Herald Missouri Valley Football Conference power poll Oct. 24, 2022
Oct. 31—GRAND FORKS — The ninth week of the college football season is making for a muddy middle of the the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Here's a quick lap around the league.
1. South Dakota State: Remember when South Dakota State's offense wasn't clicking? Well, the Jacks popped 49 more points on the scoreboard on visiting Indiana State. Mark Gronowski was 22-for-28 with three touchdowns and 233 yards.
2. North Dakota State: The Bison put together a complete effort in beating visiting Illinois State. The Bison were balanced on the ground in rushing for 192 yards.
3. North Dakota: UND didn't win pretty against Abilene Christian, but the Wildcats might prove to be a nice win for the Fighting Hawks in the end. Tyler Hoosman continues to be an excellent addition for UND.
4. Illinois State: Yes, Illinois State has a sneaky good record but the best win so far in the league is over surging Northern Iowa. The Redbirds struggled to run the ball against the Bison. Youngstown State and South Dakota State remain on the schedule.
5. Southern Illinois: Nic Baker threw for 485 yards against Northern Iowa and lost. The Salukis will be scary for anybody but they've now lost to South Dakota and Northern Iowa in consecutive weeks.
6. Northern Iowa: Theo Day threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns in a thriller over Southern Illinois. Teams three through eight here in the league are so tight.
7. Youngstown State: The Penguins are on a three-game winning streak although it's against the bottom of the league in Indiana State, South Dakota and Western Illinois. In a win over South Dakota, Mitch Davidson and Bryce Oliver proved to be a good connection, something UND saw earlier this year, as well.
8. South Dakota: It's hard to peg the Yotes. They beat Southern Illinois at home, then go get toasted at Youngstown. Aidan Bouman in his first real start taking over for Carson Camp had a nice game with 254 passing yards but was sacked five times.
9. Missouri State: Missouri State took out its frustrations on Western Illinois, but it's too little too late for the Bears.
10. Indiana State: Quarterback Cade Chambers threw for 114 yards before he left the game. Gavin Screws, who started earlier this year, was just 2-for-8 against the Jacks.
11. Western Illinois: The Leathernecks were beat handily by Missouri State. The Necks ran for 14 yards. Ouch.
