Photo by: Richard Svaleson
NDSU Picked to Win Valley Football Title; Three Bison Preseason All-MVFC
7/27/2015 9:05:00 AM | Football
2015 MVFC Preseason Poll
ST. LOUIS - The unprecedented four-time defending national champion North Dakota State Bison have been tabbed to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown in 2015.
In the past four seasons, North Dakota State has produced four NCAA Division I football titles, four straight MVFC titles (2 outright, 2 shared) and an overall record of 58-3. This year, NDSU earned 32 of a possible 40 first-place votes and 389 total points in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
The Bison had fullback Andrew Bonnet, left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte voted to the preseason all-conference team. Quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Luke Albers, long snapper James Fisher, offensive linemen Zack Johnson and Jeremy Kelly, and cornerback CJ Smith were honorable mention.
Last year's co-champ Illinois State received the other eight first-place tallies and is slated for second in the poll. The Redbirds lost the FCS title game 29-27 to NDSU last year, marking the only time in FCS history two teams from the same league played one another for the crown.
Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and Indiana State each won a postseason game last year and are slated third, fifth and sixth, respectively. Youngstown State, one of two league schools with a new head coach (Missouri State is the other), is picked fourth in the poll. The Penguins tied Indiana State for 5th last year.
A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 17 times (in 29 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.
Valley Football is celebrating its 31st season in 2015. In its first 30 seasons, the league owns six national crowns.
2015 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team
Offense
QB - Tre Roberson, Illinois State
RB - Marshaun Coprich, Illinois State
RB - Martin Ruiz, Youngstown State
FB - Andrew Bonnet, North Dakota State
WR - Lance Lenoir Jr., Western Illinois
WR - Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State
TE - Braden Lehman, Northern Iowa
OL - Robert Booker, Missouri State
OL - Joe Haeg, North Dakota State
OL - Jacob Ohnesorge, South Dakota State
OL - Justin Spencer, Youngstown State
OL - Matt Zobrist, Western Illinois
LS - Joshua Appel, Indiana State
PK - Michael Schmadeke, Northern Iowa
Defense
DL - Isaac Ales, Northern Iowa
DL - Teddy Corwin, Illinois State
DL - Cole Langer, South Dakota State
DL - Derek Rivers, Youngstown State
LB - TJ Lally, South Dakota State
LB - Brett McMakin, Northern Iowa
LB - Pat Meehan, Illinois State
LB - Connor Underwood, Indiana State
DB - Deiondre Hall, Northern Iowa
DB - Tim Kilfoy, Northern Iowa
DB - Mark Sewall, Indiana State
DB - Travis Starks, Indiana State
P - Ben LeCompte, North Dakota State
RS - Je Ryan Butler, South Dakota State
Honorable Mention: QB Carson Wentz (NDSU); RB Calan Crowder (MSU); TE Luke Albers (NDSU); TE Jamar Brown (INS); WR Andrew Williams (YSU); WR Eric Shufford (USD); LS James Fisher (NDSU); OL Zack Johnson (NDSU); OL Jeremy Kelly (NDSU); OL Sam Ellifrits (MSU); OL Ethan Wirth (SIU); DL Drew Iddings (USD); DL Terrell Williams (YSU); LB Chase Allen (SIU); LB Dylan Cole (MSU); DB C.J. Smith (NDSU); RS LeMonte Booker (INS).
ST. LOUIS - The unprecedented four-time defending national champion North Dakota State Bison have been tabbed to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown in 2015.
In the past four seasons, North Dakota State has produced four NCAA Division I football titles, four straight MVFC titles (2 outright, 2 shared) and an overall record of 58-3. This year, NDSU earned 32 of a possible 40 first-place votes and 389 total points in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
The Bison had fullback Andrew Bonnet, left tackle Joe Haeg and punter Ben LeCompte voted to the preseason all-conference team. Quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Luke Albers, long snapper James Fisher, offensive linemen Zack Johnson and Jeremy Kelly, and cornerback CJ Smith were honorable mention.
Last year's co-champ Illinois State received the other eight first-place tallies and is slated for second in the poll. The Redbirds lost the FCS title game 29-27 to NDSU last year, marking the only time in FCS history two teams from the same league played one another for the crown.
Northern Iowa, South Dakota State and Indiana State each won a postseason game last year and are slated third, fifth and sixth, respectively. Youngstown State, one of two league schools with a new head coach (Missouri State is the other), is picked fourth in the poll. The Penguins tied Indiana State for 5th last year.
A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 17 times (in 29 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.
Valley Football is celebrating its 31st season in 2015. In its first 30 seasons, the league owns six national crowns.
| 2015 Missouri Valley Football Conference Preseason Poll | |
| Team (first-place votes) | Points |
| 1. North Dakota State (32) | 389 |
| 2. Illinois State (8) | 366 |
| 3. Northern Iowa | 300 |
| 4. Youngstown State | 265 |
| 5. South Dakota State | 251 |
| 6. Indiana State | 190 |
| 7. Southern Illinois | 143 |
| 8. Western Illinois | 139 |
| 9. Missouri State | 91 |
| 10. South Dakota | 66 |
2015 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team
Offense
QB - Tre Roberson, Illinois State
RB - Marshaun Coprich, Illinois State
RB - Martin Ruiz, Youngstown State
FB - Andrew Bonnet, North Dakota State
WR - Lance Lenoir Jr., Western Illinois
WR - Jake Wieneke, South Dakota State
TE - Braden Lehman, Northern Iowa
OL - Robert Booker, Missouri State
OL - Joe Haeg, North Dakota State
OL - Jacob Ohnesorge, South Dakota State
OL - Justin Spencer, Youngstown State
OL - Matt Zobrist, Western Illinois
LS - Joshua Appel, Indiana State
PK - Michael Schmadeke, Northern Iowa
Defense
DL - Isaac Ales, Northern Iowa
DL - Teddy Corwin, Illinois State
DL - Cole Langer, South Dakota State
DL - Derek Rivers, Youngstown State
LB - TJ Lally, South Dakota State
LB - Brett McMakin, Northern Iowa
LB - Pat Meehan, Illinois State
LB - Connor Underwood, Indiana State
DB - Deiondre Hall, Northern Iowa
DB - Tim Kilfoy, Northern Iowa
DB - Mark Sewall, Indiana State
DB - Travis Starks, Indiana State
P - Ben LeCompte, North Dakota State
RS - Je Ryan Butler, South Dakota State
Honorable Mention: QB Carson Wentz (NDSU); RB Calan Crowder (MSU); TE Luke Albers (NDSU); TE Jamar Brown (INS); WR Andrew Williams (YSU); WR Eric Shufford (USD); LS James Fisher (NDSU); OL Zack Johnson (NDSU); OL Jeremy Kelly (NDSU); OL Sam Ellifrits (MSU); OL Ethan Wirth (SIU); DL Drew Iddings (USD); DL Terrell Williams (YSU); LB Chase Allen (SIU); LB Dylan Cole (MSU); DB C.J. Smith (NDSU); RS LeMonte Booker (INS).
Players Mentioned
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