The 2026 Missouri Valley Football Conference season is the 41st season of college football play for the Missouri Valley Football Conference and part of the 2026 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This is the conference's first season at 9 teams since the 2011 season.
Conference changes On February 9, 2026, North Dakota State accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West Conference and reclassify to the Football Bowl Subdivision effective July 1, 2026.
Coaching changes South Dakota On February 6, 2026, Travis Johansen announced he would be leaving the Coyotes for the defensive coordinator job at Rutgers. Later that same day, South Dakota named Matt Vitzthum the 32nd head coach of the program.
Preseason League poll The annual preseason poll; voted on by conference coaches, athletic directors, and media members.
1 South Dakota State 312 (28) 2 Illinois State 256 (3) 3 Youngstown State 235 4 North Dakota 211 (2) 5 South Dakota 196 (2) 6 Southern Illinois 186 (1) 7 Northern Iowa 99 8 Indiana State 80 9 Murray State 45
Individual awards The MVFC preseason watch list; which is a list voted on by the league's coaches, athletic directors, and media members.
OffenseBeau BrungardYoungstown StateQBJaxon DaileyNorthern IowaJerry KaminskiNorth DakotaChase MasonSouth Dakota StateElijah OwensIndiana StateDJ WilliamsSouthern IllinoisChandler ChapmanRBVictor DawsonIllinois StateJaden GilbertYoungstown StateKeyondray Jones-LoganSouth DakotaRamon McKinney Jr.South Dakota StateCharles Pierre Jr.South DakotaEdward RobinsonSouthern IllinoisMason SouthNorth DakotaFBTysen BozeSouth DakotaWRTennel BryantDeng DengNorth DakotaGrahm GoeringSouth Dakota StateDylan LordIllinois StateLuke MailanderAllen MiddletonSouthern IllinoisLofton O'GroskeSouth Dakota StateKeShon SingletonIndiana StateFresh WaltersYoungstown StateDorian WilliamsAustin BrayYoungstown StateTEGreyton GannonSouth Dakota StateColeman KuntzJesse MillerLiam BecherNorth DakotaOLBen BuxaTrace ThadenLogan BrasfieldIllinois StateLandon WoodardQuinten ChristensenSouth Dakota StateShane WillenbringJake DarbyMurray StateAJ ShadidBlaine HalleySouthern IllinoisDerek HardenDesmeal LeighYoungstown StateShane KeenanNick NielsenDrew PageIndiana StateZach SimpsonKyle KellyNorthern IowaBrock WoolfSouth DakotaSpecial TeamsAndrew LastovkaYoungstown StatePKHayden FutchIllinois StatePLogan GregoryNorthern IowaMax PelhamSouth Dakota StateLuke SilvernaleNorth DakotaRyan AlgrimSouthern IllinoisLSMar'Quan GaryIllinois StateRS/APBJack SmithSouth Dakota State
DefenseJayden ChildersIndiana StateDLKolten GajewskiMason KnippChris DixonSouth DakotaNathan LaperiAmir DwightSouthern IllinoisJake ParrellaLogan GreenSouth Dakota StateReis KirschenmanDawson RipperdaJace SiforeCarter SitzmanBen HarmanIllinois StateThomas JollyYoungstown StateMike WellsJaylen PettusNorthern IowaLance RuckerNorth DakotaKaden VigJayden WalkerAndrew BehmSouthern IllinoisLBChris PrestoConlee CrossnoMurray StateKlayton IngramMicheal DevereauxNorth DakotaGabe HardmanSouth DakotaMason KaplanIllinois StateDexter NiekampTye NiekampCarston MarshallYoungstown StateCullen McShaneSouth Dakota StateChase Van TolKolben MillerNorthern IowaBraxton SampsonIndiana StateXavian AndrewsIndiana StateDBJorge ValdesNic YatskoLa'Shavion BrownIllinois StateRaleigh CollinsYoungstown StateDev HolmanCam SmithIfe CurrentSouth Dakota StateNoah St. JusteJordan McClomNorthern IowaGrant NolandNorth DakotaVinny PierreSouthern IllinoisGavin ShephardRJ StewartSouth Dakota
Rankings
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Final Illinois State STATS 4 4 5 5 3 10 12 Coaches 4 4 4 4 4т 11 13 Indiana State STATS Coaches Murray State STATS Coaches North Dakota STATS 10 8 6 6 7 5 4 Coaches 10 9 7 6 8 7 7 Northern Iowa STATS RV RV Coaches RV South Dakota STATS 12 11 11 10 8 13 10 Coaches 12 12 12 12 12 16 12 South Dakota State STATS 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 Coaches 3 2 3 3 2 2 1 Southern Illinois STATS 16 RV RV 24 24 21 25 Coaches 16 25 RV 25 RV 25 RV Youngstown State STATS 9 9 10 9 11 8 8 Coaches 9 7 10 9 13 10 9
Schedule Index to colors and formattingMVFC member wonMVFC member lostMVFC teams in bold All times Central time.
† denotes Homecoming game ^ denotes AP Poll ranking for FBS teams
Regular season schedule Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Date Bye Week October 3 No. RV Northern Iowa
Week 7
Date Bye Week October 10 No. 1 South Dakota State Murray State No. 12 Illinois State
Week 8
Date Bye Week October 17 Indiana State
Week 9
Date Bye Week October 24 Youngstown State
Week 10
Date Bye Week October 31 Southern Illinois
Week 11
Date Bye Week November 7 South Dakota
Week 12
Date Bye Week November 14 North Dakota
Week 13
Date Bye Week November 21 Youngstown State Conference schedule source:
MVFC records vs other conferences 2026–27 records against non-conference foes:
FCS power conferencesRecordBig Sky3–1CAANoneFCS power total3–1Other FCS conferencesRecordIvy LeagueNoneMEACNoneNortheast5–0Ohio Valley5–2PatriotNonePFL5–0SoCon1–0SouthlandNoneSWACNoneUAC0–1Other FCS total16–3Other Division I opponentsRecordFootball Bowl Subdivision1–9Total Division I20–13Other NCAA opponentsRecordDivision II0–0Other opponentsRecordNAIA1–0Total non-conference record21–13
Postseason FCS power conferencesRecordBig SkyNoneCAANoneFCS power total0–0Other FCS conferencesRecordIvy LeagueNoneMEACNoneNortheastNoneOhio ValleyNonePatriotNonePFLNoneSoConNoneSouthlandNoneSWACNoneUACNoneOther FCS total0–0Total postseason record0–0
Awards and honors Players of the week honors Week Offensive Defensive Special teams Newcomer Offensive line Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position TeamWeek 1 (Aug. 31) Austyn ModrzewskiQBUSDChase Van TolLBSDSUHayden FutchPILSTAustyn ModrzewskiQBUSDQuinten ChristensenLTSDSUWeek 2 (Sept. 7) Jerry KaminskiQBUNDBen FiegelLBSIUCharles LangamaRBUNDIbrahim SanogoDESIULance ThadenLTUNDWeek 3 (Sept. 14) Beau BrungardQBYSUTye NiekampLBILSTGage RoyRBILSTCharles LangamaRB/RSUNDGriffin HileLTINSTWeek 4 (Sept. 21) Josiah JohnsonRBSDSUAlex RoseLBINSTAaron BallRBINSTDylan LordWR/PRILSTAndy HertleinRGINSTWeek 5 (Sept. 28) Jerry KaminskiQBUNDGraydon RollinsLBYSUJayden ReedWRINSTWeston SchofieldKSIUKellen FrancisOGSIUWeek 6 (Oct. 5) Jerry KaminskiQBUNDMyles GreenCBSDSUBrook Honore Jr.PUSDCameron WeirWRUNDCaleb OlsonRGUND
Home attendance TeamStadiumCapacityGame 1Game 2Game 3Game 4Game 5Game 6Game 7Game 8Total Average% of capacity Illinois StateHancock Stadium13,3919,07211,589†10,17130,83210,27776.7% Indiana StateMemorial Stadium12,7645,521†3,4972,76511,7833,92730.8% Murray StateRoy Stewart Stadium16,8005,67111,122†5,51322,3067,43544.3% North DakotaAlerus Center12,28310,34410,90910,985†32,23810,74687.5% Northern IowaUNI-Dome16,3249,170†9,01618,1869,09355.7% South DakotaDakotaDome9,1007,1687,5359,002†23,7057,90186.8% South Dakota StateDana J. Dykhouse Stadium19,34019,192†19,01318,54118,26475,01018,75297.0% Southern IllinoisSaluki Stadium15,00012,310†6,18018,4909,24561.6% Youngstown StateStambaugh Stadium20,6308,21410,824†8,84927,8879,29545.1% Bold - Exceed or met capacity †Season High ‡FCS Playoff Game
2027 NFL Draft
The following list includes all MVFC players who were drafted in the 2027 NFL draft. Player Position School Draftround Roundpick Overallpick Team
Head coaches Through October 5, 2026 All stats include 2026 season Team Head coach Years at school Overall record Record at school MVFC record MVFC titles FCS playoff appearances FCS playoff record National titles Illinois State Brock Spack 18 2 7 0 Indiana State Curt Mallory 9 0 0 0 Murray State Jody Wright 3 0 0 0 North Dakota Eric Schmidt 2 0 1 0 Northern Iowa Todd Stepsis 2 0 0 0 South Dakota Matt Vitzthum 1 0 0 0 Dan Jackson 2 0 1 0 Southern Illinois Nick Hill 11 0 3 0 Youngstown State Doug Phillips 7 0 2 0
References