For the first time in Missouri Valley Football Conference history, the Conference earned three of the top four seeds in the NCAA Division Football Championship, as North Dakota State (2), South Dakota State (3), and South Dakota (4) represent the league.  Montana State (12-0) earned the No. 1 overall seed.  Illinois State also received a top-16 seed (12) to give the MVFC four teams in this year's championship field.

2024 NCAA Division I Football Bracket (PDF)

November 30 at Durham, New Hampshire, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
UT Martin (8-4) at New Hampshire (8-4)
November 30 at Richmond, Virginia, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Lehigh (8-3) at Richmond (10-2)
November 30 at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Noon ET (ESPN+)
Illinois State (9-3) at Southeast Mo. St. (9-3)
November 30 at Stephenville, Texas, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Drake (8-2) at Tarleton St. (9-3)
November 30 at Missoula, Montana, 10:15 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Tennessee St. (9-3) at Montana (8-4)
November 30 at Villanova, Pennsylvania, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Eastern Ky. (8-4) at Villanova (9-3)
November 30 at Kingston, Rhode Island, Noon ET (ESPN+)
Central Conn. St. (7-5) at Rhode Island (10-2)
November 30 at Abilene, Texas, 3 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Northern Ariz. (8-4) at Abilene Christian (8-4)

MVFC:  2 of Top 3 Seeds
From 1985-2024, a league member has been seeded No. 1-4 in the FCS Championship a total of 35 times (nine different league members have been seeded in the Top 4 in league history.)  Only five times have two MVFC teams been seeded in the Top 4 in the same tournament - and a Missouri Valley Football school won the title in three of those four seasons (2014, 2022, 2023).

Years w/Two Top 4 MVFC Seeds in the Playoffs
2007 -- #1 UNI, L, quarters; #4 SIU, L, semis
2014 -- #2 ILS, L, title game; #3 NDSU, won title
2022 -- #1 SDSU, won title; #3 NDSU, L, title game
2023 -- #1 SDSU, won title; #3 USD, L, quarters
2024 -- #2 NDSU; #3 SDSU; #4 USD

The MVFC has a 146-89 all-time record in the playoffs, which includes a 96-22 record in home games.  The MVFC has had 19 intra-conference (MVFC vs. MVFC) in that number.

In the Field of 24
From 2014-23 (10 seasons), the MVFC averaged 4.6 bids, including an FCS record-tying six playoff bids in both 2021 and 2023, and MVFC teams have combined to average 7.9 wins over that 10-year span.  The league has 15 title-game appearances in the last 13 years and 11 titles in that span.  In those 13 seasons (2011-23), the MVFC had a total of 95 playoff victories; next best is the CAA with 54.

MVFC in the Playoffs (Most Total Bids, All Time)
6 -- 2021, 2023
5 -- 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020
4 -- 2003, 2016, 2019, 2024
16 teams (1986-2009, 2020); 20 (2010-12); 24 (2013-present)


All-Time Title Game Trips
The MVFC has 13 total titles, the most by an FCS league.  The 2023 season marked the 19th title game appearance for an MVFC member.  An MVFC member has reached the FCS championship game in an FCS-record 13-straight seasons (2011-23).

19 - Missouri Valley Football (13 titles)
16 - Big Sky Conference (6 titles)
16 - Southern Conference (8 titles)
13 - CAA Football (6 titles)
12 - Independents (9 titles)*
  9 - Southland Conference (2 titles)
  5 - Ohio Valley Conference (2 titles)
*includes 5 combined trips by YSU (4) and SIU (1), with 4 FCS titles when they played as independents.

Title Town
Breakdown of conference member appearances in FCS title game since 2011 -- last 13 seasons, including 2023):

15 -- Missouri Valley Football Conference
 4 -- CAA
 3 -- Big Sky
 3 -- Southland
 1 -- OVC 

Title Games, Consecutive Years
An MVFC school has appeared in an FCS-record 13-straight title game appearances for the league.  The CAA (5 in a row) is next.

13 -- MVFC (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
 5 -- CAA (2006, 07, 08, 09, 10)
 4 -- Big Sky (2008, 09, 10, 23)
 4 -- OVC (1979, 80, 81, 82)
 4 -- SoCon (1998, 99, 00, 01)
 3 -- Big Sky (1994, 95, 96)
 3 -- Southern (1991, 92, 93)
 3 -- SoCon (2005, 06, 07)

In the Round of 16
Since the playoff bracket expanded to 20 teams in 2010 (3 years) and 24 in 2013 (11 years), the MVFC has had a minimum of two teams in the Round of 16 every year, which includes a record-tying five teams in  2023.  Five MVFC teams made the Round of 16 in 2014 and in 2020 (i.e. Spring 2021, when the bracket was only 16 teams), plus last season.

5 - 2014, 2020, 2023
4 - 2015, 2017, 2019
3 - 2012, 2016, 2018, 2021
2 - 2010, 2011, 2013, 2022
 

2024 NCAA® DIVISION I FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP  --  AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (10)

Conference	Team	2024 Record	Previous Appearances Years            Wins       Losses			Last Appearance
ASUN/WAC	Abilene Christian	8-4				First
Big Sky	Montana St.	12-0	13	14	12	2023
Coastal	Richmond	10-2	13	17	12	2023
Missouri Valley Football	South Dakota St.	10-2	13	22	11	2023
Northeast	Central Conn. St.	7-5	2	0	2	2019
Ohio Valley/Big South	Southeast Mo. St.	9-3	4	1	4	2022
Patriot	Lehigh	8-3	11	6	11	2017
Pioneer	Drake	8-2	1	0	1	2023
Southern	Mercer	10-2	1	1	1	2023
Southland	UIW	10-2	3	3	3	2022

2024 NCAA® DIVISION I FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP -- AT-LARGE SELECTIONS (14)

Team	Conference	2024 Record	Previous Appearances Years            Wins       Losses			Last Appearance
Eastern Ky.	ASUN/WAC	8-4	22	16	20	2022
Idaho	Big Sky	9-3	13	7	13	2023
Illinois St.	MVFC	9-3	8	9	8	2019
Montana	Big Sky	8-4	27	38	25	2023
New Hampshire	Coastal	8-4	17	15	17	2022
North Dakota St.	MVFC	10-2	14	47	5	2023
Northern Ariz.	Big Sky	8-4	5	1	5	2017
Rhode Island	Coastal	10-2	3	2	3	1985
South Dakota	MVFC	9-2	3	2	3	2023
Tarleton St.	ASUN/WAC	9-3				First
Tennessee St.	OVC/Big South	9-3	4	2	4	2013
UC Davis	Big Sky	10-2	2	1	2	2021
UT Martin	OVC/Big South	8-4	2	1	2	2021
Villanova	Coastal	9-3	15	14	14	2023

Longest Consecutive Tournament Appearances in the Championship (Including 2024)
North Dakota St. – 15
South Dakota St. – 13
Montana – 4
Montana St. – 4

Consecutive Tournament Appearances in the Championship Ending
Sacramento St. – 3 
Gardner-Webb – 2 
North Dakota – 2 

Most Tournament Appearances in the Championship (Including 2024)
Montana – 28
Eastern Ky. – 23 
New Hampshire – 18 
Villanova – 16
North Dakota St. – 15

Schools Making the Championship for the First Time
Abilene Christian
Tarleton St.

Longest Stretch between Championship Appearances
Rhode Island – 1985 
Tennessee St. – 2013 
Lehigh – 2017
Northern Ariz. – 2017
Central Conn St. – 2019 
Illinois St. – 2019 

Schools by Conference 
Big Sky Conference – 5
Missouri Valley Football Conference – 4
Coastal Athletic Association – 4
ASUN/WAC Conference – 3 
Ohio Valley/Big South Conference – 3