NDSU Football Picked to Win MVFC; Five Bison on Preseason Team

ST. LOUIS - Five-time defending national champion North Dakota State was tabbed to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown in 2016.  The Bison have two outright and three shared league titles with an overall record of 71-5 the past five seasons.

This year, NDSU earned 37 of a possible 39 first-place votes and 388 total points in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.

North Dakota State had five players picked to the preseason all-conference team: running back King Frazier, offensive guard Zack Johnson, defensive end Greg Menard, linebacker Nick DeLuca, and free safety Tre Dempsey.

NDSU long snapper James Fisher, defensive tackle Nate Tanguay and strong safety Robbie Grimsley earned honorable mention.

The league is coming off a season in which five teams represented the conference in the playoffs for a second straight year. Northern Iowa, picked second in this year's poll, was one of those five, and the Panthers received the remaining two first-place tallies and 343 total points.

South Dakota State was picked third in this year's preseason poll. The Jackrabbits, who have earned a postseason bid for four straight years, are picked third with 284 total points. SDSU narrowly edged two-time defending co-champion Illinois State in the rankings; ISU received 274 total points.

Youngstown State was picked fifth with 254 total points.  The Penguins are seeking their first playoff bid since 2006 under second-year head coach Bo Pelini.

A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 18 times (in 30 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.

Valley Football is celebrating its 32nd season in 2016. In its first 31 seasons, the league owns seven national crowns.

2016 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll

Team (First-Place Votes)          Points

1. North Dakota State (37)         388

2. Northern Iowa (2)       343

3. South Dakota State   284

4. Illinois State  274

5. Youngstown State     254

6. Western Illinois          176

7. South Dakota            146

8. Southern Illinois         124

9. Indiana State 115

10. Missouri State         41

2016 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Team

QB - Aaron Bailey, Northern Iowa

RB - King Frazier, North Dakota State

RB - Jody Webb, Youngstown State

FB - Brady Tibbits, Illinois State

WR - Lance Lenoir Jr., Western Illinois

WR - Anthony Warrum, Illinois State

WR - Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State

TE - Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State

OL - Kyle Avaloy, Illinois State

OL - Zack Johnson, North Dakota State

OL - Jacob Judd, Western Illinois

OL - Jacob Ohnesorge, South Dakota State

OL - Robert Rathje, Northern Iowa

OL - Mark Spelman, Illinois State

LS - Joshua Appel, Indiana State

PK - Zak Kennedy, Youngstown State

DL - Cole Langer, South Dakota State

DL - Greg Menard, North Dakota State

DL - Derek Rivers, Youngstown State

DL - Karter Schult, Northern Iowa

LB - Chase Allen, Southern Illinois

LB - Dylan Cole, Missouri State

LB - Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State

LB - Brett Taylor, Western Illinois

DB - LeRoy Alexander, Youngstown State

DB - Tre Dempsey, North Dakota State

DB - Tyson Graham, South Dakota

DB - Alec Kocour, Illinois State

P - Sam Kuhter, Northern Iowa

RS - Deion Holliman, Missouri State

Honorable mention: RB Tyvis Smith, UNI; WR Billy Reed, SIU; WR Robert Tonyan Jr., INS; P/PK Miles Bergner, USD; LS James Fisher, NDSU; DL Nate Tanguay, NDSU; LB Jesse Bobbit, SDSU; DB Jared Beshore, MSU; DB Jacob Warner, USD; DB Robbie Grimsley, NDSU; RS Daquan Isom, SIU.