On the Air This Week
All five league games Saturday, Nov. 2, can be seen on either ESPN+ or ESPN3. The Conference will produce and air the North Dakota State at Youngstown State game on ESPN+ (6 pm ET). Lane Grindle, Danan Hughes and Kelly Burke call the action from Stambaugh Stadium.
MVFC Weekly Notebook (PDF)
Saturday, Nov. 2
RV Southern Illinois at Indiana State | Terre Haute, Ind. • 1 p.m. ET [ESPN+]
#9 UNI at #7 Illinois State | Normal, Ill. • 12 p.m. CT [NBCSCH/ESPN+]
South Dakota at Western Illinois | Macomb, Ill. • 1 p.m. CT [ESPN+]
#4 South Dakota State at Missouri State | Springfield, MO • 2 p.m. CT [ESPN3]
#1 North Dakota State at RV Youngstown State | Youngstown, Ohio • 6 p.m. ET [ESPN+]
Bison on Another Run
North Dakota State has extended its current winning streak to an FCS-best 29 games. NDSU set a league and FCS record with a 33-game win streak from 2012-14.
Active FCS Winning Streaks
29 -- North Dakota State
16 -- Princeton
8 -– Dartmouth
8 -- James Madison
Longest FCS Winning Streaks (All Time)
33 -- North Dakota State (2012-14)
29 -- North Dakota State (2017-present)
26 -- James Madison (2016-17)
24 -- Penn (1992-95)
24 -- Montana (2001-02)
Longest Active FCS Win Streaks (League Only)
33 -- San Diego (PFL)
15 -- North Dakota State (MVFC)
11 -- Kennesaw State (Big South)
10 -- Princeton (Ivy)
10 -- Weber State (Big Sky)
Panthers Extend Streak to 14
UNI has beaten Missouri State 14-straight times after defeating the Bears, 29-6 in Springfield on Oct. 26. It’s the second-longest streak in league history.
Active Winning Streaks, vs. MVFC Member
18 -- Western Illinois vs. S. Illinois (1984-02)
14 -- UNI vs. Missouri State (2006-present)
13 -- Youngstown St. vs. Indiana St. (1996-2010)
11 -- UNI vs. Indiana State (1991-02)
11 -- UNI vs. Youngstown State (2001-12)
10 -- SDSU vs. South Dakota (2000-present)
Ranked vs. Ranked
There have been 178 games in which two MVFC teams ranked in the top 25 played one another. Of the previous 178 games, 47 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 103-74, while the higher-ranked team is 113-65. One game (between Illinois State and North Dakota State in Frisco, Texas, on Jan. 10, 2015) was played at a neutral site. Last week, #1 North Dakota State beat #3 South Dakota State in what was just the fourth meeting between two MVFC schools ranked in the Top 3.
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). Youngstown State is 2-6 as an MVFC member against No. 1-ranked teams, which includes a win against NDSU in 2011.
Still Perfect
Just three FCS teams remain unbeaten in 2019. There are nine in the FBS.
FCS Unbeaten Teams (2019)
8-0 North Dakota State
6-0 Dartmouth, Princeton
4 MVFC Teams in Top 10
Two-time defending national champ North Dakota State headlines a list of four MVFC teams who appear in the Top 10 this week. Four MVFC teams have been in the Top 10 the same week 19 times in league history, including four times this season.
Home Sweet Home
North Dakota State and UNI are both 4-0 at home this season. NDSU (24) leads the FCS for current consecutive wins at home. Alabama’s 31-game winning streak at home leads the FBS. UNI has a current 8-game home winning streak.
NCAA Leaders, Active Home Win Streaks
23 -- North Dakota State (MVFC)
13 -- Grambling State (SWAC)
12 -- Eastern Washington (Big Sky)
Taking the Show on the Road
North Dakota State extended its FCS-leading road winning streak to eight games with its victory at South Dakota State on Oct. 26.
NCAA Leaders, Active Road Win Streaks
8 -- North Dakota State (MVFC)
6 -- Princeton (Ivy)
4 -- Dartmouth (Ivy)
4 -- James Madison (CAA)
MVFC in the NFL
There were a total of 26 student-athletes representing MVFC schools on NFL opening-day rosters.
MVFC in the XFL Draft
A total of 85 players were drafted from FCS programs, led by WR Rashard Davis from James Madison, who was the first-overall selection in the XFL Draft. UNI’s Elijah Campbell -- taken fourth among DBs by the DC Defenders -- headlines a list of 12 former MVFC players drafted by teams in the upstart league. The season begins Saturday, Feb. 9, 2020.
Great Start to a Career
Through the first eight games of his career, North Dakota State rookie QB Trey Lance ranks among the NCAA leaders in pass efficiency (4th with a 177.1 rating) and ‘points responsible for’ (15th with 17.3 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 rating in 2018. Nathan Mays of Youngstown State ranks second in the MVFC in pass efficiency and 10th nationally at 157.9.
More on NDSU’s Lance
Trey Lance has thrown 151 career passes without an interception, one shy of the NDSU record 152 set by Easton Stick from the 2016 national quarterfinal win over South Dakota State through the seventh game of 2017 against Western Illinois. Lance passed Carson Wentz (143) and Brock Jensen (142 and 140) on the NDSU record list last week.
Shutting Down the Pass
Led by Indiana State (4th, 158.5 ypg), three MVFC schools rank among the Top 10 in the FCS for fewest passing yards allowed per game. North Dakota State ranks 8th (168.5 ypg) and South Dakota State ranks 10th (171.4 ypg). Three other league schools rank among the Top 40 as well. North Dakota State leads the nation in defensive pass efficiency (100.19 points).
In the Red Zone
Illinois State leads the FCS in Red Zone defense, allowing opponents to convert their red-zone chances into points just 52.0 percent of the time. South Dakota State ranks 3rd in the FCS (62.5), while North Dakota State (18th, 70.6) and Youngstown State (22nd, 72.7) also rank in the Top 25. Illinois State is efficient on offense, too, ranking 9th in the FCS in red-zone conversions (91.7 percent success rate).
What a Rush
North Dakota State leads the MVFC and ranks fourth in the FCS, averaging 292.6 yards per game on the ground. South Dakota State gains 234.8 per game to rank 13th in the FCS.
Total Defense Leaders
Half of the league (5 schools) rank among the Top 18 in the FCS for fewest yards allowed per game. North Dakota State ranks third in the FCS (270.6). South Dakota State (10th, 304.4 ypg), UNI (13th, 319.4 ypg), Youngstown State (17th, 323.9 ypg) and Illinois State (18th, 324.0 ypg) top the MVFC. Three league schools rank in the Top 10 in the FCS for fewest points allowed. North Dakota State leads the MVFC and ranks second nationally, surrendering just 11.0 points per game. South Dakota State (8th, 16.5 ppg) and Illinois State (9th, 16.6 ppg) also represent the MVFC in the Top 10.
Weston Scores Again
UNI’s Isaiah Weston had two more receiving touchdowns for the Panthers in their win at Missouri State. He is tied for 3rd in the FCS with 10 receiving TDs this year. He is the first Panther since Eddie Berlin in 2000 to score a TD in seven consecutive games. Weston leads the FCS as he is averaging 26.75 yards per catch.
Yet Another FBS Win
Thanks to SIU’s 45-20 win at UMass on Sept. 7 the league has had at least one FBS win in each of the last 10 seasons. The MVFC has 46 FBS wins in its history.
Paper or Plastic?
Four MVFC student-athletes rank among the top 11 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. Derrek Tuszka of North Dakota State (3rd at 1.21 per game); Justus Reed of Youngstown State (7th at 1.06 per game) and Romeo McKnight of Illinois State (11th at 0.88) also represent the league among the national FCS leaders. Amazingly, six MVFC schools rank among the Top 17 in the FCS in team sacks. Illinois State ranks 2nd (4.13 per game) and Southern Illinois is 5th (3.50 per game) to lead the league. UNI (8th, 3.38 per game), Youngstown State (t13th, 3.00 per game), South Dakota State (t13th, 3.00 per game) and North Dakota State (17th, 2.88 per game) also represent the MVFC.
Among the NCAA Rush Leaders
Two MVFC runningbacks are among the FCS leaders in rushing yards per game. James Robinson of Illinois State is 6th (115.5 yards per game) and Pierre Strong of South Dakota State is 10th (109.5 yards per game). Robinson is tied for third in the FCS with 14 rushing TDs. Javon Williams Jr. of Southern Illinois ranks 10th with 11 rushing touchdowns for the Salukis.