ursus arctos horribilis
November 10th, 2021, 11:00 PM
2021 MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL CONFERENCE
MVFC Stats – Click Here (http://www.mvc.org/football/stats/Valley%20Football%20Stats.pdf) | MVFC Composite Schedule -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fvalley-football.org%2fcalendar.aspx%3fpath%3dfootball&c=E,1,yN7twXlpGYiaHZoTqVqVNsr3dimLmSygKyempHwi2RWT-xMVlFQN515-q8aCcG4kCmcFSDZ-rimf46yFsGUBLnlZALseouKTiHlYR_tRnJ7gk4LwUwuG-S-P&typo=1)
NCAA Statistics – Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fstats.ncaa.org%2frankings%2fch ange_sport_year_div&c=E,1,mRjnMdfJ923UgEz_6F_K71TPIgaYLBK4h14t4LGm20rq WWtqfAZgQSQTq6pntUD0a2pxmiKT48pAb9pE53zsA3uTxDpujS 57ux2QBVpU&typo=1) | Top-25 Polls -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll)
MVFC Records -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mvc.org%2ffootball%2frecord s.pdf&c=E,1,LOkD4Exgac5OzSxnHlkXyh3SeROo7swO3-7dgng04qjVGk4oGaPF1PUsXmOKoXJs6BxhjKkqjn2VdtWW7zkt UMPdVw58lORGq2wPf_6xAQEd4G58&typo=1) | MVFC Playoff History -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mvc.org%2ffootball%2fplayof fs.pdf&c=E,1,rqz-_id3iA-SMYo1-Trz1Qh0HI80avAeLngCzD3m6B58dO0mCQ7sMBlA3vkcsG4KnFH 3WXUIwC_Vl5zLSp6XNMp6lIYfuaIV_W1TSRv4&typo=1) | MVFC Draft Database -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fvalley-football.org%2fsports%2f2020%2f3%2f24%2fFB_0324202 857.aspx%3fpath%3dfootball&c=E,1,dxgCm3LSdlk_QhFwpWA1kfwLiptaVyB9bfrSJFFUsbX-SSmE4CFBPZ9Xw-Gh9eZzwNtje2YTnG-mPTzO6NrzbVMFTJBBh3R4onCi5PXVdiofC7UAvNfw&typo=1)
FCS Insider -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2ffcsinsider.com%2f&c=E,1,3rB462R9KZ-aj2yNofuGFA9TqKQXYMRWX4Earw7riN3E_ztqOugup5gq2BwpL zt7KVV2pF5uyCpiAUfIkKrtUsBnLvSjTj6jHtoKYe9jgHKVuPp zXHxOEBrbksEt&typo=1) | Stats Perform -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.fcs.football%2ffcsfront.asp&c=E,1,RNp9OmJwGyQPTgnEngU_v5QjJKoipACVxOqXwmSKZRyR PeqAHQOwZzl7U5GVxWDiwWUhGytnkLPvjVLVgWta1mTlttk6oK UmwhlQhdFYHjWZGXR8cFBDG7EaRw,,&typo=1) | HERO Sports -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fherosports.com%2fcategory%2fco llege-football%2ffcs%2f&c=E,1,RCc8_tC95gi2TageeGldFZx1_AffWt8LvdZDJ5-vLbx7CSpI2r98jPXJkxrGsIvPuPexsxfl3iB5CLLsEx5otyGav hh87fPePZRbmbyDGzYYTi8Cp2mfP5A,&typo=1)
Weekly On-Line Notebook --- Click for More (https://valley-football.org/news/2021/11/10/valley-football-weekly-notebook-n10.aspx)
The Week Ahead
Four of five Missouri Valley Football Conference games this weekend feature at least one ranked team, and in two games, both teams are ranked.
Saturday, Nov. 13
#5/6 North Dakota State at Youngstown State, 11 am CT (ESPN+)
#15/16 Southern Illinois at Indiana State, 12 p.m. CT (ESPN3)
#4/7 South Dakota State at #19/17 South Dakota, 1 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
#20/24 UNI at #16/14 Missouri State, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Illinois State at North Dakota, 2 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
Idle: Western Illinois
Title Talk
As many as six MVFC teams are mathematically alive to earn at least a share of the 2021 conference title. North Dakota State is the lone team that controls its own fate. The Bison can win the title outright and AQ with wins in its final two games. There are currently 256 different W-L combinations that could impact the standings/outcome.
Comeback Kids
Missouri State used a big second half to turn a 13-10 halftime deficit into a 38-28 win against Southern Illinois last week. The Bears have been a dominant second-half team this year, outscoring their opponents by 69 points in the third/fourth quarters. NDSU leads all MVFC teams at +111.
Ranked vs. Ranked
Counting two games last week there have been 206 games in league history in which two ranked MVFC teams played one another. The home team is 118-87, and the higher-ranked team has an all-time mark of 128-78. Two games this week feature a matchup of two MVFC ranked teams as #4 South Dakota State travels to #17 South Dakota; and #20 UNI visits #14 Missouri State in Springfield.
Six Teams Ranked
Six Missouri Valley Football Conference teams are ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls this week. Missouri State made the biggest jump of any team in the coaches poll, jumping six spots after its win at SIU. The MVFC has had a minimum of six ranked teams every week.
Bohlken Earns National Honor
Illinois State senior punter JT Bohlken was honored as a Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week for Week 10 games by the organization on Monday. Bohlken was honored as the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week and was honored alongside UIW’s Cameron Ward (Offense), Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Andre Fuller (Defense) and Yale’s David Pantelis (Freshman). In addition, UT Martin earned FCS National Team of the Week honors.
Schedule Strength
All 11 MVFC schools rank in the Top 22 of the Massey Index “Strength of Schedule.” In fact, the league holds six of the top 8 positions, headed by Youngstown State (1) and Missouri State (2). Only nine FCS schools are ranked in the Top 30 of the Massey SOS rankings and are also ranked in the Top 25 polls (Stats Perform & AFCA coaches) -- the six ranked MVFC schools are joined by Big Sky schools Eastern Washington, Montana, and Sacramento State (none of those three teams have a SOS better than any of the MVFC’s teams, however.)
Perfect Starts
Counting NDSU and SIU this season, a league team has started Conference play with a 4-0 MVFC record 40 times in league history. Of the previous 38 occurrences, 32 teams made the playoffs, and 29 teams won/shared the league title. The MVFC has had two teams start 4-0 in the same season nine times, before this year most recently in 2014 when NDSU (5-0) and Illinois State (4-0) did it.
Not Just in the Polls
In addition to the AFCA and Stats Perform Top 25 polls, the MVFC’s 11 schools are well-represented in all the metrics. In the Massey FCS ratings, the league holds 5 of the Top 7 spots, led by North Dakota State (1) and South Dakota State (2). All 11 members rank among the top 35 teams in that index, and the MVFC has seven of the top 14. In the Sagarin ratings, the league has five of the Top 10, including SDSU (1) and NDSU (2) at the top of all of FCS.
Working Overtime
For the first time since 2015, the league has had as many as three conference contests decided in overtime. Illinois State defeated UNI this past weekend, 17-10, in overtime. SDSU-SIU and WIU-SIU had also been decided in overtime earlier this season. Youngstown State beat UIW in overtime in the season-opening contest to give the MVFC four of 21 overtime contests involving FCS programs this year.
Strong is National Leader
In rushing for 156 yards on a career-high 23 carries, South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong Jr. eclipsed the century mark for the seventh time in nine games this season and scored two rushing touchdowns for the sixth time in 2021. He also went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season on his first touchdown, ending the day with 1,142 yards in becoming the fourth SDSU running back in history to post three separate 1,000-yard campaigns (2018, 2019, 2021). He currently leads the FCS in rushing yards per game (126.9), while Jaleel McLaughlin ranks 5th nationally (112.8). Strong is tied for second in the FCS with 14 rushing TDs this year.
Bison Rolling with Defense
North Dakota State currently leads the FCS in scoring defense (10.2 ppg) and ranks third in total defense (256.1 ypg) through its first nine contests. The scoring defense average would be an all-time MVFC record. NDSU established the league’s scoring defense record in 2013 (11.3 ppg); and the Bison set the standard for fewest yards allowed in 2012 (235.1 ypg). NDSU also ranks second in the FCS in Red Zone defense. The Bison have allowed opponents within its Red Zone just 15 total times this season, which has resulted in 5 rushing TDs, three field goals, and 1 passing TD (nine scores in 15 tries). Only JMU has had fewer opponent Red Zone trips (13).
Youngstown State Still Perfect
Youngstown State has converted all of its trips into the Red Zone, and the Penguins are one of just two schools nationally (Southeast Missouri State) to do so. YSU has 20 trips into the Red Zone with 15 TDs (11 rush, 4 pass) and five FGs. South Dakota State is next-best in the MVFC as the Jackrabbits are 38 of 42 this season (9th in the FCS)
Pick Six Trifecta
For the third time this season, a Redbird defender took one to the house for a score as Clayton Isbell recorded a 40-yard pick six in the 17-10 overtime win over No. 13 UNI. Jarrell Jackson (vs. Butler) and Kenton Wilhoit (vs. South Dakota) were the others. The interception was the third of the season for Isbell, who is now tied with Jackson for the most on the squad.
Coming Up Big in Overtime
Freshman QB Jackson Waring struggled to get much going throughout the game against No. 13 UNI, but came up big in overtime when it counted the most. On the second play from scrimmage on the first possession of OT, Waring connected on a perfect 27-yard corner fade to the end zone with Austin Nagel to put the Redbirds up 17-10. That play would ultimately be the game winner for the Redbirds and marked the fourth TD pass of the season for the young signal caller.
Sack Parade
The Illinois State defense headed into Saturday’s game against No. 13 UNI with just 10 sacks on the season, but the Redbirds nearly eclipsed that mark against the Panthers with a season high six in their 17-10 overtime victory. Linebackers Zeke Vandenburgh and Jeremiah Jordan each tallied two for ISU, and cornerback Braden Price added another on a blitz early in the contest. Shannon Reid and Jacob Powell combined on the other sack of UNI quarterback Theo Day, who was hurried three more times in the contest.
Kerlegrand Keeps Rumbling
Peterson Kerlegrand has been held under 65 rushing yards just once in conference play this year (24 vs. South Dakota), while posting at least 80 rushing yards on three separate occasions. Kerlegrand set a season-high with 178 yards on 17 carries with a pair of touchdowns against Western Illinois. He added a 151 yard effort with two more scores against Youngstown State. More recently, Kerlegrand posted 125 total offensive yards (89 rushing) in an impressive performance against North Dakota State with his rushing total marking the most by a back against the Bison this season. Kerlegrand is averaging 4.8 yards per carry on the season and 79.2 rushing yards per game to sit among the MVFC leaders in both categories.
He’s Just Not Coverable
Dante Hendrix returned from the I.R. with a vengeance and has posted 22 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown over the last three games, including a 10-catches, 121-yard performance against Missouri State in his return to the field. In his last action against North Dakota State, Hendrix nearly hit the century mark for the second time in the 2021 season with a nine-catch, 87-yard game against the Bison as he consistently worked the underneath routes in the loss. Hendrix enters Saturday’s game on a school-record 25-game reception streak dating back to early in the 2018 season.
No Stopping Inoke
Inoke Moala is the conference leader in both sacks (8.0) and tackles for loss (12.5). Moala has done a majority of the damage in the conference season with 5.5 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss coming in MVFC play, including a 3.5 sack effort with a forced fumble against Western Illinois.
Shelley Shines
QB Jason Shelley is coming off his ninth straight 200-yard passing game to start his MSU career, a Bears season record. In Saturday’s win at No. 7 SIU, he eclipsed Missouri State’s single-season total offense record (2,806) and moved within 244 yards of Jay Rodgers (1999) single-season passing record (2,741). He also eclipsed 4,000 career passing yds. (including his time at Utah and Utah State) and threw his 25th career TD. He was named to the CFPA National Player of the Year Midseason Watch List and the Walter Payton Award Watch List this week.
Gunning for Milestones
The Bears are shooting for their first seven-win season since 1996 (7-4). MSU is also trying to rack up six conference wins in a season for just the second time in program history, done previously by the 6-0 MIAA championship team of 1978.
For Openers
The Bears have scored on their opening drive in four straight games (two straight game-opening touchdown drives), while MSU opponents have punted on their opening drive in five straight games and 7-of-9 games on the season.
Flipped the Script
After four conference losses by an average of five points, it was time for UND to flip the script in the win over Youngstown State. The Hawks rallied from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Penguins, 24-21, to move to 3-0 all-time against YSU. This is the first win by single digits for UND since Nov. 16, 2019 (45-38 vs. Northern Colorado), as the Hawks had won their previous nine games by double digits.
Rally Time
It has been a long time since UND has mounted a comeback like it did on Saturday against the Penguins, rallying from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pick up the 24-21 victory. It marks the first time since Oct. 19, 2019 at Cal Poly that UND has rallied from a deficit of 10-or-more at any point and won and the first since Nov. 12, 2016 vs. Northern Arizona that the green and white have mounted a double-digit rally in the fourth quarter.
Sack City Grows
After having only four sacks through the first four games, the UND pressure has started to make its presence felt over the last five games. The Hawks have recorded 16 sacks over the last five games, with three of those coming in the second half on Saturday.
Bouncing Back
North Dakota State looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season this week at Youngstown State, where the Bison have won five straight games including a Stambaugh Stadium opponent-record 56 points in their 2019 victory. NDSU has not lost back-to-back games since a five-game losing streak in the middle of the 2009 season.
Title Talk
North Dakota State needs one win in its last two games to clinch at least a share of its 10th Missouri Valley Football Conference championship. With two wins, NDSU can clinch the title outright and claim the league’s automatic qualifier to the FCS playoffs. The Bison won nine straight conference titles from 2011-2019 including five outright (2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019).
Playoff Positioning
NDSU is still be in position to earn a top-two seed for the NCAA playoffs and home field advantage through the semifinals. NDSU claimed the No. 1 seed with one-loss teams in 2012 and 2016, and the Bison were the No. 2 seed with one-loss teams in 2011, 2014 and 2017. NDSU has been a top-two seed for 8 of 11 appearances in the FCS playoffs. The Bison were seeded third in 2015 and not seeded in 2010 and 2020.
Veteran Volson
Offensive lineman Cordell Volson will become the eighth NDSU player to appear in his 60th career game this week at Youngstown State. The NCAA record is 62 games played by Appalachian State’s Pierre Banks (2004-2008), while NDSU DB Christian Dudzik is the NCAA record holder for games started. Dudzik started all 61 games of his career from 2011-2014, including one game at both safety and wide receiver.
NDSU Career Games Played
61 - Christian Dudzik, CB/S (61 starts, 2011-14)
61 - Kyle Emanuel, DE (50 starts, 2011-14)
61 - Andrew Bonnet, FB (29 starts, 2012-15)
61 - Ben LeCompte, P (0 starts, 2012-15)
60 - Joe Haeg, OT (60 starts, 2012-15)
60 - RJ Urzendowski, WR (39 starts, 2014-17)
60 - James Fisher, LS (0 starts, 2014-17)
Weston Leads
WR Isaiah Weston accounted for nearly half of the yards UNI’s offense tallied at Illinois State. Weston recorded another 142 yards off five receptions. He improved on his mark that already led the FCS in yards per reception. He now has 29 receptions for 736 yards this season, averaging 25.38 yards per catch.
Penning on Payton List
Trevor Penning is the first offensive lineman to be named to this year’s Walter Payton Award watch list. Penning was among 11 players added Nov. 10, which now includes 46 players. The 2021 Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year.
Camp Returns
Coyote quarterback Carson Camp was injured early in the second quarter of the loss against Illinois State and did not return. He started against Western Illinois last week and passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. He threw just five passes in the second half before being replaced with a comfortable lead. Camp has thrown at least two touchdowns in four of his last five games with the Illinois State game the lone exception. He’s been interception free in all but one game this season (Missouri State).
115th All-Time Meeting
South Dakota and South Dakota State are meeting for the 115th time in a series that dates back to 1889. South Dakota held a 48-34-7 lead in the series at the end of the 1980s, but the Jackrabbits have won 21 of the last 25 games since 1990 to take their first lead in the series which now sits at 55-52-7. The Coyotes’ 24-21 win in 2019 ended SDSU’s 10-game win streak in the series.
7th to 300 Tackles?
All-Valley linebacker Jack Cochrane is vying to become the seventh player in program history to make 300 tackles. He has 298 entering Saturday’s game against SDSU.
Road Warriors
South Dakota State will take a perfect record in road games this season into Saturday’s rivalry matchup at South Dakota. The Jackrabbits are 4-0 so far this season away from home and will be in search of completing the Missouri Valley Football Conference road slate unscathed for the first time since 2009, when they ran the table en route to their first appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Not counting this past spring’s national championship game, which was played on a neutral field, the Jackrabbits have won six consecutive true road games, dating back to a 44-3 win at Southern Illinois on March 20.
Janke Closes in on Milestones
Jackrabbit WR Jaxon Janke is poised to hit a pair of career receiving milestones in Saturday’s game at South Dakota. The junior from Madison, South Dakota, has totaled 97 receptions and 1,494 receiving yards thus far in his career. Janke has topped the century mark for receiving yards in three of the last four games, including tallying six catches for 118 yards last week against North Dakota State. His 38 receptions this season rank second on the team, while his 668 receiving yards lead the squad.
Winkelman, Sanders Near Top 10
Senior defensive linemen Reece Winkelman and Caleb Sanders not only share the team lead in sacks this season with 4.5, but the Jackrabbit duo have nearly identical career numbers for sacks and tackles for loss as they are both on the cusp of moving into the SDSU career top 10 in those categories yet this season. Winkelman has tallied 14 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in his career. He trails Kevin Tetzlaff (15 sacks from 1988-91) for 10th place on the SDSU career sacks chart. Sanders enters the week with 13 career sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. The 10th spot on the career tackles for loss chart is held by former teammate Ryan Earith (30 TFLs from 2016-19).
Sack Masters
The Salukis had eight QB sacks in the first half against Missouri State. One of them belonged to DE Anthony Knighton, who set the SIU career record for sacks in the process with 24. Knighton also had 2.5 TFLs in the game enabling him to break the tie for the school record with 50.5.
Dynamic Duo
The receiving duo of WR Landon Lenoir and WR Avante Cox is SIU’s all-time best in terms of combined career receiving yards with 4,527. They are second to the TE MyCole Pruitt-WR LaSteven McKinney (2011-14) duo for most combined receptions with 329. Lenoir is in third place in all-time in career receptions with 197. He is in third place in career receiving yards with 2,559 and is 42 yards behind second place Pruitt. Cox is fifth in receptions with 139 and fifth in career receiving yards with 1,968. Both have caught passes in 29 consecutive games.
Jack’s Boots
Saluki P Jack Colquhoun punted seven times versus Missouri St. and averaged 50.9 yards per punt. Three of his punts travelled 61 or more yards. Colquhoun has a one-tenth of a yard lead on Tom Striegel (1981) in the race for the best punting average in a Saluki season as Colquhoun is averaging 46 yards per punt. He leads second place Scott Ravanesi (2006-09) 43.33 to 42.56 in the chase for SIU’s career punting average record.
Senior Day
Western Illinois held its home finale on Saturday versus South Dakota, falling to the Coyotes in a 42-21 setback. A total of 23 WIU graduating seniors were honored prior to kickoff. The Leathernecks have a bye this Saturday before facing UNI on Nov. 20.
Another WIU Mark
For the second time in as many games, a Leatherneck senior broke a new single-season program record. Standout receiver Dennis Houston notched the feat this time in receptions, as his 85 total on the season tops Jaelon Acklin’s 84-reception mark set in 2017. The league record is 92 (Eyad Salem of Illinois State in 2009).
Crenshaw Makes Return
QB Demeatric Crenshaw, a member of the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, returned to the starting lineup against North Dakota last Saturday. In the game he rushed 18 times for 60 yards and a touchdown while completing 13-of-17 passes for 75 yards. He did not play against SDSU after suffering a lower-body injury in the first quarter at Indiana State. This season, Crenshaw is 81-of-133 passing for 644 yards and four scores. He has a completion percentage of 60.9 percent. Crenshaw has rushed for 561 yards on 112 carries and seven touchdowns. He has the most rushing TDs by a QB since Jeff Ryan had seven in 15 games in 1999. Ryan and Crenshaw are the only two QBs in school history to rush for more than 500 yards in a season. Ryan holds the record of 638 set back in 1999.
White Having Breakout Season
Sophomore DB Jordan White is having a breakout season for the Penguins. White has 51 total tackles, including 30 solo stops and three interceptions in eight games. The three interceptions are the most in a season by a Penguin since Zaire Jones had three in 12 games in 2019. The last Penguin to register four INTs in a season was LeRoy Alexander in 2016. On three occasions this fall he has registered nine tackles. In the spring, White had 16 total tackles.
Mike Kern
Associate Commissioner
MVFC Stats – Click Here (http://www.mvc.org/football/stats/Valley%20Football%20Stats.pdf) | MVFC Composite Schedule -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fvalley-football.org%2fcalendar.aspx%3fpath%3dfootball&c=E,1,yN7twXlpGYiaHZoTqVqVNsr3dimLmSygKyempHwi2RWT-xMVlFQN515-q8aCcG4kCmcFSDZ-rimf46yFsGUBLnlZALseouKTiHlYR_tRnJ7gk4LwUwuG-S-P&typo=1)
NCAA Statistics – Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fstats.ncaa.org%2frankings%2fch ange_sport_year_div&c=E,1,mRjnMdfJ923UgEz_6F_K71TPIgaYLBK4h14t4LGm20rq WWtqfAZgQSQTq6pntUD0a2pxmiKT48pAb9pE53zsA3uTxDpujS 57ux2QBVpU&typo=1) | Top-25 Polls -- Click Here (https://www.ncaa.com/rankings/football/fcs/fcs-coaches-poll)
MVFC Records -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mvc.org%2ffootball%2frecord s.pdf&c=E,1,LOkD4Exgac5OzSxnHlkXyh3SeROo7swO3-7dgng04qjVGk4oGaPF1PUsXmOKoXJs6BxhjKkqjn2VdtWW7zkt UMPdVw58lORGq2wPf_6xAQEd4G58&typo=1) | MVFC Playoff History -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.mvc.org%2ffootball%2fplayof fs.pdf&c=E,1,rqz-_id3iA-SMYo1-Trz1Qh0HI80avAeLngCzD3m6B58dO0mCQ7sMBlA3vkcsG4KnFH 3WXUIwC_Vl5zLSp6XNMp6lIYfuaIV_W1TSRv4&typo=1) | MVFC Draft Database -- Click Here (https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fvalley-football.org%2fsports%2f2020%2f3%2f24%2fFB_0324202 857.aspx%3fpath%3dfootball&c=E,1,dxgCm3LSdlk_QhFwpWA1kfwLiptaVyB9bfrSJFFUsbX-SSmE4CFBPZ9Xw-Gh9eZzwNtje2YTnG-mPTzO6NrzbVMFTJBBh3R4onCi5PXVdiofC7UAvNfw&typo=1)
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Weekly On-Line Notebook --- Click for More (https://valley-football.org/news/2021/11/10/valley-football-weekly-notebook-n10.aspx)
The Week Ahead
Four of five Missouri Valley Football Conference games this weekend feature at least one ranked team, and in two games, both teams are ranked.
Saturday, Nov. 13
#5/6 North Dakota State at Youngstown State, 11 am CT (ESPN+)
#15/16 Southern Illinois at Indiana State, 12 p.m. CT (ESPN3)
#4/7 South Dakota State at #19/17 South Dakota, 1 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
#20/24 UNI at #16/14 Missouri State, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN+)
Illinois State at North Dakota, 2 p.m. CT (Midco/ESPN+)
Idle: Western Illinois
Title Talk
As many as six MVFC teams are mathematically alive to earn at least a share of the 2021 conference title. North Dakota State is the lone team that controls its own fate. The Bison can win the title outright and AQ with wins in its final two games. There are currently 256 different W-L combinations that could impact the standings/outcome.
Comeback Kids
Missouri State used a big second half to turn a 13-10 halftime deficit into a 38-28 win against Southern Illinois last week. The Bears have been a dominant second-half team this year, outscoring their opponents by 69 points in the third/fourth quarters. NDSU leads all MVFC teams at +111.
Ranked vs. Ranked
Counting two games last week there have been 206 games in league history in which two ranked MVFC teams played one another. The home team is 118-87, and the higher-ranked team has an all-time mark of 128-78. Two games this week feature a matchup of two MVFC ranked teams as #4 South Dakota State travels to #17 South Dakota; and #20 UNI visits #14 Missouri State in Springfield.
Six Teams Ranked
Six Missouri Valley Football Conference teams are ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls this week. Missouri State made the biggest jump of any team in the coaches poll, jumping six spots after its win at SIU. The MVFC has had a minimum of six ranked teams every week.
Bohlken Earns National Honor
Illinois State senior punter JT Bohlken was honored as a Stats Perform FCS National Player of the Week for Week 10 games by the organization on Monday. Bohlken was honored as the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week and was honored alongside UIW’s Cameron Ward (Offense), Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Andre Fuller (Defense) and Yale’s David Pantelis (Freshman). In addition, UT Martin earned FCS National Team of the Week honors.
Schedule Strength
All 11 MVFC schools rank in the Top 22 of the Massey Index “Strength of Schedule.” In fact, the league holds six of the top 8 positions, headed by Youngstown State (1) and Missouri State (2). Only nine FCS schools are ranked in the Top 30 of the Massey SOS rankings and are also ranked in the Top 25 polls (Stats Perform & AFCA coaches) -- the six ranked MVFC schools are joined by Big Sky schools Eastern Washington, Montana, and Sacramento State (none of those three teams have a SOS better than any of the MVFC’s teams, however.)
Perfect Starts
Counting NDSU and SIU this season, a league team has started Conference play with a 4-0 MVFC record 40 times in league history. Of the previous 38 occurrences, 32 teams made the playoffs, and 29 teams won/shared the league title. The MVFC has had two teams start 4-0 in the same season nine times, before this year most recently in 2014 when NDSU (5-0) and Illinois State (4-0) did it.
Not Just in the Polls
In addition to the AFCA and Stats Perform Top 25 polls, the MVFC’s 11 schools are well-represented in all the metrics. In the Massey FCS ratings, the league holds 5 of the Top 7 spots, led by North Dakota State (1) and South Dakota State (2). All 11 members rank among the top 35 teams in that index, and the MVFC has seven of the top 14. In the Sagarin ratings, the league has five of the Top 10, including SDSU (1) and NDSU (2) at the top of all of FCS.
Working Overtime
For the first time since 2015, the league has had as many as three conference contests decided in overtime. Illinois State defeated UNI this past weekend, 17-10, in overtime. SDSU-SIU and WIU-SIU had also been decided in overtime earlier this season. Youngstown State beat UIW in overtime in the season-opening contest to give the MVFC four of 21 overtime contests involving FCS programs this year.
Strong is National Leader
In rushing for 156 yards on a career-high 23 carries, South Dakota State’s Pierre Strong Jr. eclipsed the century mark for the seventh time in nine games this season and scored two rushing touchdowns for the sixth time in 2021. He also went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season on his first touchdown, ending the day with 1,142 yards in becoming the fourth SDSU running back in history to post three separate 1,000-yard campaigns (2018, 2019, 2021). He currently leads the FCS in rushing yards per game (126.9), while Jaleel McLaughlin ranks 5th nationally (112.8). Strong is tied for second in the FCS with 14 rushing TDs this year.
Bison Rolling with Defense
North Dakota State currently leads the FCS in scoring defense (10.2 ppg) and ranks third in total defense (256.1 ypg) through its first nine contests. The scoring defense average would be an all-time MVFC record. NDSU established the league’s scoring defense record in 2013 (11.3 ppg); and the Bison set the standard for fewest yards allowed in 2012 (235.1 ypg). NDSU also ranks second in the FCS in Red Zone defense. The Bison have allowed opponents within its Red Zone just 15 total times this season, which has resulted in 5 rushing TDs, three field goals, and 1 passing TD (nine scores in 15 tries). Only JMU has had fewer opponent Red Zone trips (13).
Youngstown State Still Perfect
Youngstown State has converted all of its trips into the Red Zone, and the Penguins are one of just two schools nationally (Southeast Missouri State) to do so. YSU has 20 trips into the Red Zone with 15 TDs (11 rush, 4 pass) and five FGs. South Dakota State is next-best in the MVFC as the Jackrabbits are 38 of 42 this season (9th in the FCS)
Pick Six Trifecta
For the third time this season, a Redbird defender took one to the house for a score as Clayton Isbell recorded a 40-yard pick six in the 17-10 overtime win over No. 13 UNI. Jarrell Jackson (vs. Butler) and Kenton Wilhoit (vs. South Dakota) were the others. The interception was the third of the season for Isbell, who is now tied with Jackson for the most on the squad.
Coming Up Big in Overtime
Freshman QB Jackson Waring struggled to get much going throughout the game against No. 13 UNI, but came up big in overtime when it counted the most. On the second play from scrimmage on the first possession of OT, Waring connected on a perfect 27-yard corner fade to the end zone with Austin Nagel to put the Redbirds up 17-10. That play would ultimately be the game winner for the Redbirds and marked the fourth TD pass of the season for the young signal caller.
Sack Parade
The Illinois State defense headed into Saturday’s game against No. 13 UNI with just 10 sacks on the season, but the Redbirds nearly eclipsed that mark against the Panthers with a season high six in their 17-10 overtime victory. Linebackers Zeke Vandenburgh and Jeremiah Jordan each tallied two for ISU, and cornerback Braden Price added another on a blitz early in the contest. Shannon Reid and Jacob Powell combined on the other sack of UNI quarterback Theo Day, who was hurried three more times in the contest.
Kerlegrand Keeps Rumbling
Peterson Kerlegrand has been held under 65 rushing yards just once in conference play this year (24 vs. South Dakota), while posting at least 80 rushing yards on three separate occasions. Kerlegrand set a season-high with 178 yards on 17 carries with a pair of touchdowns against Western Illinois. He added a 151 yard effort with two more scores against Youngstown State. More recently, Kerlegrand posted 125 total offensive yards (89 rushing) in an impressive performance against North Dakota State with his rushing total marking the most by a back against the Bison this season. Kerlegrand is averaging 4.8 yards per carry on the season and 79.2 rushing yards per game to sit among the MVFC leaders in both categories.
He’s Just Not Coverable
Dante Hendrix returned from the I.R. with a vengeance and has posted 22 catches for 257 yards and a touchdown over the last three games, including a 10-catches, 121-yard performance against Missouri State in his return to the field. In his last action against North Dakota State, Hendrix nearly hit the century mark for the second time in the 2021 season with a nine-catch, 87-yard game against the Bison as he consistently worked the underneath routes in the loss. Hendrix enters Saturday’s game on a school-record 25-game reception streak dating back to early in the 2018 season.
No Stopping Inoke
Inoke Moala is the conference leader in both sacks (8.0) and tackles for loss (12.5). Moala has done a majority of the damage in the conference season with 5.5 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss coming in MVFC play, including a 3.5 sack effort with a forced fumble against Western Illinois.
Shelley Shines
QB Jason Shelley is coming off his ninth straight 200-yard passing game to start his MSU career, a Bears season record. In Saturday’s win at No. 7 SIU, he eclipsed Missouri State’s single-season total offense record (2,806) and moved within 244 yards of Jay Rodgers (1999) single-season passing record (2,741). He also eclipsed 4,000 career passing yds. (including his time at Utah and Utah State) and threw his 25th career TD. He was named to the CFPA National Player of the Year Midseason Watch List and the Walter Payton Award Watch List this week.
Gunning for Milestones
The Bears are shooting for their first seven-win season since 1996 (7-4). MSU is also trying to rack up six conference wins in a season for just the second time in program history, done previously by the 6-0 MIAA championship team of 1978.
For Openers
The Bears have scored on their opening drive in four straight games (two straight game-opening touchdown drives), while MSU opponents have punted on their opening drive in five straight games and 7-of-9 games on the season.
Flipped the Script
After four conference losses by an average of five points, it was time for UND to flip the script in the win over Youngstown State. The Hawks rallied from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to defeat the Penguins, 24-21, to move to 3-0 all-time against YSU. This is the first win by single digits for UND since Nov. 16, 2019 (45-38 vs. Northern Colorado), as the Hawks had won their previous nine games by double digits.
Rally Time
It has been a long time since UND has mounted a comeback like it did on Saturday against the Penguins, rallying from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to pick up the 24-21 victory. It marks the first time since Oct. 19, 2019 at Cal Poly that UND has rallied from a deficit of 10-or-more at any point and won and the first since Nov. 12, 2016 vs. Northern Arizona that the green and white have mounted a double-digit rally in the fourth quarter.
Sack City Grows
After having only four sacks through the first four games, the UND pressure has started to make its presence felt over the last five games. The Hawks have recorded 16 sacks over the last five games, with three of those coming in the second half on Saturday.
Bouncing Back
North Dakota State looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season this week at Youngstown State, where the Bison have won five straight games including a Stambaugh Stadium opponent-record 56 points in their 2019 victory. NDSU has not lost back-to-back games since a five-game losing streak in the middle of the 2009 season.
Title Talk
North Dakota State needs one win in its last two games to clinch at least a share of its 10th Missouri Valley Football Conference championship. With two wins, NDSU can clinch the title outright and claim the league’s automatic qualifier to the FCS playoffs. The Bison won nine straight conference titles from 2011-2019 including five outright (2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019).
Playoff Positioning
NDSU is still be in position to earn a top-two seed for the NCAA playoffs and home field advantage through the semifinals. NDSU claimed the No. 1 seed with one-loss teams in 2012 and 2016, and the Bison were the No. 2 seed with one-loss teams in 2011, 2014 and 2017. NDSU has been a top-two seed for 8 of 11 appearances in the FCS playoffs. The Bison were seeded third in 2015 and not seeded in 2010 and 2020.
Veteran Volson
Offensive lineman Cordell Volson will become the eighth NDSU player to appear in his 60th career game this week at Youngstown State. The NCAA record is 62 games played by Appalachian State’s Pierre Banks (2004-2008), while NDSU DB Christian Dudzik is the NCAA record holder for games started. Dudzik started all 61 games of his career from 2011-2014, including one game at both safety and wide receiver.
NDSU Career Games Played
61 - Christian Dudzik, CB/S (61 starts, 2011-14)
61 - Kyle Emanuel, DE (50 starts, 2011-14)
61 - Andrew Bonnet, FB (29 starts, 2012-15)
61 - Ben LeCompte, P (0 starts, 2012-15)
60 - Joe Haeg, OT (60 starts, 2012-15)
60 - RJ Urzendowski, WR (39 starts, 2014-17)
60 - James Fisher, LS (0 starts, 2014-17)
Weston Leads
WR Isaiah Weston accounted for nearly half of the yards UNI’s offense tallied at Illinois State. Weston recorded another 142 yards off five receptions. He improved on his mark that already led the FCS in yards per reception. He now has 29 receptions for 736 yards this season, averaging 25.38 yards per catch.
Penning on Payton List
Trevor Penning is the first offensive lineman to be named to this year’s Walter Payton Award watch list. Penning was among 11 players added Nov. 10, which now includes 46 players. The 2021 Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year.
Camp Returns
Coyote quarterback Carson Camp was injured early in the second quarter of the loss against Illinois State and did not return. He started against Western Illinois last week and passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone. He threw just five passes in the second half before being replaced with a comfortable lead. Camp has thrown at least two touchdowns in four of his last five games with the Illinois State game the lone exception. He’s been interception free in all but one game this season (Missouri State).
115th All-Time Meeting
South Dakota and South Dakota State are meeting for the 115th time in a series that dates back to 1889. South Dakota held a 48-34-7 lead in the series at the end of the 1980s, but the Jackrabbits have won 21 of the last 25 games since 1990 to take their first lead in the series which now sits at 55-52-7. The Coyotes’ 24-21 win in 2019 ended SDSU’s 10-game win streak in the series.
7th to 300 Tackles?
All-Valley linebacker Jack Cochrane is vying to become the seventh player in program history to make 300 tackles. He has 298 entering Saturday’s game against SDSU.
Road Warriors
South Dakota State will take a perfect record in road games this season into Saturday’s rivalry matchup at South Dakota. The Jackrabbits are 4-0 so far this season away from home and will be in search of completing the Missouri Valley Football Conference road slate unscathed for the first time since 2009, when they ran the table en route to their first appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs. Not counting this past spring’s national championship game, which was played on a neutral field, the Jackrabbits have won six consecutive true road games, dating back to a 44-3 win at Southern Illinois on March 20.
Janke Closes in on Milestones
Jackrabbit WR Jaxon Janke is poised to hit a pair of career receiving milestones in Saturday’s game at South Dakota. The junior from Madison, South Dakota, has totaled 97 receptions and 1,494 receiving yards thus far in his career. Janke has topped the century mark for receiving yards in three of the last four games, including tallying six catches for 118 yards last week against North Dakota State. His 38 receptions this season rank second on the team, while his 668 receiving yards lead the squad.
Winkelman, Sanders Near Top 10
Senior defensive linemen Reece Winkelman and Caleb Sanders not only share the team lead in sacks this season with 4.5, but the Jackrabbit duo have nearly identical career numbers for sacks and tackles for loss as they are both on the cusp of moving into the SDSU career top 10 in those categories yet this season. Winkelman has tallied 14 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss in his career. He trails Kevin Tetzlaff (15 sacks from 1988-91) for 10th place on the SDSU career sacks chart. Sanders enters the week with 13 career sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss. The 10th spot on the career tackles for loss chart is held by former teammate Ryan Earith (30 TFLs from 2016-19).
Sack Masters
The Salukis had eight QB sacks in the first half against Missouri State. One of them belonged to DE Anthony Knighton, who set the SIU career record for sacks in the process with 24. Knighton also had 2.5 TFLs in the game enabling him to break the tie for the school record with 50.5.
Dynamic Duo
The receiving duo of WR Landon Lenoir and WR Avante Cox is SIU’s all-time best in terms of combined career receiving yards with 4,527. They are second to the TE MyCole Pruitt-WR LaSteven McKinney (2011-14) duo for most combined receptions with 329. Lenoir is in third place in all-time in career receptions with 197. He is in third place in career receiving yards with 2,559 and is 42 yards behind second place Pruitt. Cox is fifth in receptions with 139 and fifth in career receiving yards with 1,968. Both have caught passes in 29 consecutive games.
Jack’s Boots
Saluki P Jack Colquhoun punted seven times versus Missouri St. and averaged 50.9 yards per punt. Three of his punts travelled 61 or more yards. Colquhoun has a one-tenth of a yard lead on Tom Striegel (1981) in the race for the best punting average in a Saluki season as Colquhoun is averaging 46 yards per punt. He leads second place Scott Ravanesi (2006-09) 43.33 to 42.56 in the chase for SIU’s career punting average record.
Senior Day
Western Illinois held its home finale on Saturday versus South Dakota, falling to the Coyotes in a 42-21 setback. A total of 23 WIU graduating seniors were honored prior to kickoff. The Leathernecks have a bye this Saturday before facing UNI on Nov. 20.
Another WIU Mark
For the second time in as many games, a Leatherneck senior broke a new single-season program record. Standout receiver Dennis Houston notched the feat this time in receptions, as his 85 total on the season tops Jaelon Acklin’s 84-reception mark set in 2017. The league record is 92 (Eyad Salem of Illinois State in 2009).
Crenshaw Makes Return
QB Demeatric Crenshaw, a member of the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, returned to the starting lineup against North Dakota last Saturday. In the game he rushed 18 times for 60 yards and a touchdown while completing 13-of-17 passes for 75 yards. He did not play against SDSU after suffering a lower-body injury in the first quarter at Indiana State. This season, Crenshaw is 81-of-133 passing for 644 yards and four scores. He has a completion percentage of 60.9 percent. Crenshaw has rushed for 561 yards on 112 carries and seven touchdowns. He has the most rushing TDs by a QB since Jeff Ryan had seven in 15 games in 1999. Ryan and Crenshaw are the only two QBs in school history to rush for more than 500 yards in a season. Ryan holds the record of 638 set back in 1999.
White Having Breakout Season
Sophomore DB Jordan White is having a breakout season for the Penguins. White has 51 total tackles, including 30 solo stops and three interceptions in eight games. The three interceptions are the most in a season by a Penguin since Zaire Jones had three in 12 games in 2019. The last Penguin to register four INTs in a season was LeRoy Alexander in 2016. On three occasions this fall he has registered nine tackles. In the spring, White had 16 total tackles.
Mike Kern
Associate Commissioner