Now is the time for MVFC teams to prove this is the best conference in FCS. If UNI and SDSU win, the MFVC is guaranteed at least 2 teams in the final 8.
If UNI, SDSU and Indy State all lose in the 1st round, MFVC could have ZERO teams in Final 8. Hard to see NDSU losing at home, but anything can happen in 1 game. And, they had a starting LB leave the game against YSU with a ruptured Achilles. The team that plays NDSU in 2nd round will have nothing to lose, as pretty much everyone except those involved with said team will predict NDSU to win by at least 7-10 points. At some point, the run will end for NDSU, just as it has for every other dominant team.
SDSU plays at Montana State, not an easy place to play for the visiting team.
Indy State plays at EKU, a team that also has a win over a team from the MAC(Miami) and played 2 FBS teams. Indy State likely cost themselves a home game with the loss to WIU.
UNI hosts SFA, and the only "quality" win for SFA is SE Louisiana(9-3/7-1). A game in which UNI ought to be favored, but MVFC teams have a history of "laying eggs" in the playoffs. So, this is far, far, far from a sure thing.
23-1 against FCS schools in OOC play will not mean much if a team other than NDSU does not advance to at least the 3rd round. May not even mean all that much if SDSU and Indy State win, then NDSU and ISU or UNI move on to 3rd round, only to have NDSU be the only winner in the 3rd round. Especially if Indy State loses in 1st round.
That would be 2-1 first round... 0-0 2nd round... 1-1 3rd round, with the 1 win from NDSU.
I could be wrong, but if I am reading the brackets correctly, there is a possibility for NDSU - ISU(r) in the NC Game. That would be great for the MVFC, and even better if ISU would beat NDSU in the Title game.
