PICK THE. CHAMPION OF THE MVFC

[yoteforever]

Ok, the preseason is over, and we now begin conference play. This league is crazy good. The only cupcake in the league is Missouri State. Let's see how good posters are on our board in picking how the league race will end in November. Pick the order in which you think the Valley will finish and the records they will have. I'll start

1.) Youngstown State 6-2
2.) North Dakota State 6-2
3.) USD 5-3
4.) Illinois State 5-3
5.) SDSU 5-3
6.) Western Illinois 5-3
7.) UNI 4-4
8.) Southrn Illinois 2-6
9.) Indiana State 2-6
10.) Missouri State 0-8

Comments: Anyone in the top 6 can beat anyone. Period. Slots 7-9 can beat anyone in slots 3-6. I think Youngstown and NDSU are just a little better than the rest of the league, but not by much. If USD and SDSU get road wins this week then they will be in the talk for weeks to come. I don't think SDSU will win Saturday. USD will be in a 4 quarter fist fight in Macomb. UNI is no longer the UNI of old. Other than Missouri State, is there a team in this league that wouldn't compete for the Big Sky title?

This is my totally unqualified guess. What's yours.?

[obc]

1. NDSU
2. SDSU
3. YSU
4. USD
5. WIU
6. Illinois St
7. UNI
8. SIU
9. INDY St
10. MSU

1-3 could sort out in any combination
4-7 could sort out in any combination
8-10 could sort out in any combination

The SDSU / YSU Game and the USD/WIU will show us a glimpse of how the season is likely to sort out for those four teams.

[Yotes]

Everyone goes 4-4 and makes the playoffs.

[Yotes]

Now for my real prediction:

1. NDSU
2. YSU
3. USD
4. SDSU
5. Illinois State
6. Western Illinois
7. UNI
8. Southern Illinois
9. Indiana State
10. Missouri State

[Cousin Eddie]

1) NDSU
2) SDSU
3) USD
4) WIU
5) ISU
6) YSU
7) SIU
8) UNI
9) Ind. St.
10) MSU

I don't think YSU is as good as people give them credit. I think WIU is better than expected. I think NDSU is playing well. I question how SDSU has performed thus far, but the Montana State win looks better this week than it did last week. Also, our win over UND has lost some luster. I may be giving USD the old homer boost, but everything I have seen thus far gives me high hopes. A little part of me thinks WIU may be in the running for the 1-2 spot. Say what you want about Coastal, but that doesn't diminish the fact that Sean McGuire went 17-19 on Saturday. The balanced attach of the WIU offense will give our defense fits. Our D-Ends will need to apply consistent pressure on McGuire.

When reviewing our stats, the most glaring weakness on paper, thus far, is special teams; namely the return game and kick coverage.

[coyotecrazie5]

1-NDSU
2-SDSU
3-WIU
T4-ISUr
T4-USD
T4-YSU
7-SIU
8-UNI
9-ISUb
10-MSU

[yoteforever]

Sept 25, 2017 13:12:47 GMT -6 coyotecrazie5 said:

1-NDSU
2-SDSU
3-WIU
T4-ISUr
T4-USD
T4-WIU
7-SIU
8-UNI
9-ISUb
10-MSU

You have Western Illinois twice and no Youngstwon. Who do you pick for 3rd?

These are interesting picks everyone is making. It appears I'm on an island on Youngstown, and you all are probably right. For some reason I just have this funny feeling about them.

[coyotecrazie5]

My bad. I kept going back and forth with WIU and YSU. I have edited my post.

[leatherneckcountry]

Sept 25, 2017 12:54:37 GMT -6 Cousin Eddie said:

1) NDSU
2) SDSU
3) USD
4) WIU
5) ISU
6) YSU
7) SIU
8) UNI
9) Ind. St.
10) MSU

I don't think YSU is as good as people give them credit. I think WIU is better than expected. I think NDSU is playing well. I question how SDSU has performed thus far, but the Montana State win looks better this week than it did last week. Also, our win over UND has lost some luster. I may be giving USD the old homer boost, but everything I have seen thus far gives me high hopes. A little part of me thinks WIU may be in the running for the 1-2 spot. Say what you want about Coastal, but that doesn't diminish the fact that Sean McGuire went 17-19 on Saturday. The balanced attach of the WIU offense will give our defense fits. Our D-Ends will need to apply consistent pressure on McGuire.

When reviewing our stats, the most glaring weakness on paper, thus far, is special teams; namely the return game and kick coverage.

Finally someone who agrees with me i said at the beginning of the season people were giving YSU to much credit and from what I've seen they've done nothing to change my mind.
NDSU clear #1
SDSU
WIU
USD
ISU
SIU
YSU
UNI
IND St
MSU

[gopheryote]

Went and picked each game - didn't turn out how I expected. Some folks have tough home-games (see SDSU) to go with the always tough road games.

t-1 Ill St 6-2
t-1 NDSU 6-2
t-1 USD 6-2
t-4 WIU 5-3
t-4 YSU 5-3
t-6 SDSU 3-5
t-6 SIU 3-5
t-8 UNI 2-6
t-8 MSU 2-6
10 Ind St. 1-7

[thebacksackdad]

Ill make an official prediction before our game with WIU. For now, although WIU scares me a bit, I think we continue like each of the games we've had so far this year... worried but the boys take care of business. If that doesn't happen, ill certainly be revising my later predictions.

I think NDSU is legit n the championship is between us n them and I think anything can happen any 1 game. Obviously their depth is a definite plus as they have the machine built, but if we stay healthy... game on.

I'm new to the league but I'm not buying into the SDSU thing. Vermilion n USD just have too much more to offer and I can't imagine any reason they would have got better recruits.

Initially, I also think Youngstown is an anomaly.

UNI was shaky before they lost coaches this last year and they're toast this year after they have.

IL State concerns me. I think they're a good team and a few years ahead of us in development but still consider us even.

So all in all, I think we're right there but I think this is going to be one of those special years for USD because it's Strevelors final year and he's out to prove something to the world.

[Coyote Fan]

I am going to change up where I thought the conference record ends up vs where I had the Yotes pre-season.

1) North Dakota State 7-1
2) South Dakota State 6-2
T3) South Dakota 5-3
T3) Western Illinois 5-3
T5) Illinois State 4-4
T5) Youngstown State 4-4
T6) Northern Iowa 3-5
T6) Southern Illinois 3-5
8) Indiana State 2-6
9) Missouri State 1-7

[thebacksackdad]

Sept 25, 2017 17:14:14 GMT -6 Coyote Fan said:

I am going to change up where I thought the conference record ends up vs where I had the Yotes pre-season.

1) North Dakota State 7-1
2) South Dakota State 6-2
T3) South Dakota 5-3
T3) Western Illinois 5-3
T5) Illinois State 4-4
T5) Youngstown State 4-4
T6) Northern Iowa 3-5
T6) Southern Illinois 3-5
8) Indiana State 2-6
9) Missouri State 1-7

Still the daunted SDSU curse... which ends this year. We finish ahead of them and you can take that to the bank.

[thebacksackdad]

Take it for what it's worth. I consider my view pretty unbiased since I'm new to the league. I've met both staffs...

Get loosing to SDSU out of your heads. Its a thing of the past. SDSU coach is old school and that just works so far now a days.

Welcome to 2017 COYOTE FOOTBALL!!!

[easmus]

I picked every single game for MVFC teams before the season. I had SDSU going undefeated (hardest games at home), NDSU 10-1, & UNI & Illinois st going 8-3 (they don't play each other), with USD and YSU 6-5. I've been dead wrong on Western so far, as I had them 1-2, and USD 2-1. As it stands today though, my revised picks for the remainder of the season are:

1. NDSU 11-0 8-0
2. SDSU 9-2 6-2
T3. USD 8-3 5-3
T3. Western 8-3 5-3
T3. Illinois st 8-3 5-3
6. YSU 7-4 5-3
7. UNI 3-8 2-6
8. Southern Illinois 3-8 2-6
9. Mizz st 2-9 1-7
10. Indy st 1-10 1-7

This is entirely possible, as I literally picked each game from the PDF schedule grid you can print from the MVFC website. To me, this would make for an interesting final standings as you put the playoff committee to the test with 6 teams with 7 or more wins and a winning record in the conference.