All Things D2 and D3 College Football 2023 Season Thread

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BleedGopher

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The Bemidji State football team has been ranked eighth in the nation among NCAA Division II programs by Lindy's College Football Magazine.

"We are excited about being ranked highly coming into the 2023 season," head coach Brent Bolte said in a release. "It shows how people around the country view our program and the type of players we are producing here in northern Minnesota."

This year's big climb inside the top 10 is 15 spots higher than Bemidji State was ranked last year in the Lindy's Preseason Poll, when the Beavers entered the 2022 season at No. 23. The Beavers won 10 games last year, the second straight season that featured a lengthy winning streak.

www.bemidjipioneer.com

FOOTBALL: Bemidji State ranked preseason No. 8 in Division II by Lindy’s

The Bemidji State football team has been ranked among the top teams in the nation by Lindy's College Football Magazine.
www.bemidjipioneer.com www.bemidjipioneer.com

Go Gophers!!
 

BleedGopher said:
The Bemidji State football team has been ranked eighth in the nation among NCAA Division II programs by Lindy's College Football Magazine.

"We are excited about being ranked highly coming into the 2023 season," head coach Brent Bolte said in a release. "It shows how people around the country view our program and the type of players we are producing here in northern Minnesota."

This year's big climb inside the top 10 is 15 spots higher than Bemidji State was ranked last year in the Lindy's Preseason Poll, when the Beavers entered the 2022 season at No. 23. The Beavers won 10 games last year, the second straight season that featured a lengthy winning streak.

www.bemidjipioneer.com

FOOTBALL: Bemidji State ranked preseason No. 8 in Division II by Lindy’s

The Bemidji State football team has been ranked among the top teams in the nation by Lindy's College Football Magazine.
www.bemidjipioneer.com www.bemidjipioneer.com

Go Gophers!!
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Bolte has done some miracle work at Bemidji. That team was a longtime traditional doormat. As far as I know, it's been done organically and not with bells and whistles such as expensive facilities upgrades. I wonder if the program increased the funding of scholarships etc. since before Bolte's time?
 

Many many years ago, I had an official visit schedule to Bemidji State for football. A record cold snap hit and we couldn't make it. I remember thinking no big deal, didn't want to go there in the middle of nowhere. Upon growing up and spent time fishing and vacationing in the area, I wish I had made it. A beautiful area of our state.
 

Bemidji St had a very good athletic director for about 10 years. Has done wonders for that school. Cannot speak to the new AD--but SCSU letting him leave after all those years and seeing how each department has gone since tells you all you need to know. Was it all him? Doubtful. But it was impactful.
 

Will be interesting to me if Duluth can get back into the national mix,
They made the playoffs just once in the past 4 years after 9 times in the 12 years preceding it.
 


As an MSUM fan It's been frustrating seeing the Beavers advance so fast and getting this good. Bemidji State is the Dragons' main NSIC rival and in the 2010s the series was more back and forth. It's like the Gophers watching Wisconsin get really good.
 


Tommyboy said:
How would these teams do against St. Thomas?
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Minnesota St is ranked 7th and Winona 23rd. Think St Thomas being 3rd year removed from D3 would handle these teams but Ferris St who has became a powerhouse lately would match up pretty well.
 

MSU was a powerhouse for awhile, I believe a number of the coaches were hired at NDSU, after they lost coaches to larger programs. The Beavers are a prime example of good coaching. If you can create a top team with their location and demographics, think what they could do in a larger demographics and more resources.
 



minnyrules11 said:
Minnesota St is ranked 7th and Winona 23rd. Think St Thomas being 3rd year removed from D3 would handle these teams but Ferris St who has became a powerhouse lately would match up pretty well.
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Yeah the top of DII has some talent that could compete well with the lower end of FCS. Same thing in basketball, the Elite Eight in DII could play with some teams in smaller DI conferences.
 

Alum of WIAC school. Been fun to watch River Falls climb the standings last two seasons and push Lacrosse and Oshkosh for the spot below Whitewater
 

IceBoxGopher said:
Yeah the top of DII has some talent that could compete well with the lower end of FCS. Same thing in basketball, the Elite Eight in DII could play with some teams in smaller DI conferences.
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What will the effect on that new sports facility at in the Wisconsin conference? Will it effect White Water? Didn't the new coach come from White Water?
 

Tommyboy said:
What will the effect on that new sports facility at in the Wisconsin conference? Will it effect White Water? Didn't the new coach come from White Water?
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Zero. Chicagoland, Milwaukee, and Madison area kids won't leave that area for UWEC if UWW has interest. Will some more Minnesota kids consider it? Maybe. But with D2 schools offering scholarships in MN vs none in UW, I doubt it changes much.
 



minnyrules11 said:
Minnesota St is ranked 7th and Winona 23rd. Think St Thomas being 3rd year removed from D3 would handle these teams but Ferris St who has became a powerhouse lately would match up pretty well.
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You think St Thomas would handle top tier D2 teams that give scholarships?
 

IceBoxGopher said:
Yeah the top of DII has some talent that could compete well with the lower end of FCS. Same thing in basketball, the Elite Eight in DII could play with some teams in smaller DI conferences.
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Also depends on when.
One game some d2 could compete with some FCS.

Mid season, probably not. The depth of the FCS schools would likely show mid season and late in games.

FBS = 85 full rides
FCS = 63 full rides
D2 = 36 but can be split


Last year there were about 28 d2 vs FCS games. I haven’t looked up all the results but would guess there is at least one upset
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
You think St Thomas would handle top tier D2 teams that give scholarships?
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Last year st Thomas beat up on two bad d2 teams non conference.

Depends on your definition of handle. But at Thomas certainly could beat the top 10 of d2. They also could certainly lose to them.

I would’ve picked St. John’s and bethel to beat 6 or 7 of the 14 teams in the NSIC last year.
 

Some guy said:
Last year st Thomas beat up on two bad d2 teams non conference.

Depends on your definition of handle. But at Thomas certainly could beat the top 10 of d2. They also could certainly lose to them.

I would’ve picked St. John’s and bethel to beat 6 or 7 of the 14 teams in the NSIC last year.
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St Thomas beat two bad teams so they’d also beat the best teams.
 


Some guy said:
Good job not reading what I said
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“Last year st Thomas beat up on two bad d2 teams non conference.

Depends on your definition of handle. But at Thomas certainly could beat the top 10 of d2.”

To summarize:
They beat bad D2 teams.
So they could beat the best D2 teams.

Am I missing something? Like all levels there is a massive difference between the top and bottom. St Johns could beat NSIC teams. They couldn’t compete with the top 10 D2 teams on a regular basis. I don’t think St Thomas could either.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
You think St Thomas would handle top tier D2 teams that give scholarships?
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I’m a Winona St alum and know they are or at least were only fully funded scholarship team (football) in the NSIC…can’t remember how many they are allowed. Yes think St Thomas at this 2023 season would handle most D2 teams. They are D1 and assume they give financial or musical aid scholarships. Maybe I’m wrong.
Ferris St and Northwest Missouri St believe could compete with a lot of fcs teams.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
“Last year st Thomas beat up on two bad d2 teams non conference.

Depends on your definition of handle. But at Thomas certainly could beat the top 10 of d2.”

To summarize:
They beat bad D2 teams.
So they could beat the best D2 teams.

Am I missing something? Like all levels there is a massive difference between the top and bottom. St Johns could beat NSIC teams. They couldn’t compete with the top 10 D2 teams on a regular basis. I don’t think St Thomas could either.
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You’re saying they couldn’t compete and at the same time pretending like I’m the one making an outlandish claim.
 

minnyrules11 said:
I’m a Winona St alum and know they are or at least were only fully funded scholarship team (football) in the NSIC…can’t remember how many they are allowed. Yes think St Thomas at this 2023 season would handle most D2 teams. They are D1 and assume they give financial or musical aid scholarships. Maybe I’m wrong.
Ferris St and Northwest Missouri St believe could compete with a lot of fcs teams.
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D1 in name only. They give less football scholarships than Bemidji
 

Some guy said:
You’re saying they couldn’t compete and at the same time pretending like I’m the one making an outlandish claim.
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They couldn’t compete with the top 10 teams. Which was my original point. They could compete with the bad teams. Which I never disagreed with.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
They couldn’t compete with the top 10 teams. Which was my original point. They could compete with the bad teams. Which I never disagreed with.
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I am guessing you have a different meaning of “can’t compete” than me

How much do you think Winona state would beat at Thomas by (approx)
 

Some guy said:
I am guessing you have a different meaning of “can’t compete” than me

How much do you think Winona state would beat at Thomas by (approx)
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Assuming Winona St is a top 10 team45-10? It would be uncompetitive. Not saying 140-0 or something.
 



UpAndUnder43 said:
Define mid tier. Is Winona a top 10 team?
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See I don’t really agree with that.

Minnesota state Mankato #11
Bemidji #16
Winona unranked (though they did make the 24 team playoff bracket)

FCS was 25-3 against D2 last season.
Average score:
FCS: 37 D2: 16


Quite a few of those d2 schools were playoff teams.

Hard to say because the NSIC doesn’t play any non conference games outside the playoffs.
But an interesting game that is a D2 win was #9 delta state playing against 2-9 Mississippi valley state (FCS)
Delta state 28 MVS 17

I think to say teams like st Thomas couldn’t compete with D2 is pretty ridiculous. The largest margin of victory by a D2 over an FCS was 11. And it is the worst FCS teams scheduling D2s.
Valpo is mid tier in the pioneer and lost by 7 to the 6th place team in the Missouri valley
 
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Some guy said:
See I don’t really agree with that.

Minnesota state Mankato #11
Bemidji #16
Winona unranked (though they did make the 24 team playoff bracket)

FCS was 25-3 against D2 last season.
Average score:
FCS: 37 D2: 16


Quite a few of those d2 schools were playoff teams.

Hard to say because the NSIC doesn’t play any non conference games outside the playoffs.
But an interesting game that is a D2 win was #9 delta state playing against 2-9 Mississippi valley state (FCS)
Delta state 28 MVS 17

I think to say teams like st Thomas couldn’t compete with D2 is pretty ridiculous. The largest margin of victory by a D2 over an FCS was 11. And it is the worst FCS teams scheduling D2s.
Valpo is mid tier in the pioneer and lost by 7 to the 6th place team in the Missouri valley
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St. Thomas, places a lot of energy into their defense and running game. If a team can run on them it is over. Their passing game is non existent. They want to run the ball, last few years their QB runs the ball as much as throw.
 

Tommyboy said:
St. Thomas, places a lot of energy into their defense and running game. If a team can run on them it is over. Their passing game is non existent. They want to run the ball, last few years their QB runs the ball as much as throw.
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What does that have to do with anything I’ve said?
 

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