2019 NDSU Expects 40,000 Against Butler at Target Field

[Gil Dobie]

Why a baseball stadium?

Gophers won't play us, and I doubt they would let us use their stadium. Vikings stadium is too big. This will be the 2nd football game at Target field. It's good to have a game here for the 10,000 plus alumni, and a good road-trip for the Fargo crowd.

[polsongrizz]

Why a baseball stadium?

Gophers won't play us, and I doubt they would let us use their stadium. Vikings stadium is too big. This will be the 2nd football game at Target field. It's good to have a game here for the 10,000 plus alumni, and a good road-trip for the Fargo crowd.

[BDKJMU]

I'm not so sure. Back in '95, Oregon State lost a roadie at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. UOP was in the Big West (back when the BWC actually fielded football; current BWC members Cow Poly and the Manure Pile now park their football teams in the Big Sky), a conference that SHOULD have been FCS given the caliber of the entire conference. Heck, I'm not even sure any Big West team (short of the autobid) would have made the FCS playoffs. And UOP itself finished 3-8 that season despite beating OSU, largely because of the incredibly difficult bodybag season-opening schedule (Fresno State, Arizona, Nebraska, and Oregon all on the road and Oregon State at home). If a Pac-10 (as it was then) school can take a game like that on the road, why wouldn't Minnesota (a middle-of-the-road Big Ten at best) take a roadie at NDSU? Other than fear of a loss, that is. Heck, an NDSU win wouldn't even rate the awe of App over Michigan....

Butler is FCS, same division as NDSU.

NDSU plays at Oregon next year.

Butler is FCS in name only (non scholly Pioneer). Outside of San Diego, that league is a joke. Last time JMU played a Pioneer, 2016 vs Morehead St, it was 80-7. Unfortunately have them scheduled again in 2021 and 2023. Its cool you’all are playing a game there, but why not a better opponent like ND, UCD, or an MVFC, as opposed to a non scholly cupcake? Will probably be 42 or 49-0 at halftime..

[Gil Dobie]

Butler is FCS, same division as NDSU.

NDSU plays at Oregon next year.

Butler is FCS in name only (non scholly Pioneer). Outside of San Diego, that league is a joke. Last time JMU played a Pioneer, 2016 vs Morehead St, it was 80-7. Unfortunately have them scheduled again in 2021 and 2023. Its cool you’all are playing a game there, but why not a better opponent like ND, UCD, or an MVFC, as opposed to a non scholly cupcake? Will probably be 42 or 49-0 at halftime..

Butler beat Youngstown last year. We have UND, UCD and Delaware on the schedule. This will be a good game to see what the new guys look like.

[Gil Dobie]

Should be a great time.

Link for more info

Whether its thousands tailgating all day in the west parking lot of the Fargodome on Saturdays, a raucous home-field advantage with decimal readings often comparing to rock concerts and places like Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City; noises at the Fargodome for Bison games have measured near 120 decibels, over 20,000 fans making the annual pilgrimage to Frisco, Texas for the FCS national championship, and the nearly 40,000 strong expected at Target Field in Minneapolis this August for their season opener, North Dakota State is one of the few college football programs that isn’t in the midst of a fan recession.

If anything, it’s the opposite. In the heat of a pennant race, the Minnesota Twins are lending their ballpark to the hottest college football program within 1,000 miles. “The Minnesota Twins organization is honored and excited to host one of America's greatest college football success stories – the NDSU Bison – at Target Field,” said Twins President and CEO Dave St. Peter at a press conference announcing the game. “The NDSU-Butler game is certain to be a tremendous college football showcase, as Bison Nation takes over downtown Minneapolis.” For their part, the NDSU Bookstore has already released a commemorative t-shirt for the game as it does for many big Bison games.

[93henfan]

Butler beat Youngstown last year. We have UND, UCD and Delaware on the schedule. This will be a good game to see what the new guys look like.

Oooh, Delaware! Maybe we'll step up our game this year and you won't be pulling your starters until the 2nd quarter.

[Gil Dobie]

Butler beat Youngstown last year. We have UND, UCD and Delaware on the schedule. This will be a good game to see what the new guys look like.

Oooh, Delaware! Maybe we'll step up our game this year and you won't be pulling your starters until the 2nd quarter.

Will there be more Bison fans or Bluehen fans at the game?

[93henfan]

Oooh, Delaware! Maybe we'll step up our game this year and you won't be pulling your starters until the 2nd quarter.

Will there be more Bison fans or Bluehen fans at the game?

No idea. I won't be there. Most of the 2008ish season ticket base of ~11-12k, including me, is long since gone. 89 quit a couple of years before I did. I gave Dave Brock one season and then cut my losses.

Seven consecutive playoffless seasons kills great programs.

Delaware sliding into the playoffs last year was just another indication of how bad FCS has become.

[Gil Dobie]

Will there be more Bison fans or Bluehen fans at the game?

No idea. I won't be there. Most of the 2008ish season ticket base of ~11-12k, including me, is long since gone. 89 quit a couple of years before I did. I gave Dave Brock one season and then cut my losses.

Seven consecutive playoffless seasons kills great programs.

Delaware sliding into the playoffs last year was just another indication of how bad FCS has become.

Or the fact that you can lose more games now and still make the playoffs from a top conference, with the expanded playoffs. Fair to MIddling teams can make the first round now.

[dbackjon]

Go Butler!!

[Gil Dobie]

Just added 2 more fans, got a couple tickets for Sister and BIL for the game.

[kalm]

Butler is FCS, same division as NDSU.

NDSU plays at Oregon next year.

Butler is FCS in name only (non scholly Pioneer). Outside of San Diego, that league is a joke. Last time JMU played a Pioneer, 2016 vs Morehead St, it was 80-7. Unfortunately have them scheduled again in 2021 and 2023. Its cool you’all are playing a game there, but why not a better opponent like ND, UCD, or an MVFC, as opposed to a non scholly cupcake? Will probably be 42 or 49-0 at halftime..

1). Nobody is going to travel all that well to Minneapolis. UCD would bring 500 tops if not signicantly less.

2). You CAA chaps should bother about getting pas the NEC’s and Patriot leaguers before you talk too much trash.

(And yes...USD does have 2 recent playoff wins against the Big Sky)

[JBB]

This one has the potential to be the upset of the century. Butler comes out a +49.5 underdog at 5dimes.

[JBB]

Why a baseball stadium?

The way I understand it:

Target field called NDSU and offered them the field for nothing. To seal the deal they also agreed to pay Butlers guarantee. NDSU gets the gate and media.

[dbackjon]

Why a baseball stadium?

The way I understand it:

Target field called NDSU and offered them the field for nothing. To seal the deal they also agreed to pay Butlers guarantee. NDSU gets the gate and media.

What does Target Field get?

[AZGrizFan]

The way I understand it:

Target field called NDSU and offered them the field for nothing. To seal the deal they also agreed to pay Butlers guarantee. NDSU gets the gate and media.

What does Target Field get?

The satisfaction of NDSU gracing them with heir presence.

[JBB]

Target Field takes the concessions and of course benefits from the prestige of hosting The Bison. There may be some cost sharing on the field set-up.

Those $8 beers pay for a lot. Beer was $18 at the Aerosmith show in vegas.

[BDKJMU]

Butler is FCS in name only (non scholly Pioneer). Outside of San Diego, that league is a joke. Last time JMU played a Pioneer, 2016 vs Morehead St, it was 80-7. Unfortunately have them scheduled again in 2021 and 2023. Its cool you’all are playing a game there, but why not a better opponent like ND, UCD, or an MVFC, as opposed to a non scholly cupcake? Will probably be 42 or 49-0 at halftime..

Butler beat Youngstown last year. We have UND, UCD and Delaware on the schedule. This will be a good game to see what the new guys look like.

LAWL, the line is NDSU -48.5. I know who NDSU has on the schedule. Should have scheduled one of the other home games for Target Field, not your biggest cupcake in 2 years.

[Gil Dobie]

Butler beat Youngstown last year. We have UND, UCD and Delaware on the schedule. This will be a good game to see what the new guys look like.

LAWL, the line is NDSU -48.5. I know who NDSU has on the schedule. Should have scheduled one of the other home games for Target Field, not your biggest cupcake in 2 years.

It's a good first game for a team returning 7 starters, with a new coach. I have family coming from ND and Fla for the game. Worry about your own games, sheesh. The rest of the season will be tough enough.

[kalm]

LAWL, the line is NDSU -48.5. I know who NDSU has on the schedule. Should have scheduled one of the other home games for Target Field, not your biggest cupcake in 2 years.

It's a good first game for a team returning 7 starters, with a new coach. I have family coming from ND and Fla for the game. Worry about your own games, sheesh. The rest of the season will be tough enough.

Yep. Save the tougher opponents for the friendly confines of the FFD rather than a semi unfamiliar venue.

The envy flows strong in that BDK feller.

[BDKJMU]

It's a good first game for a team returning 7 starters, with a new coach. I have family coming from ND and Fla for the game. Worry about your own games, sheesh. The rest of the season will be tough enough.

Yep. Save the tougher opponents for the friendly confines of the FFD rather than a semi unfamiliar venue.

The envy flows strong in that BDK feller.

I would love for JMU to have another game at Fed Ex Field (the 1 time ironically was vs WVU 2012) or Nationals Park (2+ hrs) Vs (insert your CAA or quality OOC here). But not versus our Butler equivalent (Morehead State) where the line would be around half a hundred & I probably wouldn’t go. For me its mostly about the game, not the tailgate. But to each his own.

[JBB]

NDSU tried very hard to set something like this up with JMU.

[Gil Dobie]

NDSU tried very hard to set something like this up with JMU.

Got a better deal from West Virginia

[BDKJMU]

NDSU tried very hard to set something like this up with JMU.

If you’re referring to 2016, as I recall initially the Week 0 kickoff game was proposed that spring to be JMU @ NDSU. NDSU wouldn’t give JMU a return game (for 2017 or 2018?) so JMU declined, and the kickoff game was CSU @ NDSU instead. As I recall that was a pretty good game that NDSU won in OT. It turns out JMU ended up @ NDSU anyway in the semis.

[JBB]

According to the Fargo Forum in an article earlier this year they talked about a neutral site game like the Target Field game. This is a concept NDSU would like to explore.