The Week Ahead
Two MVFC teams remain perfect in the league standings as Southern Illinois (4-0) and North Dakota State (3-0) have yet to lose a league game. Southern Illinois is idle this week before facing UNI on Oct. 30. North Dakota State hosts nationally ranked Missouri State in Fargo this weekend.
MVFC Weekly Notebook (PDF)
Saturday, Oct. 23
RV Youngstown State at Indiana State, 12 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Illinois St. at #15/15 South Dakota, 1 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
Western Illinois at RV North Dakota, 2 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
#20/24 UNI at #6/7 South Dakota State, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN3)
#17/18 MSU at #3/3 NDSU, 2:30 p.m. CT (ABC ND/ESPN+)
Idle: Southern Illinois
6 MVFC Teams in Top 25
Six MVFC schools are ranked in the Top 25 this week. South Dakota made the biggest jump of any school last week, climbing six spots in both polls to No. 15 after its 34-21 victory against UNI in Cedar Falls.
Ranked vs. Ranked
Counting two games last week’s (North Dakota at Southern Illinois and South Dakota at UNI) been 201 games in league history in which two ranked MVFC teams played one another. The home team is 115-85, and the higher-ranked team has an all-time mark of 127-74.
Only 6 Unbeatens Remain
Through games of Saturday, Oct. 16, there are only six FCS teams who still have a perfect record, including NDSU (6-0).
7-0 Eastern Washington
6-0 North Dakota State
5-0 Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Sam Houston
Historic Defensive Start
North Dakota State currently leads the FCS in scoring defense (7.2 ppg) and total defense (226.5 ypg) through its first six contests. Both numbers would be league all-time single-season marks. NDSU established the league’s scoring defense record in 2013 (11.3 ppg); and the Bison set the standard for fewest yards allowed in 2012 (235.1 ypg).
Perfect Starts
Counting Southern Illinois this season, a league team has started Conference play with a 4-0 MVFC record 39 times in league history. Of the previous 38 occurrences, 32 teams made the playoffs, and 29 teams won/shared the league title. The MVFC has had two teams start 4-0 in the same season eight times, most recently in 2014 when NDSU (5-0) and Illinois State (4-0) got off to quick starts.
Not Just in the Polls
In addition to the AFCA and Stats Perform Top 25 polls, the MVFC’s 11 schools are well-represented in all the metrics. In the Massey FCS ratings, South Dakota State is the top-rated FCS program, followed closely by three other MVFC schools (all in the Top 5). North Dakota State is No. 2; Southern Illinois is No. 4; and South Dakota ranks No. 5 in that metric. Joined by UNI (7) and Missouri State (9), the league has six teams in the Top 9; the Big Sky (Eastern Washington, Montana, Montana State) holds three top-10 spots.
Find a Way to Finish
The formula for Illinois State to be successful this fall has been to get off to a quick start. The Redbirds have scored first in both of their wins this season and have outscored their opponents 27-21 in the first quarter of games. In fact, the Redbirds have a +3-score differential in the first half of games, however the second half and especially the fourth quarter have been a problem of late. In all, opponents have outscored the Redbirds 45-14.
The Gauntlet Continues
One look at the Redbirds’ schedule to start MVFC play and you knew it was going to be difficult. That run has proven to be very tough for the Redbirds, who have gone 0-3 against No. 7 Southern Illinois, No. 16 Missouri State and No. 3 North Dakota State. The road gets no easier for the Redbirds, who travel to face No. 15 South Dakota this weekend for their fourth game in a row against a ranked opponent. ISU is looking for its first win over a ranked foe this year and their first in MVFC play.
Interceptions in Bunches
The Redbird defense recorded another pair of interceptions in their contest against North Dakota State, after the Bison came into the game with just one through their first five games. Clayton Isbell picked off his second of the season to tie for the team lead with Jarrell Jackson and Braden Price and Iverson Brown recorded his first of the season and the first of his career at ISU. The pair of picks upped the team’s total to nine on the year, which ranks No. 9 in the FCS and is tied for No. 1 in the MVFC with Missouri State.
Welcome Back Hendrix
Dante Hendrix is back. The redshirt junior wide receiver broke back into the Sycamores lineup in a big way on Saturday afternoon with a 10-catch, 121-yard game and added a touchdown in Indiana State’s loss to the Bears. Hendrix opened up the contest with a catch on ISU’s first offensive play from scrimmage to run his program-record catch streak to 23 consecutive games. He went on to show why he remains one of the most dangerous receivers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference as he continually found the gap in the MSU defense and moved the chains. Hendrix’s 100-yard game was the fourth of his career, while his 10-catch game was his second career double-digit receiving effort. After suffering an injury in the season-opening contest against Eastern Illinois, Hendrix is back at full health heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.
Sack Master
Inoke Moala has recorded 5.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss over the last two weeks against Western Illinois and Missouri State to take control of both categories in the conference seven games into the 2021 season. Moala leads the league with 8.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss and will look to continue adding to his lead over the final weeks of the season as the Sycamores continue conference play. In addition to his QB takedown-prowess, Moala has also forced at least one fumble in each of the last two games and has continued to show a nose for the football on the year.
Shelley Sets the Standard
Jason Shelley (QB, Frisco, Texas) is coming off his 6th straight 200-yard passing game and is the first Missouri State QB to do so in his first 6 games. Shelley needs just 91 yards of total offense to reach 2,000 for the season -- done just 13 times previously in school history -- and ranks 9th nationally in total offense (317.5).
Scott is Red Hot
Wide receiver Tyrone Scott (Estill, S.C.) had 3 receptions for 106 yards and 2 touchdowns in last week’s win over Indiana State, his third 100+ yard performance in 4 MVFC games. Scott is averaging 104.3 receiving yards per game in conference play -- 2nd-best in the league -- and ranks 20th nationally in receiving touchdowns (5).
Close Calls
North Dakota has been finding the tough luck during conference play, dropping all three of its contests by fewer than seven points. The Hawks have had a chance to tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter of each game they have played in during MVFC action, all coming against top-25 opponents.
Sack City Returns
After registering only three sacks through the first three games, the UND defense has awoken with seven in back-to-back contests. After sacking South Dakota quarterback Carson Camp three times last week, four-different Hawks reached Nic Baker this week to record a sack. On the other side of the ball, the UND offensive line has still been stout, not allowing a sack for the second straight week.
No Fly Zone
The UND secondary again made it tough for its opponent to move the ball through the air, holding the Salukis to just 177 yards through the air. The Hawks have not allowed any of their FCS opponents to register more than 200 yards passing this season.
Bison Blank Redbirds
Defensive tackle Eli Mostaert had 3.5 sacks and linebacker Jasir Cox made his first two career interceptions to highlight NDSU’s 20-0 road win over Illinois State last week. The Bison defense recorded five sacks for the second straight game and third time in four weeks while limiting Illinois State to 2 of 11 on third down. Quarterback Quincy Patterson led the Bison in rushing for the third straight game and fourth time this year with a season-high 100 yards on 18 carries and picked up six first downs rushing as NDSU controlled the ball for more than 37 minutes.
Dominant Defense
North Dakota State posted its second shutout of the season last week at Illinois State allowing just 99 yards of total offense, the least by an NDSU opponent since allowing 57 against Robert Morris in 2017. It was the least amount of yards allowed by NDSU in a conference game since holding South Dakota to 76 yards in 2012. NDSU has limited seven Division I opponents to less than 100 yards of total offense since 2004.
Historic Pace
North Dakota State has allowed an FCS-low five touchdowns this year and leads the FCS in scoring defense and total defense allowing 7.2 points and 226.5 yards per game. Those are the lowest averages for points and yards allowed in NDSU’s 18 seasons as a Division I program, topping the 11.3 ppg by the 2013 national championship team and the 234.5 ypg by the 2012 national title team. Only Georgia is allowing fewer points (6.6 ppg) this year in Division I, while Georgia (208.4 ypg) and Wisconsin (225.8 ypg) are ahead of the Bison in total defense.
Creating Turnovers
UNI continues to rank among the national leaders with its 17 forced turnovers. That leads the league and ranks second in the FCS to Campbell’s 20 takeaways. UNI’s nine fumble recoveries leads the MVFC and ranks third nationally. And the Panthers rank eighth nationally in turnover margin.
Going Deep
Isaiah Weston continues to be a big-play receiver for the Panthers as he leads the nation in yards per catch (25.17 yards/catch). He had two receptions for 28 yards against South Dakota this past weekend.
Tale of One Half
South Dakota led Northern Iowa 24-0 at halftime en route to a 34-21 victory Saturday. The Coyotes have outscored their six FCS foes 149-31 in the first half this season. USD has attempted a combined 41 passes in the second halves of those games.
Special Specialists
Mason Lorber has made 10 consecutive field goals, which is the longest active streak in the FCS. He is also the most accurate kicker in the FCS for those who have attempted at least 10 field goals. Brady Schutt has the eighth-best punting average for a unit that ranks 11th nationally in net punting.
40 and Counting
South Dakota State has scored 40-plus points in each of its six games this season, marking the longest such streak in program history. Previously, SDSU put together a four-game streak of 40-point games late in the 2018 season, covering the final three regular season games (Missouri State, Southern Illinois, South Dakota) and a playoff victory over Duquesne. The Jackrabbits have reached the 40-point mark each of the past two games thanks to a non-offensive touchdown — scoring on a 97-yard fumble return by Malik Lofton Oct. 9 against Southern Illinois and a 9-yard blocked punt return by Canyon Bauer last week at Western Illinois. SDSU also scored a defensive touchdown in its Oct. 2 game against Dixie State as Dalys Beanum returned an interception 36 yards for a score. The Jackrabbits enter the week ranked third in the Football Championship Subdivision with an average of 45.8 points per game.
Winkelman Nears Top 10
South Dakota State defensive end Reece Winkelman is poised to join the Jackrabbit career top 10 for sacks. The senior from Marshall, Minnesota, has tallied 14 career sacks and trails Kevin Tetzlaff, 15 sacks from 1988-91, for 10th place on the SDSU career charts. Winkelman shared the team lead with 6.5 sacks during the 2019 campaign and again leads the squad with 4.5 sacks this season after notching two against Western Illinois on Oct. 16. As a team, the Jackrabbits are averaging 3.2 sacks per game, highlighted by a four-sack performance last week at Western Illinois.
Janke Sets Career Mark
Jackrabbit wide receiver Jaxon Janke hauled in a career-high nine receptions in South Dakota State’s 41-17 victory over Western Illinois. He also topped the century mark in receiving yards for the second time in his career with 101 yards, highlighted by a 21-yard touchdown to cap a 21-point third quarter by SDSU. Janke has caught a pass in 27 of 29 games dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
Close Calls, All Wins
Southern Illinois’ four MVFC wins have been decided by a total of 23 points. It’s last three conference wins have come by a total of five points. The Salukis have 12 MVFC wins total the last three seasons (2019-21). That’s two more than the previous five years (2014-18) combined (10). SIU’s played at least two Dakota-based schools every season since 2011. The 2021 season marks the first time SIU’s swept those games (SDSU and UND).
Been a While
2009. That’s the time SIU sported its current record, 6-1, 4-0. SIU finished the 2008 season, 11-2. The Salukis were MVFC regular season champs in 2008 with an, 8-0, record.
Winning Season
Saturday’s win over UND guaranteed SIU a third consecutive winning season. The last time SIU had three consecutive winning seasons came when it posted seven consecutive winning seasons (2003-09).
Houston, No Problem
Western Illinois fell 41-17 to nationally ranked South Dakota State last weekend. Dennis Houston’s 14 receptions were a personal season-high and ties for the second-best single-game clip within the WIU record books. He leads the FCS with 9.0 receptions per game.
Sampson Hits 200
QB Connor Sampson reached 200 completions this year (currently sitting at 200 even). His 51 attempts against South Dakota State were the second-most this season.
Crenshaw Sets QB Rush Record
QB Demeatric Crenshaw set a school record for rushing yards by a quarterback in the Penguins’ 41-33 win over Missouri State. His total is fourth-best for a QB in MVFC history. Crenshaw rushed for 195 yards on 22 attempts against the Bears to break Matt Rycraft’s mark of 152 yards set in 2003 vs. Western Illinois. His 73-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter tied for the fourth-longest rushing score by a quarterback in school history.
RUSHING YARDS BY QB, MVFC HISTORY
245, Donte Pimpleton, WKU, vs. Illinois St., 2001
207, Julian Reese, INS, vs. Illinois State, 2001
200, Aaron Bailey, UNI, vs. Portland State, 2015
195, Demeatric Crenshaw, YSU vs. MSU, 2021
194, Tirrell Rennie, UNI, vs. Youngstown St., 2010
White Having Breakout Season
Sophomore DB Jordan White is having a breakout season for the Penguins. White has 33 total tackles, including 21 solo stops in five games. He recorded his second interception of the season against Missouri State. In the spring, White had 16 total tackles.