1. No category

For Immediate Release
Oct. 13, 2014
1985-2014
Mike Kern
Illinois State • Indiana State • Missouri State • North Dakota State • Northern Iowa
South Dakota • South Dakota State • Southern Illinois • Western Illinois • Youngstown State
1818 Chouteau Ave. • St. Louis, MO 63103 • (314) 444-4360 • FAX (314) 444-4361
• • Media Services • •
Players of the Week
Each week a panel will select players of
the week for offense, defense, newcomer,
offensive line and special teams.
Valley Football Radio Report
Each week’s games are previewed on
the Missouri Valley Football Conference
Radio Report, produced by Jim Powers. The report can be heard on most
schools’ network affiliate station.
Weekly Coaches Call
Teleconferences featuring the
league’s head coaches are each Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT. Replays are accessible on the league web site by visiting
www.valley-football.org
877-393-4731
10:00 a.m. CT – Eric Wolford, YSU
10:06 a.m. CT – Mark Farley, UNI
10:12 a.m. CT – Mike Sanford, INS
10:18 a.m. CT – Brock Spack, ILS
10:24 a.m. CT – Bob Nielson, WIU
10:30 a.m. CT – Dale Lennon, SIU
10:36 a.m. CT – Joe Glenn, USD
10:42 a.m. CT – John Stiegelmeier, SDSU
10:48 a.m. CT – Chris Klieman, NDSU
10:54 a.m. CT – Terry Allen, MSU
www.valley-football.org
facebook.com/ValleyFootball
twitter.com/ValleyFootball
2014 Valley Football Standings (thru Oct. 11)
Team
MVFCPoints
W L ForOpp Pct.
North Dakota St.
Illinois State
Southern Illinois
Indiana State
South Dakota St.
Youngstown State
Northern Iowa
Western Illinois
Missouri State
South Dakota
2 0 55 20 1.000
206528
1.000
218565.667
113839.500
1 1 42 73 .500
1 1 38
37 .500
114636.500
1 2 57 75 .333
023546.000
0 2 26 68.000
THIS WEEK (SATURDAY, OCT. 18)
*South Dakota (2-4, 0-2)
at RV/RV Missouri State (3-3, 0-2)
Springfield, MO • 2:00 p.m. CT
Mediacom, KDLT, ESPN3
*#23/22 Indiana State (4-2, 1-1)
at #1/1 North Dakota State (6-0, 2-0)
Fargo, ND • 2:30 p.m. CT
NBC ND, ESPN3
*#17/14 Southern Illinois (5-2, 2-1)
at #19/21 Youngstown State (4-2, 1-1)
Youngstown, OH • 3:00 p.m. CT
MyYTV (taped), ESPN3 (live)
*#9/10 Illinois State (5-0, 2-0)
at NR/RV Western Illinois (3-4, 1-2)
Macomb, IL • 3:00 p.m. CT
WIU-TV3
*#16/18 South Dakota State (4-2, 1-1)
at #21/20 UNI (3-3, 1-1)
Cedar Falls, IA • 4:00 p.m. CT
Panther Sports Net. / Midco Sports Net.
Note: FCS top-25 rankings list coaches poll
first, followed by Sports Network poll.
*denotes MVFC game
IN THE TOP 25 THIS WEEK
RECORD-SETTING SEASON
Sports Network Poll (Oct. 13)
1. North Dakota State
10. Illinois State
14. Southern Illinois
18. South Dakota State
20. UNI
21. Youngstown State
22. Indiana State
RV -- Missouri State, Western Illinois
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
2
What’s On Tap
MISSOURI VALLEY
FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
FCS Coaches Poll (Oct. 13)
1. North Dakota State
9. Illinois State
16. South Dakota State
17. Southern Illinois
19. Youngstown State
21. UNI
23. Indiana State
RV -- Missouri State
OverallPoints
W L ForOpp
Valley Football teams combined for a
23-1 non-conference regular-season slate
against FCS teams. The 23 wins are a
record, and the winning percentage of
.958 (23-1) is also a record. The previous
records were 18 wins (18-4 in 1999) and
.867 (13-2 record in 2003).
LAST WEEK’S GAMES
#12 S. Illinois at #1 NDSU
#15 Illinois St. at #20 Ind. St.
#21 UNI at South Dakota
W. Illinois at #10 Youngstown St.
Missouri St. at #19 SDSU
NDSU 38-10
ILS 20-18
UNI 27-16
WIU 30-24
SDSU 32-28
Pct. Stk.
0 193
51 1.000 W30
0216491.000W5
2231
144 .714 L1
2162
120 .667 L1
2 171 138
.667 W1
2 185 124
.667
L1
3189
108 .500W1
4 150 155
.429 W1
3163
144 .500 L2
4128195 .333 L2
By The Numbers
7
It’s the number of league teams
ranked in the Top 25 this week. It
marks the fourth-straight week the
league has had 7 or more ranked teams.
30
Happy Birthday to us. The league
is celebrating its 30th season this
year, having started in 1985 as the
Gateway Conference.
23
It’s the number of FCS non-league
wins for the MVFC this year, against
just one loss. The 23 wins are a
league regular-season record and the winning percentage (.958) is also a record.
3
It’s the number of games this week
involving two ranked MVFC teams. Southern Illinois faces Youngstown
State; UNI hosts South Dakota State, and
Indiana State travels to North Dakota St.
2
It’s the number of undefeated teams
in the MVFC. A total of five FCS
teams enter this week unblemished. Harvard, Coastal Carolina and Eastern
Kentucky are the other unbeatens. The
MVFC is the only league with two.
1
It’s where North Dakota State ranks
in scoring defense. The Bison
have surrendered an FCS-best 8.5
points per game. NDSU has led the FCS
in scoring defense three-straight seasons.
5
Illinois State ranks No. 5 in the FCS
in scoring offense, averaging 43.2
points per game. The last league
team to rank in the Top 5 for a season
was Southern Illinois in 2006 (34.5). The
Salukis hold the league season record at
42.6 (2004).
0
It’s the number of field goals missed
by Illinois State’s Nick Aussieker
(7-for-7) and South Dakota’s Miles
Bergner (10-for-10) this year.
2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference Weekly Release (Oct. 13)
Players of the Week
Offense
QB Trenton Norvell, Western Illinois
6-5, 220, So., Daytona Beach (Fla.) Seabreeze
Norvell tied a career high with 4 touchdown
passes (with no interceptions) in leading
Western Illinois to a 30-24 road win at No. 10
Youngstown State. It marked WIU’s first top-10
road win since 2008. Against YSU, Norvell
completed 19-of-26 attempts (73.1 completion
percentage) for 291 yards. He also rushed 10
times for 32 yards.
Defense
LB Brett McMakin, UNI
6-4, 232, So., Overland Park (Kan.)
Blue Valley West High
McMakin had another career night for the
Panthers, helping UNI to a 27-16 win over
South Dakota. He finished the game with five
tackles, three sacks for a loss of 16 yards and
his first-career interception. His three sacks
was just one shy of tying the school record for
sacks in a game by an individual. McMakin
continued his dominating play early in the third
quarter grabbing his first interception of the
season to put UNI in the redzone, setting up
their next score, giving UNI a 17-7 lead.
Special Teams
PK Nick Aussieker, Illinois State
5-11, 195, Sr., Wildwood (Mo.) Lafayette
Aussieker kicked a game-winning 20-yard
field goal with three seconds left in the contest
to lift the Redbirds past No. 20 Indiana State
Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Aussieker also
added a 34-yard field goal early in the third
quarter that put the first three points of the day
on the scoreboard for Illinois State. With his
two field goals, Aussieker is now 7-for-7 on the
season in field goal attempts for the Redbirds.
Newcomer
WR Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State
6-4, 205, Fr., Maple Grove (Minn.) High
Wieneke recorded his second consecu-
tive and third 100-yard receiving game of the
season, setting career highs with eight catches
for 183 yards and three touchdowns in South
Dakota State’s 32-28, come-from-behind victory over Missouri State on Oct. 11. Wieneke’s
touchdowns covered 78, 10 and 26 yards,
the last of which came in the fourth quarter.
Wieneke’s yardage total was the sixth-most in
program history and the most by a Jackrabbit
receiver in the Division I era.
This Week in @ValleyFootball
For the second time this year (and second
time in Valley Football history), three league
games on the same weekend will involve two
ranked teams. Notably, two league schools
play their Homecoming games on Saturday
(Missouri State and Youngstown State).
On the Tube This Week
The South Dakota-Missouri State contest
is this week’s featured game on the Missouri
Valley Football TV Network.
South Dakota at Missouri State, 2 pm CT
4 Mick Shaffer (PBP), Danan Hughes (analyst)
Teryn Schaefer (sidelines)
Mediacom, ESPN3, KDLT TV
Notably, though, all five league games will
be on the air this week. The others are:
Indiana State at North Dakota St. (NBC ND, ESPN3)
South Dakota St. at UNI (Midco, Panther Sports Net)
Southern Illinois at Youngstown St. (MyYTV, ESPN3)
Illinois State at Western Illinois (WIU-TV3)
Still Perfect: ISU & NDSU
Illinois State (5-0) and North Dakota State
(6-0) are unbeaten, and only five FCS teams
remain perfect. In each of the past three
years, the league has had two or more teams
start the year 4-0 or better. Only once in
the league’s 29-year history have two teams
started 6-0 or better the same season.
Before 2007, the most recent time two
teams were perfect after just three games
was in 2003 (SIU and Western Kentucky).
That year, SIU was 10-0 before losing the
season finale at UNI. WKU lost its fourth
game (at Auburn).
Seasons with 2 MVFC Teams 4-0 or better
2007
2012
2013
2014
UNI (12-0); Southern Illinois (6-0)
Illinois State (5-0); North Dakota State (5-0);
Youngstown State (4-0)
North Dakota State (15-0); UNI (4-0)
North Dakota State (6-0); Illinois State (5-0)
Perfect FCS Teams in 2014 (this week’s game)
Offensive Lineman
Coastal Carolina (Big South)
Eastern Kentucky (Ohio Valley)
North Dakota State (MVFC)
Illinois State (MVFC)
Harvard (Ivy)
LT Joe Haeg, North Dakota State
6-6, 299, Jr., Lake Shore (Minn.) Brainerd
Bison Set the Standard
Haeg had four knockdowns and did not
allow a sack or QB hurry in a 38-10 home win
over No. 12 Southern Illinois. Haeg had zero
assignment errors and graded out at 91 percent on technique and 100 percent on finish.
The Bison rolled to 293 yards of total offense
in the second half and scored 21 unanswered
points to claim their record 15th-straight win
over a conference opponent.
7-0
6-0
6-0
5-0
4-0
open
at Tennessee Tech
vs. Indiana St.
at W. Illinois
Lafayette
North Dakota State beat visiting Southern
Illinois this past weekend and established a
league record with 15 consecutive conference wins. The previous record was held
by Southern Illinois, which won 14-straight
MVFC tilts from 2008-09. NDSU hosts Indiana State on Saturday. The Sycamores are
the last team to beat the Bison.
7 Teams Ranked This Week
Seven different MVFC schools are ranked
in top-25 polls this week. The league has
had 7 or more ranked teams for four-straight
weeks, establishing a record on Sept. 29 as
8 of 10 teams were ranked. The MVFC has
had six teams ranked in a poll five previous occasions. CAA Football holds the FCS
record, at nine, in 2011.
MVFC’s Ranked Teams (Oct. 13)
Sports Network
North Dakota State Illinois State
South Dakota State
Southern Illinois Youngstown State
UNI
Indiana State
Missouri State
Western Illinois
FCS Coaches
1
1
10
9
18
16
14
17
21
19
2021
22
23
RV
RV
RV
--
Winning On the Road vs. Top 25
Southern Illinois’ win at Eastern Illinois
on Sept. 6 was its 12th road win against
an FCS top-25 team in the past 10 years
(2005-present). That leads all MVFC
schools. The 12 wins include both league
and non-league contests. The Salukis will
put that to the test when they travel to
Youngstown State on Saturday.
Road Wins vs. Top 25 FCS Teams (MVFC since 2005)
12 - Southern Illinois
9 - UNI
8 - Illinois State
7 - North Dakota State
Ranked vs. Ranked
Including twice last week, there have been
110 games featuring ranked vs. ranked
MVFC teams. This week there are threesuch games on the docket. In the previous
110 matchups, the home team is 65-45,
and the higher-ranked team is 63-47.
Winning Against No. 1
A Valley Football school has 12 wins vs. a
No. 1-ranked team. Seven times a league
team has knocked another league team from
the top spot - the last to do it was Indiana
State (in 2012 vs. NDSU).
1992 -- Eastern Illinois 21, #1 UNI 15
1993 -- Illinois State 13, #1 Youngstown State 10
1997 -- UNI 35, #1 Youngstown State 32
1997 -- Youngstown State 37, #1 Villanova 34
1998 -- Western Illinois 14, #1 Youngstown State 0
2002 -- Western Kentucky 34, #1 McNeese St. 14
2005 -- Illinois State 61, #1 Southern Illinois 35
2005 -- S. Illinois 31, #1 Western Kentucky 20
2005 -- UNI 24, #1 New Hampshire 21
2011 -- Youngstown State 27, #1 N. Dakota State 24
2011 -- North Dakota State 17, #1 Sam Houston 6
2012 -- Indiana State 17, #1 North Dakota State 14
2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference Weekly Release (Oct. 13)
SDSU Dedicates Facility
South Dakota State University officially
opened the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex during dedication ceremonies Oct. 11.
The Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex will
serve as the indoor practice facility for the
Jackrabbit football team, while also housing a 300-meter competition track, as well
as expanded strength and conditioning and
sports medicine facilities.
Three League Losses
In 29 previous seasons, only five MVFC
teams with three or more conference losses
got into the NCAA playoff field.
Previous MVFC Playoff Teams with 3 MVFC Losses
Streaking at Home
In the past five seasons, NDSU is 34-3
at home, and it has an FCS-best 17-game
home winning streak. The all-time FCS mark
for consecutive home wins is 39; and UNI
holds the league record at 25-straight.
MVFC (2010-present)
G
W
L
Pct.
North Dakota State
Illinois State
South Dakota State
UNI Youngstown State
37
27
25
25
29
34
22
19
19
20
3
5
6
6
9
.919
.815
.760
.760
.690
National Leaders (Home Win Streak, Ended By)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
39
38
34
31
30
Ga. Southern
Ga. Southern
Eastern Ky.
Middle Tenn.
Montana
1997-01, Furman
1985-90, Eastern Ky.
1978-84, Western Ky.
1987-94, Eastern Ky.
1994-97, Eastern Wash.
2006 - Southern Illinois (t-4th place, 4-3 in the league)
2010 - North Dakota State (t-3rd, 4-4 in the league)
2010 - Western Illinois (2nd place, 5-3 in the league)
2012 - Illinois State (t-3rd place, 5-3 in the league)
2013 - South Dakota St. (t-2nd place, 5-3 in the league)
t8. 25 *UNI
Bison Put Win Streak On Line
The FCS toughest-schedule program,
which began in 1982, is based on what all
FCS opponents did against other FCS and
FBS teams when not playing the team in
question. Valley Football schools, based on
cumulative opposition (past and future opponents) have 8 of the top 11 in the FCS:
North Dakota State has won 30-straight
games spanning the past three seasons,
which is an FCS record for consecutive wins.
Penn set the FCS record of 24 from 199295, and Montana tied it over two seasons
from 2001-02. Oklahoma (1953-57) holds
the Division I record with 47-straight wins.
NDSU’s streak is tied for the 3rd longest in
Division I in the past 50 years.
Stk Team
Years
Ended by, Score
47 Oklahoma 1953-57 Notre Dame, 7-0
39 Washington 1908-14 Oregon State, 0-0
37 Yale
1890-93 Princeton, 6-0
37 Yale
1887-89 Princeton, 10-0
35 Toledo
1969-71 Tampa, 21-0
34 Miami (FL)
2000-03 Ohio St., *31-24 (2 ot)
34 Penn
1894-96 Lafayette, 6-4
31 Oklahoma
1948-50 Kentucky, *13-7
31 Pittsburgh 1914-18 Cle. Naval Reserve, 10-9
31 Penn 1896-98 Harvard, 10-0
30NDSU
2012-pres.
30 Texas
1968-70 Notre Dame, *24-11
1989-92, Youngstown St.
t16 17 North Dakota St. 2012-14 (active)
*denotes league record
Toughest FCS Schedules
Toughest Schedule Report Thru 10/11/14
Team
1. South Dakota (MVFC)
2. Liberty (Big South)
3. Missouri State (MVFC)
4. Indiana State (MVFC)
5. Western Illinois (MVFC)
6. Southern Illinois (MVFC)
7. Chas. Southern (Big South)
8. Presbyterian (Big South)
9. S. Dakota State (MVFC)
10. Youngstown St. (MVFC)
11. UNI (MVFC)
W-L
Pct.
32-10
27-9
35-12
32-11
28-10
30-11
21-8
20-8
30-13
30-14
29-14
.762
.750
.745
.744
.737
.732
.724
.714
.698
.682
.674
18. N. Dakota State (MVFC) 28-19
27. Illinois State (MVFC)
26-20
.596
.565
*NDSU had the nation’s 2nd-toughest in 2013
*streak ended in bowl game
2014 Valley Football Teams in the Top 25
Team
Pre S1 S8 S15S22S29 O6 O13O20O27 N3 N10N17N24END
Illinois Statervrvrv242222159
Indiana St. rv rv -- rv rv 252022
MSU
rvrvrvrv2423rvrv
NDSU
11111111
UNI
9 8 101110102120
USD
-- -- -- rvrvrvrv -SDSU
10111011 9 9 1916
S. Illinois
rv 25141316151214
W. Illinois rvrvrvrvrv -- rvrv
Youngstown 2121161512121019
*Rank represents highest position in either of two polls (Sports Network or FCS Coaches polls)
2013 Valley FB Television
#Hashtags
@WIUAthletics · In case you missed it! @
WIUFootball trumped #10 Youngstown State
on the road, 30-24.
@NDSUathletics · The longest winning streak
in Division I FCS history just reached 30.
@SIU_Football · Will the #Salukis get another crack at NDSU? Projected playoff field has
Fargo as potential second-round destination
@GoJacksFB · There’s a Jackrabbit in the
end zone! Zenner rushes one yard for the
score. South Dakota State takes a 32-28
lead. #gojacks #ZennerForPayton
@UNIFootball · I’ve gotta spark the team
somehow. As long as we’re winning, that’s all
I care about - Chad Owens #UNIFight
@ISURedbirds · Aussieker’s kick moved
up again and he clears the 20yd. FG kick!!
20-18 #RedbirdFootball with 3 sec. left on
the clock
@MidcoSN · Jake Wieneke with a fantastic
catch, the 2nd time Wieneke and Lujan have
hooked up tonight.. SDSU cuts the lead to
28-17.
O18
On This Date
Oct. 18, 1986
WR Chris Johnson of Indiana
State set what was then a
league record with 253 yards receiving and
three TDs in a 38-28 loss to Illinois State. The 253 yards still rank as the sixth-most,
while only six players in league history have
caught more than 3 TDs in a contest.
Oct. 18, 1997
RB Aaron Stecker of Western Illinois scored
four times and had 249 yards rushing as
the Leathernecks downed visiting Missouri
State, 37-7, in what was a battle of league
unbeatens. Western did end up winning the
conference in 1997 with a 6-0 mark.
Oct. 18, 2008
In a battle between two ranked league
schools, No. 4 UNI beat visiting No. 16 North
Dakota State, 23-13. The Panthers scored all
of their points in the first half, which included
three Billy Hallgren field goals.
Oct. 18, 2003
Southern Illinois, ranked No. 7, traveled
to Macomb and beat the second-ranked
Leathernecks, 37-32. Western took a 16-0
lead, but Southern Illinois scored 20 points
in the second quarter. Tom Koutsos and
Muhammad Abdulqaadir each scored a pair
of rushing TDs for the Salukis, who improved
to 7-0 after the win.
2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference Weekly Release (Oct. 13)
2014 Vs. Non-League (28-11)
Home: 21-0 / Away: 7-11 / Neut: 0-0
NCAA FCS Teams (23-1)
Big Sky.................................................... 7-1
Cal Poly........................................................1-0
Montana......................................................1-1
North Dakota...............................................1-0
Northern Arizona.........................................1-0
Northern Colorado......................................1-0
Southern Utah.............................................1-0
Weber State.................................................1-0
Big South................................................ 1-0
Liberty..........................................................1-0
Northeast................................................ 2-0
Duquesne....................................................1-0
St. Francis (Pa.)...........................................1-0
Ohio Valley.............................................. 6-0
Austin Peay..................................................1-0
Eastern Illinois.............................................2-0
Southeast Missouri State...........................1-0
Tennessee Tech...........................................2-0
Pioneer Football League........................ 3-0
Butler...........................................................1-0
Drake...........................................................1-0
Valparaiso....................................................1-0
Southland............................................... 3-0
Central Arkansas.........................................1-0
Incarnate Word............................................1-0
Northwestern State.....................................1-0
Southwestern Athletic............................ 1-0
Mississippi Valley State..............................1-0
Most Improved
Despite suffering a last-second loss to visiting No. 15 Illinois State last week, Indiana
State sits at 4-2 after six games this season.
The Sycamores won just once in 2013,
finishing with a 1-11 record. Of the 39 FCS
teams that won 4 or fewer games last year,
seven have winning records in 2014.
Most Improved in the FCS, through games of Oct. 11
Team
20132014 Diff.
Albany
Indiana State
Texas Southern
Western Carolina
Stephen F. Austin
SE Missouri State
Colgate
1-114-2+6.0
1-11
4-2
+6.0
2-9
5-1
+5.5
2-10
4-2
+5.0
3-9
4-2
+4.0
3-9
4-3
+3.5
4-8 4-2+3.0
The MVFC record is +6.0, achieved twice in league history: Southern Illinois (2003), Western Illinois (2010).
Blowing Away the Competition
League schools recorded a 23-1 record
against peer schools this year. The previous
league records during a regular-season for
FCS wins and winning percentage vs. FCS
schools were 18 (18-4 in 1999) and .867
(13-2 in 2003).
NCAA FBS Teams (2-10)
Best Regular Seasons vs. FCS (ranked by win pct.)
Big Ten.................................................... 0-6
Year
Illinois...........................................................0-1
Indiana.........................................................0-1
Iowa..............................................................0-1
Northwestern...............................................0-1
Purdue.........................................................0-1
Wisconsin....................................................0-1
Big 12...................................................... 1-1
Iowa State....................................................1-0
Oklahoma State..........................................0-1
Mid-American......................................... 1-0
Ball State.....................................................1-0
Mountain West....................................... 0-1
Hawaii..........................................................0-1
Pac-12..................................................... 0-1
Oregon.........................................................0-1
SEC.......................................................... 0-1
Missouri.......................................................0-1
Non-Division I Teams (3-0)
Taylor............................................................1-0
William Penn................................................1-0
Wis.-Oshkosh...............................................1-0
vs. Ranked (FCS) Teams (5-1)
S6 -- S. Illinois at #16 E. Illinois, W, 38-21
S13 -- #24 Eastern Illinois at Illinois State, W, 34-15
S13 -- South Dakota at #4 Montana, L, 20-28
S20 -- North Dakota State vs. #3 Montana, W, 22-10
S20 -- South Dakota vs. #22 N. Arizona, W, 28-21
S27 -- Indiana State vs. #22 Liberty, W, 38-19
vs. Ranked (FBS) Teams (0-3)
A30 -- South Dakota at #3 Oregon, L, 13-62
A30 -- S. Dakota State at #24 Mizzou, L, 18-38
S6 -- Western Illinois at #18 Wisconsin, L, 3-37
Pct.
W-L
2014.958 23-1
2003.867 13-2
2012.846 11-2
1991.842 15-2-2
1999.818 18-4
vs. Top 25
Bids
5-1
4-0
0-1
1-0-1
3-3
?
4
3
2
2
Against Ranked FCS Teams
The league is 5-1 against ranked FCS
teams, which matches the league’s regularseason record for FCS top-25 non-league
wins (5-3 in 1996). Counting this year, the
league has recorded two or more regularseason non-conference top-25 wins in 12 of
30 seasons.
Years with Multiple Regular-Season Top-25 Wins
Year
Reg-Season
Playoffs
Total
MVFC Bids
1989
4-22-26-4
2
1992
2-52-14-6
1
1993
3-60-13-7
1
1996
5-32-27-5
2
1997
3-85-18-9
2
1998
3-62-25-8
2
19993-3 6-2 *9-5 2
2000
3-30-23-5
2
2003
4-03-47-4
4
2007
3-33-26-5
2
2011
2-05-17-1
2
20145-1
?
? ?
*9 total top-25 non-conference wins is the league mark
Top-Rated Conference
Valley Football has been ranked No. 1 by
the Gridiron Power Index (GPI) in each of the
past three seasons. Last week’s GPI (10/7)
had the MVFC rated No. 1 with a record eight
teams in the Top 15. The league also ranks
No. 1 among FCS leagues in the Sagarin
Ratings. Notably, the MVFC ranks ahead
of multiple FBS conferences. Five league
schools rank in the Top 88 of all Division I.
Sagarin’s Conference Rating - Division
1. SEC (West) - FBS
2. Pac-12 (South) - FBS
13. Missouri Valley Football - FCS
14. Mountain West (West) - FBS
15. C-USA (East) - FBS
16. MAC (West) - FBS
17. C-USA (West) - FBS
18. Sun Belt - FBS
19. MAC (East) - FBS
20. CAA Football - FCS
21. Big South Conference - FCS
22. Southern Conference - FCS
23. Southland Football - FCS
24. Ohio Valley Conference - FCS
25. Big Sky Conference - FCS
The Zenner Watch
Zach Zenner of South Dakota State
became the league’s all-time leading rusher
on Sept. 6, surpassing Herb Donaldson of
Western Illinois. Zenner is the only player
in MVFC history to eclipse 2,000 yards in a
season twice (2012 and 2013).
Rushing Yards, Career (MVFC History)
1
2
3
4
Zach Zenner, SDSU (2011-present)
Herb Donaldson, Western Illinois (2005-08)
Tom Koutsos, Southern Illinois (1999-03)
Lerron Moore, Western Kentucky (2003-06)
5,467
4,746
4,715
4,396
Zenner is 23 yards away from overtaking
8th place on the all-time FCS list.
Rushing Yards, Career (FCS History)
1. Adrian Peterson, Ga. Southern (1998-01)
2. Charles Roberts, Sacramento St (1997-00)
3. Jerry Azumah, New Hampshire (1995-98
4. Scott Phaydavong, Drake (2004-07)
5. Eric Breitenstein, Wofford (2008-12)
6. Tim Flanders, Sam Houston St (2010-13)
7. Jordan Scott, Colgate (2005-08)
8. Matt Cannon, Southern Utah (QB) (1997-00)
9. Zach Zenner, SDSU (2011-present)
10. Reggie Greene, Siena (1994-97)
6,559
6,553
6,193
5,830
5,730
5,664
5,621
5,489
5,467
5,415
In the Lead .. MVFC Noteworthy
WR Jake Wieneke of South Dakota State
leads all FCS freshmen with 560 receiving
yards. He ranks No. 5 in all of Division I
TE MyCole Pruitt of SIU leads all Division I
players in receiving yards by a tight end, with
604. He’s also the active career leader, with
189 catches and 2,344 yards.
RB David Johnson of UNI leads all active
Division I players in career receiving yards by
a running back, with 1,497 on 118 catches.
2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference Weekly Release (Oct. 13)
Notable Player of the Week Submissions (Oct. 11)
OFFENSE
WR Jake Wieneke, SDSU -- also nominated at Newcomer
WR Gary Owens, INS -- also nominated at Newcomer
RB John Crockett, NDSU -- Had a game-high 151 all-purpose yards rushing 22 times for 99 yards and
making a career-high three pass receptions for 52 yards in No. 1-ranked North Dakota State’s 38-10
home win over No. 12 Southern Illinois. Crockett scored on a 1-yard run to give NDSU a 17-7 lead.
WR Kevin Vereen Jr., UNI -- Had three receptions for a season-high 87 yards in UNI’s 27-16 win over South
Dakota. He also scored his fifth touchdown of the season, scoring in five of UNI’s six games this season.
RB Marshaun Coprich, ILS -- Extended his 100-plus yard rushing streak to five games in a row with 126
yards on 21 carries against the Sycamores. His 26-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter gave the
Redbirds their first lead of the game at 10-6 and his 27-yard run on the final drive set up the GW FG.
RB Malcolm Agnew, SIU -- posted his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season in SIU’s 38-10 loss at
North Dakota State. He netted 117 yards on just 21 carries (5.6 yards per rush) against NDSU.
DEFENSE
LB Kevin Kintzel, WIU -- Finished with a team-best 7 tackles, six of which were solo, in Western’s 30-24
win at No. 10 Youngstown State.
CB Jordan Champion, NDSU -- Made seven tackles including four solo stops in No. 1-ranked North Dakota
State’s 38-10 home win over No. 12 Southern Illinois. Champion had a key tackle for no gain on thirdand-10 and also added two pass breakups.
DE Teddy Corwin, ILS -- Set career bests with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 TFLs against the Sycamores and finished
the day with six tackles overall. He combined for a sack on the first play of the day and later in the game
added a pass break up, when he deflected an attempt at the line of scrimmage.
Jordan Poole, SIU -- posted a game-high nine tackles in SIU’s 38-10 loss at North Dakota State on Saturday. Pool also finished with a half-sack and 1.0 tackles for loss.
Connor Underwood, INS -- Had seven total tackles, including two for a loss and one quarterback sack.
Underwood’s sack gave him at least one in each game this season and he is now just 3.5 away from Kyle
Mitchell’s school record of 24.5 for his career. Underwood added a pass breakup and a QB hurry.
LB Dylan Cole, MSU -- Brought down 9 ball carriers, snagged an interception and posted 6 solo stops in
a tremendous individual effort against South Dakota State. The outside linebacker also broke up a pass
and was credited with a quarterback hurry.
LB T.J. Lally, SDSU -- Tallied a game-high 10 tackles and added a QB hurry to lead a Jackrabbit defense
that held Missouri State scoreless in the second half en route to a 32-28 come-from-behind victory
SPECIAL TEAMS
RS Chad Owens, UNI -- finished with a career-high 103 punt return yards. He was just 28 yards shy of
tying the school record for most punt returns in a game (131 yards, Milo Popovic vs. Wayne State, 1988).
The senior finished with six punt returns for the 103 yards and added two kickoffs returns for 52 yards.
PK/K Miles Bergner, USD -- Broke South Dakota’s single season record for consecutive field goals made
with his 33-yard kick against UNI. It was his 10th make against no misses this season. Bergner also averaged 45.1 yards on seven punts against UNI. He had three punts of 50 yards or more.
K Adam Keller, NDSU -- Keller staked NDSU to a 3-0 lead with a 46-yard field goal in the first quarter and
converted all five PAT kicks in No. 1-ranked North Dakota State’s 38-10 home win over No. 12 SIU.
KR/PR Je Ryan Butler, SDSU -- Returned three punts for 59 yards and added two kickoff returns for 29
yards against Missouri State. His 35-yard punt return in the first quarter set up the Jackrabbits’ first score.
P Osborn Umeh, INS -- punted nine times for 340 yards to average 37.8 yards per punt. He had a long
punt of 52 yards and pinned the Redbirds inside their own 20-yard line a total of three times.
P/PK Nathan Knuffman, WIU -- Connected on his only field goal attempt, a 23-yard make in the fourth
quarter to put WIU up 30-17 with 8:18 to play, and made all three of his PAT attempts. Picked up a first
down on his second career rushing attempt, picking up 27 yards on 4th and 6.
P Nick Neidig, SIU -- punted seven times in Saturday’s loss to North Dakota State. Neidig averaged 38.0
yards on his seven punts and pinned three of them inside the 20-yard line.
NEWCOMER
Aaron Diggs, WIU -- had 3 tackles, 2 pass breakups, and 1 sack in Western’s win at No. 10 Youngstown.
RB King Frazier, NDSU -- Ran seven times for 57 yards averaging 8.1 yards per carry in No. 1-ranked North
Dakota State’s 38-10 home win over No. 12 Southern Illinois. His 20-yard run to start the second quarter
moved NDSU into the red zone and set up a TD on the next play.
WR Gary Owens, INS -- Caught seven passes for 70 yards against Illinois State. Owens’ caught an 18-yard
pass on fourth-and-10 to spur a fourth quarter comeback.
RB Calan Crowder, MSU -- The redshirt freshman running back scored two touchdowns and posted positive gains on all 12 of his carries at SDSU, accounting for 41 of MSU’s rushing yards.
QB Mark Iannotti, SIU -- Went 18-for-33 with 146 yards against North Dakota State. Iannotti threw a 24yard touchdown pass to MyCole Pruitt..
2014 Players of the Week
Aug. 28/30
*Offense -- RB John Crockett, North Dakota State
*Defense -- DE Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State
Special Teams -- P/PK Joey Cejudo, Youngstown St.
*Newcomer -- DE Colby Isbell, Missouri State
Offensive Lineman -- LT Joe Haeg, N. Dakota State
Sept. 6
*Offense -- RB Zach Zenner, South Dakota State
Defense -- OLB Tyler Williamson, Southern Illinois
Special Teams -- PK Thomas Kinney, S. Illinois
Newcomer -- WR Gary Owens, Indiana State
Offensive Lineman -- OG Dylan Seiter, S. Dakota St.
Sept. 13
*Offense -- QB Mike Perish, Indiana State
*Defense -- LB Pat Meehan, Illinois State
Special Teams -- P Chris Sullens, Missouri State
Newcomer -- QB Mark Iannotti, Southern Illinois
Offensive Lineman -- OC Tanner Crum, S. Illinois
Sept. 20
*Offense -- WR Julian Burton, Missouri State
Defense -- DE Drew Iddings, South Dakota
*Special Teams -- PK Adam Keller, N. Dakota State
Newcomer -- ILB Alexz Jones, Missouri State
Offensive Lineman -- LG Nile Banks, South Dakota
Sept. 27
*Offense -- QB Mike Perish, Indiana State
Defense -- LB Connor Underwood, Indiana State
*Special Teams -- PK Michael Schmadeke, UNI
Newcomer -- WR Gary Owens, Indiana State
Offensive Lineman -- OG Rocco Ammons, Illinois St.
Oct. 4
*Offense -- RB Marshaun Coprich, Illinois State
*Defense -- SS Tre’ Moore, Youngstown State
Special Teams -- PK Michael Schmadeke, UNI
Newcomer -- QB Tre Roberson, Illinois State
Offensive Lineman -- OT Matt Zobrist, W. Illinois
Oct. 11
Offense -- QB Trenton Norvell, Western Illinois
Defense -- LB Brett McMakin, UNI
Special Teams -- PK Nick Aussieker, Illinois State
*Newcomer -- WR Jake Wieneke, South Dakota St.
Offensive Lineman -- LT Joe Haeg, N. Dakota State
Oct. 18
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman -Oct. 25
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman -Nov. 1
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman -Nov. 8
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman -Nov. 15
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman -Nov. 22
Offense -Defense -Special Teams -Newcomer -Offensive Lineman - * - denotes National Player of the Week
Flying to a Hot Start
It certainly has not been easy for Illinois State, but the Redbirds have
started the season 5-0 for the second time in the last three seasons.
Included in those five wins are three over ranked FCS opponents in No.
24 Eastern Illinois (34-15), No. 22 South Dakota State (45-10) and No. 20
Indiana State (20-18). ISU also started the 2012 season 5-0, before finishing the regular season with an 8-3 record and eventually ending the season
with a 9-4 mark in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
ILLINOIS STATE
REDBIRDS
Elusive Road Win
(5-0, 2-0 MVFC)
S6 Mississippi Valley State
W
S13 #24 Eastern Illinois
W
S27 Austin Peay W
O4 *#9 South Dakota St.
W
O11 *at #20 Indiana State
W
O18 *at Western Illinois (ESPN3)
O25 *Missouri State N1 *at UNI (PSN)
N8 *Youngstown State (MVFC)
N15 *at South Dakota N22 *Southern Illinois (Comcast)
*MVFC game; Times Central
62-0
34-15
55-6
45-10
20-18
3 pm
6 pm
4 pm
1 pm
1 pm
1 pm
The 2012 Illinois State football team was a perfect 5-0 on the road and
extended that streak to 6-0 with a win in the second round of the FCS
playoffs at Appalachian State. However, in 2013, ISU posted a 0-6 record
away from Hancock Stadium. After starting the 2014 season with four-consecutive home games and coming away with a 4-0 record, many wondered
which team would show up in the first road game of the season. It was
difficult, but the Redbirds came away with a 20-18 come-from-behind victory
to improve to 5-0 and pick up their first road win since 2012.
Highly Efficient
Illinois State freshman fullback Bryce Holm has just five carries on the
season, but has found the end zone on two of those carries. On Saturday
against Indiana State, his lone carry was a two-yard effort in which he followed guard Kyle Avaloy into the end zone to give the Redbirds a 17-6 lead
at the time.
Another Ranked Foe
INDIANA STATE
For the fourth consecutive week, the Sycamores will be taking on a
nationally-ranked opponent as they travel to No. 1 North Dakota State. ISU
is 2-1 this season against ranked opponents, and will be looking for their
14th victory over a nationally-ranked program since joining the MVFC 29
seasons ago. Indiana State is the last team to take down North Dakota
State, when they won 17-14 in Fargo on October 13, 2012. The Sycamores
are 1-8 all-time time against the nation’s top ranked team.
SYCAMORES
Sack Man
A30 at Indiana
L
10-28
S6 Tennessee Tech W
49-14
S13 at Ball State
W
27-20
S27 #22 Liberty
W
38-19
O4 *#10 UNI W
20-19
O11 *#15 Illinois State
L
18-20
O18 *at North Dakota St. (NBC ND) 3:30 pm
O25 *at Southern Illinois (MVFC)
7 pm
N1 *Missouri State
1 pm
N8 *South Dakota State 1 pm
N15 *at Youngstown State (ESPN3)
2 pm
N22 *at Western Illinois (ESPN3)
2 pm
*MVFC game; Times Eastern
Perish Climbs the Ladder
(4-2, 1-1 MVFC)
Connor Underwood kept his streak of consecutive games with a sack
alive with one against Illinois State. He is averaging 7.7 tackles per game
to rank tied for sixth in the league. Underwood owns the league lead in
quarterback sacks per game with a 1.17 average, a mark which ranks tied
for sixth nationally. He has seven total sacks for a loss of 31 yards. He now
owns 22.0 for his career and is only 3.5 away from Kyle Mitchell’s current
school record of 25.5. He also has 12.5 tackles for a loss this year which is
tops in the MVFC and ranks seventh in FCS football.
Mike Perish enters week seven of his senior season, and his third season
as the Sycamore starting quarterback, ranked fourth all-time in career passing yards with 4,574. For his career he is 523-of-715 for 4,574 yards and 33
touchdowns. He needs 520 more yards to top Reggie Allen’s total of 5,094
yards from 1978-81 for third on the Sycamores all-time list. Perish missed
the Illinois State game as he was held out due to medical reasons.
Rockin’ The Red Zone
Missouri State has scored on 11 of its last 12 trips into the red zone,
including 10 touchdowns, in the span of its last four games. For the season,
the Bears are executing an 89-percent success rate in the red zone -- 16
for 18 -- with 14 touchdowns. The Bears, who led the nation in red zone defense last year at 64.9 percent, have come up with 4 red-zone stops against
this year’s opponents and have kept the opposition out of the end zone 10
times in 19 trips inside the 20.
MISSOURI STATE
BEARS
Homecoming Success
(3-3, 0-2 MVFC)
A28 at Northwestern State
W
S6 at Oklahoma State
L
S13 North Dakota W
S20 at Central Arkansas
W
O4 *#12 Youngstown State
L
O11 *at #19 South Dakota St. L
O18 *South Dakota (MVFC) [HC]
O25 *at Illinois State
N1 *at Indiana State
N8 *Southern Illinois
N15 *North Dakota State (NBC ND)
N22 *at UNI (PSN)
*MVFC game; Times Central
34-27
23-40
38-0
33-31
7-14
28-32
2 pm
6 pm
12 pm
2 pm
2 pm
4 pm
The Bears will entertain South Dakota this week to continue the 94-year
tradition on the Springfield campus. Missouri State has won three of its last
four homecoming games, has never hosted the Coyotes on homecoming,
and has lost just one homecoming game in regulation since 2006.
Takeaway Trends
MSU has 17 takeaways in its first six games, including 9 interceptions,
with a +8 turnover differential. The Bears turned their three interceptions
at South Dakota State into 14 points Saturday in Brookings. Missouri State
now has 76 points off turnovers this season -- 12.7 ppg.
Big Plays Boost Bison
NORTH DAKOTA STATE
BISON
(6-0, 2-0 MVFC)
A30 at Iowa State
W
34-14
S6 at Weber State
W
24-7
S13 Incarnate Word
W
58-0
S20 #3 Montana
W
22-10
O4 *at Western Illinois
W
17-10
O11 *#12 Southern Illinois
W
38-10
O18 *Indiana State (NBC ND)
2:30 pm
O25 *at S. Dakota (NBC ND/Midco)
2 pm
N1 *South Dakota State (NBC ND) 2:30 pm
N8 *at UNI (PSN/NBC ND)
4 pm
N15 *at Missouri State (NBC ND)
2 pm
N22 *Youngstown State (NBC ND) 2:30 pm
*MVFC game; Times Central
North Dakota State scored three second-half TDs to beat Southern Illinois 38-10 last week before the fourth-largest crowd in Fargodome history
(19,053). NDSU totaled 293 yards of offense in the second half and got a
pair of explosive plays in the fourth quarter to put away the Salukis. Quarterback Carson Wentz connected with wide receiver Trevor Gebhart on a
75-yard passing play to make it 31-10 with 11:50 to go, and Chase Morlock
bounced off a tackler to rumble 48 yards for the final score of the game.
Champion Shining
Junior CB Jordan Champion made seven tackles (four solo) against Southern Illinois including a key tackle for no gain on third-and-10, and also made
two pass breakups. He has made at least five tackles in each of the last five
NDSU games and has totaled five pass breakups in the last three contests.
At Western Illinois two weeks ago, he made two tackles for no gain, a fourthdown stop, a kickoff tackle and a third down pass breakup to force a punt.
Keller Converting
North Dakota State’s Adam Keller is 20 of 20 this year and has converted
79 straight PAT kicks dating back to the fourth game of 2013 at South
Dakota State, a streak which is seventh longest in MVFC history. He had a
streak of 14 straight FGs snapped two weeks ago.
Records Go Down
David Johnson broke the school record for career all-purpose yards
against the Coyotes, going for 42 rushing yards and 64 kickoff return yards
to give him a career total of 5,259. Johnson entered the game against
South Dakota at No. 3 all-time, but was able to pass both Carlos Anderson
(5,166) and Kenny Shedd (5,173) to grab the record.
NORTHERN IOWA
Sack Attack
PANTHERS
The Panthers finished the game with seven total sacks. The number tied
for a season-high and also tied for 10th all-time at UNI in single-game sack
totals. Brett McMakin was just one sack away from tying the school record
for sacks in a game by an individual.
(3-3, 1-1 MVFC)
A30 at Iowa
L
S13 at Hawaii
L
S20 Northern Colorado
W
S27 Tennessee Tech
W
O4 *at #25 Indiana State
L
O11 *at South Dakota
W
O18 *South Dakota State (PSN)
O25 *at Western Illinois (WIU-TV3)
N1 *Illinois State (PSN)
N8 *North Dakota State (PSN)
N15 *at Southern Illinois (MVFC)
N22 *Missouri State (PSN)
*MVFC game; Times Central
23-31
24-27
46-7
50-7
19-20
27-16
4 pm
1 pm
4 pm
4 pm
2 pm
4 pm
Leading the Charge
Chad Owens finished with a career-high 103 punt return yards. He was
just 28 yards shy of tying the school record for most punt returns in a game
(131 yards, Milo Popovic vs. Wayne State, 1988). The senior finished with
six punt returns for the 103 yards and added two kickoffs returns for 52
yards. The Urbandale, Iowa native really showed his speed early in the second quarter when he broke free for a career-long 43-yard return to the UNI
45-yard-line, putting the Panthers in good position and eventually leading to
their first lead of the game.
Earl’s Return
Junior quarterback Kevin Earl made his first start since the season
opener at Oregon and passed for 260 yards and a touchdown against UNI
last weekend. It was the first time the Coyotes had thrown for more than
200 yards this season.
Turn the Tables
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota allowed a season-high seven sacks and committed two
turnovers on offense against UNI. The Coyote defense has not recorded a
sack, nor a turnover in its last two games.
COYOTES
(2-4, 0-2 MVFC)
A30 at #3 Oregon
L
S6 William Penn
W
S13 at #4 Montana
L
S20 #22 Northern Arizona
W
O4 *at #15 Southern Illinois L
O11 *#21 UNI
L
O18 *at Missouri State (MVFC)
O25 *North Dakota State (Midco)
N1 *at Youngstown St. (KDLT/KOTA)
N8 *Western Illinois (Midco)
N15 *Illinois State N22 *at South Dakota State (Midco)
*MVFC game; Times Central
13-62
41-16
20-28
28-21
10-41
16-27
2 pm
2 pm
1 pm
4 pm
1 pm
2 pm
Finish the Job
South Dakota leads its series with Missouri State 2-1. The loss came
at Plaster Stadium in 2012 where the Coyotes held a 24-10 lead with six
minutes remaining. The Bears scored 17 unanswered points in the last six
minutes to win 27-24. Missouri State had 10 points and 164 yards of offense before making its move late.
Wieneke’s Big Week
Jake Wieneke began the week by being named to the official watch list for
the 2014 Jerry Rice Award. The redshirt freshman from Maple Grove, Minnesota, lived up to that billing by recording career highs of eight receptions
for 183 yards and three touchdowns in a come-from-behind victory over Missouri State on Oct. 11. Wieneke’s three touchdowns covered 78, 10 and 26
yards in recording the most receiving yards by a Jackrabbit player in a single
game in the Division I era (since 2004) and sixth-most in program history.
Wieneke has topped 100 receiving yards in three games this season and
currently ranks 25th among all Football Championship Subdivision players –
and first among freshmen – with 521 receiving yards.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
JACKRABBITS
(4-2, 1-1 MVFC)
A30 at #24 Missouri L
18-38
S6 Cal Poly W
44-18
S13 at Southern Utah
W
26-6
S20Wis.-Oshkosh
W
41-3
O4 *at #22 Illinois State L
10-45
O11 *Missouri State
W
32-28
O18 *at UNI (PSN)
4 pm
O25 *Youngstown State (MVFC) [HC]
2 pm
N1 *at North Dakota St. (NBC ND) 2:30 pm
N8 *at Indiana State
12 pm
N15 *Western Illinois 2 pm
N22 *South Dakota (Midco)
2 pm
*MVFC game; Times Central
Mr. Consistency
Zach Zenner enters Saturday’s game at Northern Iowa needing only 62
yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the third consecutive season. Zenner
would become only the second player in South Dakota State history to top
the 1,000-yard mark in three consecutive seasons, joining Kyle Minett, who
accomplished the feat from 2008-10. Zenner has topped the 100-yard
mark in 27 games in his career, including nine consecutive games against
Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.
Defense Doesn’t Rest
The South Dakota State defense pitched a second-half shutout in its Oct.
11 game against Missouri State, allowing the Jackrabbits to rally from an
18-point deficit to pull out a 32-28 victory. SDSU surrendered only 80 yards
of total offense on 33 plays in the final 30 minutes.
Sack Heavy
SIU ranks eighth nationally in sacks per game (3.43) and has at least
two in every game. The Salukis are tied with UNI for the league lead in total
sacks with 24 and have seven more than any other team in the conference.
Last week’s opponent, NDSU, came into the game having allowed just three
sacks all year before the Salukis tagged them for two in the first half. Pressure has come from everywhere, with 12 players in on a sack this year.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Agnew Running Into SIU History Books
SALUKIS
(5-2, 2-1 MVFC)
A28Taylor
W
S6 at #16 Eastern Illinois
W
S13 SE Missouri State
W
S20 at Purdue
L
S27 *Western Illinois
W
O4 *South Dakota
W
O11 *at #1 North Dakota St.
L
O18 *at Youngstown State (MyYTV-td)
O25 *Indiana State (MVFC) [HC]
N8 *at Missouri State
N15 *UNI (MVFC)
N22 *at Illinois State (Comcast)
*MVFC game; Times Central
45-0
38-21
50-23
13-35
34-17
41-10
10-38
3 pm
6 pm
2 pm
2 pm
1 pm
Malcolm Agnew has rushed for over 100 yards five times in seven games
this season and already has 789 rushing yards. With another 100-yard
game, Agnew will surpass his rushing total from last year (888 yards).
Among two-year players, Agnew is already fourth in SIU history in career
rushing yards with 1,677 and needs just 114 to pass current SIU running
backs coach Larry Warner and move into third.
Pruitt Proving Best TE at Any Level
MyCole Pruitt is the active career NCAA leader among all divisions (FBS,
FCS, DII, DIII) in receptions and receiving yards for a tight end. This year, he
has already surpassed his career-best season numbers in receptions and
receiving yards. He has at least five catches and 50 yards in six-straight
games and ranks sixth nationally among all receivers in touchdown catches
this year with seven.
Something ‘Bout Oct. 11?
Western Illinois beats Youngstown State at Stambaugh Stadium for the
first time since Oct. 11, 2003. The win over a ‘Top 10’ team away from
home was the first for WIU since the Leathernecks beat #6 North Dakota
State on Oct. 11, 2008.
On the Road Again
WESTERN ILLINOIS
LEATHERNECKS
(3-4, 1-2 MVFC)
A28Valparaiso
W
S6 at #18 Wisconsin
L
S13Drake
W
S20 at Northwestern
L
S27 *at #16 Southern Illinois L
O4 *#1 North Dakota State L
O11 *at #10 Youngstown St. W
O18 *Illinois State (WIU-TV3)
O25 *UNI (WIU-TV3)
N8 *at South Dakota (Midco)
N15 *at South Dakota State
N22 *Indiana State (WIU-TV3)
*MVFC game; Times Central
45-6
3-37
38-13
7-24
17-34
10-17
30-24
3 pm
1 pm
4 pm
2 pm
1 pm
Western Illinois plays its next two games at home, but the Leathernecks
won for just the third time in 22 tries on the road with its 30-24 victory at
Youngstown State. Western lost its season finale in the 2010 playoffs at
top-seeded Appalachian State, and then won on the road just once in each
of the past two seasons (at South Dakota and at Indiana State).
Get in the Zone
Western Illinois is the only league school to rank in the Top 3 in both Red
Zone offense and Red Zone defense. The Leathernecks convert when in
the Red Zone on 89.5 percent of their chances (3rd best in the MVFC), while
Western limits its opponents to a 74.2 success rate (also 3rd best).
Norvell Ranks No. 2
With his four TD passes against Youngstown State last week, QB Trenton
Norvell moved into a tie for second in the league with 11 TD passes on the
season. He ranks fourth in the league in passing yards per game (222.1).
Homecoming Happiness
YOUNGSTOWN STATE
PENGUINS
The Penguins are playing their 74th Homecoming contest this Saturday
against Southern Illinois. YSU has won three straight Homecoming contests
and will be looking to win its fourth consecutive, the most since winning 11
straight from 1992-2002. Last season, the Guins pulled out a 24-14 win
over Western Illinois. In 2012, the Penguins defeated South Dakota 13-10
and in 2011, YSU dispatched of WIU 56-14. The Penguins own an all-time
mark of 50-22-1 in Homecoming contests. SIU has been the Guins’ Homecoming opponent on three occasions - 1967, 1998, 2002. The Guins have
won all three contests against the Salukis.
(4-2, 1-1 MVFC)
Bam Has Been All Over
A30 at Illinois
L
17-28
S6Duquesne
W 34-23
S13Butler
W
44-13
S20 St. Francis (Pa.)
W
52-23
O4 *at #23 Missouri State W
14-7
O11 *Western Illinois
L
24-30
O18 *S. Illinois (MyYTV-td / e3) [HC]
4 pm
O25 *at South Dakota State (MVFC)
3 pm
N1 *South Dakota (MyYTV-td / e3)
2 pm
N8 *at Illinois State (MVFC)
2 pm
N15 *Indiana State (MyYTV-td / e3)
2 pm
N22 *at North Dakota State (TBD) 3:30 pm
*MVFC game; Times Eastern
Rivers Flowing to QBs
Junior LB Dubem Nwadiogbu, aka “Bam”, has been a key difference
maker on defense so far this year. Nwadiogbu has 55 tackles, including
36 solo stops. Both are team highs. On four occasions this year he has set
a new career high in tackles. The most recent time was against Western
Illinois. Nwadiogbu had 13 stops against the Leathernecks, including eight
solo tackles.
Sophomore DE Derek Rivers has had 12 tackles in the past two games.
Rivers was credited with a career-best seven tackles against Western Illinois. He was coming off a career-best five tackles in the win at Missouri
State. Rivers had a pair of quarterback hurries and a sack against the
Bears. This year, Rivers has 21 tackles, including 13 solo stops and 8.5
TFLs. Last year, he posted 13 tackles playing in 10 games.