These comments are primarily directed to this sites North Dakota visitors.
Some come to simply see what us Cyclone fans thoughts are about the upcoming game with the Bison (that is okay with me). Some come to beat their chest (that is also okay with me). Some come to put down the Cyclone football team (that is not okay with me). Bison fans bump their chest and proclaim that since our last meeting, they have beaten 4 FBS teams - Kansas, Minnesota, Colorado State, and Kansas State. Well, since our last meeting, the Cyclones have beaten 23 FBS teams - including wins over Nebraska, Baylor, Texas, Texas Tech, Iowa, TCU and Oklahoma State.
My older brother played college football in the old North Central Conference. I have had nephews and nieces that have been on football, volleyball, and women's basketball teams in the NCC and more recently the Great West and Summit League Conference. I have probably watched nearly as many Division II (FCS) football games as the average Bison fan. What I have concluded is this. The difference in athletic talent between FBS and FCS is not wide; but, there is a difference. In the past ten years (or so) when I would be watching FCS teams playing, I would usually find myself watching and saying to myself that that particular player could be playing Division I (FBS) football. Example would be the QB that the Bison have had the last 3 years. He had Division I talent. As does UNI's starting tailback. Usually, the FCS with the most Division I talent wins the play-off championship. But just as FCS teams have players with Division I talent, they also have a lot of players that are (frankly) Division II (talent-wise). FBS teams "may" have a few players that are honestly only Division II talent-wise; but, they rarely start and generally do not get much playing time.
Another difference between the 2 divisions is scholarship numbers. With FCS teams, they generally can start the season with nearly as good a talent as the FBS team that they are playing; but as the season wears on, the injuries mount and there is a marked drop-off in talent as substitutes fill in. That also happens with FBS teams; but, not to the same extent. TCU and WVU have found out how hard it is to "grind" through a Big 12 season.
Finally, I mentioned that most FCS teams have a number of players with Div. I talent. But, a few also have Division I coaching. Craig Bohl was (and is) a Division I coach. You have had that benefit. Is your new coaching staff headed by a Division I coach ? I suspect you will find out over the next few seasons......
