MVFC Week 11 Preview
Chad Lenz & JT Nutt, MVFC Contributors | November 12, 2015
JT Says-
Western Illinois @ Indiana State
Both teams gave up 59 points last week. Both teams have lost 3 straight. Actually both teams are very similar. Western Illinois has scored 157 points while giving up 206 and Indiana State has given up 202 while scoring 153. The 59 point beat downs last week were not a true barometer of the two teams. Indiana State SHOULD have beat Illinois State 2 weeks ago. And 4 weeks ago, Western Illinois beat UNI in the UNI dome. Neither team will play for a playoff spot but both teams will be looking to get back in the win column. This is a close one but Indiana State played their worst game in a decade last week and won’t repeat this week. They beat Western Illinois 27-24 in overtime.
North Dakota State @ Youngstown State
The Bison are in the drivers seat for their fifth consecutive Missouri Valley Title. After hanging 59 points and nearly shutting out Western Illinois last week, they will have no problem with Youngstown State. Easton Stick will start his 4th game of the season and the offense has not lost a step when Carson Wentz was lost for the season. Easton has passed for 7 touchdowns on 33-57 passing for 461 yards and a pair of interceptions. On the ground he has rushed 45 times for 364 yards and 2 touchdowns to the tune of a 8.1 yards per carry average. He’ll lead the way by air and land as the Bison win this one 42-13.
Northern Iowa @ Missouri State
UNI’s get’s their second bye week of the year. If they can hang 59 on Indiana State, they could score 70 against the hapless Bears. But they won’t. They still win easy and the UNI offense will use this game to fine tune the machine for a hopeful playoff run. The UNI defense will have a field day against a Bears team that recorded only 107 yards and 5 first down. They will finally pitch the shutout that they have been so close to achieving. Aaron Bailey will not rush for 4 touchdowns but will start to get things figured out in the passing game. He has been just a bit off in the deep ball and this will be the week to get it figured out. For once, punter Sam Kuhter could remain on the sideline the entire game. The stable of UNI running backs will continue to improve and share the load. UNI wins this one 63-0.
Chad says-
South Dakota State @ South Dakota
This has a chance to be a dangerous game for the Jackrabbits. Normally I wouldn’t call a heated rivalry game a dangerous game for the reason I’m thinking this week. They are coming off an impressive victory over a top 5 team, in the final game at Coughlin–Alumni Stadium, and move within one game of the conference lead. That’s a tough week to come off of, but to come off that game and head on the road to one of your biggest rivals is a tall task. Couple that with USD showing signs of life, and a shot to get to the playoff bubble and we might actually see a hostile environment in the, otherwise, sterile environment that is the DakotaDome. The Jacks defense is too good to let that kind of let down happen. I’ll go 27-13 South Dakota State
Illinois State @ Southern Illinois
It’s going to sound weird to say that a top 10 team, tied for first in the toughest league in the nation, isn’t as good as their record but I’m leaning that way with Illinois State. That isn’t to say they aren’t a good team, they just seem to have flat-lined and aren’t impressing me like I thought they would be. The Redbirds have just 3 wins against teams over .500, and haven’t beaten a team, that’s over .500, by more than a touchdown all season, with 2 of those 3 wins by less than three points. Thankfully for the Redbirds Southern Illinois is in 8th place, seems to have given up on the season for the second season in a row, and appears to be in turmoil on top of it all. I think this game finishes closer than it should be, probably about 10 points, but Illinois State still pulls the victory out.
Times are Central:
| 1:05 | Western Illinois @ Indiana State | ESPN3 |
| 2:00 | South Dakota State @ South Dakota | ESPN3 |
| 2:00 | North Dakota State @ Youngstown State | ESPN3 |
| 3:00 | Illinois State @ Southern Illinois | ESPN3 |
| 3:00 | Northern Iowa @ Missouri State | ESPN3 |