Tiebreakers Galore for Missouri Valley Football Title

With five teams separated by just one game at the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference standings heading into the final two weeks of play, just about anything can happen.

Just to make sure they'll got all of their bases covered, the folks at the MVFC home office have released an extensive rundown of the tie breaking scenarios involving the five teams bunched up at the top of the heap.

The only thing that is a 100 percent certainty - if North Dakota State runs the table against South Dakota and Illinois State, the Bison are the outright champs at 7-1.

If NDSU stubs its' toe even once along the way, here the possibilities for each of the contenders:

South Dakota (remaining games: at North Dakota State, vs. South Dakota State)

Head-to-Head wins against four other teams in contention: None

Losses to four other teams in contention: Illinois State, UNI

Must win its final two games to earn at least a share of the title
Coyotes can win an outright title if USD wins both games, NDSU loses both games, South Dakota State beats Illinois State, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games
USD could win the FCS Playoffs Automatic Qualifying spot (AQ) if it wins both games, NDSU loses to Illinois State, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games
South Dakota can also win the AQ if it wins both games, NDSU beats Illinois State, and UNI wins both games (USD wins tiebreaker if all 3 are tied.)

South Dakota State (remaining games: vs. Illinois State, at South Dakota)

Head-to-Head wins against four other teams in contention: North Dakota State

Losses to four other teams in contention: UNI

Must win its final two games to earn at least a share of the title
SDSU can win an outright title if SDSU wins both games, NDSU loses both games, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games
SDSU could win the AQ if it wins both games, NDSU loses at least 1 of its remaining two games, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games

Illinois State (remaining games: at South Dakota State, vs. North Dakota State)

Head-to-Head wins against four other teams in contention: South Dakota (does not play UNI)

Losses to four other teams in contention: None

Must win its final two games to earn at least a share of the title
Illinois State can win an outright title if its wins both games, South Dakota beats NDSU, South Dakota State beats South Dakota, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games
Illinois State can earn the AQ if its wins both of its games, NDSU beats South Dakota, and UNI loses at least 1 of its remaining two games

Northern Iowa (remaining games: at Missouri State, vs. Indiana State)

Head-to-Head wins against four other teams in contention: South Dakota, South Dakota State (does not play Illinois State)

Losses to four other teams in contention: North Dakota State

Must win its final two games to earn at least a share of the title. (UNI can’t win an outright title)
UNI can win the AQ if it wins both games, NDSU loses both games, and either SDSU wins both games or USD wins both of its games (Panthers hold tiebreaker over both USD and SDSU in a two-way tie)

After all of that is settled after next Saturday's (November 18) games, then everyone's attention turns for the FCS Playoffs.

This year's field of 24-teams will be announced Sunday, November 19, at 10:00 AM, on ESPNU.