The Missouri Valley Football Conference has flexed its muscle once again.
For the 14th straight season, the conference, which includes Illinois State and Southern Illinois, will be represented in the Football Championship Subdivision title game. Missouri Valley schools have won 11 of the last 13 FCS titles.
North Dakota State (13-2), which has captured nine of those championships, will face Montana State (15-0) in the final at Frisco, Texas, at 6 p.m., Monday.
NDSU, which has produced such NFL notables as Christian Watson, Trey Lance, Carson Wentz and Billy Turner, finished in a three-way tie with South Dakota State and South Dakota for the MVFC regular season title.
All three advanced to the FCS semifinals this season. NDSU edged South Dakota State, which had won the last two FCS national championships, 28-21. Montana State eliminated South Dakota 31-17.
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The three Missouri Valley regular season champions were joined by Illinois State in the 24-team FCS playoff field this season.
NDSU won or shared 10 Missouri Valley titles in eleven years from 2011-21.
The FCS title game has been an all-Missouri Valley affair twice in the last decade, including in 2014, when North Dakota State edged Illinois State 29-27. The Redbirds shared the MVC crown with the Bison in both 2014 and 2015.
The 2022 national championship also featured two conference teams, as South Dakota State won 45-21 over North Dakota State.
