“That was the primary reason,” said athletic director Matt Larsen, “the ability to build a scheme with meaningful games. It came down to the availability of games and finding people to play North Dakota State.”
Larsen said NDSU, which has won eight of the past nine Division I FCS national titles, had no coronavirus problems after testing some players positively over the summer. He said the school complied with all NCAA guidelines.
“That’s why we felt good when we went forward to play three non-conference games,” he said. “We felt good about our security protocols. It became a planning issue.”
He said his program was “motivated to play” and said NDSU was open to taking a guarantee game with an FBS opponent on lower figure than normal. Most schools would have reduced attendance, Larsen said, so that only costs would drive down.
“That has not yet resonated with enough people,” he said.
The Bison had the option to play up to three in the fall after the Missouri Valley Football Conference moved its league games to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
NDSU’s decision leaves Missouri State as the only Valley team with games. The Bears have a two-game home-and-home series with Central Arkansas and a game at Oklahoma. It also leaves most of the returning heavy hitters in the FCS as out for the fall. That would include James Madison, Illinois State, Villanova, Northern Iowa, Kennesaw State, Nicholls State and the power teams in the Big Sky Conference.
The Bison announced that they were all busy finding opponents, including making contact with the University of Nebraska when the Cornhuskers came out against the Big Ten Conference canceling fall competition. Nebraska later returned to its first stance.
NDSU started fall camp last Friday and had the appearance of a team that would make an effort to play. But over the course of the last several days, every conference in Division I FCS came out against play, with the Ohio Valley Conference being the last to cancel league games on Friday.
“There has been some fluidity the last handful of days,” Larsen said. “Conferences figure out what they’re going to do. A week ago, I felt sure we were going to get three games.”
A few leagues indicate that they were still open to playing nonconferences. The Bison were hoping to land at least a few home games at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, but that will not happen now.
It is not certain what a spring season will look like. Speculation has a FC playoffs with reduced fields that will wind up in late May. The Bison will host eight Valley games at home with South Dakota State, Youngstown State, Illinois State and the University of North Dakota.
Despite losing star linebacker Jabril Cox, who transferred to LSU, the Bison were drafted this fall into a powerful team starting with reigning Walter Payton Award winner in quarterback Trey Lance. NDSU came back most of its offensive line led by NFL prospect Dillon Radunz, were deep at running back, had productive tight ends Josh Babicz and Noah Gindorff and dynamic receivers Christian Watson and Phoenix Sproles.
On defense, the Bison returned several defensive lines, linebackers Jackson Hankey and Aaron Mercadel, veteran cornerback Josh Hayes and safety Michael Tutsie.
Speculation will now turn to Lance, Radunz and perhaps offensive lineman Cordell Volson over whether they will play in the spring or prepare for the NFL draft. Lance has been in the national spotlight for months as one of the top quarterback prospects along with Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Justin Fields of Ohio State.
Can’t thank your seniors enough. I can not imagine what you guys are going through, but I’m playing for you now. I could not imagine that the game would go away forever, and some of you have to make that difficult decision. Thanks for showing me what it means to be a BISON, my turn to learn it pic.twitter.com/27Ivwj0CHR
– Phoenix Sproles (@PSproles) August 14, 2020
If Lance leaves, that would leave senior Zeb Noland as the top returning quarterback and junior Noah Sanders as his backup. Noland, who transferred from Iowa State last year, has told teammates he intends to do just that.
Lance tweeted an emoji last Friday with a tear over one eye and later posted the following statement: “We did everything we could and treated everything the right way. It’s not fair, but we are unbelievably grateful to our coaches and staff. which puts us in a position to have a chance to play it safe this fall. “
“Can’t thank your seniors enough,” recipient Phoenix Sproles wrote on his Twitter account. “I can not imagine what you are going through, but I play for you now. I could not imagine that the game would go away forever, and some of you have to make that difficult decision. Thank you for showing me what it means to be a BISON to be my turn to learn it. “
NDSU, in its statement, said that information regarding tickets and plans will be forthcoming soon.
