Jul. 14—SIOUX FALLS — For the third time in the last four seasons, South Dakota State is the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Football Conference ahead of the 2026 season, the league announced on Tuesday.
SDSU received 28 of the 36 first-place votes and 312 vote points to land in first place. Illinois State was second with 256 points, Youngstown State was third with 235 points, followed by North Dakota in fourth (211) and South Dakota in fifth (196).
The rest of the league preseason order included Southern Illinois in sixth, Northern Iowa in seventh, Indiana State in eighth and Murray State in ninth place.
The preseason poll was announced in conjunction with the conference's media day event on Tuesday at the Sanford Pentagon.
A total of five teams received first place votes, with three for Illinois State, which played in the FCS championship game and finished as national runner-up in January. UND and USD each got two first-place votes and SIU also picked up a first-place nod.
SDSU received 28 of the 36 first-place votes and 312 vote points to land in first place. Illinois State was second with 256 points, Youngstown State was third with 235 points, followed by North Dakota in fourth (211) and South Dakota in fifth (196).
The rest of the league preseason order included Southern Illinois in sixth, Northern Iowa in seventh, Indiana State in eighth and Murray State in ninth place.
The preseason poll was announced in conjunction with the conference's media day event on Tuesday at the Sanford Pentagon.
A total of five teams received first place votes, with three for Illinois State, which played in the FCS championship game and finished as national runner-up in January. UND and USD each got two first-place votes and SIU also picked up a first-place nod.
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