North Dakota State has been picked to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference crown in 2013. NDSU, the defending national champion, has won 28 of its past 30 games (going 14-1 each year). The Bison were a unanimous choice to repeat, earning 39 of a possible 39 first-place votes, in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors. The Bison return 18 total starters from a team that went 14-1 overall and 7-1 in the conference last year. South Dakota State is picked second in the poll after finishing in second place and representing the league in the FCS playoffs a year ago. SDSU returns 15 starters from last year's 9-4 team. Perennial FCS power UNI is picked third in the poll after going 5-6 last year. Before falling from the Top 25 rankings last year in October, the Panthers had been ranked among the nation's elite for a league-record 99-straight weeks. Although the voters all agreed that
NDSU is their top choice, there was a wide variance for the league's other nine teams, as seven teams were picked to finish in five or more different positions. A preseason favorite has claimed the league crown 15 times (in 27 previous polls). North Dakota State was picked to win the league last season.
2013 Valley Football Preseason Poll
Team (first-place votes)
...................
Points
1. North Dakota State (39)...................390
2. South Dakota State.........................323
3. UNI..................................................269
4. Illinois State.....................................264
5. Youngstown State ............................253
6. Indiana State...................................197
7. Southern Illinois...............................188
8. Missouri State..................................123
9. Western Illinois..................................77
10. South Dakota....................................61
