1AA Fan,
YSU was relevant 3 of the 4 years Tressel was HC. How is making the playoffs 3 of 4 years, playing in 2 NC Games and winning 1 NC not being relevant? The largest crowd in Stambaugh Stadium history and MFVC history is 21,119 for the UNI-YSU game in 2000. The 2nd largest crowd in MVFC History is 20,813 for Indy State at YSU in 2000. 3rd largest crowd is Buffalo at YSU(20,519) in 1997.... 4th largest crowd is 20,398 for SIU at YSU in 1998. 5th largest crowd is Cal-Poly at YSU(19,682) in 1999... YSU went 2-2 against UNI in those 4 seasons, and 1-12 since. YSU's largest single season home attendance average was 18,109 in 2000. That is 4th highest in MFVC history, behind NDSU each of the past 3 years. Will likely be 5th best once this year is over. Tressel ranks as the league's best overall record in teams first year in MVFC at 13-2 in 1997. That mark could well be tied or broken this year by the coach at NDSU
AS for this thing about NDSU winning a 4th NC, if they are able to do so, I say hats off to NDSU. Nothing that any school does, or has done since the 90's can diminish what the YSU teams of the 90's accomplished.
Same is true for the Georgia Southern teams in the 80's, 1990 and then 99-01
The EKU teams of the 80's
The streak Montana had for making the playoffs(17 straight years), and their 7 appearances in the NC game under multiple coaches.
Marshall playing in the NC game 6 times, including 91,92,93,95,96 to go with 1 time in the 80's.
I agree with Valley Talk and ysu0505. What NDSU accomplished in D2 does count and is relevant when talking about success of a PROGRAM. I have noticed many people make mention on this site of the YSU playoff teams in the 70's. Those teams accomplishments are promoted by the YSU Athletic Dept, the same way that in men's basketball, the success of all the Roselli coached teams way before YSU joined D1 or even joined the NCAA are trumpeted.