Seven different MVFC teams are ranked in Top 25 this week as South Dakota State, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, North Dakota State, North Dakota, UNI, and Youngstown State represent the MVFC in the Stats Perform rankings.



It marks the 65th time in league history that six or more MVFC teams have been ranked in the same poll (and for the fourth-straight week).  Prior to that, the most recent poll with 6 MVFC teams was on Sept. 19, 2022. A minimum of five Valley Football schools have been ranked in each regular-season poll in 2023.

One Conference game this week features ranked MVFC teams playing one another.  In the 224 previous such meetings the home team is 128-94 and the higher-ranked team has a 140-83 record.  Of the previous 224 meetings, 61 times the meeting involved teams that were both in the Top 10 - there were three of those in 2022, including the national championship game between then No. 1 South Dakota State and No. 4 North Dakota State. 

South Dakota is looking to post the league’s 20th all-time win vs. a No. 1-ranked team when it faces top-ranked South Dakota State.  League schools have a combined 8-14 record in non-league games against the nation’s top-ranked team.  Eleven of the previous 19 MVFC wins against a No. 1 team have been league games.

The MVFC has nine of its 12 programs in the Top 29 of the Sagarin Ratings, including seven of the Top 12 (AND 6 OF THE TOP 8) among FCS programs.  The MVFC is the top-rated FCS league in the Sagarin Ratings.

South Dakota State is ranked No. 1 across the board (Sagarin, Massey, Stats Perform and AFCA rankings).  Eleven of the league’s 12 programs have SOS ratings 23 or higher, including UNI, which has the FCS nation’s hardest-rated schedule (per Massey).

South Dakota State (7-0) is the only FCS unbeaten.  Notably, there are only nine FBS programs that are perfect.