The 2024 Missouri Valley Football Conference season was the 39th season of college football play for the Missouri Valley Football Conference and part of the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This was the MVFC's first season returning to 11 teams, and its fourth in the last 5 seasons. It was also the conference's last at the time as Missouri State announced before the season that they would be joining Conference USA starting in the 2025–26 academic year. The Bears were ineligible for the FCS playoffs and the conference title during the 2024 season.
North Dakota State made it to the National Championship as the 2nd seed and won their 10th FCS title in program history, and 18th title at any level, defeating Montana State. South Dakota State and South Dakota made the playoffs as the 3rd and 4th seeds and won their way to the FCS semifinals, where they would fall to North Dakota State and Montana State. Illinois State also made the playoffs as the 12th seed, and made it to the second round, losing to 5th seeded UC Davis.
Conference changes After the conclusion of the 2023 college football season, Western Illinois left the conference for the Ohio Valley Conference after 38 years in the league as a charter member. This move matches the Leathernecks departure from their main conference, the Summit League, which they left after the 2022-23 collegiate season.
Coaching changes Murray State On January 10, 2024, Jody Wright was named the new head coach at Murray State. Wright takes over for Dean Hood, who retired after the 2023 season.
North Dakota State On December 17, 2023, Tim Polasek was named the new head coach at North Dakota State. Polasek takes over for Matt Entz, who left the Bison for the linebackers/assistant coach position at USC.
Preseason League Poll The annual preseason poll; voted on by conference coaches, athletic directors, and media members. 1 South Dakota State 482 (42) 2 North Dakota State 437 (1) 3 South Dakota 371 4 Southern Illinois 293 5 North Dakota 276 6 Illinois State 264 7 Youngstown State 255 8 Northern Iowa 227 9 Missouri State 164 (1) 10 Indiana State 68 11 Murray State 67
Individual Awards
First Team OffenseMark GronowskiSouth Dakota StateQBSr.Mason KingIllinois StateRBSr.Tyshon KingYoungstown StateRBSr.Hunter BrozioNorth Dakota StateFBSr.Carter BellSouth DakotaWRSr.Bo BelquistNorth DakotaWRSr.Dan SobkowiczIllinois StateWRJr.JJ GalbreathSouth DakotaTESr.Gus MillerSouth Dakota StateOLSr.Jared PenningNorthern IowaOLSr.Jaison WilliamsYoungstown StateOLSr.Grey ZabelNorth Dakota StateOLSr.Hunter ZambranoIllinois StateOLSr.First Team DefenseJarod DePriestSouth Dakota StateDLSr.Nick GaesSouth DakotaDLSr.Dylan HendricksNorth Dakota StateDLSr.Eli MostaertNorth Dakota StateDLSr.Amir AbdullahIllinois StateLBSr.Adam BockSouth Dakota StateLBSr.Logan KoppNorth Dakota StateLBJr.Garret OllendieckIndiana StateLBSr.Dalys BeanumSouth Dakota StateDBSr.Maddix BlackwellIndiana StateDBJr.Tucker LargeSouth Dakota StateDBJr.Dennis ShorterSouth DakotaDBSr.Cole WisniewskiNorth Dakota StateDBSr.First Team Special TeamsHunter BrozioNorth Dakota StateLSSr.Will LeylandSouth DakotaPKJr.Grant BurkettMissouri StatePSr.Carter BellSouth DakotaRSSr.Amar JohnsonSouth Dakota StateAPSr.
Second Team OffenseCam MillerNorth Dakota StateQBSr.Amar JohnsonSouth Dakota StateRBJr.Travis TheisSouth DakotaRBSr.Jaden NorbyNorth DakotaFBSr.Vinson Davis IIISouthern IllinoisWRJr.Max TomczakYoungstown StateWRJr.Griffin WildeSouth Dakota StateWRSo.Joe StoffelNorth Dakota StateTESr.Evan BeerntenSouth Dakota StateOLSr.Joe CottonSouth DakotaOLSo.Chase EvansSouthern IllinoisOLSr.Joe LombardSouth DakotaOLSr.Mason MillerNorth Dakota StateOLJr.Second Team DefenseJake AndersonIllinois StateDLSo.Cannon ButlerNorthern IowaDLJr.Blake HoldenSouth DakotaDLSr.Darion SmithMissouri StateDLSr.Colin BohanekSouthern IllinoisLBSr.Tucker LangenbergNorthern IowaLBJr.Tye NiekampIllinois StateLBSo.Wyatt PedigoNorth DakotaLBSr.PJ HallMissouri StateDBSr.Keondre JacksonIllinois StateDBSr.Todric McGeeMissouri StateDBJr.Cale ReederSouth Dakota StateDBSr.Ubayd SteedSouthern IllinoisDBSr.Second Team Special TeamsKaydon OliviaSouth Dakota StateLSJr.Griffin CrosaNorth Dakota StatePKSr.Hunter DustmanSouth Dakota StatePSr.Tucker LargeSouth Dakota StateRSJr.Vinson Davis IIISouthern IllinoisAPJr.
Source:
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 19 21 18 17 18 18 16 21 21 21 18 17 14 11 11 Coaches 20 22 19 15 15 19 16 23 20 19 17 16 13 10 10 Indiana State STATS Coaches RV RV RV RV RV RV RV Missouri State STATS Coaches RV RV RV RV RV 25 20 18 17 15 14 18 21 Murray State STATS Coaches RV RV RV RV RV North Dakota STATS 24 23 10 10 9 7 9 9 7 15 21 RV Coaches 22 20 10 9 8 6 10 10 7 15 23 RV RV North Dakota State STATS 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 Coaches 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 Northern Iowa STATS RV RV RV 25 RV RV Coaches RV RV 21 19 19 18 RV South Dakota STATS 5 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 4 4 4 Coaches 5 6 6 6 5 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 4 3 4 South Dakota State STATS 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 Coaches 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 Southern Illinois STATS 10 10 9 7 17 19 RV Coaches 11 12 8 7 17 23 RV Youngstown State STATS 25 25 21 RV Coaches 23 23 20 25 RV
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
Date Bye weekSeptember 21 Indiana State Murray State
Week 5
Date Bye weekSeptember 28 No. 1 South Dakota State No. RV Northern Iowa
Week 6
Date Bye weekOctober 5 Missouri State
Week 7
Date Bye weekOctober 12 No. 9 North Dakota
Week 8
Date Bye weekOctober 19 Southern Illinois
Week 9
Date Bye weekOctober 26 No. 21 Illinois State
Week 10
Date Bye weekNovember 2 No. 5 South Dakota
Week 11
Date Bye weekNovember 9 No. 1 North Dakota State
Week 12
Week 13
Date Bye weekNovember 23 Youngstown State
FCS playoffs
In 2024, four teams made the FCS playoffs. North Dakota State (No. 2), South Dakota State (No. 3), and South Dakota (No. 4) all received byes, while Illinois State (No. 12) played in the first round. Below are the games in which they played.
All times central. Seedings in parentheses.
First round
Second round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship
MVFC records vs other conferences 2024–25 records against non-conference foes:
FCS power conferencesRecordBig Sky2–1CAA1–1FCS power total3–2Other FCS conferencesRecordBig South–OVC5–2Ivy LeagueNoneMEACNoneNortheast0–1PatriotNonePFL6–1SoCon1–0Southland3–1SWAC1–0UAC (ASUN–WAC)2–0Other FCS total17–5Other Division I opponentsRecordFootball Bowl Subdivision0–12Total Division I21–19Other NCAA opponentsRecordDivision II2–0Total non-conference record23–19
Post season FCS power conferencesRecordBig Sky3–2CAANoneFCS power total3–2Other FCS conferencesRecordBig South–OVC1–0Ivy LeagueNoneMEACNoneNortheastNonePatriotNonePFLNoneSoCon1–0Southland1–0SWACNoneUAC (ASUN–WAC)2–0Other FCS total5–0Total postseason record8–2
Awards and honors
Player of the week honors Week Offensive Defensive Special teams Freshman Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position Team Player Position TeamWeek 1 (Sept. 2) Cam MillerQBNDSUTodric McGeeSMOSTKeyondray Jones-LoganRSUSDEthan WrightRBYSUWeek 2 (Sept. 9) Beau BrungardQBYSUBen BogleLBSIUC.J. ElrichsPKUNDElijah OwensQBINSTWeek 3 (Sept. 16) DJ WilliamsQBSIUGarret OllendieckLBINSTHayden FutchPILSTKeontez LewisWRSIUJacob ClarkQBMOSTWeek 4 (Sept. 23) Kirby VorheesRBSDSUJosh NavratilLBUNDJackson WilliamsWR/RSNDSUCharMar BrownRBNDSUWeek 5 (Sept. 30) Jacob ClarkQBMOSTEli MostaertDTNDSUTyler ErkmanDBUNDCharMar BrownRBNDSUWeek 6 (Oct. 7) Cam MillerQBNDSUTye NiekampLBILSTBrendon KilpatrickPYSUQuaron AdamsWRUSDWeek 7 (Oct. 14) Jacob ClarkQBMOSTGary Bryant IIILBUSDAngel JohnsonRB/KRSDSUElijah OwensQBINSTWeek 8 (Oct. 21) Tommy RittenhouseQBILSTLogan KoppLBNDSUKaedin SteindorfPNDSUXavier LoydWRILSTWeek 9 (Oct. 28) Beau BrungardQBYSUGeoffrey BrownLBINSTAndrew LastovkaPKYSUCharMar BrownRBNDSUWeek 10 (Nov. 4) Jayden BecksRBMOSTJoey ShewDEINSTJames LondonPKMURCharMar BrownRBNDSUWeek 11 (Nov. 11) Jacob ClarkQBMOSTMi'Quise GraceDLUSDHunter DustmanK/PSDSUJake CurryQBSIUWeek 12 (Nov. 18) Charles Pierre Jr.RBUSDMatthew DurranceSSDSUGriffin CrosaKNDSUXavier LoydWRILSTBeau BrungardQBYSUWeek 13 (Nov. 25) Michael LindauerQBSIUTye NiekampLBILSTSergio MorancyWR/RSUNINate EwellLBUSD
Players of the Year On December 2, 2024, the Missouri Valley Football Conference released their Players of the Year and All-Conference Honors.
Offensive Player of the Year Cam Miller, QB (Sr - North Dakota State)
Defensive Player of the Year Mi'Quise Grace, DL (RS-So - South Dakota)
Newcomer and Freshman of the Year CharMar Brown, RB (RS-Fr - North Dakota State)
Coach of the Year Bob Nielson (South Dakota)
All-Conference Teams
First Team OffenseCam MillerNorth Dakota StateQBSrJacob ClarkMissouri StateQBSrAmar JohnsonSouth Dakota StateRBSrCharles Pierre Jr.South DakotaRBRS-SoTravis TheisSouth DakotaFBSrEvan BeernstenSouth Dakota StateOLSrJoey LombardSouth DakotaOLSrGus MillerSouth Dakota StateOLSrMason MillerNorth Dakota StateOLSrGrey ZabelNorth Dakota StateOLSrJJ GalbreathSouth DakotaTESrBo BelquistNorth DakotaWR5thBryce LanceNorth Dakota StateWRJrMax TomczakYoungstown StateWRJrFirst Team DefenseJarod DePriestSouth Dakota StateDLSrNick GaesSouth DakotaDLSrMi'Quise GraceSouth DakotaDLRS-SoEli MostaertNorth Dakota StateDLSrAdam BockSouth Dakota StateLBSrGeoffrey BrownIndiana StateLBSrCaleb FranclSouth Dakota StateLBSrLogan KoppNorth Dakota StateLBJrTye NiekampIllinois StateLBSoDalys BeanumSouth Dakota StateDBSrDevin HembryNorth DakotaDB5thKeondre JacksonIllinois StateDBSrTucker LargeSouth Dakota StateDBJrDennis ShorterSouth DakotaDBSrFirst Team Special TeamsGrant BurkettMissouri StatePSrSergio MorancyNorthern IowaRSSrCaden BolzMissouri StateDSSrBeau BrungardYoungstown StateAPSoAngel JohnsonSouth Dakota StateAPJr
Second Team OffenseMark GronowskiSouth Dakota StateQBSrCharMar BrownNorth Dakota StateRBRS-FrJacardia WrightMissouri StateRBSrJaden NorbyNorth DakotaFBSrJoe CottonSouth DakotaOLRS-SoBryce HendersonSouth DakotaOLRS-JrCash HudsonMissouri StateOLSoJared PenningNorthern IowaOLRS-SrJaison WilliamsYoungstown StateOLSrLance MasonMissouri StateTEJrDaniel SobkowiczIllinois StateWRJrGriffin WildeSouth Dakota StateWRSoHunter WoodMissouri StateWRSrSecond Team DefenseJake AndersonIllinois StateDLSoBlake HoldenSouth DakotaDLSrJoey ShewIndiana StateDLRS-JrDarion SmithMissouri StateDLSrBen BogleSouthern IllinoisLBSoGary Bryant IIISouth DakotaLBRS-SoTahj ChambersMissouri StateLBSrMark Cannon Jr.Illinois StateDBJrColby HuerterSouth Dakota StateDBSrColby HumphreySouth Dakota StateDBSrMike ReidSouth DakotaDBSrUbayd SteedSouthern IllinoisDBSrSecond Team Special TeamsGriffin CrosaNorth Dakota StatePKSrBrendon KilpatrickYoungstown StatePJrJackson WilliamsNorth Dakota StateRSFrSam MerrymanYoungstown StateDSSrJacardia WrightMissouri StateAPSr
National Awards On November 26, 2024, STATS Perform released their list of finalists for the Walter Payton Award, Buck Buchanan Award, Jerry Rice Award, and Eddie Robinson Award, respectively. Finalists are listed by order they appear in the STATS Perform article:
Walter Payton Award The following MVFC players were listed as finalists for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the best FCS offensive player: Jacob Clark (QB - Missouri State) Mark Gronowski (QB - South Dakota State) Cam Miller (QB - North Dakota State)
Buck Buchanan Award