This game isn't for another couple weeks but I know I for one was hoping we'd be able to gauge NDSU this year against what was supposed to be a quality CAA team. If last week was any indication, this shouldn't even be close.

BUT, perhaps Cal Poly and the former DII North Alabama are so horrible that NDSU will buckle when finally faced with a strong opponent. Question is- can Rocco right Delaware's ship over the next couple games to make this thing competitive?

One thing's for sure, the MVFC looks pretty down this year and, if not Delaware, I'm not sure anyone will put up much resistance.

(09-07-2018 11:26 AM)2Buck Wrote:  This game isn't for another couple weeks but I know I for one was hoping we'd be able to gauge NDSU this year against what was supposed to be a quality CAA team. If last week was any indication, this shouldn't even be close.

BUT, perhaps Cal Poly and the former DII North Alabama are so horrible that NDSU will buckle when finally faced with a strong opponent. Question is- can Rocco right Delaware's ship over the next couple games to make this thing competitive?

One thing's for sure, the MVFC looks pretty down this year and, if not Delaware, I'm not sure anyone will put up much resistance.

I was hoping NDSU would actually have some difficulties this year, but Delaware won't be one of them. I believe URI is much better, but UD played terrible. I'm not sure I can call them even a good football team the way that they played. They may become a good team, but it certainly won't be by the NDSU game. Not to mention the adversity of playing in the Fargodome. This game shouldn't be remotely close. I am still convinced Rocco can't win big games and this will only validate it.

Delaware isn’t going to present a challenge this year, NDSU will run on them all day long. UD will be thankful when the clock runs out.

SDSU is probably the only school that could beat NDSU in the regular season. The rest of the MVFC isn’t that strong this year, look at what happened to YSU as exhibit a.

NDSU will cake walk their way into a seed. Worst case for them is a 3 or 4 seed if they drop a game somehow. They will have that tin can dome advantage thru the playoffs.

We are going to see them in Frisco unless something really bizarre happens with the pairing/seedings.

Would love to see them drop to a 3/4 seed and have to visit BFS, but it seems unlikely.

NDSU at BFS in the playoffs would be fun.

Go Delaware.

If you can't beat URI, you sure as hell can't beat NDSU. It'll be a blowout that's over before halftime.

(09-07-2018 12:40 PM)Potomac Wrote:  If you can't beat URI, you sure as hell can't beat NDSU. It'll be a blowout that's over before halftime.

It may be over by the end of the first quarter. A herd of stampeding buffalo stomping blue hens into a mush of chicken salad.

I'm afraid the game is going to embarrass the CAA.

(09-07-2018 12:18 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  NDSU at BFS in the playoffs would be fun.

Go Delaware.

Nothing would please me more than to have NDSU have to leave their comfy Fargodome into a hostile Bridgeforth. That place would be completely packed.
The chances of us getting NDSU I think are pretty slim. Even if they were to lose against Delaware, they'd have the rest of the season to make up for it and could easily get top 2 if they ran the table. They need at least two losses and I just don't see that happening with their schedule.

(09-07-2018 03:26 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 12:18 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  NDSU at BFS in the playoffs would be fun.

Go Delaware.

Nothing would please me more than to have NDSU have to leave their comfy Fargodome into a hostile Bridgeforth. That place would be completely packed.
The chances of us getting NDSU I think are pretty slim. Even if they were to lose against Delaware, they'd have the rest of the season to make up for it and could easily get top 2 if they ran the table. They need at least two losses and I just don't see that happening with their schedule.

We haven't had greater than a 16k playoff crowd in our history. Are you sure about that? I think any NDSU fan who wants to come will be able to get a ticket and we'll be shocked at the 5k fans they bring to Harrisonburg.

I'd like to see a sold out playoff game, but we have no historical precedent for it.

Seeing the travelling population of Bison fans, and their RVs, I have concluded we don't need farm subsidies, at least in the way that they must be working up there. Those guys are doing just fine.

(09-07-2018 03:30 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 03:26 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 12:18 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  NDSU at BFS in the playoffs would be fun.

Go Delaware.

Nothing would please me more than to have NDSU have to leave their comfy Fargodome into a hostile Bridgeforth. That place would be completely packed.
The chances of us getting NDSU I think are pretty slim. Even if they were to lose against Delaware, they'd have the rest of the season to make up for it and could easily get top 2 if they ran the table. They need at least two losses and I just don't see that happening with their schedule.

We haven't had greater than a 16k playoff crowd in our history. Are you sure about that? I think any NDSU fan who wants to come will be able to get a ticket and we'll be shocked at the 5k fans they bring to Harrisonburg.

I'd like to see a sold out playoff game, but we have no historical precedent for it.

I do believe it would be packed due to the name of the opponent. NDSU would be the biggest name opponent we've faced at home in the playoffs since Montana in 08. I don't think we've had an opponent come to Harrisonburg during the playoffs with that high of a reputation. If a JMU/NDSU game couldn't sell out Bridgeforth (or at least get it close), nothing ever will.
Here's another thing to consider: JMU fans are become more and more passionate. If we run the table again this year in FCS play, I believe we'll have more fans at our playoff games than last year. Perhaps I have too much faith in our fan base, but only time will tell.

(09-07-2018 03:30 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 03:26 PM)JMad03 Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 12:18 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  NDSU at BFS in the playoffs would be fun.

Go Delaware.

Nothing would please me more than to have NDSU have to leave their comfy Fargodome into a hostile Bridgeforth. That place would be completely packed.
The chances of us getting NDSU I think are pretty slim. Even if they were to lose against Delaware, they'd have the rest of the season to make up for it and could easily get top 2 if they ran the table. They need at least two losses and I just don't see that happening with their schedule.

We haven't had greater than a 16k playoff crowd in our history. Are you sure about that? I think any NDSU fan who wants to come will be able to get a ticket and we'll be shocked at the 5k fans they bring to Harrisonburg.

I'd like to see a sold out playoff game, but we have no historical precedent for it.

True, no precise precedent, but this would be up there with events like Game Day, App St, and Frisco. It would effectively be like having the championship held at BFS, and folks will travel for that. We have fans across the country that would be flying into the ‘Burg for this, I’ve met a few and absolutely convinced a ton would show up.

JMU, like most other fan bases in VA are event driven. NDSU @ JMU would be an event....

Would be sold out easily.

(09-07-2018 04:27 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  JMU, like most other fan bases in VA are event driven. NDSU @ JMU would be an event....

Would be sold out easily.

NDSU in HBG would sell out. I think that game in VA would draw casual football fans.

There is a good chance it will never happen because NDSU has seed tenure.

(09-07-2018 06:38 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  

(09-07-2018 04:27 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  JMU, like most other fan bases in VA are event driven. NDSU @ JMU would be an event....

Would be sold out easily.

NDSU in HBG would sell out. I think that game in VA would draw casual football fans.

There is a good chance it will never happen because NDSU has seed tenure.

It would be a great game in either venue but I think home field advantage would play a huge factor. We've seen JMU can travel to Fargo and knock them off but look what happened to SDSU when they traveled to Bridgeforth.

I was hoping that with the hype of being defending champs, plus being able to confidently plan on having home playoff games until Frisco that our playoff attendance would be a lot better last year. That obviously wasn’t the case, so I don’t know if it ever really will be. I do think a JMU/NDSU matchup would be the one thing that would sell out one playoff game though.

I don’t think it’s happening this year though. JMU didn’t look one bit out of place on an ACC field and I don’t know if it looks like it’s gonna be a great year for the next best CAA/MVFC teams. Barring a lot of significant injuries, I seriously doubt NDSU/JMU will finish anywhere but 1/2.

I'm kind of with Potomac on this one and don't think we'd exceed 20K. People plan for FW and HC games three and four months in advance. Playoff games you have a week. To get the sellout type crowd you have to count on a lot of out-of-town folk who need to get lodging and many need flights. When there's only a week to make your arrangements it gets costly. I would have surely thought the Liberty game would have been over 20K especially due to their being less than an hour away and they follow their team very well, yet we reported 13,040 and I do not believe NDSU would bring more fans than Liberty did for that game.

Key point to remember about the liberty game is that it was a first round game on thanksgiving weekend.

I think ndsu will bring as many, if not more fans than liberty did that year. 4-5K is realistic for them.

(09-07-2018 09:52 PM)KickItToScotty Wrote:  I was hoping that with the hype of being defending champs, plus being able to confidently plan on having home playoff games until Frisco that our playoff attendance would be a lot better last year. That obviously wasn’t the case, so I don’t know if it ever really will be. I do think a JMU/NDSU matchup would be the one thing that would sell out one playoff game though.

Playoff games are a tough sell for FCS teams. It’s been said many times, but they do fall at an awkward time with the holidays, end of semester exams, weather, etc. It doesn’t help that students have to pay for their tickets, and the games are on TV. Getting 15k+ is a good crowd.

12-29 is too big of a sweet spot. Probably should of cut into two options...