NIU vs. Idaho III to be avoided at all costs
by Mike Breese on Dec 1, 2009 10:41 AM CST
in Football
10 comments
Watch out people, John Sahly is working the phones and he's got Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Director Kevin McDonald on right now:
"If we can avoid it, we will," McDonald said. "And that's nothing to say about NIU. If a deal with the MAC gets made down the line (for a future bowl tie-in), NIU is the type of team we would want to have."
The bad news for the Huskies is because they played Idaho on Sept. 26 (a 34-31 NIU loss at Huskie Stadium), Bowling Green would provide a fresher matchup.
"I've been talking to a lot of people and, right now, I think we're going to have Idaho," McDonald said. "We're looking at NIU and Bowling Green, but [we] probably lean a little more towards Bowling Green because NIU has played Idaho."
The Huskies and Vandals also went head to head in Moscow, ID way back in 2007 when we won 42-35 for one of only 2 wins that season. Idaho has improved and so have we, so that loss earlier this year will have to be avenged at a later time. My hope: never. The all-time record between UI and NIU is 3-3. Talk about one of the all-time great rivalries!
The attendance for the Idaho game: 16,320. And that was the week after we beat Purdue! I think maybe 8 Huskie fans would make the trip to the northwest for this one.
Bowling Green is no stranger to the blue turf as they played against Boise State in Boise and lost 7-20 in 2008. They're more familiar with traveling there, which may have some correlation. The Humanitarian Bowl is also looking to bring in a MAC team starting in 2010, so why not start right now to get things all acclimated.
So where does this leave us?
This pushes NIU more toward the EagleBank Bowl, the International Bowl or the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, depending on any negotiations among MAC teams and the three bowls (GMAC, Little Caesars and International) with MAC tie-ins.
Well, I'm just relieved that Boise, Idaho and Albuquerque, New Mexico are out of the travel destinations that I might be booking this holiday. Whew! Bring on D.C., Toronto or the short drive to Detroit.
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Idaho
I did not think then or now that NIU came out ready to play vs Idaho after the Purdue game. I would not mind another shot at them!
by NIUDOG on Dec 1, 2009 11:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Only 16,000 fans for Idaho?
that’s really pathetic after beating Purdue…….based on that number, the only real draw for NIU fans is the Pizza Bowl
by BigDHuskie on Dec 1, 2009 7:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Speaking of NIU fan support
I went to the NIU/ Iowa game at Soldier Field, and I was really disappointed in the NIU turnout….. were we restricted on tickets??
Same goes for the recent NIU/Wisconsin game
Note: I live 1,000 miles from campus
Has student support dropped off in recent years? just wondering.
GO HUSKIES
by BigDHuskie on Dec 1, 2009 8:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
It's been a downward trend since 2004
Tickets weren’t restricted, but our fans didn’t get on them early. That won’t happen again when we face Wisconsin at Soldier Field in 2011. Or at least I hope not.
Lack of quality opponents at home is a big thing. Army in 2011 and Kansas in 2012 will bring a lot of fans to Huskie Stadium. Idaho? Really?
Another thing is just getting over the hump. We’ve been going to mediocre bowl games for years, it’s about time we win a MAC Championship and beat some big boys like we did in 2003. This is feasible in either of the next couple years. Those fans are long-graduated and its time to gain some new ones.
Red and Black Attack - Northern Illinois Pride
by Mike Breese on Dec 1, 2009 10:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Agree about the home schedule.
The last couple of years, the best teams to come to DeKalb have been MAC teams. This whole Soldier Field thing has really screwed the Huskies and their ability to schedule home games against quality opponents.
I personally think they should drop trying to play Big Ten schools. I get why they do it (for the geographical interest) but none out of Iowa, Purdue, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State and probably Minnesota will ever go to DeKalb. They’ll all demand Soldier Field.
I think NIU is better off targeting schools from just about any conference. They’ll often bite on a home and home and wouldn’t worry about Soldier Field since most of those schools wouldn’t sell out in Chicago.
Frankly, I’d rather get Oregon State or Vanderbilt, or Arizona State or Baylor or Connecticut to come to Huskie Field than to play Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, or Michigan at Soldier Field.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
by Tackle Box on Dec 1, 2009 10:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
i picked the detroit one
just cause i could actually go to that one.
"This one means 'Kill Kirk!!!!'... And also, 'hallelujah'... Depending on the context."
by trippingandy on Dec 2, 2009 6:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Who wants to visit DeKalb??
come on guys, how many big name schools will come to DeKalb?, if Big Ten schools don’t bite (within easy traveling distance), what makes you think another conference will work a home and home series?
NIU is in a mid major conference, that’s not going to change
Actually a couple of years ago, I thought TCU might consider a home and home with us…..but TCU has stepped up their program quite a bit in the past 2 to 3 yrs
Maybe we should look at the WAC and Conf USA and work some deals………hey, our former AD is at Nevada ……make that connection…… and reach out to Tulsa, Colorado St., La Tech, and how about SMU? June Jones has that program moving in the right direction
by BigDHuskie on Dec 2, 2009 8:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
The reason Big 10 schools won't come to DeKalb
is because a lot of them have huge alumni populations in or within Chicago. Why settle coming to DeKalb when they can push to get a game in Soldier Field, call it a “home” game for NIU, and then put 30,000 fans in the stadium?
These teams are going on the road and in actuality playing a home game in front of their fans in a state of the art football stadium.
DeKalb can’t compete with that.
NIU has a much better chance getting schools with no alumni population at all around here to play in Huskie Stadium. Work out a home and home (or more likely a 2 and 1 deal where NIU goes to their stadium twice) and now you have something that NIU fans will flock out to see.
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
by Tackle Box on Dec 2, 2009 10:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
typically no conference would want to...
but it’s been done. a ranked Maryland team came in 2003. The same year, Iowa State… I suppose it’d have to be a team that’s close, or REALLY far. I say no to the WAC and MWC, cuz it’s beating the BCS schools that put you on the map.
by djeffekt on Dec 3, 2009 3:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You need a keystone player
NIU got on the national media map when they had a keystone player, Michael Turner and Garret Wolfe and even PJ Fleck…. that got them some press and helped bring bigger schools to DeKalb
the example this year for the MAC would be Super Dan at CMU
I really don’t have a problem w/ NIU scheduling games at Soldier Field if that helps draw better big school matchups, and gets them some additional press coverage, and attracts better recruits
by BigDHuskie on Dec 3, 2009 7:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
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