MVFC Power Rankings
- South Dakota State (3-1)
- Youngstown State (4-1)
- South Dakota (4-1)
- North Dakota (3-2)
- Illinois State (2-2)
- Southern Illinois (2-3)
- Northern Iowa (2-2)
- Indiana State (0-4)
- Murray State (0-4)
Reasoning
No. 3 South Dakota defeated No. 4 North Dakota 26-23 in an overtime thriller. After jumping out to a 20-3 lead in the first half, UND scored 17 unanswered points to force overtime.
The Coyotes scored on four of their first five possessions. In the second half, the Fighting Hawks’ defense forced five consecutive punts. Despite a valiant effort from UND, Austyn Modrzewski threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brayden White to pick up a massive 26-23 victory.
The redshirt freshman duo were on the same page throughout the entire game. Modrzewski went 15-of-22 (68.18%) for 159 yards and two touchdowns, while White had six receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown.
USD outrushed UND 164 to 112, which ended up being a separating factor in this game. The turnover margin (2-0) also favored the Coyotes.
South Dakota State responded to its loss against No. 4 UND with a dominant, 42-9 win over last-place Murray State. Running back Josiah Johnson continues to perform at a high level, recording 16 carries for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
No. 5 Illinois State defeated No. 8 Indiana State 17-10, while Southern Illinois jumped Northern Iowa in my power rankings after a 20-17 head-to-head win. Weston Schofield drilled a game-winning 31-yard field goal to give SIU its fourth win of the season.
Weekend Schedule
No. 4 North Dakota at No. 2 Youngstown State: 12:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 9 Murray State at No. 5 Illinois State: 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 8 Indiana State at No. 7 Northern Iowa: 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 3 South Dakota at No. 1 South Dakota State: 4:00 p.m., ESPNU/ESPN+
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