EIght of the league's 10 schools wrap up their non-conference portion of the schedule this weekend. Seven of the nine games are at home; 5 of the nine games are part of the Big Sky-MVFC Challenge Series; and Southern Illinois travels to Jonesboro, Ark., to face FBS Arkansas State.
Weekly MVFC Notebook (PDF)
Saturday, Sept. 21
Eastern Illinois at RV Indiana State | Terre Haute, Ind. • 1 pm ET [ESPN+]
#6 Kennesaw State at Missouri State | Springfield, Mo. • 2 pm CT [KOZL/ESPN+]
#4 UC Davis at #1 North Dakota State | Fargo, N.D. • 2:30 pm CT [NBC ND/ESPN+]
South Dakota at Northern Colorado | Greeley, Colo. • 3 pm CT [Pluto]
Tennessee Tech at Western Illinois | Macomb, Ill. • 3 pm CT [ESPN3]
RV Idaho State at #8 UNI | Cedar Falls, Iowa • 4 pm CT [PSN/ESPN+]
Southern Utah at #3 South Dakota State | Brookings, S.D. • 6 pm CT [Midco/ESPN+]
RV Southern Illinois at Arkansas State [ESPN3] | Jonesboro, Ark. • 6 pm CT
RV Northern Arizona at #10 Illinois State | Normal, Ill. • 6:30 p.m. [ESPN+]
Big Sky-MVFC Challenge Series
Last year, the MVFC captured the second annual Big Sky-MVFC Challenge Series, 5-3. (The MVFC also won the 2017 series, also by a 5-3 edge.) The home team won all eight games last year. Seven of the eight games in 2018 featured at least one ranked team (in two of the games, both teams were ranked.) The MVFC conducted one previous challenge series (with the OVC) and the MVFC won all three season series against the OVC (2003, 2004, 2005) with a combined record of 20-2 in those games. The two playoff matchups last year did not count toward the MVFC-Big Sky series. Ten MVFC-Big Sky matchups are on the slate this year, including five this week. The Big Sky leads this year’s series (3-1).
Aug. 29 - Northern Arizona 37, Missouri State 23
Aug. 31 - #25 Montana 31, South Dakota 17
Sept. 7 - #11 UNI 34, Southern Utah 14
Sept. 14 - #10 Montana St. 23, Western Illinois 14
Sept. 21 - Idaho State at UNI
Sept. 21 - Northern Arizona at Illinois State
Sept. 21 - South Dakota at Northern Colorado
Sept. 21 - UC Davis at North Dakota State
Sept. 21 - Southern Utah at South Dakota State
Sept. 28 - Northern Iowa at Weber State
Against Ranked FCS Teams
The MVFC is 1-3 against Top-25 opponents so far this year, with North Dakota State picking up a win at #18 Delaware last week. Last year, in non-league play, the league was 2-2 during the regular season against ranked FCS teams, marking the 16th time in the league’s 34-year history with multiple regular-season top-25 non-conference wins. Since 2014, league schools have combined for a 44-22 record against non-conference top-25 teams (counting the playoffs). Two league teams face ranked FCS opponents this weekend.
Yet Another FBS Win
Thanks to Southern Illinois’ 45-20 win at UMass on Sept. 7, 2019, the Conference has had at least one FBS win in each of the last 10 seasons. The MVFC recorded a 1-7 mark vs. the FBS last year. Below is a list of MVFC wins against FBS programs in the past nine seasons. The Conference has 46 FBS wins in its history. There are nine MVFC-FBS games on the schedule this year, including the final one this week (Southern Illinois at Arkansas State). The league is 1-7 against FBS programs so far this season. Only one MVFC school (Indiana State in 1987) has recorded two FBS wins in the same season.
5 MVFC Teams Ranked
Two-time defending national champ North Dakota State headlines a list of seven MVFC teams receiving votes in the polls this week. In the Massey Ratings, the MVFC and Big Sky each has 5 teams in the Top 20, followed by CAA Football (4) and the Ivy League (3), which has yet to play a game. Among conferences, the MVFC is the top-rated league in the FCS (Sagarin), and three MVFC schools are in the Top 5.
Sagarin Rankings, Conference Leaders (FCS)
1. MISSOURI VALLEY
2. Big Sky
3. CAA Football
4. Ivy
5. Southland
6. Ohio Valley
7. Southern
SIU Racks Up Points vs. FBS
Southern Illinois racked up 45 points and outgained UMass, 502-321 in total yards, in its win there on Sept. 7, 2019. The 45 points are tied for third-best against an FBS school in MVFC history. The margin of victory (25) points is third-most of the league’s total 46 wins vs. FBS schools.
MVFC in the NFL
There were a total of 25 student-athletes representing MVFC schools on NFL opening-day rosters.
Bison on Another Run
North Dakota State extended its current winning streak to an FCS-best 24 games after beating Delaware on Sept. 14. The Bison set a league and FCS record with a 33-game win streak from 2012-14.
Active FCS Winning Streaks
24 – North Dakota State
10 -- Princeton
5 – Dayton
4 – Davidson
4 – Villanova
4 – Central Arkansas
Longest FCS Winning Streaks (All Time)
33 – North Dakota State (2012-14)
26 -- James Madison (2016-17)
24 -- North Dakota State (2017-present)
24 -- Penn (1992-95)
24 -- Montana (2001-02)
22 -- Harvard (2013-15)
Among the NCAA Leaders
Two MVFC runningbacks are among the nation’s top 5 in rushing yards/game. Indiana State’s Peterson Kerlegrand ranks 4th (119.0 ypg) and James Robinson of Illinois State is 5th with 113.3 yards per game.
Great Start to a Career
North Dakota State rookie QB Trey Lance leads the NCAA in pass efficiency (233.1 points) and “points responsible for” with 78.
NCAA Tackle Leaders
Two MVFC student-athletes are in the Top 4 in the FCS in tackles per game (UNI’s Spencer Cuvelier is 2nd (12.5 tpg) while SIU’s Qua Brown is 4th (12.3 tpg).
What a Rush
North Dakota State (2nd/316.3 ypg) and Youngstown State (3rd/309.3 ypg) rank among the national leaders in rushing yards per game. National leader Kennesaw State averages 388.7 yards per game and visits MVFC member Missouri State this weekend.
Scoring Offense Leaders
NDSU and Youngstown State also lead the league and rank among the FCS leaders in scoring offense, ranking 2nd/47.3 ppg and 4th/44.3 ppg in the FCS, respectively. Houston Baptist, the FCS leader (48.3 ppg), scored 53 at South Dakota this past week.
Total Defense Leaders
North Dakota State ranks fourth in the nation in total defense, yielding just 229.7 yards per game. South Dakota State ranks fifth nationally at 240.0 yards per game. Three league schools (NDSU-6th/13.0; SDSU-t8th-13.7; and Illinois State-t8th/13.7) rank in the Top 10.