FARGO - The naming switch from Division I-AA to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision hasn't been the success that was envisioned, said the Missouri Valley Football Conference commissioner. Patty Viverito wouldn't mind seeing it changed again.
She said the FCS level remains in an "identity crisis" despite I-A and I-AA changing its names to the FCS and Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 2006.
"Lord, we've tried to fix this for years," Viverito said.
She said the FCS will most likely wait to see what the Bowl Championship Series does with its format. Its plan, passed by a committee of university presidents, calls for a four-team playoff starting in 2014, which in essence would no longer make the FCS the only Division I level that determines its champion in a playoff format.
"They're stealing our thunder a little bit," Viverito said.
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NDSU head coach Craig Bohl said he has no real opinion on the FCS name, although he did say he and other coaches around the country have finally gotten used to the FCS moniker. Most of them, anyway.
"I still call it I-AA because I'm old school," said Indiana State head coach Trent Miles. "I get confused - FBS or FCS. I have no preference."
Playoff field expansion
The proposal to expand the FCS playoff field from 20 to 24 teams was expected to receive approval from an NCAA committee on Thursday and will be instituted in 2013. There has been very little opposition since the idea was first discussed at the committee level.
The top eight teams will now be seeded, up from the current five. Viverito said that should virtually guarantee the Missouri Valley champion of being seeded and getting a first round bye.
She calls NDSU "the poster child" for the need to increase the size of the field. In 2010, the Bison were generally regarded as the 20th team picked and they reached the quarterfinals.
All tickets are sold out
As expected, all remaining tickets were sold on Thursday morning for the NDSU and Prairie View A&M (Texas) game on Sept. 22, meaning all home games are now sold out.
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All single-game tickets that went on sale for the other five games were gone in one day on Wednesday. Unclaimed and standing room tickets will go on sale at 8 a.m. the Friday before each game.
The athletic department sent out a release Thursday encouraging fans that have purchased season tickets and are unable to attend select games to consider giving or selling the ticket to somebody else.
Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack can be reached at (701) 241-5546.
Kolpack's NDSU media blog can be found
at www.areavoices.com/bisonmedia
Kolpack is the host of the WDAY Golf Show Saturdays from 8-9 a.m. on 970-AM.
