What’s On Tap -- Eight Missouri Valley Football Conference teams are in action this weekend (UNI has a bye on its schedule.) Two games feature two ranked teams playing one another.
Weekly Notebook (PDF)
| Saturday, Oct. 3 |
|
| Murray State at [#5/#7] UND [Midco/ESPN+] |
1 p.m. CT |
| Indiana State at [#13/#16] USD [Midco/ESPN+] |
2 p.m. CT |
| [#8/#10] Youngstown St. at [#21/#25] SIU [ESPN+] |
4 p.m. CT |
| [#2/#2] SDSU at [#10/#11] Illinois State [ESPN+] |
6 p.m. CT |
Panther Prowl -- UNI snapped a 14-game skid against ranked FCS teams with its 28-21 win against No. 3 Illinois State on Sept. 26. The Panthers’ last top-25 victory against an FCS opponent was Oct. 21, 2013 (27-0 shutout against North Dakota). UNI’s last victory against a team ranked No. 3 or better was Oct. 30, 2021 (at 23-16 win against third-ranked Southern Illinois).
Six MVFC Teams Ranked This Week; Five Among the Top 15 -- On Sept. 14, the league matched a Conference record by placing five teams in the Top 10 of the Stats Perform top-10 list. On Sept. 21, for the 80th time in MVFC history, two league teams were ranked in the top three of a national poll (SDSU, ILS). In all, six league teams are ranked in both the Stats Perform and AFCA coaches polls this week (Sept. 28). The league has had five teams ranked in the Top 15 of a national poll during the same week six times this year and 53 times in Conference history.
Best in the FCS -- Missouri Valley Football teams have combined for an FCS-best 19-4 record against other FCS opponents in 2026. No other FCS league can match that winning percentage (.826) this season. The MVFC’s overall win percentage (.617) and record (21-13) is also an FCS best.
FCS Leaders, Non-Conference vs. FCS Teams
1. Missouri Valley Football (19-4) .826
2. Mid-Eastern Athletic (11-4) .733
3. Patriot (9-5) .643
4. United (14-9) .609
5. Southland (6-4) .600
6. Ivy League (7-5) .583
For Good Measure -- The Missouri Valley Football Conference is well represented among the FCS leaders in the Massey Ratings (Sept. 28). Seven MVFC teams rank among the top 20 in that metric. Five Big Sky teams are in the top 20 of Massey, and no other league has more than two teams in the top 20.
FCS Leaders, Massey Ratings
1. Montana State
2. South Dakota State
3. Montana
4. North Dakota
5. SFA
6. Tarleton State
7. Idaho State
8. Illinois State
9. Austin Peay
10. Youngstown State
11. South Dakota
15. Southern Illinois
18. UNI
Ranked vs. Ranked -- This week, there are two MVFC games that feature ranked teams playing one another. In Conference history, there have been 264 previous games in which two league teams ranked in the top 25 played one another. Of those 264 games, 75 times the meeting involved teams that were both ranked in the Top 10 at the same time. Twenty-one meetings have occurred in the playoffs. The home team is 145-117 in those games; the higher-ranked team is 167-96. Those figures include two neutral-site games, and one game in which the teams were both ranked No. 25.
MVFC Ranked vs. Ranked (Oct. 3)
[#8/#10] Youngstown St. at [#21/#25] SIU [ESPN+] -- 4 p.m. CT
[#2/#2] SDSU at [#10/#11] Illinois State [ESPN+] -- 6 p.m. CT
MVFC Offenses Atop FCS -- Four MVFC teams rank among the FCS’ top scoring offenses in 2026, led by Illinois State (2nd, 43.0 ppg) and South Dakota State (3rd, 42.8 ppg). The league’s all-time single-season mark is 42.6 ppg, established by Southern Illinois in 2004.
FCS Leaders, Scoring Offense
1. South Carolina St. (MEAC) -- 47.0
2. Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 43.0
3. South Dakota St. (MVFC) -- 42.8
4. Jackson St. (SWAC) -- 42.0
5. SFA (Southland) -- 40.4
6. North Dakota (MVFC) -- 40.0
7. Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 38.6
Scoring Offense, Season (MVFC All-Time Records):
42.6, Southern Illinois, 2004 (12 games)
42.5, South Dakota State, 2024 (13 games)
41.5, North Dakota State, 2018 (15 games)
41.1, North Dakota State, 2025 (13 games)
39.2, Illinois State, 2005 (11 games)
38.7, North Dakota State, 2013 (15 games)
38.7, North Dakota State, 2017 (15 games)
Down for the Count -- MVFC schools holds four of the top five spots in the FCS for total first downs. Illinois State and South Dakota State lead the NCAA with 128 total first downs this season.
FCS Leaders, Total First Downs
1. Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 128
1. South Dakota St. (MVFC) -- 128
3. Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 125
4. Alabama A&M (SWAC) -- 124
5. North Dakota (MVFC) -- 119
5. Alcorn (SWAC) -- 119
Putting Up the Points -- MVFC QBs hold three of the top five positions in the FCS for most points responsible (per game). Beau Brungard of Youngstown State leads the nation with 24.4 points per game. UND’s Jerry Kaminski leads the FCS (16 TD passes) and headlines three MVFC signal callers who rank 1-2-3 for total TD tosses this season. The Conference also holds three of the top five spots this season for pass efficiency, led by USD freshman Austyn Modrzewski, who ranks third in the NCAA (180.3 rating).
FCS Leaders, Points Responsible For
1. Beau Brungard, Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 24.4
2. Jerry Kaminski, North Dakota (MVFC) -- 22.0
3. Jax Leatherwood, Tennessee Tech (SoCon) -- 19.5
3. Jared Lockhart, Jackson St. (SWAC) -- 19.5
5. Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota (MVFC) -- 19.2
FCS Leaders, Total TD Passes
1. Jerry Kaminski, North Dakota (MVFC) -- 16
2. Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota (MVFC) -- 15
3. Beau Brungard, Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 13
FCS Leaders, Pass Efficiency
1. Jared Lockhart, Jackson St. (SWAC) -- 202.0
2. Chris Parson, Austin Peay (UAC) -- 185.5
3. Austyn Modrzewski, South Dakota (MVFC) -- 180.3
4. Jerry Kaminski, North Dakota (MVFC) -- 179.3
5. Beau Brungard, Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 175.6
14. Gage Roy, Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 162.1
On the Offensive -- South Dakota State (302.4 ypg) and Illinois State (207.6) represent the MVFC among the national leaders in the FCS in rushing yards per game. SDSU’s total leads the nation and would rank second-best all-time in the MVFC. SDSU also leads the nation in total offense as the Jacks are averaging 526.0 yards per game. Four league teams rank among the top 16 in the FCS in total offense.
FCS Leaders, Rushing Yards Per Game
1. South Dakota St. (MVFC) -- 302.4
2. South Carolina St. (MEAC) -- 280.6
3. Lehigh (Patriot) -- 267.0
4. Southern Utah (Big Sky) -- 245.0
5. Butler (Pioneer) -- 228.8
11. Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 207.6
Yards Per Game, Season (MVFC All-Time Records):
315.5, Missouri State, 1989 (11 games)
298.7, Missouri State, 1985 (11 games)
293.4, Western Kentucky, 2001 (12 games)
287.6, North Dakota State, 2019 (16 games)
FCS Leaders, Total Offense (Yards Per Game)
1. South Dakota St. (MVFC) -- 526.0
2. Tarleton St. (UAC) -- 498.0
3. Jackson St. (SWAC) -- 488.3
4. Alabama A&M (SWAC) -- 481.8
5. South Carolina St. (MEAC) -- 478.4
12. North Dakota (MVFC) -- 469.0
15. Youngstown St. (MVFC) -- 448.6
16. Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 448.4
Booting It -- Led by SDSU (5th, 42.57), several MVFC schools rank among the NCAA leaders for net punting.
FCS Leaders, Net Punting
1. Dayton (Pioneer) -- 44.33
2. Southeastern La. (Southland) -- 43.56
3. Lehigh (Patriot) -- 43.47
4. Tarleton St. (UAC) -- 43.40
5. South Dakota St. (MVFC) -- 42.57
6. North Dakota (MVFC) -- 42.44
10. Illinois St. (MVFC) -- 41.50
12. South Dakota (MVFC) -- 41.11
15. Southern Ill. (MVFC) -- 40.45