Missouri Valley Football co-champions UNI (9-2, 7-1) and North Dakota State (10-1, 7-1) will represent the league in the NCAA Division I Football Championship and have earned first-round byes in the 20-team field.
Two or more MVFC teams have made the playoffs in each of the past 16 seasons, and a league team has appeared in four championship games and in 14 semifinal games. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in this week's Sports Network/Fathead.com poll, while North Dakota State is No. 4. The league's other ranked team in that poll, Illinois State (7-4, 5-3) did not receive an at-large spot in the 20-team field.
North Dakota State claimed a share of the program’s first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 record. It is NDSU’s 28th conference title overall and the first since 2006 when the Bison won the Great West Football Conference championship. North Dakota State will make its 25th postseason appearance including its second straight in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Bison have compiled a 37-14 record overall, 32-13 in NCAA postseason play (including 17 NCAA Division II) and 2-1 in the FCS playoffs. NDSU won its first two games in the NCAA FCS playoffs before falling 38-31 in overtime to eventual champion Eastern Washington in the quarterfinal round. North Dakota State won national championships in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990.
With a 23-20, double-overtime win at No. 14 Illinois State, UNI clinched a share of its 16th conference title -- the most in league history. The Panthers have won or shared seven titles since head coach Mark Farley took over in 2001. The Panthers have posted nine or more regular season wins on five different occasions since 2001. UNI accomplished the feat in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008 and now 2011. UNI lost in the first round of last year's playoffs to Lehigh.
Two or more MVFC teams have made the playoffs in each of the past 16 seasons, and a league team has appeared in four championship games and in 14 semifinal games. The Panthers are ranked No. 2 in this week's Sports Network/Fathead.com poll, while North Dakota State is No. 4. The league's other ranked team in that poll, Illinois State (7-4, 5-3) did not receive an at-large spot in the 20-team field.
North Dakota State claimed a share of the program’s first Missouri Valley Football Conference championship with a 7-1 record. It is NDSU’s 28th conference title overall and the first since 2006 when the Bison won the Great West Football Conference championship. North Dakota State will make its 25th postseason appearance including its second straight in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Bison have compiled a 37-14 record overall, 32-13 in NCAA postseason play (including 17 NCAA Division II) and 2-1 in the FCS playoffs. NDSU won its first two games in the NCAA FCS playoffs before falling 38-31 in overtime to eventual champion Eastern Washington in the quarterfinal round. North Dakota State won national championships in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1990.
With a 23-20, double-overtime win at No. 14 Illinois State, UNI clinched a share of its 16th conference title -- the most in league history. The Panthers have won or shared seven titles since head coach Mark Farley took over in 2001. The Panthers have posted nine or more regular season wins on five different occasions since 2001. UNI accomplished the feat in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008 and now 2011. UNI lost in the first round of last year's playoffs to Lehigh.
No comments:
Post a Comment