Missouri Valley Football Prepares for FCS Playoffs - Second Round
Illinois State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State to represent the Missouri Valley Football Conference in this week's NCAA Division I Football Championship Second Round.
MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL
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Top-25 Polls --
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FCS Insider --
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Weekly Notebook (Printable PDF)
TOP STORIES
FCS Playoff Schedule This Week:
| Saturday, Dec. 7 - Second Round |
|
| #14 Montana (13) at #3 SDSU (2) [ESPN+] |
1 PM CT |
| #15 Abilene Christian (15) at #2 NDSU (3) [ESPN+] |
2 PM CT |
| #13 Tarleton State (14) at #4 South Dakota (3) [ESPN+] |
2 PM CT |
| #12 Illinois State (10) at #5 UC Davis (5) [ESPN+] |
3 PM CT |
| #11 Villanova (11) at #6 UIW (6) [ESPN+] |
1 PM CT |
| #10 Rhode Island (10) at #7 Mercer (8) [ESPN+] |
1 PM CT |
| UT Martin (20) at #1 Montana State (1) [ESPN+] |
2 PM CT |
| Lehigh (NR) at #8 Idaho (7) [ESPN+] |
8 PM CT |
| 2024 Playoff Records, By Conference |
|
| Missouri Valley (4) |
1-0 |
| Patriot League (1) |
1-0 |
| United Athletic (3) |
2-1 |
| Big Sky Conference (5) |
1-1 |
| CAA Football (4) |
2-2 |
| Big South/OVC (3) |
1-2 |
| Southern Conference (1) |
0-0 |
| Southland Conference (1) |
0-0 |
| Northeast Conference (1) |
0-1 |
| Pioneer Football League (1) |
0-1 |
MVFC: 2 of Top 3 Seeds -- Since 1985, 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.) Four previous 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, lost in quarters; #4 SIU, lost in semis
2014 -- #2 ILS, lost title game; #3 NDSU, won title
2022 -- #1 SDSU, won title; #3 NDSU, lost title game
2023 -- #1 SDSU, won title; #3 USD, lost in quarters
2024 -- #2 NDSU; #3 SDSU; #4 USD
In the Field of 24 -- The MVFC earned four bids in 2024, marking the 10th time the league has had four or more playoff teams in the same season. The league has 15 title-game appearances in the last 13 years (including an FCS-record and current streak of 11 in a row) and 11 FCS 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
3 -- 2006, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2022
16 teams (1986-2009, 2020); 20 (2010-12); 24 (2013-present)
I
n the Round of 16 -- Since the playoff bracket expanded to 20 teams in 2010 (3 years) and 24 in 2013 (12 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, 2023, and in 2020 (i.e. Spring 2021, when the bracket was only 16 teams). Four MVFC teams (Illinois State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State) are in this year’s Round of 16.
5 - 2014, 2020, 2023
4 - 2015, 2017, 2019,
2024
3 - 2012, 2016, 2018, 2021
2 - 2010, 2011, 2013, 2022
Three of the Top 4, Again -- For the sixth time this season, the Missouri Valley Football Conference has three teams ranked among the Top 4 in a national poll. Notably, the league has had two of the top three spots in the top-25 rankings 70 times in its 40-year history, including all 14 weeks this season. Three league teams have been ranked among the nation’s Top five the same week 24 times, including 11 times this year. The MVFC has had three of the Top 4 positions in a national poll eight times in its history, including six times this year.
Top-25 Polls with 3 MVFC Teams in Top 4
9/19/22 NDSU (1), SDSU (2), MOST (4)
FINAL 23 SDSU (1), NDSU (3), USD (4)
9/30/24 SDSU (1), NDSU (2), USD (4)
10/7/24 SDSU (1), NDSU (2), USD (4)
10/14/24 SDSU (1), NDSU (2), USD (4)
10/2124 NDSU (1), SDSU (3), USD (4)
11/18/24 NDSU (1), SDSU (3), USD (4)
11/25/24 SDSU (2), NDSU (3/4), USD (3/4)
In the Metrics -- Six of the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s 11 programs rank in the top 20 of the Massey FCS Ratings. In Massey, North Dakota State’s strength of schedule leads the MVFC and FCS, followed by Southern Illinois (2) and South Dakota State (4). Eight of the nation’s 11-most difficult schedules have been played by an MVFC member.
| MVFC Teams |
Massey |
|
Stats |
AFCA |
Sagarin |
|
|
|
| & 12/7 Opp. |
Rating |
SOS |
Poll |
Poll |
Rank |
KPI |
|
|
| S. Dakota State |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
36 (1) |
2 |
|
|
| N. Dakota State |
3 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
45 (2) |
1 |
|
|
| South Dakota |
4 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
67 (4) |
5 |
|
|
| UC Davis |
5 |
15 |
5 |
5 |
103 (5) |
11 |
|
|
| Illinois State |
7 |
18 |
11 |
10 |
115 (6) |
32 |
|
|
| Montana |
8 |
27 |
13 |
13 |
116 (7) |
21 |
|
|
| Abilene Christian |
15 |
25 |
15 |
17 |
144 (23) |
29 |
|
|
| Tarleton State |
16 |
49 |
14 |
14 |
128 (13) |
27 |
|
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| SOS is taken from Massey ratings; Sagarin rankings are overall DI football with FCS rank. |
Sagarin Ranks MVFC No. 1
The MVFC is the highest-rated FCS conference in Sagarin (ahead of FBS C-USA).
Sagarin FCS Conference Ratings (Sagarin)
1. Missouri Valley Football
2. Big Sky
3. United Athletic
4. Coastal
5. Southern
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