The 2025 FCS football season is fast approaching, so we’re going inside each conference race. With perennial powers North Dakota State and South Dakota State combining on the last four national titles, here’s our Missouri Valley Football Conference preview.
Missouri Valley Football is the FCS conference that makes you gulp.
Survival is primary, as the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll suggests.
Defending national champion North Dakota State isn’t just No. 1, but South Dakota State is No. 3 and South Dakota No. 4 – those two joined the Bison in the national semifinals last December – and Illinois State is No. 6, also coming off a playoff season.
That’s right, gulp.
There’s somewhat of a different look with four of the 10 teams having new head coaches, but it certainly feels like the MVFC of old. In fact, NDSU, the 10-time national champion since 2011, and SDSU have split the last four national titles.
Following is a preview of the upcoming Missouri Valley Football Conference season:
Predicted Order of Finish
*-FCS Playoff Qualifier; Ranking from Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
1. *North Dakota State (14-2, 7-1, Preseason No. 1) – As always, it’s national championship-or-bust with the Bison. Without an FBS opponent, coach Tim Polasek’s team will likely be favored in all 12 regular-season games. Left-hander Cole Payton, who’s been more run than pass in his career, should finally take over at quarterback, although Nathan Hayes gained experience as the backup after Payton was lost to a midseason injury. The wide receivers unit is outstanding with Bryce Lance (75 receptions, 1,071 yards, FCS-high 17 TD catches), RaJa Nelson, Chris Harris, Mekhi Collins and Jackson Williams, and running back Barika Kpeenu (1,278 career yards) will work behind the Trent Fraley-led offensive line. Linebacker Logan Kopp (team-high 73 tackles) and defensive end Toby Anene anchor the defense, which is always formidable even when ranking 23rd out of 129 FCS teams in yards allowed per game last season.
Expected win-loss projections for Missouri Valley Football Conference teams in the 2025 regular season, according to Opta Analyst advanced data. (Graphic by Graham Bell)2. *South Dakota (11-3, 7-1; No. 4) – New coach Travis Johansen, who was Bob Neilson’s defensive coordinator for six seasons, has inherited a ready-to-win team. That the offensive line suffered transfer losses remains a big issue, but QB Aidan Bouman (22-9 as a starter) is highly experienced and RB Charles Pierre Jr. (1,244 yards, 7.4 yards per carry, 16 TDs) is highly elusive to defenders. Linebacker Nate Ewell, DL Caden Crawford and DB Tim White will keep defense physical. Place-kicker Will Leyland is 23 of 27 (85.2%) on field goal attempts in his first two seasons. Also of note: USD has defeated North Dakota State in two of their three meetings over the last two seasons.
3. *South Dakota State (12-3, 7-1; No. 3) – Graduation and transfer losses followed Jimmy Rodgers’ departure to Washington State, but new coach Dan Jackson has settled nerves, plus added former Fordham RB Julius Loughridge and other transfers. Quarterback Chase Mason, who takes over for Mark Gronowski (FCS-record-tying 49 career wins as a starter), averaged over 10 yards per carry last season, but the Jackrabbits may have to curtail some of his rushing to keep him healthy. It helps that he has solid receivers. On defensive Kobe Clayborne is the star up front, and sophomore LB Chase Van Tool is the type of Jackrabbit who will thrill in a larger role.
4. *Illinois State (10-4, 6-2; No. 6) – Surprise, surprise, the Redbirds were the MVFC team that matched Southland Conference member UIW with a national-high six Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-Americans: LB Tye Niekamp and long snapper Dylan Calabrese on the first team; RB Wenkers Wright and WR Daniel Sobkowicz on the second team; and QB Tommy Rittenhouse (3,320 total yards, 25 total TDs) and DT Jake Anderson on the third team. Despite qualifying for the playoffs and posting their best record since 2015, the Redbirds struggled against the best teams on their schedule, suffering all four losses by 32+ points.
5. *Southern Illinois (4-8, 2-6; No. 20) – Injuries were one of the reasons the Salukis averaged a mere 22.4 points per game – the low of coach Nick Hill’s first nine seasons. A subpar offense is boosted by the return of QB D.J. Williams (only played in the first three games) and the addition of JUCO transfer Chandler Chapman. A healthier Williams means WR Vinson Davis III’s production will rise, and the unit added Jackson State transfer Fabian McCray. Colin Bohanek (62 tackles in 2023) also is back from injury to combine with Chris Presto at linebacker.
6. North Dakota (5-7, 2-6) – Even with a step backward in coach Bubba Schweigert’s 11th and final season, UND has reached the playoffs five times since 2016. Eric Schmidt’s first campaign includes 11 returning starters (six offense, five defense). Quarterback Simon Romfo will be improved as a passer and San Diego State transfer Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson has 6-foot-4, 220-pound size. Still, the Fighting Hawks will want to run the ball with RBs Gaven Ziebarth (534 yards, eight TDs) and Sawyer Seidl (494, three) and OL Seth Anderson, Liam Becher and Ben Buxa. The defense returns LBs Malachi McNeal and Lance Rucker, adding DB Zach Lewis from Northern Arizona.
7. Youngstown State (4-8, 3-5) – The Penguins, seeking a return to their playoff level in 2023, are strong in the skills positions with QB Beau Brungard (rushed for 998 yards and 16 TDs), WR Max Tomczak (155 career receptions) and RB Ethan Wright (677 rushing yards; 18 receptions). But last season they were minus-10 in turnover margin and allowed 35.8 points per game. Improvement would come behind the return of DBs D.J Harris and Makhai Shahid, who had team highs of 57 and 56 tackles, respectively. Additionally, the ’Guins surely have the MVFC’s top kicking combo in PK Andrew Lastovka and punter Brendon Kilpatrick.
8. Northern Iowa (3-9, 1-7) – UNI went outside the program to hire Drake coach Topp Stepsis (coming off two straight Pioneer Football League titles) as the successor to Mark Farley, who retired after 24 seasons and a 183-112 record. Transfers can fill some holes, but the tradition-rich program still returns talent, including two-way player Derek Anderson and leading tacklers Tucker Langenberg (LB) and Jonathan Cabral-Martin (DB). Quarterbacks Matthew Scheckleman and Aidan Dunne saw a lot of action last season. Also, the Panthers don’t have the usually overbearing nonconference strength of schedule.
9. Indiana State (4-8, 3-5) – The Sycamores are coming off a competitive season, with only three games decided by more than 12 points. This season, their offense has only four players who have made at least five starts for them: QB Elijah Owens, who set program records for rushing yards (598) and rushing TDs (eight) by a quarterback; RB Plez Lawrence (628 scrimmage yards, six TDs); WR Rashad Rochelle (58 receptions); and tight end Lance Reese. Central Connecticut State transfer safety Kimal Clark was the Northeast Conference’s 2024 defensive player of the year, and the linebackers unit returns Lucas McAllister, Braxton Sampson and Dallas Westoff.
10. Murray State (1-11, 0-8) – The Racers only beat a one-win Mississippi Valley State squad in its 100th anniversary season, suffering eight losses by 28+ points. Coach Jody Wright has turned to former South Carolina State defensive coordinator Kirk Botkin to guide improvement after the Racers ranked last in the FCS in points allowed per game (46.7) and second-to-last in yards allowed per game (509.3). Young QB Jim Ogle is helped by the return of leading rusher Jawaun Northington (518 yards, six TDs) and leading receiver JK Carter (42 receptions, 560 yards). The schedule is difficult, although the Racers avoid North Dakota State.
How the MVFC Predicted the Race
The 2025 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll. pic.twitter.com/sxtqmzvLvH
— FCS Football (@OptaAnalystFCS) July 21, 2025Five Players to Watch
Aidan Bouman, QB, South Dakota (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – In the lefty’s three seasons, the Coyotes are 13-1 when he throws for two or more TD passes. Beau Brungard, QB Youngstown State – The MVFC’s first-team all-purpose selection racked up 3,191 total offensive yards and led FCS QBs with 16 TD runs. Julius Loughridge, RB, South Dakota State (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – The Fordham transfer leads active FCS players in career rushing yards (3,122) and rushing yards per game (91.8). Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State (Walter Payton Award preseason nominee) – Perhaps the leading 2026 NFL Draft prospect from the FCS, Lance saved his best for last a season ago with seven TD catches in four postseason games. Tye Niekamp, LB, Illinois State (Buck Buchanan Award preseason nominee) – The son of Redbirds defensive coordinator Travis Niekamp was one of just six returning players from the Stats Perform FCS All-America first team.Must-See Matchups
MVFC: North Dakota State at South Dakota State (Oct. 25) – The rivals play for the Dakota Marker trophy, but it feels more like national supremacy. The winning team has had a higher time of possession in 22 of the last 23 meetings. Nonconference: South Dakota State at Montana State (Sept. 6) – This is the return game from SDSU holding off the Bobcats on the final play of a 20-16 home win in 2023. They split home wins in the 2021 (MSU) and 2022 (SDSU) playoff semifinals. FBS: Southern Illinois at Purdue (Sept. 6) – No FCS team has more FBS wins (three) since 2019 than the Salukis. Included was a Big Ten team (Northwestern) in 2022.Missouri Valley Football Conference Fast Fact
MVFC football has had a team play in the FCS championship game in each of the last 14 seasons (North Dakota State 11 times, South Dakota State three, and Illinois State and Youngstown State once each). It far exceeds the second-longest streak, CAA Football’s five straight appearances from 2006-10.
(Here’s an index page to the 2025 FCS Conference Previews)
Graphic by Matt Sisneros.Top photo, from left, from South Dakota Athletics, Associated Press and Dave Eagen/Inertia.
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Missouri Valley Football Conference Predictons: NDSU Seeks to Fend Off the Gauntlet of Top Teams Opta Analyst.
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