ST. LOUIS – In an effort to publicize current matchups and promote future non-conference scheduling between two of the premier FCS conferences, the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Big Sky Conference have announced a Challenge Series between the two leagues.
 
“The Big Sky and Missouri Valley Football Conferences have a great history of football success," says Andrea Williams, Commissioner of the Big Sky Conference.  "It was important to both leagues to highlight and promote the outstanding achievements of our players, coaches and programs. This year will be no different, with top teams in the country meeting in great non-conference matchups.”
 
"The history of games between these two great FCS conferences is long and strong and it's wonderful to give these games even more significance with this Big Sky/MVFC Challenge Series," notes Patty Viverito, Commissioner of the MVFC.  "Inter-conference FCS match-ups featuring nationally ranked teams make the football season more interesting and meaningful for teams and fans alike."
 
Over the past four seasons, institutions in the two conferences have played one another 35 times.  The MVFC has the advantage in that span, although the Big Sky and MVFC split last year's eight meetings, 4-4.  This year, institutions in the two leagues will play one another eight times, including six times at Big Sky sites.
 
Since being founded in 1985, the MVFC has an all-time edge of 50-33 in games played between their institutions, which includes 30 playoff meetings.  Notably, the Big Sky and the MVFC make up two of only three leagues to have two or more playoff teams every year since 1999.  In each of the past three seasons, the MVFC and Big Sky, meanwhile, have combined to produce eight of the 24 teams in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoff field.  Since the FCS playoffs began in 1978, the two leagues have combined to produce 13 national champions.  
 
This year, a total of nine teams representing the two leagues highlight the STATS FCS top-25 pre-season rankings.  All eight matchups will feature at least one team that is a pre-season top-25 squad, and in two of those matchups both teams are ranked.
 
Date -- Matchup (TV)
Sept. 9 -- #2 North Dakota State at #5 Eastern Washington, 4 pm ET (SWX/NBC ND/ESPN3)
Sept. 9 -- #23 Cal Poly at #18 UNI, 5 pm ET (Panther Sports Network/ESPN3)
Sept. 9 -- #4 South Dakota State at Montana State, 8 pm ET (SWX/Pluto TV/Altitude 2)
Sept. 9 -- #25 Western Illinois at Northern Arizona, Time TBD (NAU-TV AZ/Pluto TV)
Sept. 9 -- Missouri State at #8 North Dakota, 5 pm ET (Midco Sports Network/Pluto TV)
Sept. 16 -- #8 North Dakota at South Dakota, 3 pm ET (Midco Sports Network/ESPN3)
Sept. 16 -- #18 UNI at Southern Utah, 8 pm ET (Pluto TV)
Oct. 7 -- #20 Illinois State at Northern Arizona, Time TBD (NAU-TV AZ/Pluto TV)
 
Television rights for each Challenge Series contest are controlled by the home team’s conference television agreement, which will dictate the distribution of the game and all related matters, including kick times.
 
About the Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an NCAA Division I conference, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The league has 12 full members (Eastern Washington University; Idaho State University; the University of Montana; Montana State University; the University of North Dakota; Northern Arizona University; the University of Northern Colorado; Portland State University; Sacramento State; Southern Utah University; and Weber State University); two football affiliate institutions (California Polytechnic State University and the University of California, Davis); and two men’s golf affiliates (Binghamton University and the University of Hartford). The University of Idaho is a member in all sports, and will begin playing Big Sky football in the 2018 season.
 
About the Missouri Valley Football Conference
Founded in 1985, the Missouri Valley Football Conference has shaped itself into the nation’s premier NCAA FCS conference.  During the 2016 season, the league demonstrated its superiority as four MVFC teams earned selection to the NCAA Division I Championship, with league member Youngstown State reaching the title game.  Members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (and initial year of membership) include Illinois State University (1985), Indiana State University (1986), Missouri State University (1985), North Dakota State University (2008), the University of Northern Iowa (1985), the University of South Dakota (2012), South Dakota State University (2008), Southern Illinois University (1985), Western Illinois University (1985), and Youngstown State University (1997).