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  • Here is piece From today's Great Falls Tribune

    Here is piece From today's Great Falls Tribune
    For the entire article see this link:
    http://www.greatfallstribune.com/app...410210342/1006

    Saturday's nonconference clash in Bozeman between Montana State and South Dakota State is significant for both teams, and perhaps overly meaningful for the visiting Jackrabbits.

    Officials at South Dakota State, in its first season as affiliated with NCAA I-AA after many years in the Division II North Central Conference, would love to join the Big Sky Conference.

    "The most popular question this week is, how will this game play out in terms of us getting accepted in the Big Sky?" admitted SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier. "I would expect the Big Sky wants good programs so we need to make a good showing on Saturday. It all goes hand in hand."

    South Dakota State and North Dakota State, now members of the Great West Conference, are among a handful of schools that are interested in joining the Big Sky.

    Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton said the league presidents will consider the issue at their Dec. 13, but stressed that expansion is not necessarily imminent.

    "It's not a done deal at all," said Fullerton. "One thing the presidents are not interested in doing is taking in schools that would cause others to leave the conference. So I think the presidents will listen long and hard to people who have real strenuous objections for any reason."

    Travel, of course, is the key stumbling block for schools such as SDSU and NDSU. The closest Big Sky school to South Dakota State is Montana State, and Bozeman is about 700 miles west of Brookings, S.D.

    Fullerton said the issue of expansion will be resolved soon.

    "It's a good-faith attempt on the part of our presidents to take a look at these institutions," Fullerton said. "We think we owe (a decision) to them, up or down, so that they don't hang onto these hopes. And then we'll move on."




    The last time the South Dakota State Jackrabbits visited the Treasure State for a football game, it produced a lasting memory.

    "I still have nightmares about that one," said SDUS head coach John Stiegelmeier.

    Back in 1993, an SDSU team that included Stiegelmeier as defensive coordinator visited Missoula to take on the Grizzlies in a season opener.

    The Jackrabbits, then affiliated with NCAA Division II, grabbed a 38-7 lead in the third quarter against a Grizzly team being quarterbacked by sophomore Dave Dickenson, making his first college start.

    Dickenson, the Great Falls native who developed into a fine pro quarterback, led the Grizzlies to 32 unanswered points and capped the rally with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Scott Gurnsey. Montana won 52-48 in what was the greatest comeback in school history.

    Big Sky Notebook is compiled each week by Tribune writers George Geise and Scott Mansch, who may be reached at (800) 438-6600 or by e-mail at tribsports@sofast.net

    Originally published October 21, 2004

  • #2
    Re: Here is piece From today's Great Falls Tribune

    This game is far bigger for the Bobkitties than it is for the Jacks.

    If you guys win, great chalk up another one on a great season.

    If the Cats lose, there season is a disaster.

    That being said, I say

    MSU 24
    SDSU 21

    please prove me wrong, this would be a great victory for SDSU and the GWFC.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Here is piece From today's Great Falls Tribune

      You're completely right NDB. If we lose to MSU, it'll have been just a predictable loss to a Big Sky power, but if we win, it will be a great victory over the same. Either way it's a no win situation for them.

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