This Week in the MVFC
The final week of the regular season is upon us. North Dakota State hosts Southern Illinois, and the Bison are looking to become the first league team to go 8-0 in league play since 2013 (North Dakota State won the national championship that year at 15-0.) Notably, there have been 11 previous unbeaten-untied teams in league play, although only two of them (Southern Illinois in 2009 and NDSU in 2013) won eight games.
MVFC Weekly Notebook (PDF)
Saturday, Nov. 17
Youngstown State at RV Illinois State, 12 pm CT | Normal, Ill. • NBCSCH / ESPN+
#24 Indiana State at RV Western Illinois, 1 pm CT | Macomb, Ill. • ESPN3
South Dakota at #5 South Dakota State, 2 pm CT | Brookings, S.D. • Midco / ESPN+
Southern Illinois at #1 North Dakota State, 2:30 pm CT | Fargo, N.D. • NBC ND / ESPN+
Missouri State at RV UNI, 4 pm CT | Cedar Falls, Iowa • ESPN+
Sunday, Nov. 18
The 2018 championship field consists of 10 AQs and 14 at-large qualifiers. The top eight teams will be seeded, receive first-round byes and host second-round games. The 16 other teams will bid to host first-round games. First-round games will take place Saturday, Nov. 24. The FCS Selection Special will air on Sunday, Nov. 18, at 11:30 am CT on ESPNU. It’s a 60-minute show this season.
Streaking
North Dakota State owns the nation’s longest active winning streak in the FCS at 16 games. The 16-game streak is the second-longest in MVFC history. The Bison, meanwhile, own the league’s three longest win streaks of all time (33, 16, 14).
23rd-Straight Year with Two+
In 2017, the league had two (or more) representatives in the FCS playoffs for the 23rd-straight season.
Playoff Bids - MVFC History
The MVFC has had a league-record five teams selected to the playoffs three times (2014, 2015, 2017). In the past four seasons, the MVFC has had a total of 19 bids. Only CAA Football has had as many as 5 bids in the same season (also three times).
The Power 5
In the past seven+ playoffs (2010-17), five leagues (Big Sky, CAA Football, MVFC, Southern and Southland) have combined to win 146 of 172 total games. The MVFC has 52 of those wins (35 percent).
Dominance By Decade
The Missouri Valley Football Conference has recorded a 52-23 record since 2010 in the playoffs -- better than any other league. Over the last four years the MVFC has a 33-16 record in the playoffs, which includes seven intraconference games, meaning the league is 26-9 vs. other leagues.
Playoff Teams with 4 Losses?
Thirty-five teams with four losses, including 27 at-large picks, have made the playoffs in the current 24-team format (2013-present). A third of those at-large picks (nine teams) were from the MVFC.
Playoff Teams with 5 Losses?
In 2014, Indiana State became the first five-loss team to earn an at-large spot. The Sycamores were 7-5 that year (4-4 in the MVFC). ISU won a first-round game at Eastern Kentucky (36-16) before falling at No. 8 seed Chattanooga in the quarterfinals.
Playoff Teams with 6 Wins?
Only three teams since 1978 have earned a playoff at-large spot with only six victories. Idaho was the first in 1995 (6-4). In the current 24-team format, only Western Illinois (6-5 in 2015) and Illinois State (6-5 in 2016) have been selected as an at-large entry with only six wins. Western won a first-round game in 2015 (at Dayton), and Illinois State lost its game in 2016 (at Central Arkansas).
Is 5-3 in the MVFC Enough?
Since the FCS playoffs expanded to a 24-team field (2013), a total of 21 MVFC teams have recorded a 5-3 mark in league play. Eighteen of those 21 -- including all 18 in the past four seasons -- have made the playoffs. Four MVFC teams could reach the five-win mark in Conference play this year (North Dakota State and South Dakota State have already done it.)
Still Perfect
North Dakota State (10-0), Colgate (9-0) and Princeton (9-0) still have perfect records through Nov. 10. There are also four unbeaten FBS teams.
Streaking Panthers
UNI has beaten Missouri State (the Panthers’ opponent this week) 12-straight times. There have only been two longer win streaks between MVFC schools. Western Illinois holds the record, having won 18-straight games against Southern Illinois (1984-02).
Home Sweet Home
Two league schools are perfect at home this season: North Dakota State (6-0) and South Dakota State (5-0). A total of 22 FCS teams are unbeaten at home this year.
North Dakota State (15-straight) and South Dakota State (9-straight) boast two of the longest active home win streaks in the FCS. San Diego (21) has the current longest home win streak among FCS schools.
A Passing Fancy
A trio of MVFC QBs (Taryn Christion of South Dakota State, Easton Stick of North Dakota State, and Sean McGuire of Western Illinois) are ranked high in several career categories in the Conference. Christion has set MVFC records for total offense, TD passes and career passing yardage.
Tough Schedules
MVFC teams hold seven of the Top 9 spots in the Massey Ratings strength of schedule index. UNI, Western Illinois and South Dakota rank 1-2-3. All of the league’s 10 members are rated in the Top 30 in the Massey Ratings strength of schedule. Only four leagues occupy spots within the Top 20 (MVFC has nine top-20 teams.)
Trees Crack Top 25
Indiana State is the 8th different MVFC team to earn a Top 25 ranking this year as ISU clocks in at No. 24 in the AFCA coaches poll this week. In the league’s 34-year history, there have been four winless teams, including Indiana State in 2017. ISU’s the first to be ranked in the year following a winless season. Notably, six MVFC teams received mention this week. Among conferences, the MVFC is the top-rated league in the FCS (Sagarin Rankings), and also ranks ahead of a two FBS leagues, including Conference USA (both the East and West divisions), and the Sun Belt (West Division).
Turnover Margin
Three MVFC programs rank among the Top 10 in the FCS in turnover margin, topped by North Dakota State, which ranks 5th-best with +1.30. South Dakota State is 6th, while Indiana State is ninth. Indiana State is tied for the national lead (with Princeton) with just five turnovers lost this year.
In the Red Zone
North Dakota State (2nd) continues to shine in the Red Zone, on offense and on defense. NDSU’s opponents have reached the Red Zone just 17 times this year (in 10 games). Only Colgate (12 in 9 games) has allowed fewer Red Zone trips. NDSU is the only school in the FCS to rank in the Top 10 of both Red Zone Defense and Red Zone Offense efficiency (4th in both). Indiana State, meanwhile, ranks 10th in offensive efficiency, converting 38 of 42 attempts into scores. Southern Illinois leads the MVFC with 47 total trips into its opponents’ Red Zone (converting 39 times).