Big Sky Not Making The Dakota Mistake Twice

North Dakota and Southern Utah joins Big Sky, while South Dakota turns down BSC for MVFC
By Kent Schmidt
CSN West Columnist
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Just four or so years ago, the Big Sky Conference officials had a choice on what their expansion would be.*

At that time, the conference school’s presidents had a choice of two Dakota (North Dakota State and South Dakota State) schools and Northern Colorado, as well as Southern Utah.*
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Northern Colorado would be the only expansion school selected back then, leaving the other schools going to the Summit League for all non-football sports — or in Southern Utah’s case remaining in the Summit.*

NDSU and SDSU would be picked as the eighth and ninth members of the Missouri Valley Football League and Southern Utah remained in the Great West for football.*
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Moving forward to today, North Dakota and South Dakota are members of the Great West for football and for all other sports.*

But the Great West is a league that has just five members for football and will become three after the two California schools in UC Davis and Cal Poly will become members of the Big Sky for football only in 2012.*
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What four years ago seemed like geography as the reason for two Dakota schools not being included with the Big Sky expansion, now is so much a reason for North Dakota and South Dakota.*North Dakota and Southern Utah announced Monday that they have accepted an invitation to the Big Sky, with South Dakota turning down a Big Sky invite and accepting one with the Missouri Valley instead.*
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What is the reason for the Big Sky changing their tune on the Dakotas?

Likely the top reason is the increased uncertainty of the Division I conference landscape.*We know of the Western Athletic Conference trying to get Montana into their league so getting enough teams to withstand movement in the future.*
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*“The presidents wanted to position the Big Sky Conference as a major player in football in the West,’’ said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. “But most importantly, we wanted the right kinds of schools. Our presidents have always been driven by adding institutions that fit with the schools we currently have.* We’ve added two institutions that meet the criteria, and we’ve positioned ourselves to meet the visions of the presidents. We’re building a new kind of FCS conference.”
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That conference movement seems to me like the only reason why Dakota schools are now viable to the Big Sky and Missouri Valley.*

The same distance issues remain.*

Grand Forks, the home of UND, is 826 miles to Bozeman, the home of Montana State—the closest current Big Sky member.* Vermillion, the home of USD, is 571 miles to Greeley, the home of Northern Colorado, what would have been their closest current Big Sky member.*
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“We are excited to be joining the Big Sky Conference,’’ said UND President Dr. Robert O. Kelley. “This is the best of all possibilities for the University of North Dakota. We will be competing with some of our comparable peers in higher education – schools that look and perform like the University of North Dakota.’’
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Southern Utah makes the most sense as they likely could become a travel partner with Northern Arizona for non-football sports.* Cedar City, the home of Southern Utah, is just 287 miles apart from Flagstaff, Northern Arizona’s home.*
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“Today marks the culmination of many years of effort on the part of countless people committed to Southern Utah University and its future,’’ said Southern Utah President Michael T. Benson. “We are delighted to accept a spot within the Big Sky Conference as a full member in all sports and thank the institutional presidents and chancellors – and Commissioner Fullerton – for their vote of confidence in SUU.’’
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North Dakota and South Dakota would have been excellent travel partners in the Big Sky. located just 377 miles apart.*Just to remember, North Dakota State and South Dakota State are just 190 miles apart.*It is 106 miles from Vermillion to South Dakota State's home in Brookings, S.D., while North Dakota State in Fargo, N.D. is 283 miles away.
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Another reason might be to keep the two Montana schools within the Big Sky.* Those two schools do not have any other state flagship universities in the league, although Idaho State is probably third in that state’s pecking order behind Boise State and Idaho, who play football at the FBS level.*
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Will this move keep the Montana schools in the Big Sky?

I certainly hope this move helps keep them stay put.* Personally, I don’t think either would make it at the next level for football.*
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For every Boise State, the former Big Sky member that is ranked in the top 5 in the FBS ranks, there are schools like another Big Sky school like Idaho or others like Marshall that used to be FCS powers and are now also rans at the FBS level.*
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“We have to change a lot of mindsets,’’ Fullerton added. “Every time someone from our division has sustained success, the national media believes that school has to move up to the FBS level, and that’s not the case.”
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But even if the winning doesn’t come, however, some will argue that the money gained is there that would be too much to not consider.*
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What type of schools are coming into the Big Sky and MVFC?

North Dakota was the Division II national champion in 2001 and was the runner-up in 2003.**

North Dakota began the transition from Division II to Division I in 2007, and will be eligible for all Big Sky and NCAA Championships in 2012-2013.

North Dakota currently competes in the Great West Conference for most of its sports. The Fighting Sioux won 24 Division II North Central Conference football championships.
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Southern Utah also competes in the Great West for football and the Summit League for other sports.*This past Saturday, the Thunderbirds clinched their first Great West football championship with a 4-0 league mark.*This was after many so-so seasons previously.*
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South Dakota was a Division II power in the 1980s and made its tranision from Division II the same year as UND.*USD was the Division II runner-up in 1986 and a semi-finalist in 1985.* The Coyotes would be eligible for the BSC championship the same year as UND.*
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“I don't think it was mistake (in not adding NDSU and SDSU earlier),” Fullerton said on Monday. “Things have changed in the West. Without getting too deep into it, there was an opportunity here in the West that really triggered us to re-think our position, and that wasn't true five years ago. The West was more stable five years ago. The genesis of part of this vision is a reaction to some of the things that have happened. *I really think North Dakota State and South Dakota State - and this is backed up by my conversations with them - that they have a football league, they have a basketball league, they are comfortable where they are. I think that would be very difficult for them to go in any other direction.”
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I, however, thought four years ago the Big Sky should have selected NDSU and SDSU when they were transitioning and the Big Sky was expanding as the changes in conferences were just coming to light then and not as far down the road as the are currently.* Now, I think they got it right by selecting the two other Dakota schools.* We shall see if this move is as good as I think it is and if both actually join.*
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CSN West Game of the Week

Northern Iowa (5-3, 4-1) @ Indiana State (5-3, 3-2), Saturday, 3:05 p.m. Eastern
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It is a rare that Indiana State would have a game of the week but the Sycamores are still in a position to win the Missouri Valley title.* Indiana State hopes to break a seven game losing streak to the Panthers as the last in 2002 in Terre Haute (19-17).* Since that win, UNI has won most of the last seven by big margins.* In fact, the Panthers won by
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The Sycamores have won all five home games and scored 38 points in each one, going over 55 points three times. Fouch, has thrown for 15 touchdowns against only three interceptions this season, while running back Darrius Gates has scored a school-record 15 touchdowns, including five last Saturday against South Dakota State.
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The Panthers have a solid running game with quarterback Tirrell Rennie who has amassed 948 rushing yards as well as 1,099 passing yards on the season.* The Panthers have won three games in a row and have seemed to cure their earlier turnover bug problem.*
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I know that Indiana State is not the same old team but I just don’t seem them getting past the Panthers.* I will take UNI by a touchdown.* Northern Iowa 31 Indiana State 24.
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CSN West News & Notes

•For the first time since moving to the FCS level in 1996, Sacramento State has beaten two ranked teams in the same season. The Hornets blasted No. 25 Northern Arizona 40-10 in Flagstaff on Saturday. Earlier this season, the Hornets beat then-No. 21 Weber State.
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•Weber State’s 30-21 upset of No. 7 of Montana was highlighted by an effective running game that helped the Wildcats control the ball for 40 minutes and 28 seconds. The Wildcats outscored UM 17-0 in the second half and held the ball for 22 minutes and 27 seconds over the final 30 minutes. Weber State ran the ball 68 times for 259 yards. Vai Tafuna carried 29 times for 124 yards and scored four touchdowns.
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•Montana State pulled out a 23-20 overtime win at Idaho State on Saturday, the Bobcats’ second conference overtime victory this season. The Bobcats beat Sacramento State 64-61 in OT on the road earlier this season. MSU freshman QB Denarius McGhee scored on a 25-yard run on the Bobcats’ first play in overtime to end the game. MSU rolled up 529 yards off offense, compared to 189 for ISU. MSU lost four fumbles, missed two field goals, and was stopped on a fourth-and-goal.
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•Western Illinois and Illinois State combined to score 103 points in the Leathernecks’ 65-38 win at Hanson Field on Saturday.* It tied for the fourth-most points scored in a conference game in the 25-plus year history of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.* (The record is 111 in a 66-45 Indiana State win over Southern Illinois in 1999.)
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•Quarterback Matt Barr of Western Illinois threw for six scores (and ran for another) in Western Illinois’ 65-38 victory against Illinois State.* The six touchdown passes are just one shy of the league record.* His 452 passing yards are the fifth-highest total in a league game and second-best in Western history.* Barr’s 492 total offense yards were the fourth-most in league history.
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•Indiana State’s Darrius Gates ran for 143 yards and scored a school-record five scores as Indiana State defeated South Dakota State, 41-30.* Gates also set the single-season touchdown mark for the school as he now has 15 scores this season.
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•Northern Iowa defeated Youngstown State, 34-30, and the Panthers now have a 10-game win streak against the Penguins.* The league record for consecutive wins between two league members is 18, set by Western Illinois -- vs. Southern Illinois -- from 1984 until 2002.*
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•Southern Utah stormed through all four opponents on the way to the 2010 Great West crown, romping UC Davis 55-24 last week to cap an undefeated mark within the league.* Thunderbird quarterback Brad Sorsensen completed 30-of-36 passes for 397 yards and five touchdowns and also ran for another score.
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•Jacksonville equaled its longest win streak in school history with its seventh-straight victory, Saturday. The Dolphins have posted more than 500 yards in six of their last seven games and lead the FCS in scoring (45.4) and offensive yardage (512.6) for the second consecutive week. Jacksonville’s defense leads the league in defensive pass efficiency (113.4 rating) and intereceptions (14). The Dolphins and Drake each have returned four interceptions for touchdowns this season.
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•Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino improved to 17-1 as a starting quarterback with the Flyers’ victory at Davidson. He completed 11 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns and added 57 rushing yards. Flyer James Vercammen capped a busy October with five tackles and an interception. He recorded 55 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception during the month.