FIRST THOUGHT: I hope you didn’t expect Minnesota to be sweeping through all three playoff series, all the more because all six of the games so far have been on the road and the Minnesota sides are the lower-seeded teams in each one. The struggles are real. So is the tension. Bad losses, second guesses, a handful of curse words and frustration are part of the deal. Roll with it! — Howard Sinker
What we know from the first five days of Minnesota’s postseasons
*When Wolves elder statesman Joe Ingles enters the game, it’s safe to go to bed. Ingles played the final 10 minutes in San Antonio’s 133-95 thumping of the Wolves Wednesday night.
*When the Wild’s goalie play softens, even their best roster ever can’t compete with Colorado, the NHL’s best team this season.
*When the Frost plays, you never know whether you’ll get an offensive shootout (The 5-4 overtime win in Game 1 of their series with Montreal) or a night of dominant defense (The 1-0 triple-overtime loss in Game 2). Overtime is the best bet.
WOLVES
THIS AIN’T DENVER: Via Jace Frederick at Pioneer Press. The Wolves showed they could play hard, plan well — and then hold on to win Game 1 by two points when San Antonio missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer. Then Minnesota showed what happens when its pathological tendency for sloppy, unmotivated play resurfaces — Wednesday’s 38-point loss in Game 2. VERBATIM: “San Antonio is excellent. Even if they lack playoff experience, the Spurs won 62 games — including four against defending champion Oklahoma City — for a reason. They’re athletic, tenacious and deep, with a coaching staff capable of making adjustments and a top five player in the world serving as the hub of the operation. They have moxie, competitiveness and fire. If they lacked belief, they should have it now. If Denver was a foothill, San Antonio is a mountain. This climb is far more treacherous. Minnesota could likely beat the Nuggets with its A, B or C game. The former will be required to win this series. Which is why Wednesday was so alarming. Yes, Minnesota still got the split it went to Texas in search of, but Game 2 was a no-contest. The Wolves punted without first playing a single down.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/fail0507
PUNKED: Via Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic. VERBATIM: “All the edge and tenacity the Wolves showed in their inspiring Game 1 win was buried underneath a wet blanket of missed shots and turnovers on Wednesday. They shot 29 percent from the field, turned the ball over 11 times and scored just 35 points in the first half, gift-wrapping a 25-point lead for the Spurs that would eventually grow to as many as 47. Julius Randle turned the ball over five times, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert had four giveaways each, and the Wolves were out-rebounded 55-43 and outscored in transition 29-5 in their most lopsided playoff loss in franchise history. ‘I told them we just got punked,’ Wolves coach Chris Finch said.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/punked0507
WEMBY VS. JOKER: Former Minneapolis Community and Technical College basketball coach Jay Pivec also worked for several years as an advance scout for the Spurs. So I asked him about game-planning to face Wembanyama after Minnesota’s opening-round series against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Turned out he was writing about that on his X feed. Here’s an edited version, which he posted before Game 2: “Everyone wants to talk about the matchup shift — from Jokic to Wembanyama — and they should. It’s real. Jokic is discipline. He’s patience. He waits you out and then picks you apart. If you’re not locked in mentally, possession after possession, he breaks you down. Wemby? He doesn’t wait. He changes the floor the second he steps on it. Now it’s length, spacing, angles — stuff you can’t simulate. You can guard it right and still be wrong. So your preparation has to change. Completely. Denver tests your discipline. San Antonio tests your awareness. And flipping that switch, back-to-back, after an emotional win — that’s not easy. That’s where teams slip.”
WOLVES LINKS: PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, TICKETS, TV | STATS
WILD
A NEEDED BREAK: After losing 9-6 and 5-2 in their first games, having three days off before Saturday’s Game 3 is a needed respite for the Wild. For one thing, it could give them a chance to get center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin back on the ice. Eriksson Ek is the Wild’s best at winning face-offs and Brodin is vital to the No. 2 defensive pairing behind Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber. That doesn’t solve the lack of hot goaltending — which covers for mistakes even when a team is playing well — or fully solving the riddle of poor penalty killing that also troubled the Wild throughout the Dallas series.
CHANGES COMING: Via The Athletic. Watch for changes in the defensive pairings and how they’re used, even if Brodin doesn’t return. Picking a goalie for Game 3 is also on the agenda after Filip Gustavsson didn’t bring the sharpness needed as Jesper Wallstedt’s replacement. And there could be shuffling among the healthy scratches for Saturday night at Grand Casino Arena. Coach John Hynes indicated it’s more about the players than strategy. VERBATIM: “I think we ought to use this time a little bit wisely. . . I would say the five-on-five game from Game 1 to Game 2 was significantly better. Special teams were the difference in (Game 2), and I think when it comes down to individual players, you have a little bit of time now to go through some things and see if we can help those guys get to the level where they can be and where we need them to be.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/next0507
MACKINNON’S EXCELLENCE: Via Colorado Hockey Now. The Avalanche often use Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg as a measuring stick for their top players and center Nathan MacKinnon is again meeting that standard in the playoffs. VERBATIM: “Forsberg had 58 goals, 101 assists, and 159 points in 140 postseason games with the team. . . . MacKinnon’s power-play goal in Game 2 was his 59th career playoff goal. . . . More impressively, MacKinnon’s 59 goals, along with his 76 assists and 135 total postseason points, have come in just 101 games. Basically, MacKinnon in the playoffs operates at a pace of 48 goals, 62 assists, and 110 points per 82 games. Forsberg produced at an 82-game pace of 34 goals, 59 assists, and 93 points. Different eras and different players. But MacKinnon’s production is incredible.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/avs0507
WILD LINKS: PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, TICKETS, TV | STATS
FROST
OVERTIME HABIT: My reference above to betting on overtime wasn’t in jest. The Frost’s last seven playoff games, going back to last season’s title run, have all needed extra time to resolve. Minnesota and Montreal also played two overtime games of their four during the regular season.
COUNTERPUNCHING? Via Heather Rule at Written Rule of Sports. The Frost looked less offensive minded during the overtimes of Game 2, as if they were waiting to take advantage of a Montreal miscue more than carrying the attack. That resulted in Maddie Rooney needing to make 51 saves before Canadian hockey legend Marie-Philip Poulin scored to end the 1-0 game. VERBATIM: “Of those 51 saves for Rooney last night, 25 of those stops came across the three overtime periods. Montreal tilted the ice in their favor with plenty of offensive-zone time and appeared to have an extra jump. The Victoire outshot the Frost 52-38 in the game, including 25-11 in overtime. ‘They gained some momentum,’ Frost coach Ken Klee said. ‘They hemmed us in a little bit, and then we got a couple long shifts, with the long change, I think that happens at times. Unfortunately for us, it happened the first overtime period, for sure. We got stuck in our own zone way too long. Our shifts were too long because of it.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/overtime0507
SNACK TIME: Via the PWHL announce team on YouTube. The Victoire went heavy on pickle juice to replenish between periods. The Frost leaned on Uncrustables.
FROST LINKS: PLAYOFF SCHEDULE, TICKETS, TV | STATS
WE INTERRUPT THE FUN AND GAMES: Something I haven’t seen reported locally and another reminder that college sports as they’ve become doesn’t happen without mind-boggling amounts of money.
BIG TEN HANDS OUT $1.37 BILLION TO SCHOOLS. Via Adam Rittenberg at ESPN. VERBATIM: “The league announced its most recent revenue numbers (May 1) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, up from $883 million in the previous fiscal year. The Big Ten’s 55% increase was fueled in part by its first full year as an 18-member conference after the additions of Oregon and Washington. The league also gained more revenue through its success in the first 12-team College Football Playoff, won by Ohio State following the 2024 season.”
WHAT DID ‘WE’ GET: “Sixteen of the Big Ten’s member schools are fully vested but received different revenue payouts because of CFP participation and other factors. Ohio State received a league-high $91.57 million for fiscal year 2024-25, and Penn State, a national semifinalist in football, received $88.92 million. Other full members received between $76.01 million and $79.87 million. Oregon and Washington are receiving partial revenue shares until 2030.” (Note: Minnesota is in the ‘full members group.) MORE: https://fluence-media.co/bigten0507
MY TAKE: “Take” is probably the wrong word here. My take from the Big Ten is only what I choose to take in as a fan. Seriously, keep those numbers in mind when you’re having any discussion about what’s happening in college sports that’s so different than what we remember from a generation or two ago. It’s all about the money for everyone from the highly paid coaches to the athletes who hop from school to school seeking better deals. If it makes you queasy, you can always stop gorging on it.
TIPS AND THOUGHTS: Email me. sportstake100@gmail.com
LYNX POWER RANKINGS: Via Stephanie Kaloi at High Post Hoops. The Lynx open their season Saturday night against Atlanta at Target Center (7 p.m., Victory+) in a game that was moved from Sunday to accommodate Game 4 of the NBA playoffs. The revamped roster is making fans wonder how the Lynx stack up compared to other WNBA teams in a postseason of massive player movement. High Post Hoops placed them at No. 6 among the 15 teams, right behind Los Angeles and ahead of Dallas. VERBATIM: “The Lynx are rarely bad, and despite an offseason that didn't seem to go the way a lot of fans wanted it to (and that saw some surprising departures), there's every reason to assume they'll be good this year. The real question is when Napheesa Collier comes back, and how much work needs to be done at that point.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/power0507
ABOUT THAT ROSTER: Nine of the team’s 14 players weren’t on the roster last season. Five are rookies. Four are from Europe. The biggest names are Olivia Miles, the No., 2 overall draft choice, who will take over at point guard, and 6-foot-5 forward Dorka Juhasz, who played for them in 2023-24 before spending the 2025 season in Europe. Juhasz suffered a foot injury during the Euroleague playoffs and will miss the start of the regular season. ROSTER: https://fluence-media.co/lynx0507
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR? Via The Athletic. The website’s WNBA staff thinks Miles is the season-starting favorite to be Rookie of the Year in a highly competitive first-year class. VERBATIM: “Miles got overlooked as the No. 1 pick because of the Wings’ needs, but in Cheryl Reeve’s system she not only will have the opportunity to shine — considering the early injuries the Lynx are facing — but also will have the resources needed to maximize her talent playing for a coach with a history of developing Rookie of the Year players.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/rookie0507
WOLVES EXEC PASSED OVER: Via Jon Greenberg and Nick Friedell at The Athletic. The Chicago Bulls opted against hiring Wolves general manager Matt Floyd as their new VP for basketball operations, instead hiring Bryson Graham away from Atlanta. Floy’s hiring could have meant that the Wolves would also have lost Micah Nori, their top assistant, to fill Chicago’s head coaching vacancy. VERBATIM: “Many observers seemed focused on . . . Lloyd, a former Bulls executive who started his career under former Bulls GM and current adviser John Paxson. Lloyd did not turn the job down despite momentum that he was the favorite entering this week.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/gm0507
JOE RYAN IN CONTEXT: Via The Athletic. Leaving Sunday’s game after facing only two batters, there were legitimate concerns that Twins pitcher Joe Ryan had suffered a significant injury. But he threw in the bullpen on Wednesday and the Twins have him scheduled to start Saturday at Cleveland. That was good news not only for the Twins, but for contending teams that might be willing to make a substantial deal near the August 3 trading deadline. Ryan is No. 1 on a list of seven top pitchers who could be traded assembled for The Athletic by former major league GM Jim Bowden. VERBATIM: “Since 2022, Ryan has been a reliable top of the rotation presence for the Twins, throwing more than 135 innings in each of the last four seasons. He made his first All-Star team last year and has looked like an All-Star so far this year, even as the Twins have struggled. Ryan has always thrown a lot of strikes and he’s done an excellent job limiting home runs so far this year. A lot of teams will be monitoring his health status closely the next few weeks.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ryan0507
STRANGEST STAT EVER? Byron Buxton is on pace to hit more than 40 home runs and leads the Twins in OPS (On Base + Slugging Percentage) by more than 90 points. But it took him until Tuesday to get his first hit of the season with a runner in scoring position — hitting a home run in Washington after going hitless in 21 previous at-bats. No explanations here; just acknowledging the weirdness.
CORREA OUT FOR SEASON: Via ESPN. Former Twins shortstop Carlos Correa’s history of foot and leg problems has continued with a season-ending ankle injury that occurred while he was taking batting practice before Houston’s game against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Signed by the Twins to a six-year contract in 2023 — after the Giants and Mets backed out of longer deals because of medical concerns — Correa was traded to the Astros last July during the team’s trade-deadline binge. VERBATIM: “ ‘It just completely snapped on me and then I fell to the ground. I couldn’t put weight on it. Right away, I knew something was wrong.’ Correa was on crutches and in a walking boot Wednesday morning at the ballpark after seeing a foot specialist. He said he would seek some other opinions before scheduling the surgery.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/correa0507
HUSBAND-AND-WIFE PREP COACHES LEAVE POSITIONS: Via Adam Uren at Bring Me The News. VERBATIM: “The head coach of Bemidji High School’s football team has resigned, citing ‘ongoing personal attacks.’ Bryan Stoffel made the announcement on Facebook, saying he was making ‘the difficult decision to step down . . . effective immediately ‘It has been an honor to coach this program and work with such dedicated student-athletes,’ Stoffel wrote. ‘However, ongoing personal attacks – including those affecting my family – along with a lack of support have led me to prioritize my family and step away.’ Shortly after Stoffel’s post, his wife Jackie announced on the Bemidji Unified Special Olympics Facebook page that she was also resigning from her role as the Unified Athletics coordinator for Bemidji Area Schools.’ “
MORE: “Stoffel becomes the latest in a flurry of high school sports coaches who have left their positions in recent months while citing abusive conduct of either parents or community members. Last month, Kasson-Mantorville boys basketball coach Nick Pocius announced his departure, citing ‘pressures’ from people in the community. In March, a girls hockey coach in Cloquet cited inappropriate behavior by parents as her reason for quitting, while the Blake School controversially dismissed its boys basketball coach Tyler Biwan despite a historic state tournament run, citing ‘parent, player and alumni feedback.’ ” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/coaches0507
FACEBOOK POSTS: Bryan Stoffel | Jackie Lilly
STUDENT REPORTING: Via Blake Spectrum. This week’s edition of the student newspaper at Blake School published an excellent follow-up to the two Sports Take reports about Biwan’s dismissal. The story includes excerpts from a previously unreleased letter to team parents from Head of School Anne Stavney, which was sent before Biwan asked supporters to cease efforts on his behalf to get him rehired. STORY: https://fluence-media.co/blake0507
WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? I asked John Millea about the issue of coaches leaving or losing their jobs around the state. Millea recently retired from the Minnesota State High School League after 15 years as a writer and social media specialist. He was previously a reporter and editor at the Star Tribune for 20 years. VERBATIM: “The coaching situation is interesting. I don’t know if it’s happening more these days (I suspect it is), but the proliferation of things like Facebook surely sheds more light on it. Compared to past years, I think parents are feeling more powerful, in a bad way. And I don’t know what the remedy is. Every team in every sport has a mandatory preseason meeting with kids and parents, and one of the major points is how parents should handle issues they may have. But how can parents be stopped from gossiping, turning their kids against the coaches, griping, leaving threatening notes on coaches cars, etc.? There is an absolute mass exodus of young coaches who walk away because of parents. Coaches are paid next to nothing for their coaching jobs, so who can blame them for walking away from all the B.S.?”
MILLEA’S BOOK: I also wanted to ask Millea about Prepville MN; Unforgettable Stories of High School Sports, an anthology from his writing for the MSHSL and Star Tribune. It is scheduled for a November release. Millea told me in an email that he started on the book before the pandemic and whittled his original story list in half — from about 100,000 words to 50,000. VERBATIM: “Trimming it to 42 stories was a long process. I knew I wanted it to be in the 50,000-word range, and I kept trimming and trimming (tucking away other stories for a possible second book). I wanted a range of story types, including profiles of people like Joe Mauer, Kris Humphries, Caleb Thielbar and Natalie Darwitz when they were in high school (Natalie was actually in seventh grade; that story from 1997 is the oldest in the book. The Mauer story is from 1999 when he was in 11th grade). I also included profiles of coaches, including Bob McDonald, Dwight Lundeen, Ron Stolski and others. There are a couple of stories about officials, stories of athletes who overcame obstacles and community-oriented stories. One story is about Mark Wellstone, who took solace in working as an assistant wrestling coach at Apple Valley after his parents and sister were killed in a plane crash.”
MORE: “Each chapter ends just as the original stories ended. We discussed adding a ‘where are they now’ at the end of each but chose to keep the stories in their original form. I’ve been thinking of this book as a sort of career capstone. The days of families clipping articles out of the newspaper are all but over, and I wanted to re-share these stories in a permanent (paperback) form. I also wanted to leave something for my kids and grandkids, and maybe even generations beyond that. We’re hoping to start a companion podcast, with each show focusing on a chapter.”
WHEN AND WHERE: The book is scheduled for Nov. 10 release by Mendota Heights-based publisher North Star Editions. Preorders are available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
GOPHERS HOCKEY CATCHING UP: Via Randy Johnson at Star Tribune. After slogging through last season without any newly college-eligible players from Canada’s major junior leagues, the Gophers announced the addition of Tarin Smith, who played for Everett of the Western Hockey League and was a finalist for the league’s top defenseman award. Smith, 20, was Anaheim’s third-round pick in the 2024 NHL draft. VERBATIM: “The hockey-focused website eliteprospects.com praised Smith’s game entering the 2024 NHL draft. ‘Smith is not simply reading momentum; he’s dictating it,’ ” the publication said. ‘He uses lateral movement, shot fakes, and constant changes of direction to turn defenders’ feet before attacking in the opposite direction. Away from the puck, Smith gaps up early on opponents between the blue lines, closes on them with force, and makes opponents pay a physical toll for getting to the net front.’ ” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/uhockey0507
SMITH MAKES THREE: The Gophers had previous commitments from two other players with experience in Canadian major juniors. Right wing Jackson Kvasnicka, who played one season at Wayzata, scored 35 goals for Penticton of the WHL. Forward Christian Humphreys has played for Kitchener of the Ontario Junior League for the last two seasons, scoring 38 goals in 91 games. (Our favorite is Smith, if for no other reason than he’s from Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, a town of 817 people with a mascot named Quilly Willy.
LOOK AHEAD: Via Tony Liebert at SI.com. A look at potential line combinations and defensive pairings after Smith’s commitment and other additions to the roster since Brett Larson was named head coach in March. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/depth0507
STATISTICS AND MORE: SMITH | KVASNICKA | HUMPHREYS
WILD TV GUY TAKES COACHING JOB: Via Olivia Hicks at Strib Varsity. Wild TV analyst Ryan Carter is returning to his high school alma mater, White Bear Lake, to coach its girls’ hockey team. Carter, a 2002 graduate, had a nine-year NHL career, mostly as a center, and spent his final two seasons with the Wild. VERBATIM: “After a rocky past two seasons, with 34 combined losses from 2024 to 2026, the Bears are looking to turn a page with Carter behind the bench. Stillwater shut out White Bear Lake 5-0 in a Class 2A, Section 4 quarterfinal Feb. 7, bringing the Bears’ 8-17-1 season to an end.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/carter0507
GOOD PLACE TO SAY IT: With the coming shutdown of FanDuel Sports Network, Carter’s TV future is likely unsettled. Hockey isn’t No. 1 on my fandom list, and Carter’s guidance through Wild games as Anthony LaPanta’s partner is something I appreciate. He’s like the classroom teacher who is interesting, informative and constructive with criticism.
AURORA SIGNS TRANS PLAYER: Via Cassidy Hettesheimer at Star Tribune. Goalkeeper Isaac Ranson came out as a man during his time as a goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team at Cal State Fullerton. The United Soccer League, which includes Aurora, states that players “shall register only with the gender team with which the player was assigned at birth, without regard to any other stated gender held or part of the player’s core identity.” Ranson was a four-year starter in college and was second in the nation last year with 13 shutouts. VERBATIM: “Ranson was looking for an inclusive club to continue playing after his college graduation, but he was also searching for a competitive training environment. . . . ‘I didn’t have a role model or someone to look up to growing up that looked like me or identified as I do. And I just think that’s super important. I want to be that person that little kids can look up to and think to themselves . . . I don’t care if I look differently than everyone else or identify differently than everyone else. I can thrive in anything I put myself into.’” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ranson0507
AURORA’S SEASON: The team has preseason matches Saturday in Kansas City and a week from Saturday at TCO Stadium in Eagan. The regular season begins at home on May 19 vs. Rochester. In its four years in the USL-W, Aurora has a 43-0-5 regular-season record but has been eliminated at various points of the postseason without winning a title. ROSTER | SCHEDULE | TICKETS
RODRIGUEZ AND LOONS SPLITTING UP? Via Andy Greder at Pioneer Press. The odd relationship between Minnesota United and Colombian soccer standout James Rodriguez may come to an end later this month. There are only two more Loons games before the Colombian team opens training for next month’s World Cup. Loons Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad was noncommittal about whether Rodriguez and the Loons would part ways afterward. He has played only 104 minutes in 11 matches because of a injury and other issues. VERBATIM: “MNUFC has a contract option to bring Rodriguez back for the second, post-World Cup portion of the MLS season, but there is little on-field reason to exercise it. El-Ahmad was asked if he anticipates James returning in July. ‘We take this as it comes,’ he said. Rodriguez has been noncommittal about what he will do after the World Cup, saying he’s only focused on the buildup to the tournament.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/rodriguez0507
MIAC BASEBALL PLAYOFFS OPEN: MIAC baseball playoffs start this afternoon at CHS Field in St. Paul and run through Saturday. Regular-season champ Bethel plays fourth-place Saint Mary’s at 2:30 p.m. today and No. 2 Macalester plays No. 3 Saint John’s at 7 p.m. The tournament is double elimination with the title game set for 3 p.m. Saturday with another following, if needed. OF NOTE: Saint John’s has the top two pitchers in the conference. First-year Max Edwards was 6-1 with a 1.16 ERA in seven starts. He struck out 56 batters in 54 1/3 innings and yielded only one home run. Junior Matthew Magnuson was 5-1 in eight starts and second in the MIAC with a 2.55 ERA. Bethel has the MIAC’s two leading home run hitters — juniors Sam Abbas (13) and Seth Nelson (11) — who combined for more homers than five other entire MIAC teams. SCHEDULE, TICKETS, STREAMING: https://fluence-media.co/miac0507
ALSO: The six team MIAC softball playoffs start today and conclude Saturday with single-elimination games at Saint Benedict (21-1), which won the regular-season title owing to a doubleheader sweep of Ni. 2 Saint Mary’s. Carleton and St. Catherine took the final two spots in a four-way tie-breaking that knocked out out Bethel and Macalester. All finished at 12-10. Schedule, tickets and streaming info are here. NORTHERN SUN: Baseball and softball tournaments started Wednesday and go through Saturday in Sioux Falls. DETAILS: BASEBALL | SOFTBALL
GOPHERS GONE: Washington knocked out the Gophers in the first round of the Big Ten tournament Wednesday afternoon, rallying for a 4-2 victory. Minnesota, which qualified as the last seed, finished the season 16-36, its worst record since 2010.
PROMOTION: Via Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The WIAC, a unique D-III league because it is made up entirely of public universities, has named Corey Borchardt as its new commissioner. Borchardt has been commissioner of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference since 2008 and previously was assistant athletic director at University of Northwestern in Roseville. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wiac0507
AND FINALLY: Via Jeff Kolpack at Bison Sports Zone. There’s a football team with 32 Minnesotans on it that one college football expert is expecting to see in the College Football Playoffs this season. And it’s not the Gophers. That would be North Dakota State, which is making the leap this fall to the Football Bowl Subdivision after decades of domination at the FCS and Division II levels. Brett McMurphy of On3 — a comprehensive college football and basketball site — is making the prediction. NCAA officials are meeting today and are expected to eliminate the two-year waiting period that teams have waited out in the past before becoming bowl eligible after moving up to the FBS. The Bison are joining the Mountain West Conference. VERBATIM: “ ‘With the Bison expected to be favored in every game this season . . . sure, why not?’ McMurphy wrote. It was part of his ‘On3 Way-Too-Early’ bowl projections for the upcoming season. McMurphy has the No. 12 Bison playing at No. 5 Oregon in the first round of the playoffs. That’s almost exactly to last year’s CFP when No. 12 James Madison played at the No. 5 Ducks.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/bison0507
ONE FINAL STAT: North Dakota State has 32 Minnesotans on its current roster. The Gophers have 19. Will Bison marketing wizards start promoting NDSU football as “The Real Minnesota Team?” ROSTERS: BISON | GOPHERS
That’s all for now.
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