The Mayville State–Valley City State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Mayville State Comets and the Valley City State Vikings. The series began in 1931 and has been played regularly in North Dakota, most often when both schools competed in the North Dakota College Athletic Conference and later the North Star Athletic Association. Through the 2025 season, Valley City State leads the all-time series 71–26–2. Following the collapse of the North Star Athletic Association, both institutions joined the Frontier Conference beginning with the 2025–26 academic year.

History Early meetings and postwar years Mayville State won the first recorded meeting in 1931, defeating Valley City State 13–6, and also won the next two meetings. Valley City recorded its first victory in the series in 1934, winning 13–0. Results were more evenly divided during the remainder of the decade, including a 6–6 tie in 1937.

Valley City State won nine consecutive meetings from 1946 through 1954. Mayville ended that run with a 13–0 victory in 1955 and subsequently won four straight meetings from 1958 through 1961.

Jerome Berg era Mayville's success during the late 1950s and early 1960s coincided with the tenure of head coach Jerome Berg, who led the Comets from 1956 through 1966. His teams won six conference championships during that period.

Mayville defeated Valley City 37–0 in 1961. Valley City responded with a 7–0 victory in 1962, followed by a scoreless tie in 1963. Mayville later won three consecutive meetings in both 1965–1967 and 1969–1971.

Valley City's winning streak and the 1990s A 3–0 Valley City victory in 1972 began a run of 21 consecutive wins over Mayville State. The streak continued through 1992 before the Comets won 28–24 in 1993.

Most of that winning streak occurred during Jim Dew's tenure at Valley City State from 1974 to 1993. Dew was a 1967 Mayville State graduate, providing a connection between the two programs. His Valley City teams won eight North Dakota College Athletic Conference football championships and appeared in the NAIA playoffs in 1976, 1980, and 1988. The 1980 team advanced to the national semifinals.

The series became more competitive during the 1990s. In addition to its 1993 victory, Mayville won 26–19 in 1995 and shut out Valley City State 27–0 in 1998. Valley City won the intervening meetings in 1994, 1996, and 1997, then prevailed 28–20 in 1999.

Mayors Cup In 2003, the presidents of Mayville State and Valley City State established the Mayors Cup for the schools' football rivalry. The trophy was to be presented annually to the mayor representing the winning team. Under the arrangement, the mayors of Mayville and neighboring Portland would alternate as Mayville State's representative, while Valley City's mayor would represent VCSU.

The first presentation followed Valley City State's victory at Mayville State's 2003 homecoming game. Mayville mayor Jim LeClair, a former Comets head football coach, and Valley City mayor Riley Rogers participated in the postgame ceremony, with Rogers receiving the trophy. The agreement also established a Presidents Cup for basketball; possession of the football trophy served as the tiebreaker if the schools split their four regular-season basketball meetings.

North Star Athletic Association The rivalry carried conference championship implications during the inaugural season of the North Star Athletic Association in 2013. Mayville State entered the season finale with an opportunity to win a conference championship, but Valley City State defeated the Comets 37–12. The Vikings built a 17–0 halftime lead, while Mayville State finished the season 7–4 overall and 2–2 in conference play.

The October 8, 2016, meeting marked a coaching milestone for Valley City State. The Vikings forced five turnovers and held on for a 21–15 victory at Mayville, giving Dennis McCulloch his 116th career victory and tying Jim Dew's school record.

Frontier Conference Both schools moved to the Frontier Conference for the 2025–26 academic year following the dissolution of the North Star Athletic Association. Their first meeting as Frontier members took place on October 11, 2025, at Lokken Stadium. Valley City State won 21–0, recording its third shutout of the season.

Game results Season Date Winner Score Loser Location Notes 1931 Unknown Mayville State 13–6 Valley City State Unknown 1932 Unknown Mayville State 19–6 Valley City State Unknown 1933 Unknown Mayville State 18–0 Valley City State Unknown 1934 Unknown Valley City State 13–0 Mayville State Unknown 1935 Unknown Mayville State 13–6 Valley City State Unknown 1936 Unknown Valley City State 19–6 Mayville State Unknown 1937 Unknown Tie 6–6 — Unknown 1938 Unknown Valley City State 25–0 Mayville State Unknown 1939 Unknown Mayville State 12–0 Valley City State Unknown 1940 Unknown Mayville State 30–0 Valley City State Unknown 1941 Unknown Valley City State 10–7 Mayville State Unknown 1942 Unknown Mayville State 13–0 Valley City State Unknown 1946 Unknown Valley City State 25–6 Mayville State Unknown 1947 Unknown Valley City State 26–6 Mayville State Unknown 1948 Unknown Valley City State 39–0 Mayville State Unknown 1949 Unknown Valley City State 39–6 Mayville State Unknown 1950 Unknown Valley City State 18–0 Mayville State Unknown 1951 Unknown Valley City State 19–6 Mayville State Unknown 1952 Unknown Valley City State 57–20 Mayville State Unknown 1953 Unknown Valley City State 39–6 Mayville State Unknown 1954 Unknown Valley City State 27–6 Mayville State Unknown 1955 Unknown Mayville State 13–0 Valley City State Unknown 1956 Unknown Mayville State 13–7 Valley City State Unknown 1957 Unknown Valley City State 19–6 Mayville State Unknown 1958 Unknown Mayville State 12–6 Valley City State Unknown 1959 Unknown Mayville State 22–0 Valley City State Unknown 1960 Unknown Mayville State 25–7 Valley City State Unknown 1961 Unknown Mayville State 37–0 Valley City State Unknown 1962 Unknown Valley City State 7–0 Mayville State Unknown 1963 Unknown Tie 0–0 — Unknown 1964 Unknown Valley City State 16–0 Mayville State Unknown 1965 Unknown Mayville State 13–7 Valley City State Unknown 1966 Unknown Mayville State 28–13 Valley City State Unknown 1967 Unknown Mayville State 8–7 Valley City State Unknown 1968 Unknown Valley City State 28–21 Mayville State Unknown 1969 Unknown Mayville State 21–16 Valley City State Unknown 1970 Unknown Mayville State 22–10 Valley City State Unknown 1971 Unknown Mayville State 14–7 Valley City State Unknown 1972 Unknown Valley City State 3–0 Mayville State Unknown 1973 Unknown Valley City State 13–6 Mayville State Unknown 1974 Unknown Valley City State 13–10 Mayville State Unknown 1975 Unknown Valley City State 30–10 Mayville State Unknown 1976 Unknown Valley City State 24–0 Mayville State Unknown 1977 Unknown Valley City State 21–3 Mayville State Unknown 1978 Unknown Valley City State 34–0 Mayville State Unknown 1979 Unknown Valley City State 14–9 Mayville State Unknown 1980 Unknown Valley City State 42–14 Mayville State Unknown 1981 Unknown Valley City State 27–0 Mayville State Unknown 1982 Unknown Valley City State 7–0 Mayville State Unknown 1983 Unknown Valley City State 7–2 Mayville State Unknown 1984 Unknown Valley City State 35–15 Mayville State Unknown 1985 Unknown Valley City State 20–0 Mayville State Unknown 1986 October 11 Valley City State 42–7 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1987 October 10 Valley City State 37–13 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1988 September 24 Valley City State 33–7 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1989 September 23 Valley City State 14–12 Mayville State Mayville, ND 1990 October 27 Valley City State 36–21 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1991 October 26 Valley City State 20–14 Mayville State Mayville, ND 1992 October 17 Valley City State 35–6 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1993 October 16 Mayville State 28–24 Valley City State Mayville, ND 1994 October 8 Valley City State 28–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1995 September 2 Mayville State 26–19 Valley City State Mayville, ND 1996 September 7 Valley City State 32–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 1997 September 6 Valley City State 22–14 Mayville State Mayville, ND 1998 September 5 Mayville State 27–0 Valley City State Valley City, ND 1999 September 4 Valley City State 28–20 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2000 October 21 Valley City State 45–3 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2001 October 20 Valley City State 35–14 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2002 October 19 Valley City State 29–6 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2003 October 18 Valley City State 37–28 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2004 October 9 Valley City State 34–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2005 October 8 Valley City State 49–0 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2006 September 29 Valley City State 49–7 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2007 October 6 Valley City State 29–21 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2008 October 25 Valley City State 45–22 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2009 October 17 Valley City State 38–21 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2010 October 23 Valley City State 36–6 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2011 October 8 Valley City State 52–20 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2011 October 29 Valley City State 28–14 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2012 September 8 Valley City State 38–13 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2012 October 6 Valley City State 61–35 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2013 October 12 Mayville State 14–9 Valley City State Mayville, ND 2013 November 9 Valley City State 37–12 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2014 October 11 Valley City State 62–6 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2014 November 1 Valley City State 63–19 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2015 September 5 Valley City State 55–6 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2015 October 3 Mayville State 14–13 Valley City State Valley City, ND 2016 October 8 Valley City State 21–15 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2017 October 14 Valley City State 58–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2018 September 22 Valley City State 37–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2018 October 27 Valley City State 36–14 Mayville State Mayville, ND 2019 October 19 Valley City State 30–19 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2021 October 2 Valley City State 49–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2022 November 12 Valley City State 48–40 Mayville State Fargo, ND Played at Fargodome 2023 September 23 Valley City State 24–21 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2OT 2023 October 28 Mayville State 24–7 Valley City State Mayville, ND Forfeit (awarded to Mayville State) 2024 September 28 Mayville State 16–10 Valley City State Mayville, ND 2024 November 2 Valley City State 10–6 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2025 October 11 Valley City State 21–0 Mayville State Valley City, ND 2026 October 10 TBD Mayville, ND

References

External links VCSU vs. Mayville State series history – VCSU Athletics