 ways. 500 grand is nothing to sneeze at, but the MW earned 16 million bucks in this past NCAA tourney. Add that to all the dough they have earned over the last 5 years in the tourney. That is far more lucrative than a once decade trip to the CFP.

The MW is a basketball conference that plays football. I know you want FBS and that is all well and good but you have exactly the opposite philosophy. Football, football, football. What is in it for the MW and what is in it for you?

I have no idea what will happen. You may be invited to the MW this week, in 2 years, or never. Who knows? I really don't understand the appeal this has for you. I am not sure it makes sense for anybody.

I think it’s hard for many (myself probably first on this list) to see basketball really driving the bus with realignment for any conference. We all watched the Big East which was jam packed with blue blood basketball schools and terrible football schools get ripped apart for football money. Maybe we’re fools for thinking so, but idk. Does basketball really drive the bus financially for the majority of athletic departments in the MW? I honestly have no idea and don’t really know how to quantify it, maybe on head coaching salaries?

As far as the sweet talking some bison fans do about the G5 conferences, I think a lot of that comes from frustration of watching the teams I listed above never get a shot at an FBS schedule and get labeled “just FCS”. There isn’t an FBS school out there that will put us on the schedule anymore (as they shouldn’t) and that leads some equating schools to being scared.

You’ve always had a valid point about NDSU’s priority being football and not basketball and how that fits with the rest of the MW. For whatever reason our leadership seems content with running a decent low-major basketball program and not really pushing the envelope like it does in football. It’s not for lack of care in the fan base, we’d love to see great basketball again.

[MWC]

The MW still values football. They are more successful and well recognized for basketball. You having a very good football program would be helpful but there is so much more involved in all of this.

[NDSU92]

The MW still values football. They are more successful and well recognized for basketball. You having a very good football program would be helpful but there is so much more involved in all of this.

Sure, and if there were to be conversations about NDSU fits in the Mountain West it’s, the football program is plug and play day 1, the basketball program has had success in the summit but definitely has room to grow from being very successful in a smaller conference.

FWIW, there are many who are more excited about what the MW would do for our non-football sports.

[MWC]

That seems to be the rub. Is an all sports invitation worth the extra cost and travel to the current members to get NDSU football? Losing SDSU hurts all over. Easy travel, big market, excellence in many sports etc etc...Adding NDSU would not fill that empty. That is no diss on your school or your programs but it is a major issue. I do think the default mode is to not add anybody but who knows..SDSU casts a big shadow.

[El_Chapo]

Top secret classified emails?!!!?!?!?!!?!?!!

Let's get some cokes in here!

well i will see if he will declassify them, I'm sure that's easy ...

[EC8CH]

This makes me wonder why you would want to have anything to do with the MW. You don't respect MW football (you can't think of one football team that could beat you) If the MW is full of stiffs as you suggest, they won't be a springboard for you to reach bigger and greater heights.

Why exactly would the MW want to add a school who finds your future conference mates beneath you.?

I believe participants who make the CFP earn 6 million bucks for their conference. That would be split 12 ways. 500 grand is nothing to sneeze at, but the MW earned 16 million bucks in this past NCAA tourney. Add that to all the dough they have earned over the last 5 years in the tourney. That is far more lucrative than a once decade trip to the CFP.

The MW is a basketball conference that plays football. I know you want FBS and that is all well and good but you have exactly the opposite philosophy. Football, football, football. What is in it for the MW and what is in it for you?

I have no idea what will happen. You may be invited to the MW this week, in 2 years, or never. Who knows? I really don't understand the appeal this has for you. I am not sure it makes sense for anybody.

Just invite us in. We promise to play nice.

[EC8CH]

well i will see if he will declassify them, I'm sure that's easy ...

Is he still president?

[BigHorns]

.
The biggest problem for the MW losing SDSU is the basketball, recruiting and TV access to so cal.

Hope they don't follow the AAC "markets" philosophy and chase Cali or Texas teams for backfill.
That's why Charlotte got added over some better G5 teams to AAC in the last round, it was a media market play.

Also hope our basketball doesn't cause problems. We really need to be investing more there.

MWC is legit power conference in basketball. Would love to see us be competitive like that.
I'm also sure that's part of why P5 conferences want SDSU. It's their market and basketball. If it was only about Football, they'd be chasing Fresno and Boise instead.

[NDSU92]

That seems to be the rub. Is an all sports invitation worth the extra cost and travel to the current members to get NDSU football? Losing SDSU hurts all over. Easy travel, big market, excellence in many sports etc etc...Adding NDSU would not fill that empty. That is no diss on your school or your programs but it is a major issue. I do think the default mode is to not add anybody but who knows..SDSU casts a big shadow.

Don’t disagree. but let’s be honest there’s no one else in the MW that can hold a candle to SDSU either, that’s why it’s SDSU leaving and no one else unless Armageddon happens. The MW is only adding NDSU in a “hey we need someone and we think they’re the best option” scenario - which everyone here understands. Hell that’s the only reason why SDSU is getting taken in the first place, tbe P12 may not like it but it’s a survival move. I’m sure SDSU doesn’t care either way.

I’m biased but I think NDSU would really excel in the MW in the long term. We are wasting away potential in a crap conference in the Olympic sports. Being in the MW would really help recruiting players and coaches that we currently are sharing with other low-major teams. Our fan base would really show up if we were to play Nevada, UNLV, etc. instead of UMKC, Omaha and St Thomas.

IMO it is a very similar situation to when we were sitting in D2. It was not a good fit and we weren’t able to achieve our full potential due to lack of competition and resources.