MVFC Power Rankings: Week #7

[mmiller_34]

This is how my Power Rankings shaped up through Week #7.

Read more HERE (http://mvfcfan.blogspot.com/2012/10/millers-power-rankings-week-7.html)

#1 North Dakota State
#2 Illinois State
#3 South Dakota State
#4 Youngstown State
#5 Indiana State
#6 Southern Illinois
#7 Northern Iowa
#8 Western Illinois
#9 Missouri State
#10 South Dakota

Crazy weekend in the MVFC. At this point it looks like a crapshoot as to who will win the Valley, I'd love to know what you guys think. I think the Bison are still the team to beat and Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa will play spoilers to Illinois State and South Dakota State in the coming weeks. Crazy, crazy, crazy conference.

[Professor Chaos]

It will be interesting to see how NDSU bounces back when they face a very good SIU defense in a couple weeks. If the offense again struggles the door opens for Illinois St or SDSU. I think it's open a crack right now but NDSU is in control.

[DJKyR0]

My Monday Musings are on the docket as well. I only point this out because I was able to use Batman to recapture the scene in the Fargodome on Saturday. http://mvfcfan.blogspot.com/2012/10/monday-musings-valley-gets-flipped.html

[mmiller_34]

My Monday Musings are on the docket as well. I only point this out because I was able to use Batman to recapture the scene in the Fargodome on Saturday. http://mvfcfan.blogspot.com/2012/10/monday-musings-valley-gets-flipped.html

I laughed out loud when I read your post, great post DJKy. I cant believe USD is this bad. Before the season I really thought they would beat WIU, MSU, and possibly someone else. They could finish 1-11.

Also, so far, with records like these...

North Dakota State 5-1
Illinois State 6-1
South Dakota State 5-1
Indiana State 5-2
Youngstown State 4-2

...four MVFC to the playoffs seems more plausible.

[RabidRabbit]

Unfortunately for the Sycs, one of the W's is vs non-counter Quincy. In the eyes of the selection committee, they're 4-2, not 5-2. Sycs need to win 4 of 5 to have the 7 D-I wins.

Jackrabbits are the Rodney Dangerfield of the MVFC. Leading the league, with no loses, nations #1 RB, and a defense that is in top 5. Coaches even missed having them in the top 25xdohx It's like people can't figure out that SDSU isn't USD, or San Diego St.xblehx

The NDSU team that shut down Bell & Co did great on D. Now need that Sr QB and rest of O to put it together again.

It's looking like that early gauntlet has severely wounded the Panthers. I believe that the injuried and porous UNI D will be burned by the balanced SDSU Offense this week. Likewise, the SDSU D will continue dominating.

Big test for YSU & SIU this weekend.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

The NDSU team that shut down Bell & Co did great on D. Now need that Sr QB and rest of O to put it together again.

.



Not that it matters, but he's a Junior

[Jacked_Rabbit]

As a general rule, a conference's power rankings and their corresponding playoff picture tends to become clearer as the weeks go by. In the Missouri Valley, however, things have seemed to get cloudier with each passing week. Heck, even NDSU doesn't seem quite as invincible as they did just a week ago. The log-jam that is MVFC Power Rankings has now grown to the point where we have to split hairs to separate teams, and by the time this is all said and done, I'm sure we are going to have multiple examples of where Team A beats Team B, Team B beats C, and C beats A. Smart people evidently call this the "Law of Transitivity"... I, on the other hand, had to google it.

Here is my latest take on things:

1. NDSU - Although I didn't expect the Bison to lose a conference game this year (especially in Fargo), I also can't say I'm shocked that it happened. We all know that the weekly grind in the MVFC is extremely tough to get through unscathed, so even with the surprising loss to Indiana State, the Bison are still the best team in the conference.

... This is where things start to get really murky...

T2. Illinois St. - With a close win over USD and a shutout loss at home to SIU, I don't feel good about putting the Redbirds first in this group. The fact that they had to come from way behind at home to beat YSU last week makes me think that the Penguins are probably the better team. That said, I can't put anyone else in this spot either.

T2. SDSU - Aside from the win at Indiana State (which looks even better now that the Sycamores knocked off NDSU), the Jacks have only proven that they can win the games that they should win. The true test starts now: @UNI, v.YSU, @SIU, @NDSU. If they can go 2-2 over the stretch, the playoffs look like a very good possibility.

T2. YSU - After two tough losses in consecutive weeks, the Penguins find have fallen from the top of the rankings and find themselves at a crossroads. With their backs against the wall, it feels like 'must win' time this week at SIU.

T2. Indiana St. - With wins at both NDSU & SIU on their resume and a favorable schedule in the next two weeks, it is possible to think that the Sycamores have just as good of a chance as anyone at making the playoffs.

6. SIU - After a slow start, the hottest team in the Valley may be the Salukis. They could just as easily be grouped in with the four teams above them, but we'll find out a lot more about SIU in the next 3 weeks - @YSU, @NDSU, & v.SDSU. Winning 2 of those 3 games will be a difficult task.

7. UNI - There is no way that the Panthers are only the 7th best team in the conference, but their record allows me no other choice than to place them here. I do believe UNI will get their first conference win next week when they host SDSU.

... And this is what I'm pretty sure I know...

8. WIU - The Leathernecks are improving and capable of beating a handful of teams above them, but they are still in the bottom tier of the league. Indiana State better not still be patting themselves on the back after last week's win, or they could get surprised in Macomb this weekend. (i.e. See NDSU after their win over YSU)

9. MSU - As predicted, the Bears took care of USD in the hyped battle for 9th place. I didn't think they'd have to do it in such dramatic fashion, but it was a great win for Missouri State and I'm sure their coaches/players/fans enjoyed it.

10. USD - And then there are the Coyotes... What else is there to say? They hire a new coach and step into the MVFC conference - beaming with confidence - after leaving the big, bad, Great West. I'm sure it has been very humbling thus far, and I don't see things getting any easier the rest of the way. I wonder if their Administration is questioning the idea of putting up smack-talk billboards in Brookings yet?

[Professor Chaos]

The NDSU team that shut down Bell & Co did great on D. Now need that Jr QB and rest of O to put it together again.

FIFY xthumbsupx

We've still got another year of Jensen after this one. Hopefully this last game was an anomaly and that's a good thing for NDSU. I think it is.

[mmiller_34]

FIFY xthumbsupx

We've still got another year of Jensen after this one. Hopefully this last game was an anomaly and that's a good thing for NDSU. I think it is.

I'm certain it was an anomaly. I'm more curious to see what Indiana State does after this win...

[IBleedYellow]

Miller, I have to wholeheartedly disagree about your post on the blog about NDSU looking flat on defense. Did you watch the same game as I did? The only reason we had a shot of winning was our defense only giving up 3 points, a field goal.

Tapped out from Google Nexus