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Highlights from a Star Trib. story:
http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/5377928.html
U football: Maturi sees good use for extra game
Dennis Brackin, Star Tribune
April 30, 2005
Move over, Wisconsin and Iowa Big Ten fans. The neighborhood rivalries for the Gophers football team could soon include Division I-AA programs from the Dakotas, Iowa and Montana.
That's the likely result of Thursday's move by the NCAA board of directors to add a 12th game starting in 2006 for Division I-A programs -- the highest NCAA football classification. The key scheduling component is that starting this season, Division I-A programs will be able to count one game each season against I-AA schools toward their bowl eligibility. Before this season the large schools could count a victory over a I-AA program toward bowl eligibility only once every four years.
The likelihood is that starting next season, the Gophers will be playing a home game each season against a Division I-AA program. Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said his preference is to bring in regional I-AA schools, and he classifies four in that category: North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Montana State.
"I think it's good for them and good for us," Maturi said. "I would not be opposed to thinking of a rotation of those four, and not even look at other I-AA's ."
Minnesota's athletic coffers figure to gain an additional $500,000 annually with a 12th football game, Maturi said. . . .
Division I-AA programs figure to get a guarantee of at least $250,000 to play BCS schools, such as Minnesota, and between $150,000 and $200,000 to play mid-level I-A programs.
"It's tremendous," NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor of the 12th game. "It's going to make it easier, I think, to find that I-A guarantee opportunity, because they can now play a I-AA program every year. Before [the I-A schools] were able to pick and choose who they played."
Maturi has already had preliminary talks with most of the ADs from the nearby I-AA schools.
Montana State AD Peter Fields said Friday that he's been trying to get a game against Minnesota for several years, but the dates haven't matched up. Montana State has not shied away from the big schools, scheduling Oklahoma State this season and Colorado next year.
"We'd be very interested in Minnesota," Fields said. "We have a number of alumni in the [Twin Cities] area, and it allows our student-atheletes to play in an environment that's fun to play in." Plus, he noted, it's a financial boon to Division I-AA programs. . . .
Maturi acknowledges that the move was driven by finances. He said he respects dissenting opinions on the subject but calls it "the reality of things."
He said his yearly goal in nonconference play will be to schedule one BCS opponent, one mid-level Division I game, one buy game (no return game at the opponent's field) and one Division I-AA game.
He'll have no trouble selling that to area I-AA officials. NDSU's Taylor already has a sales pitch for his program.
"We have 15,000 alumni in the Twin Cities, and we'll bring 5,000 fans down for a game from Fargo," Taylor said. "[Playing at Minnesota] will be our first effort [in scheduling a I-A team], without question."
Go State! ;D
http://www.startribune.com/stories/503/5377928.html
U football: Maturi sees good use for extra game
Dennis Brackin, Star Tribune
April 30, 2005
Move over, Wisconsin and Iowa Big Ten fans. The neighborhood rivalries for the Gophers football team could soon include Division I-AA programs from the Dakotas, Iowa and Montana.
That's the likely result of Thursday's move by the NCAA board of directors to add a 12th game starting in 2006 for Division I-A programs -- the highest NCAA football classification. The key scheduling component is that starting this season, Division I-A programs will be able to count one game each season against I-AA schools toward their bowl eligibility. Before this season the large schools could count a victory over a I-AA program toward bowl eligibility only once every four years.
The likelihood is that starting next season, the Gophers will be playing a home game each season against a Division I-AA program. Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi said his preference is to bring in regional I-AA schools, and he classifies four in that category: North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Montana State.
"I think it's good for them and good for us," Maturi said. "I would not be opposed to thinking of a rotation of those four, and not even look at other I-AA's ."
Minnesota's athletic coffers figure to gain an additional $500,000 annually with a 12th football game, Maturi said. . . .
Division I-AA programs figure to get a guarantee of at least $250,000 to play BCS schools, such as Minnesota, and between $150,000 and $200,000 to play mid-level I-A programs.
"It's tremendous," NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor of the 12th game. "It's going to make it easier, I think, to find that I-A guarantee opportunity, because they can now play a I-AA program every year. Before [the I-A schools] were able to pick and choose who they played."
Maturi has already had preliminary talks with most of the ADs from the nearby I-AA schools.
Montana State AD Peter Fields said Friday that he's been trying to get a game against Minnesota for several years, but the dates haven't matched up. Montana State has not shied away from the big schools, scheduling Oklahoma State this season and Colorado next year.
"We'd be very interested in Minnesota," Fields said. "We have a number of alumni in the [Twin Cities] area, and it allows our student-atheletes to play in an environment that's fun to play in." Plus, he noted, it's a financial boon to Division I-AA programs. . . .
Maturi acknowledges that the move was driven by finances. He said he respects dissenting opinions on the subject but calls it "the reality of things."
He said his yearly goal in nonconference play will be to schedule one BCS opponent, one mid-level Division I game, one buy game (no return game at the opponent's field) and one Division I-AA game.
He'll have no trouble selling that to area I-AA officials. NDSU's Taylor already has a sales pitch for his program.
"We have 15,000 alumni in the Twin Cities, and we'll bring 5,000 fans down for a game from Fargo," Taylor said. "[Playing at Minnesota] will be our first effort [in scheduling a I-A team], without question."
Go State! ;D
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