UNI88 wrote:collegesportsinfo wrote:
JBB, this isn't an discussion on faith of fans...as if it were trying to contemplate if there is or is not a God.
When it comes to NDSU and the Big 12, it is more like a discussion about whether there is or is not an Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.
To put it bluntly, NDSU could build that 200k stadium, crank it up in their state, and guess what...they will still be outside the BCS. Few programs could have done as much as Boise St. did, but at no time whatsoever was Boise St. ever considered for the Pac-12. Had Colorado not been an option, it still would have been Utah and a school other than Boise St.
I put out the scenarios a page or two ago. That's it. There will not be a place for NDSU in the Big Ten as they'll always have their pick of the litter. The Big 12...if they expanded, they have all of Big East (Louisville), MWC, CUSA to choose from. That's a big list with something NDSU will NEVER be able to offer the Big 12...the most important element...TV market penetration. Louisville, BYU, New Mexico, UNLV all do. Houston, TCU, and the other Texas schools have the potential. Even Boise St. would be in the Big 12 mix if brought in with BYU.
We get it, you're a big fan. And it's commendable. But there also needs to be some sense of reality for every fan that needs to be embraced. I love UMass, but I know the ACC isn't going to knock on our doors....ever.
True! It's all about the tv sets and the state of North Dakota doesn't have enough of them. And before you argue that Nebraska didn't either, Nebraska has a national following and people all over the country will tune in to Nebraska vs. Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, etc.
NDSU (and UND) might dominate North Dakota but there aren't enough people there. Nova might be in a market of 4 million people but they follow NFL and Penn State football.
Exactly. You can add Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Miss St, Missouri, etc as well...a number of schools in small markets that have huge state followings regardless of being in small markets themselves...and states with larger population bases.
I'm on the record of being in favor of mass upgrades by FCS schools like NDSU, my own UMass, Montana, UD, JMU, and others. But the current rules (pushed by the FCS schools) says you need an invite from an existing FBS conference. So any group migration of MVFC schools, even teaming with Big Sky schools is out of the question. Just like in the east, you won't ever see UMass, UD, JMU, App St, etc jump up to FBS together for a new conference.
I for one would love to see NDSU in FBS, But only in the comfort of a conference of what would be other lower FBS schools like the MAC...because other than the WAC, it's the only option.
Fret not NDSU fans...most of us are in the same boat or something similar. UMass has the MAC as an option...and only the MAC. Gotta figure that schools like App St and Charlotte only have the Sunbelt as a realistic immediate option along with the WAC. Even Mighty Montana only has one immediate option: the WAC. So none of these posts should be taken as a knock on the fine program at NDSU. It's just the reality of the situation, that there are just so few options.
