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North Dakota State, SDSU feel move up is paying off
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 10/8/2004
South Dakota State's and North Dakota State's move to Division I is barely a month old, even though all of the bickering and bantering make it seem like it's been ages since the two schools were in Division II.
Each has had some significant triumphs - such as the Bison selling out the FargoDome for their first football game and the Jackrabbits taking out perennial I-AA football power Southern in Louisiana.
Both have also had their share of struggles. Recruiting against the Northern Iowas and Creightons of Division I has proven more challenging than the standard Division II fare, and first-year scheduling is, in some cases, as difficult as advertised.
"It just depends on from what perspective you're coming from," NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor said. "From an administrator's perspective, I think it's going as well as it could, if not better."
Granted, those associated with making the decision - such as Taylor and his SDSU counterpart, Fred Oien - have argued all along that this isn't being done for the here and now, but rather, as a necessity for the future. Still, as the two schools prepared to meet Saturday in both football and volleyball for the first time since the Division I leap, what better time to look at the progress made?
Both football teams played in
52-0 games to start the season, but only the Bison were victorious (even though Valparaiso does not offer scholarships for football). NDSU also picked up another I-AA victory last week at Nicholls State in Louisiana, 24-14
"As each step has gone along the way, some of the obstacles the naysayers raised diminished one by one," Bison coach Craig Bohl said. "Each week, there's more confirmation that this was the right move for NDSU."
The Jacks' stunning upset over Southern rippled throughout I-AA and put them on the to-watch list, but the Bison, 4-1, have been more consistent. South Dakota State enters Saturday's game 3-2.
SDSU's volleyball team has the upper hand with a 7-9 record and some Division I victories, compared to NDSU's 4-12 mark. In most other fall sports, the two schools are about on equal footing.
Everyone knows that football leads the way, though. Saturday's game will give either the Bison or the Jackrabbits bragging rights until they meet again in Fargo on Oct. 15, 2005.
"It's a measuring stick as to who's doing better so far in the transition," Taylor said. "It's not really a fair one, but people will look and say who has the upper hand in the move."
EARLY EDGE: NDSU
Scheduling
The biggest victory for the Jackrabbit football program came the day the 2004 schedule was released. Though they only have four home games this year, Coach John Stiegelmeier crafted one of
I-AA's most challenging schedules. On top of an already difficult Great West Football Conference slate, SDSU plays top-level I-AA programs in Georgia Southern and Montana State, as well as the victory at Southern.
"We've got a tough road to hoe yet," said Stiegelmeier, who has seven home games lined up for next season. "There's a lot of games left this year, and in the whole process, to become a legitimate I-AA team."
The SDSU men's and women's basketball teams are also showing the school is willing to take on all comer's. Aaron Johnston's women will play Big Ten powerhouse Purdue, as well as Southern California, Oklahoma State, Kentucky and North Carolina State. Games at Marquette, Butler (Ind.), Manhattan and Colorado highlight the men's schedule put together by Coach Scott Nagy.
"If we're going to figure out what it takes for us to be a good Division I program," Oien said, "we've got to see it and play it. I've asked that of the coaches, and they've done it."
NDSU hasn't come close to accomplishing such first-season scheduling feats, though its men's hoops team does have games lined up with Kansas State and NCAA Tournament qualifier Manhattan. The Bison women's soccer team only managed to get three home exhibition matches and will play 17 games on the road.
EARLY EDGE: SDSU
(see part 2 for the rest of the story)
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
published: 10/8/2004
South Dakota State's and North Dakota State's move to Division I is barely a month old, even though all of the bickering and bantering make it seem like it's been ages since the two schools were in Division II.
Each has had some significant triumphs - such as the Bison selling out the FargoDome for their first football game and the Jackrabbits taking out perennial I-AA football power Southern in Louisiana.
Both have also had their share of struggles. Recruiting against the Northern Iowas and Creightons of Division I has proven more challenging than the standard Division II fare, and first-year scheduling is, in some cases, as difficult as advertised.
"It just depends on from what perspective you're coming from," NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor said. "From an administrator's perspective, I think it's going as well as it could, if not better."
Granted, those associated with making the decision - such as Taylor and his SDSU counterpart, Fred Oien - have argued all along that this isn't being done for the here and now, but rather, as a necessity for the future. Still, as the two schools prepared to meet Saturday in both football and volleyball for the first time since the Division I leap, what better time to look at the progress made?
Both football teams played in
52-0 games to start the season, but only the Bison were victorious (even though Valparaiso does not offer scholarships for football). NDSU also picked up another I-AA victory last week at Nicholls State in Louisiana, 24-14
"As each step has gone along the way, some of the obstacles the naysayers raised diminished one by one," Bison coach Craig Bohl said. "Each week, there's more confirmation that this was the right move for NDSU."
The Jacks' stunning upset over Southern rippled throughout I-AA and put them on the to-watch list, but the Bison, 4-1, have been more consistent. South Dakota State enters Saturday's game 3-2.
SDSU's volleyball team has the upper hand with a 7-9 record and some Division I victories, compared to NDSU's 4-12 mark. In most other fall sports, the two schools are about on equal footing.
Everyone knows that football leads the way, though. Saturday's game will give either the Bison or the Jackrabbits bragging rights until they meet again in Fargo on Oct. 15, 2005.
"It's a measuring stick as to who's doing better so far in the transition," Taylor said. "It's not really a fair one, but people will look and say who has the upper hand in the move."
EARLY EDGE: NDSU
Scheduling
The biggest victory for the Jackrabbit football program came the day the 2004 schedule was released. Though they only have four home games this year, Coach John Stiegelmeier crafted one of
I-AA's most challenging schedules. On top of an already difficult Great West Football Conference slate, SDSU plays top-level I-AA programs in Georgia Southern and Montana State, as well as the victory at Southern.
"We've got a tough road to hoe yet," said Stiegelmeier, who has seven home games lined up for next season. "There's a lot of games left this year, and in the whole process, to become a legitimate I-AA team."
The SDSU men's and women's basketball teams are also showing the school is willing to take on all comer's. Aaron Johnston's women will play Big Ten powerhouse Purdue, as well as Southern California, Oklahoma State, Kentucky and North Carolina State. Games at Marquette, Butler (Ind.), Manhattan and Colorado highlight the men's schedule put together by Coach Scott Nagy.
"If we're going to figure out what it takes for us to be a good Division I program," Oien said, "we've got to see it and play it. I've asked that of the coaches, and they've done it."
NDSU hasn't come close to accomplishing such first-season scheduling feats, though its men's hoops team does have games lined up with Kansas State and NCAA Tournament qualifier Manhattan. The Bison women's soccer team only managed to get three home exhibition matches and will play 17 games on the road.
EARLY EDGE: SDSU
(see part 2 for the rest of the story)