The 2019 Missouri Valley Football Conference season was the 34th season of college football play for the Missouri Valley Football Conference and part of the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This was the MVFC's 8th consecutive season with 10 teams, and would be their last for now as they added North Dakota in the following offseason.
North Dakota State won the conference title and achieved the number 1 overall seed again in the 2019 FCS Playoffs. The Bison would go on to win their 8th National Championship in 9 years. South Dakota State, Illinois State, and Northern Iowa all made the playoffs, with the Jacks being the number 7 overall seed. Illinois State and Northern Iowa both played in the first round. Illinois State beat Southeast Missouri State and Northern Iowa beat San Diego to advance to the second round. In the second round, Illinois State beat 8th overall seed Central Arkansas and Northern Iowa upset South Dakota State to both advance to the quarterfinals. North Dakota State beat Nicholls to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, NDSU beat Illinois State to advance to the semifinals, and Northern Iowa lost to 2nd seeded James Madison. North Dakota State would beat Montana State in the semifinals, and James Madison in the championship.
Coaching changes North Dakota State On December 13, 2018, Matt Entz was named the new head coach at North Dakota State. Entz takes over for Chris Klieman, who left the program for a head coaching job at Kansas State. The Wildcats allowed Klieman to finish out the 2018 playoffs at NDSU before heading to Manhattan.
Preseason MVFC Media Day Preseason Poll The annual preseason poll; voted on by conference coaches, athletic directors, and media members. 1 North Dakota State 392 (32) 2 South Dakota State 348 (4) 3 Illinois State 289 (3) 4 Indiana State 279 (1) 5 Northern Iowa 266 6 South Dakota 176 7 Youngstown State 153 8 Western Illinois 128 9 Southern Illinois 89 10 Missouri State 80
Preseason awards Individual awards
Preseason Team OffenseRyan BoyleIndiana StateQBSr.D.J. DavisSouthern IllinoisRBSr.James RobinsonIllinois StateRBSr.Pierre Strong Jr.South Dakota StateRBSo.Clint RatkovichWestern IllinoisFBJr.Dakarai AllenSouth DakotaWRSr.Dante HendrixIndiana StateWRSo.Cade JohnsonSouth Dakota StateWRJr.Briley MooreNorthern IowaTESr.Drew HimmelmanIllinois StateOLJr.Zack JohnsonNorth Dakota StateOLSr.Dillon RadunzNorth Dakota StateOLJr.Jackson Scott-BrownNorthern IowaOLSr.Wyatt WozniakIndiana StateOLSr.Preseason Team DefenseRyan EarithSouth Dakota StateDLSr.Darin GreenfieldSouth DakotaDLSr.Anthony KnightonSouthern IllinoisDLJr.Derrek TuszkaNorth Dakota StateDLSr.Jabril CoxNorth Dakota StateLBJr.Angelo GarbuttMissouri StateLBSr.Jonas GriffithIndiana StateLBSr.Christian RozeboomSouth Dakota StateLBSr.Jeremy ChinnSouthern IllinoisDBSr.James HendricksNorth Dakota StateDBSr.Luther KirkIllinois StateDBSr.Devin TaylorIllinois StateDBJr.Xavior WilliamsNorthern IowaDBJr.Preseason Team Special TeamsBradey SorensenSouth Dakota StateLSJr.Jerry NunezIndiana StatePKSr.Garret WegnerNorth Dakota StatePJr.Je'Quan BurtonSouthern IllinoisRSSo.
Rankings
+ Legend Improvement in ranking Drop in ranking Not ranked previous week No change in ranking from previous week RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
Pre Wk1 Wk2 Wk3 Wk4 Wk5 Wk6 Wk7 Wk8 Wk9 Wk10 Wk11 Wk12 Wk13 Final Illinois State STATS Perform 15 16 13 15 14 10 14 11 8 7 11 7 7 13 7 AFCA Coaches 13 16 12 10 8 6 13 10 7 7 12 8 6 14 7 Indiana State STATS Perform 16 14 AFCA Coaches 16 15 Missouri State STATS Perform AFCA Coaches North Dakota State STATS Perform 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 AFCA Coaches 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Northern Iowa STATS Perform 18 11 11 9 9 13 10 14 11 9 5 4 9 6 5 AFCA Coaches 20 12 10 8 7 13 10 15 12 10 7 5 10 6 5 South Dakota STATS Perform AFCA Coaches South Dakota State STATS Perform 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 8 5 10 10 AFCA Coaches 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 5 4 9 5 12 12 Southern Illinois STATS Perform AFCA Coaches 25т 25 Western Illinois STATS Perform AFCA Coaches Youngstown State STATS Perform 24 22 18 19 19 AFCA Coaches 21 20 17 17 18
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 0
Week 1
Week 2
Date Bye WeekSeptember 7 Missouri State
Week 3
Date Bye WeekSeptember 14 Northern Iowa
Week 4
Date Bye WeekSeptember 21 No. 24 Youngstown State
Week 5
Date Bye WeekSeptember 28 No. 1 North Dakota State No. 3 South Dakota State No. 14 Illinois State Missouri State Indiana State South Dakota Southern Illinois Western Illinois
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9 In Week 9, the 2019 edition of the Dakota Marker was preceded by ESPN's College Gameday on the campus of South Dakota State University.
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Postseason
In 2019, four MVFC teams made the FCS playoffs. North Dakota State (No. 1) and South Dakota State (No. 7) both received a first round bye. Illinois State and Northern Iowa both were unseeded and played in the first round.
Index to colors and formattingMVFC member wonMVFC member lostMVFC teams in bold All times Central time. Tournament seedings in parentheses
First round
Second round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship
MVFC records vs other conferences 2019-20 records against non-conference foes (through January 11, 2020):
FCS Power ConferencesRecordBig Sky5–3CAA2–0FCS Power Total7–3Other FCS ConferencesRecordASUN0–1Big South1–0Ivy LeagueNoneMEAC1–0Northeast2–0OVC4–1PatriotNonePFL4–0SoCon1–0Southland1–1SWACNoneWAC2–0FCS Independents1–0Other FCS Total17–3FBS OpponentsRecordFootball Bowl Subdivision1–7Total Non-Conference Record25–13
Post Season FCS Power ConferencesRecordBig Sky1–0CAA1–1FCS Power Total2–1Other FCS ConferencesRecordASUN1–0Big SouthNoneIvy LeagueNoneMEACNoneNortheastNoneOVC1–0PatriotNonePFL1–0SoConNoneSouthland1–0SWACNoneWACNoneOther FCS Total4–0Total Postseason Record6–1
Awards and honors Player of the week honors Week Offensive Defensive Special Teams Newcomer Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position TeamWeek 1 (Sept. 1)Trey LanceQBNDSUKaleb BrewerDLINSTMatthew CookPKUNITrey LanceQBNDSUWeek 2 (Sept. 8)Javon WilliamsRBSIUChristian RozeboomLBSDSUJaxon JankePR/WRSDSUWill McElvainQBUNIWeek 3 (Sept. 15)Austin SimmonsQBUSDInoke MoalaDLINSTGriffin CrosaKNDSUTre' StrongCBSIUWeek 4 (Sept. 22)Brady DavisQBILSTElerson G. SmithDLUNISam FenlasonPKILSTAvante CoxWRSIUWeek 5 (Sept. 29)Joe AlessiRBYSUChris KolarevicLBUNIJake CoatesPRYSUWill McElvianQBUNIWeek 6 (Oct. 6)Austin SimmonsQBUSDElerson SmithDEUNIBrendan WithrowPMOSTTrey LanceQBNDSUWeek 7 (Oct. 13)J'Bore GibbsQBSDSUClayton GlascoLBINSTGarret WegnerPKNDSUJ'Bore GibbsQBSDSUWeek 8 (Oct. 20)Isaiah WestonWRUNIChris KolarevicLBUNIJack ColquhounPSIUJavon WilliamsRBSIUWeek 9 (Oct. 27)Avante CoxWRSIUJosh HayesCBNDSUMatthew CookPKUNIAvante CoxWRSIUWeek 10 (Nov. 3)Connor SampsonQBWIUOmar BrownDBUNIKobe JohnsonRB/KRNDSUOmar BrownDBUNIWeek 11 (Nov. 10)Austin SimmonsQBUSDDylan DrakaLBILSTSam FenlasonPKILSTJalen BusseyRBNDSUWeek 12 (Nov. 17)D.J. DavisRBSIUDevin TaylorDBILSTBrendan WithrowPMOSTJavon Williams Jr.RBSIUKeaton HeideQBSDSUWeek 13 (Nov. 24)Nathan MaysQBYSUJustus ReedDEYSUDalton GodfreyLSUSDDominique DafneyWRINSTDominique DafneyWRINST
Players of the Year On November 27, 2021, the Missouri Valley Football Conference released their Players of the Year and All-Conference Honors.
Offensive Player of the Year Trey Lance, QB (Fr, North Dakota State)
Defensive Player of the Year Derrek Tuszka, DE (Sr, North Dakota State)
Newcomer of the Year Trey Lance, QB (Fr, North Dakota State)
Freshman of the Year Trey Lance, QB (North Dakota State)
Coach of the Year Matt Entz (North Dakota State)
All-Conference Teams
First Team OffenseTrey LanceNorth Dakota StateQBFr.James RobinsonIllinois StateRBSr.Pierre Strong Jr.South Dakota StateRBSo.Clint RatkovichWestern IllinoisFBJr.Dante HendrixIndiana StateWRSo.Cade JohnsonSouth Dakota StateWRJr.Isaiah WestonNorthern IowaWRSo.Ben EllefsonNorth Dakota StateTESr.Drew HimmelmanIllinois StateOLJr.Zack JohnsonNorth Dakota StateOLSr.Dillon RadunzNorth Dakota StateOLJr.Jackson Scott-BrownNorthern IowaOLSr.Cordell VolsonNorth Dakota StateOLJr.First Team DefenseRomeo McKnightIllinois StateDLJr.Justus ReedYoungstown StateDLJr.Elerson SmithNorthern IowaDLJr.Derrek TuszkaNorth Dakota StateDLSr.Jabril CoxNorth Dakota StateLBJr.McNeece EgbimMissouri StateLBSr.Jonas GriffithIndiana StateLBSr.Christian RozeboomSouth Dakota StateLBSr.Omar BrownNorthern IowaDBFr.Jeremy ChinnSouthern IllinoisDBSr.James HendricksNorth Dakota StateDBSr.Luther KirkIllinois StateDBSr.Devin TaylorIllinois StateDBJr.First Team Special TeamsMatthew CookNorthern IowaPKFr.Chandler CollinsMissouri StateLSSr.Brady SchuttSouth DakotaPJr.Dakota CatonIndiana StateRSSo.
Second Team OffenseAustin SimmonsSouth DakotaQBSr.D.J. DavisSouthern IllinoisRBSr.Javon Williams Jr.Southern IllinoisRBFr.Dominique DafneyIndiana StateFBSr.Luke SellersSouth Dakota StateFBSr.Avante CoxSouthern IllinoisWRSo.Caleb Vander EschSouth DakotaWRJr.Christian WatsonNorth Dakota StateWRSo.Brett SamsonSouth DakotaTEJr.Spencer BrownNorthern IowaOLJr.Matt ClarkSouth Dakota StateOLSr.Ernest Dye Jr.Southern IllinoisOLSr.Zeveyon FurcronSouthern IllinoisOLJr.Wyatt WozniakIndiana StateOLSr.Second Team DefenseJared BrinkmanNorthern IowaDLJr.Ryan EarithSouth Dakota StateDLSr.Darin GreenfieldSouth DakotaDLSr.Ma'Lik RichmondYoungstown StateDLSr.Jack CochraneSouth DakotaLBJr.Cody CriderSouthern IllinoisLBSr.Ty DeForestIllinois StateLBSr.Chris KolarevicNorthern IowaLBSo.Marquise BridgesNorth Dakota StateDBSr.Qua BrownSouthern IllinoisDBJr.Don GardnerSouth Dakota StateDBJr.Josh HayesNorth Dakota StateDBJr.Xavior WilliamsNorthern IowaDBJr.Second Team Special TeamsJerry NunezIndiana StatePKSr.Jared DrakeWestern IllinoisLSSr.Brendan WithrowMissouri StatePSr.Jake CoatesYoungstown StateRSJr.
All-Newcomer Team
Newcomer Team OffenseTrey LanceNorth Dakota StateQBFr.J'Bore GibbsSouth Dakota StateQBFr.Will McElvainNorthern IowaQBFr.Kobe JohnsonNorth Dakota StateRBFr.Jeff ProctorIllinois StateRBJr.Javon Williams Jr.Southern IllinoisRBFr.Dominique DafneyIndiana StateFBSr.Avante CoxSouthern IllinoisWRSo.Jaxon JankeSouth Dakota StateWRFr.Kacper RutkiewiczIllinois StateWRFr.Adam SolomonIllinois StateOLSr.Newcomer Team DefenseQuinton HicksSouth Dakota StateDEFr.Aaron MendsIllinois StateLBSr.Jakari StarlingSouth DakotaLBFr.Omar BrownNorthern IowaDBFr.Keawvis CummingsIndiana StateDBSr.Zaire JonesYoungstown StateDBJr.Marquis SmithWestern IllinoisDBJr.Diamond EvansSouth Dakota StateCBFr.Michael Griffin IISouth Dakota StateSJr.Clayton IsbellIllinois StateSFr.Newcomer Team Special TeamsMatthew CookNorthern IowaPKFr.Jack ColquhounSouthern IllinoisPJr.Justin HallWestern IllinoisRS/WRFr. Source:
National awards On November 25, 2019, STATS Perform released their list of finalists for the Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award, and the Jerry Rice Award, respectively.
Walter Payton Award The Walter Payton Award is given to the best FCS offensive player. Trey Lance (QB) of North Dakota State won the award. Lance was also the first freshman to win the Walter Payton Award in its 33-year history. Here were the other MVFC finalists: Cade Johnson (WR - South Dakota State) James Robinson (RB - Illinois State)
Buck Buchanan Award The Buck Buchanan Award is given to the best FCS defensive player. Here were the MVFC finalists: Jeremy Chinn (S - Southern Illinois) Christian Rozeboom (LB - South Dakota State) Elerson Smith (DL - Northern Iowa) Derrek Tuszka (DL - North Dakota State)
Jerry Rice Award The Jerry Rice Award is given to the best FCS freshman. Trey Lance (QB) of North Dakota State won the award. Here were the other MVFC finalists: