Looking Ahead to Week #2

The Missouri Valley should collect lots of wins this week. UNI, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, and Indiana State play week competition and should blow-out their opponents. South Dakota and South Dakota State play FCS opponents Colgate and Southeastern Louisiana. The USD-Colgate game could be close, but I expect the Coyotes to pull off a close victory at home. Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri State, and North Dakota State all play FBS teams.

Taylor Nelson, TE North Dakota State (Photo: GoBison.com)

Predictions:

Miami (OH) 35, Southern Illinois 14

Illinois State 31, Eastern Michigan 24

Indiana State 52, Quincy 13

South Dakota 31, Colgate 28

Louisville 45, Missouri State 10

Western Illinois 35, Indianapolis 14

Brett LeMaster, WR Northern Iowa
(Photo: Morry Gash/LacrosseTribune)

Northern Iowa 63, Central State 0

North Dakota State 24, Colorado State 10

South Dakota State 35, Southeastern Louisiana 14


All-in-all, I expect the Missouri Valley Football Conference to perform very well this week. Some blowouts, a couple close games, and a couple losses to FBS squads. I am going to keep a close eye on the Western Illinois-Indianapolis game; if Western struggles again like it did last week against Butler it might secure most peoples thinking that it will be a long season for the Leathernecks. It will also be interesting what happens in the South Dakota State-Southeastern Louisiana game. The Jackrabbits have a chance to prove how improved their defense has become over the offseason. This game should also give quarterback Austin Sumner a chance to settle down and get back to normalcy.