Future engagement with WIU & EIU

[Dmills]

I wish the MVFC and Big Sky challenge was expanded. I think there have only been 6 teams playing in it in recent years. Some of the blame is probably on our end as we are booking our schedule. I believe the last time we were included was in 2019, so the challenge has been pretty irrelevant to us.

 

[RedbirdSoxFan]

I wish the MVFC and Big Sky challenge was expanded. I think there have only been 6 teams playing in it in recent years. Some of the blame is probably on our end as we are booking our schedule. I believe the last time we were included was in 2019, so the challenge has been pretty irrelevant to us.

Which schools have we played in it? I seem to recall Illinois’s State playing at Northern Arizona, but can’t remember if it was football or basketball.

 

[fourthandshort]

Which schools have we played in it? I seem to recall Illinois’s State playing at Northern Arizona, but can’t remember if it was football or basketball.

football in 2018. But there was an effort by both conferences to do and market this more. Logistics and budgets makes it tough .. money, travel time, time zones, etc. So it has mainly been the Dakotas and UNI .. MVFC west so to speak. Haven't really seen it much otherwise. I wish we would budget for this .. at least in every year we play 12 games, with 4 nonconf. IN fact, it would only mean extra budget once every 8 years, if we did H/H deals. But I would also like to not be locked 100% into EIU every year, even if we got to EIU/WIU alternating. Especially any year we get a weak FBS, we should try to get a tougher FCS.

 

[Dmills]

Which schools have we played in it? I seem to recall Illinois’s State playing at Northern Arizona, but can’t remember if it was football or basketball.

We had a H/H with Northern Arizona in 2018 and 2019 that was part of the challenge.

 

[StLRedbird]

We had a H/H with Northern Arizona in 2018 and 2019 that was part of the challenge.

The wife and I went to that game in Flagstaff. Stayed in Sedona on Madbird's recommendation and incurred a debt we've not properly repaid. We fell in love with the southwest and are now homesteading a ranch in NM. I owe you an ice cold frosty Budweiser, Mad.

Anyway, NAU torched our defense that day in Flagstaff. There was a healthy contingent of fans in red to witness it, too. They have this tradition where every time they score, this guy uses an enormous chainsaw to cut off the end of this log. Then another guy comes running up with a big branding iron and burns this hardware store logo into the sliver of tree trunk. Then a cheerleader runs it up into the crowd, gifting a future family heirloom to some lucky fan. On the if-you-live-long-enough-youll-see-everything-o-meter, scored a solid 8.

Their stadium is also the world's largest wooden dome.

 

[jwa123]

I get what your saying, but who would have guessed that Iowa State would agree to go play at Arkansas State in 2025.

Wow that is interesting. Perhaps Iowa State surprisingly did this since Arkansas State is at least FBS. As others have noted, getting a FBS school coming to ISU as we are FCS.

 

[MadBird]

The wife and I went to that game in Flagstaff. Stayed in Sedona on Madbird's recommendation and incurred a debt we've not properly repaid. We fell in love with the southwest and are now homesteading a ranch in NM. I owe you an ice cold frosty Budweiser, Mad.

Anyway, NAU torched our defense that day in Flagstaff. There was a healthy contingent of fans in red to witness it, too. They have this tradition where every time they score, this guy uses an enormous chainsaw to cut off the end of this log. Then another guy comes running up with a big branding iron and burns this hardware store logo into the sliver of tree trunk. Then a cheerleader runs it up into the crowd, gifting a future family heirloom to some lucky fan. On the if-you-live-long-enough-youll-see-everything-o-meter, scored a solid 8.

Their stadium is also the world's largest wooden dome.

Thanks and you're welcome!

Not sure where you are in NM - we've stayed multiple times in Albq and Las Cruces in our trips to the southwest and have really enjoyed it there too. And Ruidoso, had a very enjoyable couple days there too, pretty "un-southwest like", but still fun.

 

[crazzymark]

Wow that is interesting. Perhaps Iowa State surprisingly did this since Arkansas State is at least FBS. As others have noted, getting a FBS school coming to ISU as we are FCS.

NDSU and SDSU have h/h with FBS schools.

 

[cpacmel]

NDSU and SDSU have h/h with FBS schools.

They do? Who with?

 

[Bender]

They do? Who with?

It took me 5 seconds to see that his post was factually incorrect. Not sure if it's better to ignore his posts or correct them. Either way it's pretty annoying

 

[DBird]

It took me 5 seconds to see that his post was factually incorrect. Not sure if it's better to ignore his posts or correct them. Either way it's pretty annoying

Not the first time I've said this but........
IGNORE!!!!

 

[ST_Lawson]

I think FBS schools have played at an FCS school, but only like once or twice ever...and only in VERY specific occasions where it can benefit the FBS team to do so. Some FBS conference actually have rules in place that say that no member will play at an FCS school. The entire point of FCS playing FBS is that the FBS gets what should be an "easy win" and gets all their related revenue (tickets, concessions, etc.) for another home game, and the FCS team gets a big paycheck and the excitement of playing in a "big time" stadium.

Getting back to the original question, I'm not going to vote in the poll, since I'm not actually an ISU fan, but I'd be happy if we could work out a H&H or a 2 for 1 (two games at your place, one at ours) maybe twice a decade. Like...average playing each other every other year. I mean, if it was entirely up to me, I'd love to continue playing you guys every year (H&H), but I know that's not feasible most of the time with your annual rivalry game against EIU. That's just too much to be locked into most of the time.

 

[StLRedbird]

Thanks and you're welcome!

Not sure where you are in NM - we've stayed multiple times in Albq and Las Cruces in our trips to the southwest and have really enjoyed it there too. And Ruidoso, had a very enjoyable couple days there too, pretty "un-southwest like", but still fun.

We're between the Navajo and Zuni reservations in western NM. If you're ever on I40 going past Prewitt, we're in the red rocks to the north. Quite a cultural adjustment. Our county is 80% Native American and Prewitt is more so.

We've been meaning to stop by the water tower and properly thank you, but both my wife and my families are still deeply rooted into BloNo. Something always seems to get in the way. Are you a scotch drinker?

 

[MadBird]

We're between the Navajo and Zuni reservations in western NM. If you're ever on I40 going past Prewitt, we're in the red rocks to the north. Quite a cultural adjustment. Our county is 80% Native American and Prewitt is more so.

We've been meaning to stop by the water tower and properly thank you, but both my wife and my families are still deeply rooted into BloNo. Something always seems to get in the way. Are you a scotch drinker?

Lean to bourbon more than scotch, but I'm not all that picky!

 

[fourthandshort]

Lean to bourbon more than scotch, but I'm not all that picky!

Good stiff Rye will keep you nice and warm .. though not picky either.

 

[fourthandshort]

They do? Who with?

nice return of serve, Mel .. I see how you turned the tables on him hoping someone would take the bait ... now he eithe rtakes the bait, or doesn't even try to return your return !

well played, sir !

 

[StLRedbird]

Good stiff Rye will keep you nice and warm .. though not picky either.

I'm warming up to tequila, given our current digs, but that mezcal... Is that the "white lightning" version of tequila?

 

[Chi-bird]

I would vote home and home with Eastern every year or maybe every other year. I would do this until we can hopefully develop (and maybe out-perform/replace) the rivalry naturally with SIU or like.

As for WIU, perhaps every 4 years home and home.

I am a big fan of keeping tradition as much as possible while looking to grow and develop other ones. If our tradition is not very exciting, then it’s up to us to make it better. The shoe could very easily be on the other foot and we could be on the outside looking in. But that’s how things are these days - If Oklahoma - Oklahoma State can come to an end, certainly others can. That said, these rivalries should be preserved.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

I would vote home and home with Eastern every year or maybe every other year. I would do this until we can hopefully develop (and maybe out-perform/replace) the rivalry naturally with SIU or like.

As for WIU, perhaps every 4 years home and home.

I am a big fan of keeping tradition as much as possible while looking to grow and develop other ones. If our tradition is not very exciting, then it’s up to us to make it better. The shoe could very easily be on the other foot and we could be on the outside looking in. But that’s how things are these days - If Oklahoma - Oklahoma State can come to an end, certainly others can. That said, these rivalries should be preserved.

yes in terms of progress/athletic department revenue increase many significant meaningful rivalries with strong traditions have come to an end..
oklahoma vs nebraska football
colorado vs nebraska football
the lone star showdown
the border war
maybe the oregon state/ oregon game
possibly the duke unc hoop game if the BIG gets its wish although they still could play non-conf
----etc

 

[Reggie Redbird]

They're are exceptions but they usually involve a new stadium or buying the higher school which usually means multimillions

There are also 2-1 deals to get more home games but pay a smaller guarantee. Kentucky did this with Akron. To get out of it, Kentucky and Ohio State just traded non-con games and Akron gets a boost to its budget.

We had the FBS/FCS scheduled with Ball State until they bought out. I think that was $300k.