Otis 83 Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Many of you are probably aware that the Bison played the Bunnies for some sort of a football championship in Frisco TX this weekend. While I was aware of the game's existence I really didn't pay much attention to the date. Then I took my family to Hard 8 BBQ in The Colony on Saturday so my daughter could get some brisket before returning to college in South Carolina. We had to settle for Hard 8 because we are in the middle of a home improvement project and I couldn't smoke one myself. But I digress.... Well, I immediately became aware of the game because you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting someone with XSDSU gear on. A very nice SDSU fan and his family were behind us in line. I was wearing my ORU quarter zip which he noticed and said "Oh no! Not ORU." I noticed his SDSU gear and we had a good laugh. Anyway, this guy was very knowledgeable. He could name the top 2 scorers on our women's team, for example. After we were done agreeing that ORU and UMKC were probably the top 2 Men's teams in the conference we talked about the Summit league, specifically the impact football may have. He feels that eventually the XDSUs will leave the Summit for a football reasons. Geographically, being in the Valley doesn't suit them much better than being in the Summit suits us. If they ever wanted to make the jump to FBS that would probably cause them to leave but even staying in FCS he felt that eventually they would be part of some realignment for football reasons. I found that interesting and wondered if there was any reason for hope that the Dakota schools would exit and the Dakotas' grip on the Summit league might loosen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 19 hours ago, Otis 83 said: Many of you are probably aware that the Bison played the Bunnies for some sort of a football championship in Frisco TX this weekend. While I was aware of the game's existence I really didn't pay much attention to the date. Then I took my family to Hard 8 BBQ in The Colony on Saturday so my daughter could get some brisket before returning to college in South Carolina. We had to settle for Hard 8 because we are in the middle of a home improvement project and I couldn't smoke one myself. But I digress.... Well, I immediately became aware of the game because you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting someone with XSDSU gear on. A very nice SDSU fan and his family were behind us in line. I was wearing my ORU quarter zip which he noticed and said "Oh no! Not ORU." I noticed his SDSU gear and we had a good laugh. Anyway, this guy was very knowledgeable. He could name the top 2 scorers on our women's team, for example. After we were done agreeing that ORU and UMKC were probably the top 2 Men's teams in the conference we talked about the Summit league, specifically the impact football may have. He feels that eventually the XDSUs will leave the Summit for a football reasons. Geographically, being in the Valley doesn't suit them much better than being in the Summit suits us. If they ever wanted to make the jump to FBS that would probably cause them to leave but even staying in FCS he felt that eventually they would be part of some realignment for football reasons. I found that interesting and wondered if there was any reason for hope that the Dakota schools would exit and the Dakotas' grip on the Summit league might loosen. Careful what you wish for. While, the Dakota teams would create more space for ORU, their departure would lead to a significant weakening of the league. I agree that the league has become Dakota-centric, but the alternative could be even worse... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perryc Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 If there were an opening in the Summit League, who would you want to bring in? Realistically. Augustana? p.s. - Although it may be a long time before NDSU and/or SDSU leave this conference, others may be ready to go sooner. Denver seems very interested in the West Coast Conference...which might extend an invitation to the Pioneers, particularly if Gonzaga joins BYU in the Big 12. When the Ohio Valley Conference's (exit fee) lawsuits are settled, we may see Western Illinois jump to the OVC. WIU would have better rivalries and easier travel playing Eastern Illinois, SIUE, Lindenwood, et al. And their football team would no longer be getting crushed by NDSU/SDSU. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 1 hour ago, perryc said: If there were an opening in the Summit League, who would you want to bring in? Realistically. Augustana? p.s. - Although it may be a long time before NDSU and/or SDSU leave this conference, others may be ready to go sooner. Denver seems very interested in the West Coast Conference...which might extend an invitation to the Pioneers, particularly if Gonzaga joins BYU in the Big 12. When the Ohio Valley Conference's (exit fee) lawsuits are settled, we may see Western Illinois jump to the OVC. WIU would have better rivalries and easier travel playing Eastern Illinois, SIUE, Lindenwood, et al. And their football team would no longer be getting crushed by NDSU/SDSU. Bingo! I'll take the Dakotas over Chicago State, Centenary, Augustana, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis 83 Posted January 10, 2023 Author Share Posted January 10, 2023 My apologies for being so ignorant. I was just hoping there might be a reality where the conference basketball tournament was south of the Artic Circle and less than 600 miles from Tulsa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted January 10, 2023 Share Posted January 10, 2023 I agree that Denver and Western Illinois are certainly targets to leave the Summit League. To me, Augustana is not a credible replacement team - notwithstanding Sanford Health’s advocacy. It would be nice to grab some schools in northern Texas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perryc Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 16 hours ago, ORUTerry said: It would be nice to grab some schools in northern Texas. UT-Arlington would be a nice addition, if they ever wanted to break with the WAC and its growing roster of football schools (of course, they just started in the WAC...). For good or bad, Arlington's enrollment is pushing 40,000. A couple of years ago, they made a bid to join the Missouri Valley Conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted January 11, 2023 Share Posted January 11, 2023 19 hours ago, Otis 83 said: My apologies for being so ignorant. I was just hoping there might be a reality where the conference basketball tournament was south of the Artic Circle and less than 600 miles from Tulsa. It's not ignorance. But, there was a time when we all moaned about the conference tourney being in Valpo's backyard and then a time when everyone else moaned about the tourney being in Tulsa. It's where it is now, due to money. If Tulsa (or any other locale) could guarantee the money that Souix Falls does, it would move around. I'm in agreement with you that it's frustrating, but money talks. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post nodak651 Posted January 18, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted January 18, 2023 I think it will take a lot more than people think for SDSU to leave a conference that hosts the conf tournament in their back yard. I also think this conference has the potential to eventually compete with the MVC if schools commit to it and allow it to grow. WIU can leave. Would really hate to see NDSU/SDSU abandon regional rivalries for something as silly as the WAC/ASUN FBS league or even the MAC. Ideally, I'd like to see the Summit add hockey to help retain St. Thomas, Omaha, and Denver, and eventually use Football as a way to pull in some of the MVFC schools (if Summit basketball got good enough). For starters, UND needs to stop being an anchor on the league and instead invest more in basketball if they (we) don't want the league to fall apart. 3 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodak651 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 (edited) Edited April 10, 2023 by nodak651 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodak651 Posted April 10, 2023 Share Posted April 10, 2023 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 Adding football and hockey is in the Summit’s best interest if they want to strengthen their influence and position amongst the schools in their primary geographical footprint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 How awesome would it be for ORU to play football and hockey.....i think someone on the board designed a helmet about a decade ago....lol....TheEagleman knows it would never happen but ....we could play the hockey games in town....football might be a problem though....no room on campus for a 20,000 seat stadium.....but it's fun to fantasize....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 Just found ORU mentioned in this recap of conference realignment predictions on midmajormadness.com. Can't say that I agree with much of what he wrote about ORU, but it is interesting that ORU was mentioned as one of five schools (along with San Diego State, Grand Canyon, Memphis, DePaul) where conference realignment makes the most sense (to him). I've copied the paragraph about ORU below. https://www.midmajormadness.com/2023/4/11/23675437/ncaa-conference-moves-that-we-want-to-happen-even-if-they-wont Oral Roberts joins the WAC: I’ll go ahead and say the one problem with this: ORU has a student population of just over 4,000 students. Other than that, they have a perfect case for a WAC bid. Their arena, the Mabee Center, seats over 10,000 people in the middle of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which could add another metro area to the WAC. The Golden Eagles have dominated the Summit League ever since they joined in 1998, and a move up in conferences is inevitable at this point after their past tournament success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUSwagger Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, theeagleman5 said: How awesome would it be for ORU to play football and hockey.....i think someone on the board designed a helmet about a decade ago....lol....TheEagleman knows it would never happen but ....we could play the hockey games in town....football might be a problem though....no room on campus for a 20,000 seat stadium.....but it's fun to fantasize....... It will never happen on football but ORU could do football but it’s very expensive and against the fabric. ORU would need to arrange either with Victory Christian or Jenks for practice field. Set up bus shuttle services from the school to the practice field. Locker Room would probably need to be JL Johnson locker rooms. With the football field they could buy space across on the grass part of City of Faith. Practice field option C. I’d recommend ORu start D2 as there are a few schools near by Like NSU and other OK Schools or they can go NAIA as well. Insurance and cost of equipment and medical staff is not cheap. Uniforms I’d go a simple one color home and away. Helmet solid Blue with Oru lettering in white. Edited April 24, 2023 by ORUFanbase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogus Smith Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 The biggest drawback to adding football to the portfolio of sports at ORU? Title IX! If you add 60-85 scholarships to a men's sport, you have to add a like number of women's sports' scholarships. We won't be offering softball or swimming & diving, or women's LAX or field hockey anytime in the near future. Fantasizing about football at ORU is as close as you will get to an actual intercollegiate football program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted April 24, 2023 Share Posted April 24, 2023 I agree, football is never coming to ORU. Way too many obstacles. The only possible path would be to mimic Valpo and go non-scholarship. But that has many drawbacks as well - mostly having to do with funding. Though Valpo justified it by attracting +50 student athletes who paid tuition and board to play football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodak651 Posted April 28, 2023 Share Posted April 28, 2023 (edited) Turns out, Summit hockey WAS 100% on the table. NCHC programs shut the idea down. Two NCHC schools were in favor of moving hockey to the Summit. Not sure if this is paywalled or not. https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/daily-skate-nchc-discusses-the-possibility-of-adding-arizona-state No word on if football is on the table or not. "Although a couple of NCHC teams backed the idea of moving under the Summit's umbrella, others balked and it does not appear there's a large enough consensus to make such a move at this time. A major concern is that hockey will be an afterthought in Summit League, where the majority of full members don't sponsor the sport. That could especially be the case if Fenton ever leaves for another job. Big Ten hockey members have dealt with this since its inception in 2013-14, expressing frustration in the league's lack of hockey promotion outside of the playing season." Edited April 28, 2023 by nodak651 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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