Once one of the most heated rivalries in college football, North Dakota vs. North Dakota State has been a petty stalemate for a decade. Separated by 76 miles, the two schools were fierce, sometimes ugly, D2 football rivals. Then NDSU began its transition to Division I FCS in 2002 while the folks in Grand Forks scoffed at the idea while staying D2.
Most people know the story from there. UND didn't help the Bison out in scheduling as they made the transition. NDSU returned the favor when UND began transitioning to D1 in 2008.
"The rivalry is dead," they said.
"Playing each other doesn't make sense because the two aren't even in the same conference."
"NDSU is winning national championships and doesn't need UND. UND needs to play NDSU to become relevant."
It seemed most in Fargo didn't want the rivalry renewed. So when the Grand Forks Herald reported earlier this week that UND will move to the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2020, and the Summit League in 2018 for most of its other sports, a good portion of NDSU fans were less than enthused. The move was made official on Jan. 26.
The word in Fargo was that the move doesn't hurt NDSU, but it doesn't help NDSU either.
Here's the thing though — the move does help the MVFC, and the Valley doesn't care what hurts or helps NDSU. Adding the Fighting Hawks is absolutely a great move for the league as a whole. The strongest league in the FCS just added the defending Big Sky Conference champions. Obviously 2020 is a ways away, but UND looks to be in the playoff picture for years to come.
What's wrong with adding a playoff contender, especially one that fits geographically, to your conference?
Yes, an 11-team league makes an eight-game schedule somewhat awkward. Sure, schools like Youngstown State and Indiana State probably aren't enthused about another trip to the Dakotas. And OK, the Valley does resemble the old North Central Conference of the D2 days with NDSU, UND, South Dakota State and South Dakota.
But the Valley just got more exciting and competitive.
The Fighting Hawks and USD played a double-overtime thriller in 2017. UND vs. the Jackrabbits is an intriguing matchup. And now NDSU versus UND football means something again.
It will take awhile for the rivalry to heat up. Will it ever reach the D2 peak? Probably not. Today's society won't allow it to reach those limits. But just look at the hype before the 2015 game when the two teams played each other for the first time in 12 years. It was essentially a meaningless nonconference game, but 19,044 people packed the Fargodome and many more roamed the tailgating lots.
Yeah, the buzz died down quickly as the Bison out-gained UND 377-61 in yards of total offense in a 34-9 win. But when the two teams play each other in another nonconference Fargodome game in 2019, and then every year starting in 2020, who knows where the programs will be? NDSU doesn't look to be going anywhere as a national powerhouse. And Fighting Hawks head coach Bubba Schweigert is modeling his team to fit the national championship formula.
The Fighting Hawks finished the 2016 season at 9-3 with a second-round playoff exit as the No. 7 seed. They went undefeated in Big Sky play, albeit a favorable schedule. Where they would have finished in the MVFC in 2016 and if they would have made the playoffs is a fair argument.
UND will play a Big Sky schedule in 2018 and 2019, but won't be eligible for the regular-season title. If they continue their upward trajectory, though, the Fighting Hawks will still be eyeing a playoff spot. And adding a consistent playoff team in 2020 just makes the Valley even more exciting and competitive.
