NSIC 2024....Outlook..

[4THEPAW]

"To be perfectly clear, the NSIC teams have no control over who the NSIC books for them in-conference..that's random."


Each team should have 1-2 protected rivalry games each season. No reason Bemidji and Duluth shouldn't play. Same with Wayne vs Augustana. There's enough 5-10 hour bus trips in the league from Wayne America, sucks that one of their 2 hour drives isn't being played, and that's always a fun game.

[Matt Witwicki]

"To be perfectly clear, the NSIC teams have no control over who the NSIC books for them in-conference..that's random."


Each team should have 1-2 protected rivalry games each season. No reason Bemidji and Duluth shouldn't play. Same with Wayne vs Augustana. There's enough 5-10 hour bus trips in the league from Wayne America, sucks that one of their 2 hour drives isn't being played, and that's always a fun game.

Paw,

I think when Jamestown joins, we will see divisions..that's my best guess. 2025 season. With divisions, you'd solve those rivalry games with USF vs Augie, UMD vs BSU and such. 90% of them would get solved with divisions (North and South seems to make more sense overall).

[laker]

"To be perfectly clear, the NSIC teams have no control over who the NSIC books for them in-conference..that's random."


Each team should have 1-2 protected rivalry games each season. No reason Bemidji and Duluth shouldn't play. Same with Wayne vs Augustana. There's enough 5-10 hour bus trips in the league from Wayne America, sucks that one of their 2 hour drives isn't being played, and that's always a fun game.

For MSU to not play Southwest and Winona seems really odd. As Witt said, I'm sure that the NSIC will go to North/South divisions again.

[Stanger86]

For MSU to not play Southwest and Winona seems really odd. As Witt said, I'm sure that the NSIC will go to North/South divisions again.

Definitely odd. But it's at least somewhat balanced across the board geographically.

Just to name a few....
Minot and Mary don't play.
Moorhead and Northern don't play
Southwest and Augie don't play

[Augieholic]

Southwest and Augie don't play

Have they actually been playing?

In the last nine matchups Augie is 9-0 and outscored SMSU 375-99.

[Thunder]

Definitely odd. But it's at least somewhat balanced across the board geographically.

Just to name a few....
Minot and Mary don't play.
Moorhead and Northern don't play
Southwest and Augie don't play

I'd love to hear the rationale for the schedule the NSIC put together. There seem to be a ton of instances where teams are not playing the closest opponents or traditional rivalries. Northern is not playing Moorhead and Mary, I believe those would be the closest opponents. For Mary to not play Minot and Northern seems silly to me.

[Stanger86]

I'd love to hear the rationale for the schedule the NSIC put together. There seem to be a ton of instances where teams are not playing the closest opponents or traditional rivalries. Northern is not playing Moorhead and Mary, I believe those would be the closest opponents. For Mary to not play Minot and Northern seems silly to me.

To prove a point that it's best to get back to 16 (14 football)?

[Purple Mav Man]

To prove a point that it's best to get back to 16 (14 football)?

Nothing like screwing over your members to prove a petty point. Great leadership.

[4THEPAW]

I honestly don't like the division setup near as much either. The south division has typically been much harder to win games in leaving a competitive inbalance in the league.

[zimmy21]

I honestly don't like the division setup near as much either. The south division has typically been much harder to win games in leaving a competitive inbalance in the league.

East West would be better

[4THEPAW]

West
1)Jamestown
2)Mary
3)Minot
4)Northern
5)USF
6)Augie
7)Wayne

East
1)SMSU
2)Moorhead
3)Mankato
4)Concordia
5)Winona
6)Bemidji
7)Duluth

Whether you do East/West or North/South, from a football standpoint only, its obvious that the South and the East Divisions would be much stronger.

[Matt Witwicki]

West
1)Jamestown
2)Mary
3)Minot
4)Northern
5)USF
6)Augie
7)Wayne

East
1)SMSU
2)Moorhead
3)Mankato
4)Concordia
5)Winona
6)Bemidji
7)Duluth

Whether you do East/West or North/South, from a football standpoint only, its obvious that the South and the East Divisions would be much stronger.

Originally I felt the geography made more sense North/South..since a team like SMSU is closest to USF/Augie....but seeing it spelled out for the West/East....I don't hate it. Let's be honest, for the past few years it would see those results would suggest the division that gets Mary-Minot-Jamestown would have a lower floor..and either format has them together in the same division. From there..if you took the last 3-4-5 years and took the top teams from each....Augie/Wayne/USF/Northern and MSU/BSU/UMD/Winona..the lean would be to the East, but not by a wide margin..in just those top 4 teams. Moorhead would give the East an additional nudge, as they win 80% against the other "bottom" teams.

[MrMustang]

Originally I felt the geography made more sense North/South..since a team like SMSU is closest to USF/Augie....but seeing it spelled out for the West/East....I don't hate it. Let's be honest, for the past few years it would see those results would suggest the division that gets Mary-Minot-Jamestown would have a lower floor..and either format has them together in the same division. From there..if you took the last 3-4-5 years and took the top teams from each....Augie/Wayne/USF/Northern and MSU/BSU/UMD/Winona..the lean would be to the East, but not by a wide margin..in just those top 4 teams. Moorhead would give the East an additional nudge, as they win 80% against the other "bottom" teams.

all I know is SMSU is in the harder division either way

[4THEPAW]

I think i actually do like the layout of east/west better, since you get all the minnesota schools in 1 division and then everyone else. For SOS reasons, I don't think playoff contenders in the west would like being grouped with jamestown, minot, and mary every year.

[Matt Witwicki]

I think i actually do like the layout of east/west better, since you get all the minnesota schools in 1 division and then everyone else. For SOS reasons, I don't think playoff contenders in the west would like being grouped with jamestown, minot, and mary every year.

In the same manner UMD has been for years.