Week 10 MVC Game Breakdowns
Only four games are on the MVFC agenda this week as the season winds down to an eventual showdown between Youngstown State and North Dakota State. This week North Dakota State is off, but Youngstown State will travel to the Dakotas anyway for a contest. The biggest matchup of the week has Northern Iowa up against Illinois State, as Northern Iowa attempts to right a season gone horribly wrong. Let’s take a look at the week’s matchups:
Northern Iowa at Illinois State, Saturday, 2:00
Poor Northern Iowa. After such a promising 4-0 start the Panthers have lost four games in a row, including a one-point loss to top-ranked North Dakota State, an overtime loss to Southern Illinois and double-overtime defeats against South Dakota AND South Dakota State. The three OT losses in a row ties an NCAA FCS record. The last time these teams played in Normal, Northern Iowa won 23-20 in… you guessed it… double overtime. Northern Iowa has won five of the last seven meetings, but Illinois State won last year’s meeting 33-21. Northern Iowa should finally get back on track with this game, however. It might be close.
Projected Score: Northern Iowa 30, Illinois State 27 (OT)
Indiana State at Missouri State, Saturday, 2:00
Missouri State may lead the all-time series 16-11, but Indiana State has won the last three games, including a 28-20 win in Springfield in 2011 and last year’s 31-17 victory in Terre Haute. Indiana State has two more chances to win an MVFC game on the road. So far it has no road wins, which threatens to break a streak of three seasons in a row with at least one MVFC victory. Missouri State averages 36 points per game in home conference games and wants to achieve its third straight win at home. Look for Indiana State’s string to come to an end.
Projected Score: Missouri State 31, Indiana State 20
#11 Youngstown State at South Dakota, Saturday, 2:00
This marks the first game Youngstown State has played in Vermillion. Of course, it is only the second game in the series and Youngstown State won last year’s game, 13-10. That low score might worry a lot of people, but Youngstown State is a lot better this year. The Penguins have never started an MVFC season 5-0 since joining the league in 1997, and a win at South Dakota would do just that. The 4-0 start this year in league play marks only the third time that has happened. A word of caution: South Dakota is 3-0 at home this season and 44-8 since the end of 2003. Which way does this game go? I’m going to say Youngstown State, but very close.
Projected Score: Youngstown State 24, South Dakota 21 (OT)
Southern Illinois at Western Illinois, Saturday, 2:00
Who could forget the big 77-yard touchdown run in 2011 that sealed a Western Illinois victory? Southern Illinois, that’s who, as the Salukis’ nine-game winning streak in the series was snapped. SIU leads the all-time series 35-19-4, including a 35-0 shutout over Western Illinois last year at Carbondale. Which Southern Illinois team shows up? Odds are it will be the one closer to 2012. Southern Illinois has won six of the last seven games it has played on the road, and that alone should seal this game for the Salukis.
Projected Score: Southern Illinois 30, Western Illinois 17
