ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) released its preseason poll and watch list for the upcoming 2025 college football season as voted on by the league’s head coaches, sports information directors and media.

Heading into the 2025 season, Northern Iowa is predicted to finish eighth in the conference race after finishing the 2024 season in 10th place. Defending FCS National Champion North Dakota State is favored to win the MVFC with 417 points and 39 first-place votes. South Dakota picked up the other three first-place votes and sits in third on the preseason poll.

New in 2025, the MVFC released a Preseason Watch List in place of its normal Preseason All-MVFC Teams in order to better highlight the talent across the 10-team field. A preseason team will be announced in September ahead of conference play.

Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll

(First-place votes)

1. North Dakota St. (39) 417

2. South Dakota St. 355

3. South Dakota (3) 349

4. Illinois St. 292

5. Youngstown St. 211

6. Southern Illinois 208

7. North Dakota 196

8. Northern Iowa 130

9. Indiana St. 105

10. Murray St. 47