Libby Leonard
Football
SIOUX FALLS – Defending national champion North Dakota State was picked first in the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll released Monday, July 21.
North Dakota State finished 14-2 overall last season and tied for first in the league with a 7-1 record. The Bison won their 11th conference title and 10th NCAA FCS national title.
NDSU received 39 of a possible 42 first-place votes and 417 total points to outdistance South Dakota State (355 points) and South Dakota (349 points). All three teams reached the national semifinals in 2024.
This is the 12th time since NDSU joined the league in 2008 that the Bison have been picked to win.
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| Team (First-Place Votes) | Points |
| 1. North Dakota State (39)Â | 417 |
| 2. South Dakota State | 355 |
| 3. South Dakota (3) | 349 |
| 4. Illinois State | 292 |
| 5. Youngstown State | 211 |
| 6. Southern Illinois | 208 |
| 7. North Dakota | 196 |
| 8. Northern Iowa | 130 |
| 9. Indiana State | 105 |
| 10. Murray State | 47 |
