All Things D2 and D3 College Football 2023 Season Thread

[IceBoxGopher]

If you're a MSUM fan...

There's a kid on that team, Gage Florence, who's a really talented receiver. Leads the NSIC in receptions this year and led the conference last year as a freshman. A bunch of friends and I knew his dad so we've kept track a little. I'm a little surprised he didn't end up on at least an FCS roster.

Yeah Gage has been fantastic. Great weapon for the Dragons offense.

 

[IceBoxGopher]

It is to some extent, because they exist in the shadow of NDSU (and did even when both were D2 schools), and to some extent, Concordia, which has the kind of private school/alumni interest not generally found the in MnSCU public colleges.

Both schools have seen enrollments drop 40% or so from their peak but SCSU was so much larger, that I think it's hurt them a lot more. MSUM was actually over-enrolled at the time I attended and was actually for a couple years, larger than NDSU in terms of enrollment. The current size of around 5000 students seems about right for the campus.

Yeah it's been around 5,000 or so for a while. When I attended (2009-2012) it was between 7,000 and 8,000.

 

[disco]

Yeah it's been around 5,000 or so for a while. When I attended (2009-2012) it was between 7,000 and 8,000.

I think when I was there (1991-95) it was up around 8-9000. I know the year before (1990-91) which was my wife's freshman year, it was up around 10,000 and NDSU was around 7 or 8. She had to live in a triple dorm room for a while. Ugh.

And that was well before the campus expansion to the west.

 

[MplsGopher]

Re: Crookston (and Morris for that matter), I also believe a motivation for the U to maintain this is to help get out-state senators/congress to vote for U funding requests. Otherwise they'd only have campuses in TC, Duluth, and Roch. I have no idea how much, if it at all, it actually helps, but I believe that is part of the motivation.

 

[disco]

Re: Crookston (and Morris for that matter), I also believe a motivation for the U to maintain this is to help get out-state senators/congress to vote for U funding requests. Otherwise they'd only have campuses in TC, Duluth, and Roch. I have no idea how much, if it at all, it actually helps, but I believe that is part of the motivation.

That's a reasonable thought. Crookston's mission though could likely be accomplished with an U of M extension service center. Wisconsin has several of these throughout the state. It's such a tiny school. At the very least, sports-wise, they should not be a D2 school by any stretch. They should be in the UMAC.

Morris is tiny too, but it won't go away. It's the old Indian school and the agreement that transferred it to the U was such that Natives would always be able to attend for free. That continues to this day. A guy I played with in high school played for Morris and went to school free for this reason.

There was an article recently that the Rochester campus has not been the success they had hoped. I know it was meant to be very niche, but it doesn't sound like it's doing well.

 

[fatgopher]

Yeah it's been around 5,000 or so for a while. When I attended (2009-2012) it was between 7,000 and 8,000.

Cobber football alum - such a bummer MSUM/Concordia don't play anymore. Was a fantastic rivalry and event for the F-M area

 

[short ornery norwegian]

MIAC football results for 9/23/23

St. John's 27, Bethel 7
Augsburg 33, Gustavus 31
Carleton 31, Hamline 27
St. Olaf 38, Macalester 13
Concordia 49, St. Scholastica 16

ending of Auggies & Gusties was nuts. Gustavus scored with 0:22 left in 4th qtr. Augsburg ran back KO to the 43, completed 22-yd pass downfield, and threw 35-yd TD pass with 0:01 left on clock.

Next week:
St. Scholastica (1-2/0-1) at Macalester (2-1/0-1)
St. Olaf (2-1/1-0) at Hamline (2-1/0-1)
Carleton (3-0/1-0) at Concordia (2-1/1-0)
Gustavus (1-2/0-1) at Bethel (1-2/0-1)
St. John's (2-1/1-0) at Augsburg (3-0/1-0)

 

[BleedGopher]

Heck of a finish!


Go Football!!

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Heck of a finish!


Go Football!!

GAC going to try to get Augsburg out of the conference now?

 

[Schnauzer]

GAC going to try to get Augsburg out of the conference now?

I think you are misinformed.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I think you are misinformed.

Sorry. St Olaf was the issue

 

[IceBoxGopher]

Here are the results from the NSIC this weekend. Minnesota teams in bold:

• Augustana edged Minnesota State-Moorhead, 31-27
• Bemidji State won over Mary, 41-10
• Minnesota State-Mankato routed Concordia-St. Paul, 42-10
• Sioux Falls edged Minot State 7-0 (?!)
• Minnesota Duluth shut out Southwest Minnesota State, 33-0
• Winona State defeated Northern State 39-16
• Wayne State took down non con opponent Missouri S&T, 38-34

Updated standings:

• Bemidji State (4-0, 4-0)
• Minnesota State-Mankato (4-0, 4-0)
• Augustana (4-0, 3-0)
• Minnesota-Duluth (4-0, 3-0)
• Wayne State (3-1, 2-1)
• Winona State (2-2, 2-1)
• Sioux Falls (2-2, 2-2)
• Minnesota State-Moorhead (2-2, 1-2)
• Northern State (1-3, 1-3)
• Southwest Minnesota State (1-3, 1-3)
• Concordia-St. Paul (1-3, 0-3)
• Mary (0-4, 0-4)
• Minot State (0-4, 0-4)

MSUM kept things tight with Augustana but had a few crucial mistakes. They were unable to complete a drive where they could have taken the lead and allowed a kick return touchdown right after scoring one of their own.

They've played Wayne State and Augustana close, though, and won their other two games convincingly. It shows some promise for the rest of the season.

 

[MplsGopher]

Was confused there for a second, I guess MSUM = Moorhead and MSU = Mankato?

 

[IceBoxGopher]

Top 25 coaches poll is out. NSIC teams in bold, Minnesota teams in italics.

1. Ferris State (23) (2-1)
2. Colorado School of Mines (6) (4-0)
3. Pittsburg State (4-0)
4. Minnesota State-Mankato (4-0)
5. Ouachita Baptist (4-0)
6. West Florida (3-1)
7. Grand Valley State (2-1)
8. Delta State (4-0)
9. Bemidji State (4-0)
10. Harding (4-0)
11. Emporia State (4-0)
12. Slippery Rock (4-0)
13. Benedict (4-0)
14. Indianapolis (3-0)
15. Lenoir-Rhyne (4-0)
16. Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-0)
17. Western Colorado (4-0)
18. Davenport (3-0)
19. Minnesota-Duluth (4-0)
20. Angelo State (2-2)
21. Central Missouri (3-1)
22. Valdosta State (4-0)
23. Assumption (2-1)
24. Henderson State (3-1)
25. Shepherd (3-1)

Others receiving votes
Truman State, Virginia Union, Augustana, Tuskegee, Tiffin, Black Hills State, Virginia State, Indiana (PA), Mars Hill, Central Washington, East Stroudsburg, Missouri Western State, Bowie State

 

[short ornery norwegian]

in the D3 football poll -
1. North Central (ill) - with 24 of 25 1st-place votes
2. Mount Union
3. Wartburg
4. UW-Whitewater (the other 1st-place vote)
5. Trinity (TX)
6. UW-River Falls
7. St. John's (MN)

others of note
13. UW-LaCrosse
20. UW-Oshkosh (begosh)

Bethel was 19 last week but fell out of the top 25 to 4th among "also receiving votes" so 29th overall. and my old stomping grounds of UW-Platteville also received votes.

so 4 of the 8 schools in the WIAC are in the top 20 and another received votes.

 

[IceBoxGopher]

D2.com media poll also out. NSIC bold, Minnesota teams in italics

1. Ferris State (Mich.) 2-1
2. Colorado Mines 4-0
3. Pittsburg State (Kans.) 4-0
4. Grand Valley (Mich.) 2-1
5. Minnesota State-Mankato 4-0
6. Delta State (Miss.) 4-0
7. Bemidji State (Minn.) 4-0
8. West Florida 3-1
9. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 4-0
10. Emporia State (Kans.) 4-0
11. Harding (Ark.) 4-0
12. Slippery Rock (Penn.) 4-0
13. Benedict (S.C.) 4-0
14. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 4-0
15. Indianapolis 4-0
16. Davenport (Mich.) 3-0
17. Western Colorado 4-0
18. Ind University of Penn 3-1
19. Angelo State (Tex.) 2-2
20. Texas A&M-Kingsville 3-0
21. Truman State (Mo.) 4-0
22. Central Missouri 3-1
23. Shepherd (W.V.) 3-1
24. Virginia Union 3-1
25. Minnesota-Duluth 4-0