On the Air This Week
All five league games Saturday, Oct. 19, can be seen on either ESPN+ or ESPN3. The Conference will produce and air the South Dakota State at Indiana State game on ESPN3 (1 pm ET). Adam Seidel, Danan Hughes and Kelly Burke call the action from Memorial Stadium. All four other league games can be viewed on ESPN+.
Saturday, Oct. 19
#3 South Dakota State at Indiana State | Terre Haute, Ind. • 1 p.m. ET [ESPN3]
#10 Illinois State at Western Illinois | Macomb, Ill. • 1 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
#18 Youngstown State at Southern Illinois | Carbondale, Ill. • 2 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
Missouri State at #1 North Dakota State | Fargo, N.D. • 2:30 p.m. CT [NBC ND/ESPN+]
RV South Dakota at #14 UNI | Cedar Falls, Iowa • 4 p.m. CT [PSN/ESPN+]
Weekly Notebook (PDF)
Bison on Another Run
North Dakota State has extended its current winning streak to an FCS-best 27 games. NDSU set a league and FCS record with a 33-game win streak from 2012-14. Clemson has the longest active streak in the FBS with 21-straight victories.
Active FCS Winning Streaks
27 – North Dakota State
14 -- Princeton
6 – Dartmouth
6 -- James Madison
Longest FCS Winning Streaks (All Time)
33 – North Dakota State (2012-14)
27 -- North Dakota State (2017-present)
26 -- James Madison (2016-17)
24 -- Penn (1992-95); Montana (2001-02)
Longest Active FCS Win Streaks (League Only)
31 -- San Diego (PFL)
13 -- North Dakota State (MVFC)
10 -- Kennesaw State (Big South)
Ranked vs. Ranked
Counting two games on Oct. 12, 2019, there have been 177 games in which two MVFC teams ranked in the top 25 played one another. Of those 177 games, 46 times the meeting involved teams that were both ranked in the Top 10 at the same time. Ten meetings have occurred in the playoffs. The home team is 103-73, while the higher-ranked team is 112-65. One game (between Illinois State and North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 10, 2015) was played at a neutral site. For the first time in conference play this season, no games will involve two ranked teams playing each other.
Winning Against No. 1
When North Dakota State knocked off top-ranked and previously unbeaten James Madison in the 2017 FCS title game, It marked the 17th time an MVFC member had recorded a win vs. the nation’s top-rated team (nine of those 17 wins were against a fellow league member). Missouri State, which travels to Fargo to take on the nation’s No. 1 team North Dakota State, has never beaten a top-ranked team, going 0-7 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams. The last time NDSU was ranked No. 1 and lost to an unranked team was on Oct. 13, 2014, when it fell to Indiana State, 17-14.
Still Perfect
Just three FCS teams remain unbeaten in 2019. There are still 12 perfect FBS teams.
FCS Unbeaten Teams (2019)
6-0 North Dakota State
4-0 Dartmouth, Princeton
FBS Unbeaten Teams (2019)
6-0 Clemson, Ohio State, Baylor, Minnesota, LSU, Wisconsin, Alabama, Boise State, Oklahoma, Penn State, SMU
5-0 Appalachian State
5 MVFC Teams Ranked
Two-time defending national champ North Dakota State headlines a list of five MVFC teams who appear in the polls this week.
Among conferences, the MVFC is the top-rated league in the FCS (Sagarin), and six MVFC schools are in the Top 12.
Sagarin Rankings, Team Leaders (FCS)
1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. James Madison (CAA)
4. Montana (Big Sky)
5. UNI
6. Furman (SoCon)
7. Weber State (Big Sky)
8. Dartmouth (Ivy)
9. Sacramento State (Big Sky)
10. Princeton (Ivy)
11. Illinois State
12. Youngstown State
Sagarin Rankings, Conference Leaders (FCS)
1. MISSOURI VALLEY
2. Big Sky
3. CAA Football
4. Ivy
5. Southland
6. Southern
7. Ohio Valley
Home Sweet Home
Three league schools are still perfect at home this season. North Dakota State (22) and South Dakota State (15) lead the FCS. Alabama’s 29-game winning streak at home leads the FBS. Clemson is at 19 in a row.
NCAA Leaders, Active Home Win Streaks
22 - North Dakota State (MVFC)
15 - South Dakota State (MVFC)
13 - Grambling State (SWAC)
Taking the Show on the Road
North Dakota State extended its FCS-leading road winning streak to seven games with its victory at Illinois State on Oct. 5. The Bison next play on the road at South Dakota State on Oct. 26.
NCAA Leaders, Active Road Win Streaks
7 - North Dakota State (MVFC)
5 - Princeton (Ivy)
5 - Dayton (PFL)
Back to Back, Jack
NDSU picked up its fourth win against a top-25 team in as many games as the Bison knocked off #10 Illinois State on Oct. 12, 2019. The Bison closed the 2018 season with four-straight wins against ranked foes (#23 Montana State, #7 Colgate, #5 South Dakota State and #3 Eastern Washington.) During its current 27-game winning streak, NDSU has beaten 15 teams ranked in the Top 25 at the time of the game.
Great Start to a Career
Through the first six games of his career, North Dakota State rookie QB Trey Lance ranks among the NCAA leaders in pass efficiency (1st with a 200.2 rating) and ‘points responsible for’ (t-7th with 21.0 points per game). He’s the NCAA freshman leader in both categories. Former NDSU QB Easton Stick established the league single-season record with his 172.4 passer rating in 2018. Austin Simmons of South Dakota also ranks in the Top 20 for ‘points responsible for’ (he’s 19th at 17.3 ppg). Nathan Mays of Youngstown State ranks 2nd in the MVFC and 14th nationally in pass efficiency with a 158.5 rating.
Air Mail
Two MVFC QBs rank among the Top 20 in the nation in TD passes. Trey Lance of NDSU is 13th with 15 TDs; he’s the NCAA freshman leader in that category. Austin Simmons of USD is tied for 19th with 14 passing TDs. He tied a career high with four against Missouri State in Springfield on Oct. 12.
Paper or Plastic?
Four MVFC student-athletes rank among the top 10 in the FCS in sacks per game this year. Elerson Smith of UNI leads the MVFC and ranks 2nd nationally with 1.25 per game. Romeo McKnight of Illinois State (5th, 1.17), Justus Reed of Youngstown State (7th, 1.08) and Derrek Tuszka of North Dakota State (7th, 1.08) also represent the league in the Top 10. Two in the MVFC rank in the Top 5 of the FCS in tackles for loss per game. Clayton Glasco of Indiana State is 2nd (2.1 pg), while Elerson Smith of UNI is 5th (1.9 pg).
Among the NCAA Rush Leaders
Two MVFC runningbacks are among the FCS leaders in rushing yards per game. Illinois State’s James Robinson leads the league and ranks 9th in the FCS at 112.7 yards per game. South Dakota State sophomore Pierre Strong ranks 13th in the FCS with his 102.0 ypg average.
Total Defense Leaders
Five Valley Football teams rank among the FCS leaders in total defense. North Dakota State (2nd with 275.0 yards per game allowed per game) and South Dakota State (4th, 283.8 ypg) lead the way. Youngstown State (15th, 323.5 ypg), Indiana State (325.8 ypg) and UNI (21st, 327.3 ypg) also represent the league in the Top 25. Three league schools rank in the Top 10 in the FCS for fewest points allowed. North Dakota State leads the MVFC and ranks third nationally (12.0 ppg). South Dakota State ranks 5th (14.3 ppg), while Illinois State clocks in at 10th in the FCS (18.7 ppg).
What a Rush
North Dakota State leads the MVFC and ranks fifth in the FCS, averaging 297.8 yards per game on the ground. South Dakota State gains 246.7 per game to rank 11th in the FCS. Youngstown is 15th (230.8).
What’s the Point?
North Dakota State leads the MVFC and ranks third in the FCS, averaging 42.0 points per game on offense. Youngstown State is next-best in the MVFC (16th, 36.7 ppg).
Among the Best in the FCS
A pair of MVFC teams rank among the best in the FCS for turnover margin this year. North Dakota State and Youngstown State are tied for 11th (+1.00) in 2019. Notably, YSU was 111th in the FCS last year, gaining only nine total turnovers through 11 games while surrendering 19 last year.
Red Zone Defense
Illinois State leads the FCS in Red Zone defense, allowing opponents to convert just 50.0 percent of their chances when inside the Red Zone. South Dakota State ranks 6th (62.5 percent), while North Dakota State is 16th (69.2 percent). The Bison, notably, are tied for 2nd nationally with just two rushing touchdowns allowed this year. Illinois State is just behind, with just three rushing TDs surrendered.