Chalk these FCS playoffs up to strength of schedules. There are eight teams remaining and four of them, including NDSU, have four losses. The other four have two defeats.
It proves the point that strength of conference does matter. It also shows you how well a playoff system works. A team like Robert Morris can get in with a conference automatic bid, but they better be a pretty solid team to get past a No. 2 or a No. 3 team from one of the top three conferences, which by GPI are the Colonial, Missouri Valley and Big Sky.  Â
If the Bison were still in the Great West, they would have had a decent path to a one- or two-loss season, but it probably wouldn’t have made them a better team than they are today. They pounded Montana State on Saturday because they were forced to play a full four quarters, and that comes from their experience in the Missouri Valley
Jeff,
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Give the SOCON a little love too. GSU beat a CAA co-champ on the road, ASU stomped a MVFC co-champ, and Wofford beat the SLC champ (pretty good conference traditionally but down this year).
I’m proud to see the Bison carrying the banner for the conference, especially considering the struggles we’ve had in conference (10-14 in 3 years). Should go a long ways towards earning some respect for NDSU in the conference.
Great comments!!!
Playoffs, its all that matters.
I went to school at both Montana State and NDSU and I followed both teams. I knew the Bison were as good as any team in the Big Sky and they proved it. I also knew the Big Sky was afraid to let the Bison in their conference as that would have knocked every team down a notch.
So they settled for the Fighting Pop instead. After they get a dose of their annoying fans they are going to regret it. Get used to hearing about butt hockey Montana fans! Yes, that is a real NCAA sanctioned sport.
Gabe, don’t be a looser and say things like that here. Keep that amongst your cronies at Bisonville who all seem to have a strange UND infatuation since it gets brought up all the time over there. Back on subject, I think it is great that NDSU showed it can win on the road in a playoff situation at a strong Big Sky school. Strength of schedule does matter. It will be a great game against Eastern Washington, wish I was there to watch. It also would be interesting to see that red field.
Gabe is an idiot with diarrhea of the mouth. Must be the spawn of MPLS.
Wow – now I’m thinking how awesome that Georgia Southern game at the dome next season would have been. Two elite 8 teams facing off to start 2011! It’s really too bad they bought out of the contract.
Didn’t even think of that, it’s really too bad GSU backed out. At least we can look forward to Montana State in a couple years, they will want some revenge after Saturday’s beatdown
It will be intresting to see if McGee is still playing for them, some rumors had him considering offers from larger FBS programs.
as a sioux fan, i’m happy as heck for the bison. what an impressive win at montana state. it will be nice to hear you guys brag about something that happened within the last 20 years for once. yes, now you do have a good football team again. congrats.
Barney I agree I would love to be at the E. Washington game too. I don’t know why they would want a red field it looks terrible on TV! I know their uniforms are all red too, I wonder if they feel they have some kind of advantage with everything the same color?? Maybe it is hard for the defense to pick up their receivers or the RB’s coming out of the backfield???? I know that many SDSU fans would like the Jacks to put new Blue turf in their stadium when they do the renovation. I must say I would like the blue a whole lot more than red! It would be kind of neat to have a school in our conference with something like that. Go Bison!
Hey, Bison have been wearing green uniforms on a green field… so you tell me?!?! Just kidding around Jeff! Doesn’t EWU wear black home uniforms?
I have said for a long time the the autobid advantage for the Bison moving from the Great West to the MVFC was smoke and mirrors. Most years the Bison will not be the autobid, but they have a very good chance of getting into the playoffs due to strength of schedule. Thanks Jeff for finally proving the point very few have wanted to accept.
You have serious self esteem issues if you continually have to play the “I told you card”. Not to mention that its childish and borish behavior.