The Mountain West is in serious dialogue to add FCS powerhouse North Dakota State as a football-only member starting this coming season

[BillyMyr]

Lots of teams out there...why tie ourselves down to regional bs. Hockey does that work the old WCHA teams and its lame.

Hockey has some regional teams that are strong at least. One could do a lot worse out east.

FCS through D3 only do that because the NCAA mandates it. The NCAA can't mandate anything in FBS postseason, so it's not a reasonable comparison.

There’s big money and excessive greed at the P4 level. That doesn’t exists at FCS-D3 levels. What’s best for the game is every conference having access, but we bow to money and greed.

 

[GopherGrit]

Agreed, ndsu won’t have the schedule strength in 2026 to do much of anything. But moving in March, they’re just lucky to have 11 teams on the schedule that are technically FBS. Not much to choose from at that late stage, can’t blame them for the schedule.

Their objective each year is now a conf championship. That’s primary goal each year, and would generate a competitive G5 ranking for playoff potential.

I put the new MWC down with CUSA and MAC in terms of conference strength. The new Pac 12 and the American are the best G6 conferences. Sun Belt now is not quite as good but better than the bottom.

I don't think an undefeated MWC champ has a chance at the 5th conf champ autobid spot at the current format unless every card falls in their favor in terms of other things. Last year with the ACC champ not even being top five, for example, allowed the Sun Belt champ to get in.

 

[GopherGrit]

Hockey has some regional teams that are strong at least. One could do a lot worse out east.

There’s big money and excessive greed at the P4 level. That doesn’t exists at FCS-D3 levels. What’s best for the game is every conference having access, but we bow to money and greed.

I still don't think I can do every conference getting an autobid as being "what's best for the game". Not sure why that has to be true.

This isn't an NCAA Championship playoff bracket. In those cases, I can see it. But that's not what this is.

 

[GopherGrit]

More fannies in the seats is something to gain.

This idea isn't any different than saying you want Nebraska to come here every year because a lot of Husker fans buy tickets. Doesn't do much for me.

In any case, playing NDSU in the non-conf is not worth the risk of losing just for a marginal gain in ticket sales. That's just fine to admit and doesn't at all make Gopher football "wusses". You'll be alone in that.

Also don't forget that for "buy games" against FBS opponents the cost is I believe usually north of $1M per game.

 

[Ope3]

This idea isn't any different than saying you want Nebraska to come here every year because a lot of Husker fans buy tickets. Doesn't do much for me.

In any case, for NDSU the marginal gain in ticket sales is not worth the risk of losing. That's just fine and doesn't at all make Gopher football "wusses". You'll be alone in that.

I will mark you down in the wuss contingent.

 

[GopherGrit]

I will mark you down in the wuss contingent.

You're allowed to be wrong, as you are here

 

[Ope3]

You're allowed to be wrong, as you are here

Any Big 10 team being afraid to play a Mountain West team is a wuss.

 

[GopherGrit]

Any Big 10 team being afraid to play a Mountain West team is a wuss.

I'm glad you tied yourself to the word afraid, and now you can't change it or else be exposed as a fraud.

Objectively, any P4 team refusing to schedule particular G6 teams has absolutely nothing to do with fear. They aren't afraid, in the slightest.

Glad that's settled

 

[Ope3]

Objectively, any P4 team refusing to schedule particular G6 teams has absolutely nothing to do with fear. They aren't afraid, in the slightest.

Fraidy cat wusses.

Settled.

Additionally, my previous statement said specifically Big 10. There was zero reference "any P4" team. That's a false projection on your part.

 

[GopherGrit]

My statement is objectively correct as stated.

Last I checked, Big 10 teams are indeed P4 teams.

You're allowed to be wrong, as you are here

 

[Ope3]

My statement is objectively correct as stated.

Last I checked, Big 10 teams are indeed P4 teams.

You're allowed to be wrong, as you are here

I am not wrong. Not all P4 teams have the same resources and budget to construct a roster as Big 10 teams.

For some ACC or Big 12 teams, it may indeed be prudent & pragmatic to not schedule certain G6 schools.

A lesser P4 school also may not want to schedule a certain G6 school not because of fear but because the opponent might hurt their SOS and chances of getting to the CFP. That's just 1 example.

For a Big 10 school to avoid a Mountain West program would signal to me they know their own program is weak. Wussy.

 

[Some guy]

I am not wrong. Not all P4 teams have the same resources and budget to construct a roster as Big 10 teams.

For some ACC or Big 12 teams, it may indeed be prudent & pragmatic to not schedule certain G6 schools.

A lesser P4 school also may not want to schedule a certain G6 school not because of fear but because the opponent might hurt their SOS and chances of getting to the CFP. That's just 1 example.

For a Big 10 school to avoid a Mountain West program would signal to me they know their own program is weak. Wussy.

To me, there is a big difference between avoiding not scheduling one of 130 other options.

 

[GopherGrit]

I am not wrong. Not all P4 teams have the same resources and budget to construct a roster as Big 10 teams.

For some ACC or Big 12 teams, it may indeed be prudent & pragmatic to not schedule certain G6 schools.

A lesser P4 school also may not want to schedule a certain G6 school not because of fear but because the opponent might hurt their SOS and chances of getting to the CFP. That's just 1 example.

For a Big 10 school to avoid a Mountain West program would signal to me they know their own program is weak. Wussy.

Exactly as I predicted, now you're trying to switch words from afraid to avoid. FRAUD

Now addressing your newly back-pedaled, much weaker point: being in the Big 10 doesn't prove a single thing, the Gophers budget and total compensation will be lower than ACC Miami, Florida State as well as Big 12 Texas Tech, and maybe a few others in the two conferences.

But even avoid is still wrong. Gophers aren't avoiding NDSU. Clearly they aren't avoiding the Mountain West ... they just played Nevada

 

[Ope3]

Exactly as I predicted, now you're trying to switch words from afraid to avoid. FRAUD

The "fraud" accusation was hilarious because In the context that I previously used "avoid" instead of "afraid", I meant it in the exact same way. In other words avoiding because of fear. No backpedaling whatsoever.

In other contexts, sure it's different.

To demonstrate being afraid to play a team, avoidance would have to be shown over a prolonged period of time be that 5 seasons...10 seasons etc, whatever one feels comfortable to define.

In any given season there might already be other other priorities, previous arrangements with other school, dates do not match, already played the school recently etc.

I never said anything different nor meant to imply otherwise.

Now addressing your newly back-pedaled, much weaker point: being in the Big 10 doesn't prove a single thing, the Gophers budget and total compensation will be lower than ACC Miami, Florida State as well as Big 12 Texas Tech, and maybe a few others in the two conferences.

Exactly why I said "some P4" schools. Thanks for agreeing with me. Miami, Florida State as well as Big 12 Texas Tech, are not "lesser" P4 schools in my opinion.

Others are.

 

[bisonation]

PJ Fleck didnt' exactly embrace NDSU to Mountain West in his spring game presser.. haha.

“I got 99 issues, problems, things and that’s not one of them,” Fleck said. “But I wish them all the best, I guess. But my focus is on the University of Minnesota.”

 

[GopherGrit]

The "fraud" accusation was hilarious because In the context that I previously used "avoid" instead of "afraid", I meant it in the exact same way. In other words avoiding because of fear. No backpedaling whatsoever.

In other contexts, sure it's different.

To demonstrate being afraid to play a team, avoidance would have to be shown over a prolonged period of time be that 5 seasons...10 seasons etc, whatever one feels comfortable to define.

In any given season there might already be other other priorities, previous arrangements with other school, dates do not match, already played the school recently etc.

I never said anything different nor meant to imply otherwise.


Exactly why I said "some P4" schools. Thanks for agreeing with me. Miami, Florida State as well as Big 12 Texas Tech, are not "lesser" P4 schools in my opinion.

Others are.

Gophers aren't afraid of the Mountain West.
Gophers aren't avoiding the Mountain West. They just played Nevada in 2024.
Gophers aren't afraid of NDSU.
Gophers aren't avoiding NDSU.

Your point is fraudulent, as is your troll act on this point.

 

[Ope3]

Gophers aren't afraid of the Mountain West.
Gophers aren't avoiding the Mountain West. They just played Nevada in 2024.
Gophers aren't afraid of NDSU.
Gophers aren't avoiding NDSU.

Your point is fraudulent, as is your troll act on this point.

Number of times I have mentioned the Gophers since Post #229 regarding "Any Big 10 Team being afraid to play a Mountain West team is a wuss"???

Correct answer.

Zero.

 

[GopherGrit]

Number of times I have mentioned the Gophers since Post #229 regarding "Any Big 10 Team being afraid to play a Mountain West team is a wuss"???

Correct answer.

Zero.

This post is you waving the white flag. Finally, you've admitted that the Gophers are not afraid nor avoiding the Mountain West.

Thanks!

 

[GopherGrit]

I'm glad this was settled for good and all.

I encourage the moderator to lock the thread so there can be no further posts in it.

 

[Ope3]

This post is you waving the white flag. Finally, you've admitted that the Gophers are not afraid nor avoiding the Mountain West.

Thanks!

I've never made any comment about the Gophers. Totally your misguided projection on a general statement.

Nor has Minnesota scheduled any non-conference games against any opponent since NDSU joined Mtn West. That happened only a few weeks ago.

In 5 to 10 years, I could very well have a different opinion.

 

[Ope3]

I'm glad this was settled for good and all.

I encourage the moderator to lock the thread so there can be no further posts in it.

Too late to save yourself the embarrassment.

 

[GopherGrit]

Let the record show the Ope3 was either trying to troll the Gophers or was making a completely meaningless, nonsensical point, since it is beyond obvious that no Big Ten team is "afraid" of or "avoids" scheduling the Mountain West.

I think we know which it was

 

[GopherGrit]

@GopherHole Staff

Please lock this thread, thank you

 

[Ope3]

Let the record show the Ope3 was either trying to troll the Gophers.

False.

Or was making a completely meaningless, nonsensical point, since it is beyond obvious that no Big Ten team is "afraid" of or "avoids" scheduling the Mountain West.

I think we know which it was

False.

Meaningful enough for you to keep communicating on it

 

[Ope3]

@GopherHole Staff

Please lock this thread, thank you

Why? Nothing inflammatory has been said except someone falsely accusing another poster of fraud.

You could let the thread just whither away by refraining from comment, though you appear to lack self control to just scroll past. Locking it due to your inability is rather extreme.

There had only been one comment in 5 days until you felt the need to reignite it.

 

[bisonation]

Gophers aren't afraid of the Mountain West.
Gophers aren't avoiding the Mountain West. They just played Nevada in 2024.
Gophers aren't afraid of NDSU.
Gophers aren't avoiding NDSU.

Your point is fraudulent, as is your troll act on this point.

BUT THEY ARE AVOIDING NDSU..

 

[GlobalGopher11]

BUT THEY ARE AVOIDING NDSU..

Wow, your team finally ascended to one of the worst G5 conferences, that was considered a laughing stock and almost completed folded at one point. I find the spectacle of Bison fans inferiority complex of the Gophers to be very weird. You guys pound your chests over beating two of the historically worst Gopher Teams by an incredibly small margin, but I bet that made the brutal winter in ND more tolerable that year.

I've actually been to Fargo more times than I'd like to admit and lived there for a bit and truly can't imagine a more depressing area 10 months out of the year. In my experience the majority of locals weren't the most welcoming and once you told them you were from the cities, they already had a negative perception about you.

Bisonation, your school has bigger fish to fry right now. They might want to address the declining enrollment and the lack of funding to enhance/build onto the Fargo Dome (awful arena). I'm sure the road trips to beautiful Laramie and DeKalb will be the highlights over the next few years...

 

[bisonation]

so yea, insults rather than taking a beating from NDSU

got it.

 

[Bison Dan]

Wow, your team finally ascended to one of the worst G5 conferences, that was considered a laughing stock and almost completed folded at one point. I find the spectacle of Bison fans inferiority complex of the Gophers to be very weird. You guys pound your chests over beating two of the historically worst Gopher Teams by an incredibly small margin, but I bet that made the brutal winter in ND more tolerable that year.

I've actually been to Fargo more times than I'd like to admit and lived there for a bit and truly can't imagine a more depressing area 10 months out of the year. In my experience the majority of locals weren't the most welcoming and once you told them you were from the cities, they already had a negative perception about you.

Bisonation, your school has bigger fish to fry right now. They might want to address the declining enrollment and the lack of funding to enhance/build onto the Fargo Dome (awful arena). I'm sure the road trips to beautiful Laramie and DeKalb will be the highlights over the next few years...

Wow, I guess I could mention that most of ND, SD and outstate MN by pass the Twin Cities now after the BLM & ICE riots. I could also mention that streets are still boarded up after the riots. Lets get real, MN football is a after thought in the B10 and if it wasn't for the 3 boring games to start the season you'd have a hard time getting to a bowl game.

 

[alaska]

• Opponent: North Dakota State Bison football
• Date: September 24, 2011
• Result: NDSU 37, Minnesota 24

I think the Gophers should take on the Bison to get some revenge....