The Bobcat Nation

ok here it is
https://herosports.com/ivy-league-parti ... 2025-bzbz/

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:18 am

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

I don't think they will ever get to the level of the top BSC and MVFC teams simply because they will never invest that kind of money into athletics. They're already beating CAA teams consistently though, so that's a good sign.

BleedingBLue wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:20 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:18 am

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

I don't think they will ever get to the level of the top BSC and MVFC teams simply because they will never invest that kind of money into athletics. They're already beating CAA teams consistently though, so that's a good sign.

The thing that makes me think they could compete is that for them, a similar investment in football to what we invest is such a small fraction of their money. If any of the Ivy schools have a couple alumni who are interested in funding NIL deals and such, the money to compete could immediately be available

This adds much-needed depth to the subdivision tournament.

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:26 am

BleedingBLue wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:20 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:18 am

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

I don't think they will ever get to the level of the top BSC and MVFC teams simply because they will never invest that kind of money into athletics. They're already beating CAA teams consistently though, so that's a good sign.

The thing that makes me think they could compete is that for them, a similar investment in football to what we invest is such a small fraction of their money. If any of the Ivy schools have a couple alumni who are interested in funding NIL deals and such, the money to compete could immediately be available

All it would take is one. If Yale started investing and beating the crap out of the rest of the Ivys you know that the others would raise theirs. They have the ability to raise stupid $$$ if they wanted.

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:31 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:26 am

BleedingBLue wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:20 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:18 am

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

I don't think they will ever get to the level of the top BSC and MVFC teams simply because they will never invest that kind of money into athletics. They're already beating CAA teams consistently though, so that's a good sign.

The thing that makes me think they could compete is that for them, a similar investment in football to what we invest is such a small fraction of their money. If any of the Ivy schools have a couple alumni who are interested in funding NIL deals and such, the money to compete could immediately be available

All it would take is one. If Yale started investing and beating the crap out of the rest of the Ivys you know that the others would raise theirs. They have the ability to raise stupid $$$ if they wanted.

Their trust funds have trust funds. The money to compete is there. The question is if it will be used.

I went to the Princeton Harvard football game in 1978. It was a really fun experience. There were a lot of students at the game. Interesting for this Montana kid was that most all of the guys wore polo shirts and khakis and most all of that girls wore skirts and sweaters to the game.
Probably not the case anymore.
I do think it’s good for the FCS that they are in the playoffs and agree that if they decide to take football seriously, they could get competitive in a fairly short period of time.

Would also be great if we could get the SWAC and the MEAC to participate in the playoffs. I think there's a few salty teams playing in both those conferences.

Will the Ivies start their season the same time as the rest of FCS? and as a result have a better opportunity to up the SOS.

Nice, think playing Harvard be cool

MSUBRONCO wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 11:11 am

Nice, think playing Harvard be cool

A home and home with any of the Ivy schools would be a great early season matchup.

So this year they leave out one of Eastern Kentucky, Northern Arizona, Tennessee State, or UT Martin and put Harvard in instead. Probably end up leaving UT Martin out and sending Harvard to New Hampshire based on final Stats poll. Not sure it would have made much difference.

Does the addition of the Ivy League schools to FCS portend more movement of top tier programs from FCS? Certainly could be only to add depth...but it seems like more and more bread crumbs are being left behind for some major shift. Sam Herder's message about Vigen removing his name and knowing more in a couple months...smoke of NDSU moving up...Sac St creating a massive reserve for move up...just feels like major change is definitely afoot at the FCS level. I would be most interested in FCS playoff viewership numbers for ESPN, ABC, and ESPN+. I believe ESPN discovered when they picked up FCS games on ESPN+ a few years ago, there is enough of a demand for certain programs (hence UM, MSU, SDSU, NDSU being put on ABC and ESPN) that money can be made off them. Is ESPN considering a P4 playoff and G5 playoff as financially viable so long as they have certain FCS programs in the G5? Along with the massive increase in what companies are willing to pay for college football, has come a massive influence by those companies.

Prodigal Cat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:31 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:26 am

BleedingBLue wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:20 am

CalgaryCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 9:18 am

Finally some good news for our subdivision. Feels like the replacements for the teams that left have not exactly been equal replacements talent wise, and the FCS has suffered as a result. While the Ivy teams aren’t going to immediately compete with the Big Sky and MVC, the potential is definitely there, and I could see the champions of the Ivy being competitive in the next few years.

I don't think they will ever get to the level of the top BSC and MVFC teams simply because they will never invest that kind of money into athletics. They're already beating CAA teams consistently though, so that's a good sign.

The thing that makes me think they could compete is that for them, a similar investment in football to what we invest is such a small fraction of their money. If any of the Ivy schools have a couple alumni who are interested in funding NIL deals and such, the money to compete could immediately be available

All it would take is one. If Yale started investing and beating the crap out of the rest of the Ivys you know that the others would raise theirs. They have the ability to raise stupid $$$ if they wanted.

If you look at the rankings top recruits from the Ivy League and their success in going to the NFL, they are already almost at parity with the BSC. Allowing them to sniff a playoff could lead to a lot more investment in these programs considering the number of alums these schools have who could easily plow in millions. I already personally know a guy who has given $10+ Million to an Ivy League football program, and there are plenty of alums with far more resources than he has.

I think this is very good for competitiveness in FCS.

If the Bobcats are playing at Franklin Field the Yale Bowl or Harvard Stadium either in the playoffs or regular season you bet I’m going!

BelgradeBobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 12:43 pm

If the Bobcats are playing at Franklin Field the Yale Bowl or Harvard Stadium either in the playoffs or regular season you bet I’m going!

I sure hope we don't fall off far enough to be seeded below an Ivy. Would be a fun experience though.

What a nice early Christmas gift for FCS fans. Such good news for the future of FCS football!

coloradocat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 1:57 pm

BelgradeBobcat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 18, 2024 12:43 pm

If the Bobcats are playing at Franklin Field the Yale Bowl or Harvard Stadium either in the playoffs or regular season you bet I’m going!

I sure hope we don't fall off far enough to be seeded below an Ivy. Would be a fun experience though.

It’s not so much MSU falling that I see leading to us going to an Ivy League stadium for a playoff game in the future, it’s the potential for them to step up and starting to compete at a high level. That’s not a given, but the possibility is there.

I hope we could get some regular season games scheduled. I’d prefer to visit the east coast in September over December.

I have wondered how the Ivy would match up against the BSC...