Playing USD again (football)

[Jack4Life]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Really hadn't thought about the rivalry getting weaker in recent years till reading this thread. Went to the last SDSU-USD FB game at the dome. Big build up for the game, although there was a good crowd, it was far from a sellout. At least there were plenty of empty seats on the USD side. If there was every going to be a SRO crowd, that should have been it.

[Haldersham]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

SDSU is nearing the end of the reclassification period, while USD has yet to start the process. I think SDSU needs to play its options that are out their now and not worry about resuming a rivalry. Its kind of stupid, but somehow becaue a once grad assistant at SDSU and now the coach at USD has managed to put three good seasons together that somehow, SDSU should be itching to play them. When we can get 10 to 15k crowds playing Calfornia schools, its not really a good sign that we need to play USD. Lets see how USD does this year. Without Steffan Logan, USD does not have much offense and with Central Arkansas shutting Logan down, its tells me a great deal about the quality of the program. In other words, USD is not a Cal Poly or a McNeese. If the D1AA opponents are out there, lets play them instead and we would be very stupid to turn down Iowa State to play USD.

[senator07]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Screw USD! Why should we help them out and schedule a close game. Make them drive all over the country and play games or let them play NAIA teams. The whole time when we were trying to get into the Big Sky or trying to go DI they were lobby against us. So why should we help them? We don't need the extra games. And who cares if any Politicians want us to play USD. All they have done is cut higher education funding anyways, so it is not like they are helping us out. The donors, students and the fans of SDSU are the people we need to worry about not anyone else.

[Jack4Life]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

You shouldn't candy-coat your feelings, just tell us how you really feel!!!

Appreciate your honesty...

[filbert]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

My opinion is that it's naive to think that we'll never play USD again. Certainly until they're a D-I counter it makes no sense. After that . . . we'll just have to see. But with us having only three open dates per year in the Gateway, finding a spot for them on our schedule, after a FBS guarantee game will be difficult.

I think we'll play USD again, possibly even renew an annual series. But I'm in no hurry to do so.

[West_River_Jack]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

I think that once USD becomes a counter with regard to playoffs that SDSU will consider USD as an opponent with the same criteria that they consider everybody else, i.e. UC Davis, Cal Poly, Georgia Southern, etc..  These criteria will include such things as mutually available game dates, probable costs, possible income, and whether we need to schedule a traditionally tough or traditionally easy opponent.  USD will easily win hands down on the probable costs category because of travel distance.  Whether or not we, the fans, keep filling the stands for other opponents will have a lot of bearing on predictions of possible income.

I hope the legislature stays out of this argument.  I think they will as long as the administration appears to be taking the above and other pros and cons into good faith consideration.  

I look forward to seeing the game played again someday.  I'm willing to be patient.  I know that others have listed several annual non-conference rivalries in response to my previous question.  Thanks for the answers.  I don't think there is room in an eleven game schedule for a participant in a nine team conference to have an annual out of conference rivalry game.  I think that less than annual will have to suffice.

[joeboo22]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

It would make alot of sence to play USD for finance issues, you have very little travel and will sell out every game the thing is until USD has became an established team why play them. Until there decent it makes no sence because its loose loose the only thing you benefit with is money, actually the game may be played earlier then I think.

[JBB123]

Re: Gateway Announcement!  

Im not so sure about that. Youre right about big crowds for big games for sure but overall attendance will probably go up too because the level of play, the quality of the game will be higher. Its happened in Fargo already.

[89rabbit]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Some folks are talking about "sellout" crowds if USD comes to town, I don't understand this.  .  .   :-?  When was the last sellout because of a football game against the Coyotes?  1985.  That was along time ago and it was Hobo Day.  Typically the USD game has been nowhere near a sellout; it hasn't even been our best attended game in a long time.


Here are a look at our recent past:

SDSU vs. USD

2003 at Vermillion - 8,681 (our largest home crowd in '03 -- NW Missouri State 8,697 - St. Cloud 8,464 - Hobo Day)

2002 at Brookings - 5,023 (our largest home crowds in '02 -- Chadron State - 6,196, UNO - 7,581, UND - 11,581 - Hobo Day)

2001 at Vermillion - 7,284 (our largest home crowds in '01 -- St. Cloud 9,323 - Augie -12,418 - Hobo Day)

2000 at Brookings - 6,112 (our largest home crowds in '00 -- Northern Colorado 7,623 - Minnesota State 10,145 - Hobo Day)

1999 at Vermillion - 6,412 (our largest home corwds in '99 -- Augie 10,114 - North Dakota 10,193 - Hobo Day)


I too think that we will eventually play USD again, but I am in no hurry to do so.  It is clear that USD isn't the "draw" that some remember it to be.  

Our avg. attendance since we moved to D-I (and stopped playing USD) looks like this:

2004 - 9,846 (our largest home corwds in '04 -- NDSU 12,323 - Augie 13,116 - Hobo Day)
2005 - 6,972 (our largest home crowds in '05 -- Cal Poly 10,633 - Missouri-Rolla 14,503 - Hobo Day)
2006 - 9,652 (our largest home crowds in '06 -- Central Arkansas 12,332 - UC Davis 15,248 - Hobo Day)

Our avg. in any of those years beats the best USD crowd in Brookings listed.  I can undersatnd why USD wants to start this thing back up as soon as possible, but I think we should be selective in our approach to non-conference games.  Now that we are joining the Gateway the OOC games will be at a premium.

Go State!  

[senator07]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

I like your research and I agree with you.

[JimmyJack]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Some folks are talking about "sellout" crowds if USD comes to town, I don't understand this. . . :-? When was the last sellout because of a football game against the Coyotes? 1985. That was along time ago and it was Hobo Day. Typically the USD game has been nowhere near a sellout; it hasn't even been our best attended game in a long time.


Here are a look at our recent past:

SDSU vs. USD

2003 at Vermillion - 8,681 (our largest home crowd in '03 -- NW Missouri State 8,697 - St. Cloud 8,464 - Hobo Day)

2002 at Brookings - 5,023 (our largest home crowds in '02 -- Chadron State - 6,196, UNO - 7,581, UND - 11,581 - Hobo Day)

2001 at Vermillion - 7,284 (our largest home crowds in '01 -- St. Cloud 9,323 - Augie -12,418 - Hobo Day)

2000 at Brookings - 6,112 (our largest home crowds in '00 -- Northern Colorado 7,623 - Minnesota State 10,145 - Hobo Day)

1999 at Vermillion - 6,412 (our largest home corwds in '99 -- Augie 10,114 - North Dakota 10,193 - Hobo Day)


I too think that we will eventually play USD again, but I am in no hurry to do so. It is clear that USD isn't the "draw" that some remember it to be.

Our avg. attendance since we moved to D-I (and stopped playing USD) looks like this:

2004 - 9,846 (our largest home corwds in '04 -- NDSU 12,323 - Augie 13,116 - Hobo Day)
2005 - 6,972 (our largest home crowds in '05 -- Cal Poly 10,633 - Missouri-Rolla 14,503 - Hobo Day)
2006 - 9,652 (our largest home crowds in '06 -- Central Arkansas 12,332 - UC Davis 15,248 - Hobo Day)

Our avg. in any of those years beats the best USD crowd in Brookings listed. I can undersatnd why USD wants to start this thing back up as soon as possible, but I think we should be selective in our approach to non-conference games. Now that we are joining the Gateway the OOC games will be at a premium.

Go State!

Apparently that "silent majority" out there pining for a USD game was silent even when we played USD every year.

[State_fan]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Set aside attendance and money, what about bragging rights... Doesn't that mean anything? Isn't that the point of a rivalry in the first place? You go back when we were playing the U, and what was the most important game on the schedule? A lot of people would say that game.  Now, many of these young guys here at state probably don't realize that because they've never even experienced a state-u game.  But I believe that the passion when we play them again will be there. Case in point - the hockey games this spring between state-u.  The crowd was electric (and probably mostly intoxicated)...but never the less the atmosphere was awesome.

When we were playing on level ground (both DII), it meant something to say we were the best team in the state.  I realize now that we are established in DIAA and we aren't really on level ground anymore, we would crush them if we played this fall.  But, give them a couple years to sweat it out, travel all around the country playing games and play some William Penn type school in the Dome a few times and maybe get a little better (if they can).  Then once the U proves they can play with us, defeats some quality DIAA opponents, then give them a shot with the big dogs again.  

[JimmyJack]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Set aside attendance and money, what about bragging rights... Doesn't that mean anything? Isn't that the point of a rivalry in the first place? You go back when we were playing the U, and what was the most important game on the schedule? A lot of people would say that game. Now, many of these young guys here at state probably don't realize that because they've never even experienced a state-u game. But I believe that the passion when we play them again will be there. Case in point - the hockey games this spring between state-u. The crowd was electric (and probably mostly intoxicated)...but never the less the atmosphere was awesome.

When we were playing on level ground (both DII), it meant something to say we were the best team in the state. I realize now that we are established in DIAA and we aren't really on level ground anymore, we would crush them if we played this fall. But, give them a couple years to sweat it out, travel all around the country playing games and play some William Penn type school in the Dome a few times and maybe get a little better (if they can). Then once the U proves they can play with us, defeats some quality DIAA opponents, then give them a shot with the big dogs again.

You'll get no argument from me on that count. The scenario you describe is probably just about exactly what will happen. But in the meantime, it does us no good to play them, and in fact could harm our chances for a playoff game at the end of the season.

[goon]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

I myself would maybe like to see something like what colorado and colo state, do. They always play each other in the first game of the year in Denver and its always a big deal. I would be alright doing something like that with U dot In SF but if the attendance needs the room to play we would have to always play in Brookings. SF and Verm might not be big enough. On the other hand if that would take a way from a money game, I would rather see a money game from a big program then anything to do with USD.

I know a lot of people don't want us to play them to help them out because they were worthless and wouldn't help us at all. My thoughts though, are that we are prolly going to start playing again, Why not welcome them into new division with a for sure easy game agaisnt them. It would make it easier for us in recruiting when people see us dominating USD. It seems USD came to Div 1 because of us, that they still need us. Why not give them what they want and were missing out on, a ass kickin on the field and a good dose of reality.

[89rabbit]

Re: Playing USD again (football)

Set aside attendance and money, what about bragging rights... Doesn't that mean anything? Isn't that the point of a rivalry in the first place? You go back when we were playing the U, and what was the most important game on the schedule? A lot of people would say that game.  Now, many of these young guys here at state probably don't realize that because they've never even experienced a state-u game.  But I believe that the passion when we play them again will be there. Case in point - the hockey games this spring between state-u.  The crowd was electric (and probably mostly intoxicated)...but never the less the atmosphere was awesome.

When we were playing on level ground (both DII), it meant something to say we were the best team in the state.  I realize now that we are established in DIAA and we aren't really on level ground anymore, we would crush them if we played this fall.  But, give them a couple years to sweat it out, travel all around the country playing games and play some William Penn type school in the Dome a few times and maybe get a little better (if they can).  Then once the U proves they can play with us, defeats some quality DIAA opponents, then give them a shot with the big dogs again.  

I am not sure I buy into this "most important" game of the year stuff.  Our friends to the South always practiced that kind of behavior and it never really took them too far.  Even now it seems one of the biggest reasons that they moved to D-I was so they could play us again.

One of the reasons it wasn't the same for us was because the most important game of the year to USD was SDSU.  The most important game of the year to Augie was SDSU, even to a certain extent the most important game of the year for Northern was SDSU.  They all focused on us while we focused on winning/ourselves.

Don't get me wrong I think beating those guys back in the day was a kick, but we always worried about more then just a single game or series.  We wanted to win the conference and get into the playoffs and had other goals that went beyond just the rivalry.

Perhaps some of you miss playing for "something" and the old rivalries seem like a good answer, it would have been nice to have them these past few years when we didn't have much to play for but pride.  Alas it was not to be, but now we face a bright and shinny new future one filled with conference rivals of a higher caliber and I am looking forward to it.  It is great to almost be out of Independent and transitional status!   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Finally to address your question about bragging rights  .  .  .  does Ohio State need to play the University of Ohio to know that they are the better team?  :-? 8-)


Go State!