Next Round of Realignment

[Thunder]

With the newest round of realignment, how long before that trickles down to the NSIC. It looked like the Mountain West Conference almost circled the wagons, but Utah St jumped to the PAC12 and now it looks like UNLV and Air Force are reconsidering their own fates. Will the MWC come knocking for SDSU and NDSU (along with Montana and Montana St)? Will those schools make the jump? Does that finally clear a path for Mankato and Augie to the MVFC? Will Northern ever win another football game? A lot of questions in college football right now.

[zimmy21]

Question 1....Yes probably eventually, I think they'll attempt to draw some other schools just a little closer first, but yes I think they will eventually need to at least give the XDSU/UXD schools and Montana schools a look.

Question 2.... It's now or never. So here's hoping, personal opinion I know. Nothing against the NSIC

3. I know you're being sarcastic but yes of course I think you win a game or two this year

[NSU4LIFE]

SDSU and NDSU I think are almost a for sure, along with Montana and Montana State, I personally am not sold that USD and UND are as appealing, but maybe if it's a numbers game.

I think the Summit would be wise to then invite Mankato and Augie. Additionally, they should invite St. Cloud as well given the sports that are offered.

I can check later but the football scholarship limits make this a much more murky. Can those MVFC schools get to a Moutain West level? Probably. Can Mankato and Augie get there for MVFC level? That I have some serious doubts on. There is where the president's will have to make the call of what's important and be realistic of what is possible.

Northern will have their best opportunities with Concordia-St and Southwest. I just hope they keep working and keep striving for any small growth

[crixus]

Now that Utah State is joining the PAC 12 I think the remaining MW conference teams will all leave (some more will join the Pac 12 and others will probably join the American Athletic Conference or the Sun Belt). I also think the MW will eventually close shop altogether. Nothing against the FCS teams some of you mentioned, my gut tells me they'll realize that the MW isn't stable and stay away.

[NSU4LIFE]

Idaho is another to watch for Moutain West acquisitions.

Something we never talk about is the RMAC schools that may look to move D1 and either MVFC/Summit or whatever else presents itself. Maybe Colorado has a Minnesota/Wisconsin strangle hold, if not, they have some programs that could make the move.

[SW_Mustang]

I don't think Mankato/Augie will jump to the MVFC right away. If they choose to keep football, it will likely be the PFL - maybe the MVFC takes St. Thomas or some other random already D1 school.

NSIC would backfill with Dakota State for sure - not sure who else would join with them.

And to answer your last question, NSU should win their week 8 matchup.

[Millsy]

Can the XDSU/UXD schools even make the move to FBS? FBS has stadium capacity requirements, and with UND, NDSU and USD all having domes, expanding them to basically double their seating is going to be almost impossible.

I cannot see SCSU going D-I to the Summit. The school is hemorrhaging money and has had to make so many budget cuts just to try and slow the bleeding down. I do not see where they would get the money to be able to go D-I.

[Purple Mav Man]

Can the XDSU/UXD schools even make the move to FBS? FBS has stadium capacity requirements, and with UND, NDSU and USD all having domes, expanding them to basically double their seating is going to be almost impossible.

I cannot see SCSU going D-I to the Summit. The school is hemorrhaging money and has had to make so many budget cuts just to try and slow the bleeding down. I do not see where they would get the money to be able to go D-I.

Correct. St Cloud will close down before they can afford to move all athletics to D1.

St Cloud is a mess. I question whether any conference would even want them.

[SW_Mustang]

Idaho is another to watch for Moutain West acquisitions.

Something we never talk about is the RMAC schools that may look to move D1 and either MVFC/Summit or whatever else presents itself. Maybe Colorado has a Minnesota/Wisconsin strangle hold, if not, they have some programs that could make the move.

UCCS and MSU-Denver? The others look a bit small. Maybe Pueblo would be interested?

People will say Mines due to football, but I don't see it.

[njmav1]

Can the XDSU/UXD schools even make the move to FBS? FBS has stadium capacity requirements, and with UND, NDSU and USD all having domes, expanding them to basically double their seating is going to be almost impossible.

I cannot see SCSU going D-I to the Summit. The school is hemorrhaging money and has had to make so many budget cuts just to try and slow the bleeding down. I do not see where they would get the money to be able to go D-I.

I don't think the stadium capacity is required any more. I believe it was 30k but there were MAC schools below that. I think the 15k attendance average is still in place, so NDSU/SDSU won't have any problem.

[SW_Mustang]

Can the XDSU/UXD schools even make the move to FBS? FBS has stadium capacity requirements, and with UND, NDSU and USD all having domes, expanding them to basically double their seating is going to be almost impossible.

I cannot see SCSU going D-I to the Summit. The school is hemorrhaging money and has had to make so many budget cuts just to try and slow the bleeding down. I do not see where they would get the money to be able to go D-I.

FBS used to have an average attendance requirement of 15,000/game over a rolling two-year period if I'm correct - so XDSU is safe in that regard. However, it was pretty well known that the NCAA a) almost never enforced it and b) teams were openly lying about their attendance. Charlotte was notorious about this and often could draw less than a GVSU-type program.

However, I just looked it up and that rule appears to be abolished now - so it's a moot point.

[SW_Mustang]

I don't think the stadium capacity is required any more. I believe it was 30k but there were MAC schools below that. I think the 15k attendance average is still in place, so NDSU/SDSU won't have any problem.

That was squashed recently: The NCAA announced new FBS requirements. Here are the biggest hurdles for FCS programs (texasfootball.com)

[Thunder]

Now that Utah State is joining the PAC 12 I think the remaining MW conference teams will all leave (some more will join the Pac 12 and others will probably join the American Athletic Conference or the Sun Belt). I also think the MW will eventually close shop altogether. Nothing against the FCS teams some of you mentioned, my gut tells me they'll realize that the MW isn't stable and stay away.

This would make the most sense, but that doesn't seem to coincide with a lot of the decision making in college athletics recently (see Washington vs Rutgers in B1G 10 football this week). I don't know that it would be the best option for those I mentioned either, but I know NDSU especially has a growing number of fans that want to see the Bison move up. If things continue on their current path, I could see the MWC effectively being in whatever level 2 of college football is and that is where the Bison and Jacks want to be. Perhaps they can convince the MVFC to move up to that level as a whole, but the MWC might offer a quicker path to that. College football is all about the dollars and not about the sense.

[Ironlinks]

Been a ton of whispers about Augie and Kato going up. Augie's game vs SDSU shows there isn't a major difference between the teams. Title IX basically stops any team from moving up unless some donor gives them $$$$$$$$$$. Augie took the hockey route cuz hockey doesn't play into Title IX or makes very little difference. Plus Augie got a great fundraiser to get the $$$$$ for hockey. The bluebloods at Augie are getting to the age where they are passing away. Not sure how many are gifting $$$$ or enough for Augie to move up.
Witt obviously would have way more answers since he knows just about everybody and has way more info than me. Plus he used to have the best $8 hoodies in America :)

[vikingfaithful]

Been a ton of whispers about Augie and Kato going up. Augie's game vs SDSU shows there isn't a major difference between the teams. Title IX basically stops any team from moving up unless some donor gives them $$$$$$$$$$. Augie took the hockey route cuz hockey doesn't play into Title IX or makes very little difference. Plus Augie got a great fundraiser to get the $$$$$ for hockey. The bluebloods at Augie are getting to the age where they are passing away. Not sure how many are gifting $$$$ or enough for Augie to move up.
Witt obviously would have way more answers since he knows just about everybody and has way more info than me. Plus he used to have the best $8 hoodies in America :)

Augustana couldn't raise the huge amount of extra $$$ to run it's athletic budget. SDSU cannot, they suckle on the taxpayer teat to fund their D1 budget, same at USD. Great article here.

SDSU, USD rely heavily on state money and student fees to subsidize Division I athletics (dakotanewsnow.com)