Big Sky going to 9 game schedule

[kemajic]

In the history of college football, has there ever been a 9 game schedule in a conference with over 10 teams? No, because it's foolish and lends itself to unequal home and away games. If the have-nots want to schedule more non-conference games with other BSC schools, knock your socks off.

In an attempt to catch up, a suggestion would be to review the current conf. schedules for the Pac12 and the Big10.

Major difference between the PAC12/Big10 and the BSC is a 12 game schedule vs 11 game schedule. I hate the 9 conference game set-up, but a major reason both those conferences moved to it was the difficulty in finding a quality 4th OOC game for all schools. I also believe a 9 game conference schedule for the BSC will lead to less UM/NDSU type games. Most BSC schools need that FBS payday and to balance it out will look for a winnable game, most likely D2, to fill the other date. And in seasons where Montana has 5 conference road games, they will be stuck in a position to find 2 home games.

2020 is a long way off.

 

[BadlandsGrizFan]

I think theyre doing this so North Dakota can add UC-Davis to their powerhouse schedule.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

In the history of college football, has there ever been a 9 game schedule in a conference with over 10 teams? No, because it's foolish and lends itself to unequal home and away games. If the have-nots want to schedule more non-conference games with other BSC schools, knock your socks off.

In an attempt to catch up, a suggestion would be to review the current conf. schedules for the Pac12 and the Big10.

Major difference between the PAC12/Big10 and the BSC is a 12 game schedule vs 11 game schedule. I hate the 9 conference game set-up, but a major reason both those conferences moved to it was the difficulty in finding a quality 4th OOC game for all schools. I also believe a 9 game conference schedule for the BSC will lead to less UM/NDSU type games. Most BSC schools need that FBS payday and to balance it out will look for a winnable game, most likely D2, to fill the other date. And in seasons where Montana has 5 conference road games, they will be stuck in a position to find 2 home games.

2020 is a long way off.

Maybe they can go to a 10 game conference schedule if the 12 game schedule is approved

 

[kemajic]

If you look at all the non-conf. games that occur between conf. members, I'm not so sure the change will be that significant. OOC games are hard to schedule and will be harder as more FBS conferences forbid games with FCS teams.

 

[DPGriz]

Makes sense considering how many teams in the conference are scheduling "non-conference games" against other Big Sky schools. Also will help mitigate some of the issues with the unbalanced scheduling in conference.

Actually, schools are not still scheduling other conference schools in non-conference games now. That was mostly due to games that were already scheduled as non-conference prior to the last conference expansion or because teams lost non-conference games because those schools joined the BSC and could not fit the games in anymore and schools were left scrambling. UM/Poly was an example of keeping a game as non-conference and EWU/MSU was an example of just needing to fill a schedule due to losing games to teams that joined. The move to 9 conference games is just another poor move by the BSC. It solves nothing and hurts schools that rely on FBS money games (many BSC schools) or schools that rely on 6 home games (UM and MSU)

Teams can still play and FBS game with a 9 game conference schedule, especially if they building a schedule to get into the playoffs. The Griz can still get 6 home games if they schedule properly, just go home-and-home with a MVC team and align the Montana home game with a year we only have 4 conference home games and then buy a second home game from the usual suspects (D2, Mississippi Valley State, ect).

 

[Ursa Major]

In the history of college football, has there ever been a 9 game schedule in a conference with over 10 teams? No, because it's foolish and lends itself to unequal home and away games. If the have-nots want to schedule more non-conference games with other BSC schools, knock your socks off.

In an attempt to catch up, a suggestion would be to review the current conf. schedules for the Pac12 and the Big10.

You got me there Kem. The Big 10 plays 9 games with a 14 team conference. Not sure how you get past the intrinsic bias of some teams playing 5 home games vs. some playing 4 home The SEC (another 14 team conference) avoids this with 6 intra/2 inter divisional games.

 

[EverettGriz]

Once again, as it always has and apparently always will, the bsc is catering to the lowest denominator.

I've said it at least 100 times: that is completely and totally backasswards! Successful conferences do precisely the opposite. They reward and cater to their top programs, and in doing so, they force the lowest participants along. Those programs either get bigger and better, or they get gone.

Now, more than ever since we seemingly have every DI program west of the Mississippi in the conference and could stand to shed a half-dozen teams, it's time to begin governing so that the decisions benefit Montana, MSU and Eastern in football and Montana and Weber in BB. Don't like it? Then improve or go elsewhere.

 

[GeauxGriz]

Somebody do the research on starting a new conference. Maybe one of you all-world lawyer types that has nothing better to do ought to make a run at starting a new conference. The obvious conference should be:

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
Idaho State (They'd need to be committed to stepping up their game in this new conference)
North Dakota
NDSU
South Dakota
SDSU

And then one more of: EWU or WSU or perhaps Wyoming gets in were they fit in.

8 Conference games - 4 home, 4 road. a bye week and two outta conference.

Less directional schools - instant street cred even among the FBS. And would be in a position to take the whole conference to FBS if the stars aligned.

Hockey is the only big question to work thru here.

 

[GeauxGriz]

It would also leave a west conference of:

EWU or WSU
SUU
Cal Poly
NAU
Port St
Cal Davis
Sac St

that could look to add:

Western Washington
Central Washington
San Diego
Eastern Oregon
Western Oregon

 

[AZGrizFan]

Somebody do the research on starting a new conference. Maybe one of you all-world lawyer types that has nothing better to do ought to make a run at starting a new conference. The obvious conference should be:

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
Idaho State (They'd need to be committed to stepping up their game in this new conference)
North Dakota
NDSU
South Dakota
SDSU

And then one more of: EWU or WSU or perhaps Wyoming gets in were they fit in.

8 Conference games - 4 home, 4 road. a bye week and two outta conference.

Fuck that. Both EWU and WSU in, ISU out. There's your conference. Nice, tight, Hi-line conference....

Let ISU, PSU, SUU, NAU, UNC, UC-Davis, CP and Suck State go back to a reformed Great West where everybody sucks.

 

[DPGriz]

Somebody do the research on starting a new conference. Maybe one of you all-world lawyer types that has nothing better to do ought to make a run at starting a new conference. The obvious conference should be:

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
Idaho State (They'd need to be committed to stepping up their game in this new conference)
North Dakota
NDSU
South Dakota
SDSU

And then one more of: EWU or WSU or perhaps Wyoming gets in were they fit in.

8 Conference games - 4 home, 4 road. a bye week and two outta conference.

f*** that. Both EWU and WSU in, ISU out. There's your conference. Nice, tight, Hi-line conference....

Let ISU, PSU, SUU, NAU, UNC, UC-Davis, CP and Suck State go back to a reformed Great West where everybody sucks.

Yup, that would be the ideal conference for the Griz (at least in the FCS), but is there any way that the Dakota schools would actually leave the Valley?

 

[EverettGriz]

is there any way that the Dakota schools would actually leave the Valley?

Noooooooo waaaaaayyyyyy. FAR too valuable from a basketball perspective, something that always gets overlooked. The bsc is a complete joke in football, but it's much, much worse in basketball, which is really hard to do.

 

[Inspector Griz]

Maybe the BSC is not catering to UM, MSU and to an extent EWU because they figure there future in the FCS is limited? Maybe the BSC is catering to the schools it feel will remain? Heck I would rather see UM and MSU in the MVC if they stay FCS. Maybe get UND, UI Vandals as well as EWU to come along. That would be a strong football conference and better Bball conference. Heck the MVC has a better shot of going FBS as a conf than the BSC.

 

[PlayerRep]

I wonder if the 9-game schedule will actually get instituted. I don't, at least yet, see the great benefit weighed against what appears to be negatives. Tougher to schedule FBS games and tougher to have enough home games, and tougher to schedule with one less open slot per year. Also, I like the non-conference games, because we get to experience new teams or teams we haven't played for a while. Finding someone to play is one thing, but finding a date that works for both teams is another thing.

 

[UTGrizFan]

Personally I don't think a nine-game conference schedule is necessarily a bad thing, I mean we're already playing a conference opponent and having it not count as a conference game they are just getting rid of that. And even if it stays at only 11 total games a year that still leaves two weeks open for some schools like Idaho State to schedule money games.

Thinking about it this might be a maneuver to prepare for when P5 schools stop scheduling FCS competition which is becoming more and more reality (Big10 and ACC so far) and ease OOC scheduling since as mentioned it's hard to get games with other FCS Conferences.

 

[HelenaHandBasket]

Personally I don't think a nine-game conference schedule is necessarily a bad thing, I mean we're already playing a conference opponent and having it not count as a conference game they are just getting rid of that. And even if it stays at only 11 total games a year that still leaves two weeks open for some schools like Idaho State to schedule money games.

Thinking about it this might be a maneuver to prepare for when P5 schools stop scheduling FCS competition which is becoming more and more reality (Big10 and ACC so far) and ease OOC scheduling since as mentioned it's hard to get games with other FCS Conferences.

Which game would that be?

 

[nodak651]

is there any way that the Dakota schools would actually leave the Valley?

Noooooooo waaaaaayyyyyy. FAR too valuable from a basketball perspective, something that always gets overlooked. The bsc is a complete joke in football, but it's much, much worse in basketball, which is really hard to do.

They aren't actually in the valley for basketball, though. I think this would be a legit basketball conference with the teams involved.

 

[George Ferguson]

The Griz have yet to play a non-conference game against a Big Sky team because they HAD TO. Last year's game against Cal Poly was on the books two years before CP joined the Big Sky.

 

[kemajic]

Maybe the BSC is not catering to UM, MSU and to an extent EWU because they figure there future in the FCS is limited? Maybe the BSC is catering to the schools it feel will remain? Heck I would rather see UM and MSU in the MVC if they stay FCS. Maybe get UND, UI Vandals as well as EWU to come along. That would be a strong football conference and better Bball conference. Heck the MVC has a better shot of going FBS as a conf than the BSC.

So you want to travel to Youngstown, Ohio (near the PA border)? Crazy. UND, yes, the others, no.

 

[kemajic]

Somebody do the research on starting a new conference. Maybe one of you all-world lawyer types that has nothing better to do ought to make a run at starting a new conference. The obvious conference should be:

Montana
Montana State
Idaho
Idaho State (They'd need to be committed to stepping up their game in this new conference)
North Dakota
NDSU
South Dakota
SDSU

And then one more of: EWU or WSU or perhaps Wyoming gets in were they fit in.

8 Conference games - 4 home, 4 road. a bye week and two outta conference.

Less directional schools - instant street cred even among the FBS. And would be in a position to take the whole conference to FBS if the stars aligned.

Hockey is the only big question to work thru here.

Sure, Wyoming is certainly looking for this kind of improvement relative to their membership in the MWC. I don't think hockey is the only big question to work thru here. Your 10 game schedule is supposed to provide incentive for prospective members?