ISU and UND Fightin' Sioux

[bincitysioux]

Thanks for the great insight to your program. I have to ask this: you said that in the last several years, your program has built a new football arena, basketball arena and hockey arena, and added a women's sport. Coming from a school that is DYING for new facilities, I have to ask: How were these facilities funded? Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated by Idaho State fans, who haven't seen a new athletic department facility since the Sports Medicine Facility in the 1980s. Thanks!

The football arena opened in 2001 and is owned by the city and leased by the University. The Hockey arena was indeed built by our wealthiest alum, Ralph Engelstad, a Las Vegas casino owner. He footed the $104 million dollar bill for the arena. Ralph passed away in 2002, but then his wife contributed another $10 million in 2004 for the basketball arena which is attached to the hockey rink. The Engelstad Complex is actually run by a non-profit organization overseen by the Engelstad family, and all profits at the end of the year are donated back to the University. In the year 2025, the complex will be turned over to the full control of the University.

As far as ISU goes, what is your program like? What is the atmosphere at Holt like and what kind of crowd do you expect for the home opener?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but why has ISU been seeming non-competitive for quite awhile? You won a national championship in the early 80's, and have struggled a bit since haven't you? I would have thought with the changes to the Big Sky since the mid-90's that ISU would have only become more competetive.

Again, I don't mean any slight against your program, I don't know a thing about it. Just going by your W/L record of recent years.

 

[yoda]

some would agree with you on that, BUT NOT ME. I remember a conference championship few years ago-shared. We are in the second year of a major overhaul and have an upper admin that supports athletics for the first time in 2 decades.

 

[bincitysioux]

What do you guys think of Zamberlin? My best memory (actually worst ) of him was in 2002 when his Central Washington team came in to our house and smashed us 43-7 in the second game of the year following our National Championship season. We played several games against Central Washington in the past 6-7 years, and they eventually joined our old conference. He seemed to run a good program.

I think it is so hard to project this game that ISU and UND will have. Coming into it, ISU will have played two FBS opponents, and UND will have played 3 "Lower-than-FCS" opponents.

 

[Bengal Roar]

I always think we will win every game. I have done a bit of some research on you guys and i honestly feel it will be a hard fought game on both sides. We should not take any game lightly nor this one. We are playing a good winning program that knows (how to win).There is alot to say about a program that knows how to win. We have struggled and mediocrity knows us best. I think it will go down to the wire and the one team that wants it the most will prevail. How many people are you guys bringing down? Please tell all your peeps to feel free to come by and mingle and we will break out the eat's. OUr tailgating is getting better each year and because this game is on a Thursday night well hopefully we can show you guys some good hospitality. I know i will be there. To a good game with no injuries! Go Bengals!

 

[skippy57.0]

[As far as ISU goes, what is your program like? What is the atmosphere at Holt like and what kind of crowd do you expect for the home opener?

I don't mean to offend anyone, but why has ISU been seeming non-competitive for quite awhile? You won a national championship in the early 80's, and have struggled a bit since haven't you? I would have thought with the changes to the Big Sky since the mid-90's that ISU would have only become more competetive.

Again, I don't mean any slight against your program, I don't know a thing about it. Just going by your W/L record of recent years.[/quote]

We don't have any rich casino owners as alums, unfortunately! As a result, our facilities have not kept pace with schools like Montana, Montana State and Weber, all of whom have made significant investments in their football stadiums and related support facilites. ISU does not have a history of football success -- I believe the Bengals have won three Big Sky championships since the league was formed in 1963. And we don't have a natural recruiting area, since Eastern Idaho loyalties are divided among ISU, University of Idaho, Boise State, Utah State and BYU.

As to the atmosphere for the opener, I wouldn't expect a lot. If history in any indication, there will be about 5,000 fans there, it's on a school night, and there isn't a lot of buzz around the team right now, having lost to two FBS teams on the road, with a bye week in between. If the Bengals get off to a good start, hopefully they will get the crowd into the game early, and it will be a more exciting atmosphere. If not, the place could get very quiet in a hurry.

 

[spudbowl]

I should know this but I don't. Why is the first home game on Thursday? Originally, I had thought that the four game Idaho-California high school contests were next week (and thus ISU had to play on Thursday) but those games are this weekend? so why do you want your first home game on Thursday? Sorry if this has already been answered.

 

[yoda]

What do I think of Zamberlin? I think he is exactly what we need and right now.

 

[dmksioux]

Here is a link to the Alerus Center where UND plays it's football games...
http://aleruscenter.com/?page=home

There doesn't seem to be too much excitement about your home opener this year. Is this because the game is against a first year FCS team? As Bin said, there are quite a few Sioux fans looking forward to this game. Normally I would be very confident of a win, however our team still seems to be trying to "find it's identity" after losing some big playmakers and our head coach from last year.

Just out of curiousity, do you know if this game is a part of a home and home with us? It would be kinda cool to play you guys in Grand Forks for one of our "Potato Bowl" games again.

Oh and I predict a 27-13 victory for UND...Go Sioux!

 

[Bengal Roar]

There will be more people there then they think. I have had people already talking about the Thursday Tailgating and when to meet up there. Yea, the Thursday is kind of different but there should still be a crowd. There was a good write up in the paper today and said it was not a gimme game and should be competitive. Hope all you ND fans drive safe and enjoy yourselves here in "THE TATER STATE". Go Bengals!

 

[isusuperfan]

I hope ND brings plenty of fans to the game! It's a lot of fun when there's another fan section (Montana being the exception, naturally), like when Montana STATE and Weber State brings theirs. If so, I'll hopefully get some tailgating time in after the volleyball game!

Go Bengals and good luck to all! And most importantly, safe traveling from North Dakota!

 

[SloStang]

UND is a very good program. They went on the road two years ago and beat a ranked Northern Iowa team. This will be a tough game for both teams.

 

[bincitysioux]

Look like Idaho St. will be making a trip back to Grand Forks to play us in the Potato Bowl next year!

Potato Bowl rightfully Idaho's

They played a game in Pocatello in 1965 and in Grand Forks in 1966, dubbing the later contest the Potato Bowl. The contests didn't go well for the Bengals; they lost by a combined score of 68-0.

Not surprisingly, the two teams haven't played since -- until tonight's game at Holt Arena and next year's contest back in Grand Forks, which will mark the 44th anniversary of the first Potato Bowl.