# List of Missouri Valley Football Conference champions

This is a list of yearly Missouri Valley Football Conference champions. Co-champions are listed in alphabetical order. Italics indicate a school that no longer competes in the MVFC

## Champions by year

| | | Record | Record | Ranking^ | Ranking^ | | |
| Year | Champions | Conference | Overall | STATS^^ | Coaches | Playoff finish | Head coach |
| 1985 | Northern Iowa | 5–0 | 11–2 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 33–41 vs. Georgia Southern | Darrell Mudra |
| 1986 | Eastern Illinois | 5–1 | 11–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 21–28 vs. Eastern Kentucky | Al Molde |
| 1987 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 10–4 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 41–44$^{OT}$ vs. Louisiana-Monroe | Darrell Mudra |
| 1988 | Western Illinois | 6–0 | 10–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 32–35 vs. Western Kentucky | Bruce Craddock |
| 1989 | Missouri State | 5–1 | 10–3 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 22–55 vs Stephen F. Austin | Jesse Branch |
| 1990 | Missouri State | 5–1 | 9–3 | 6 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 35–41 vs. Idaho | Jesse Branch |
| 1990 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–4 | 11 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 3–20 vs. Boise State | Terry Allen |
| 1991 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 11–2 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 13–41 vs. Marshall | Terry Allen |
| 1992 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 12–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 7–19 vs. Youngstown State | Terry Allen |
| 1993 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–4 | 13 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 21–27$^{2OT}$ at Boston University | Terry Allen |
| 1994 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 8–4 | 11 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 21–23 at Montana | Terry Allen |
| 1995 | Eastern Illinois | 5–1 | 10-2 | 14 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 29–34 at Stephen F. Austin | Bob Spoo |
| 1995 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–5 | 13 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 24–41 at Marshall | Terry Allen |
| 1996 | Northern Iowa | 5–0 | 12–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 14–31 at Marshall | Terry Allen |
| 1997 | Western Illinois | 6–0 | 11–2 | 6 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 12–14 vs. McNeese State | Randy Ball |
| 1998 | Western Illinois | 5–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 14–42 at Georgia Southern | Randy Ball |
| 1999 | Illinois State | 6–0 | 11–3 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 17–31 at Georgia Southern | Todd Berry |
| 2000 | Western Illinois | 5–1 | 9–3 | 12 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 7–37 vs. Lehigh | Don Patterson |
| 2001 | Northern Iowa | 6–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA 0–38 at Montana | Mark Farley |
| 2002 | Western Illinois | 6–1 | 11–2 | 5 | – | NCAA Division I-AA 28–31 vs. Western Kentucky | Don Patterson |
| 2002 | Western Kentucky | 6–1 | 12–3 | 1 | – | National Champion 34–14 vs. McNeese State | Jack Harbaugh |
| 2003 | Northern Iowa | 6–1 | 10–3 | 5 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 7–37 at Delaware | Mark Farley |
| 2003 | Southern Illinois | 6–1 | 10–2 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 7–48 at Delaware | Jerry Kill |
| 2004 | Southern Illinois | 7–0 | 10–2 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 31–35 vs. Eastern Washington | Jerry Kill |
| 2005 | Northern Iowa | 5–2 | 11–4 | 2 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Runner-up 16–21 vs. Appalachian State | Mark Farley |
| 2005 | Southern Illinois | 5–2 | 9–4 | 7 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 24–38 at Appalachian State | Jerry Kill |
| 2005 | Youngstown State | 5–2 | 8–3 | 14 | – | None | Jon Heacock |
| 2006 | Youngstown State | 6–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA FCS Semifinal 24–49 at Appalachian State | Jon Heacock |
| 2007 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 12–1 | 4 | 5 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 27–39 vs. Delaware | Mark Farley |
| 2008 | Northern Iowa | 7–1 | 12–3 | 4 | 4 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 20–21 vs. Richmond | Mark Farley |
| 2008 | Southern Illinois | 7–1 | 9–3 | 11 | 10 | NCAA FCS First Round 20–29 vs. New Hampshire | Dale Lennon |
| 2009 | Southern Illinois | 8–0 | 11–2 | 6 | 6 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 3–24 at William & Mary | Dale Lennon |
| 2010 | Northern Iowa | 6–2 | 7–5 | 19 | 18 | NCAA FCS First Round 7–14 vs. Lehigh | Mark Farley |
| 2011 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 17–6 vs. Sam Houston | Craig Bohl |
| 2012 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 39–13 vs. Sam Houston | Craig Bohl |
| 2013 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 35–7 vs. Towson | Craig Bohl |
| 2014 | Illinois State | 7–1 | 13–2 | 2 | 2 | NCAA FCS Runner-up 27–29 vs. North Dakota State | Brock Spack |
| 2014 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 15–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 29–27 vs. Illinois State | Chris Klieman |
| 2015 | Illinois State | 7–1 | 10–3 | 5 | 5 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 27–39 vs. Richmond | Brock Spack |
| 2015 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 13–2 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 37–10 vs. Jacksonville State | Chris Klieman |
| 2016 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 12–2 | 3 | 3 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 17–27 vs. James Madison | Chris Klieman |
| 2016 | South Dakota State | 7–1 | 9–4 | 6 | 7 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 10–36 at North Dakota State | John Stiegelmeier |
| 2017 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 17–13 vs. James Madison | Chris Klieman |
| 2018 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 38–24 vs. Eastern Washington | Chris Klieman |
| 2019 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 16–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 28–20 vs. James Madison | Matt Entz |
| 2020^^^ | Missouri State | 5–1 | 5–5 | 13 | 13 | NCAA FCS First Round 10–44 vs. North Dakota | Bobby Petrino |
| 2020^^^ | South Dakota State | 5–1 | 8–2 | 2 | 2 | NCAA FCS Runner-up 21–23 vs. Sam Houston | John Stiegelmeier |
| 2020^^^ | North Dakota | 4–1 | 5–2 | 6 | 6 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 21–34 at James Madison | Bubba Schweigert |
| 2021 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 38–10 vs. Montana State | Matt Entz |
| 2022 | South Dakota State | 8–0 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 45–21 vs. North Dakota State | John Stiegelmeier |
| 2023 | South Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 23–3 vs. Montana | Jimmy Rogers |
| 2024 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–2 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 35–32 vs. Montana State | Tim Polasek |
| 2024 | South Dakota | 7–1 | 11–3 | 4 | 4 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 17–31 at Montana State | Bob Nielson |
| 2024 | South Dakota State | 7–1 | 12–3 | 3 | 3 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 21–28 at North Dakota State | Jimmy Rogers |
| 2025 | | | | | | | |
Source:
Note: The conference was known as the Gateway Football Conference prior from 1992-2008. Then, from 1982-92 the conference was known as the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference.
^ Final ranking after the championship game that season ^^ The STATS poll was supplied by The Sports Network prior to 2015 ^^^ 2020 season was played in Spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

## Championships by team

| Team | MVFC titles | Outright MVFC titles | Winning years |
| Northern Iowa | 16 | 10 | 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 |
| North Dakota State | 11 | 6 | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024 |
| Western Illinois | 5 | 4 | 1988, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002 |
| Southern Illinois | 5 | 2 | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 |
| South Dakota State | 5 | 2 | 2016, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Missouri State | 3 | 1 | 1989, 1990, 2020 |
| Illinois State | 3 | 1 | 1999, 2014, 2015 |
| Eastern Illinois | 2 | 1 | 1986, 1995 |
| Youngstown State | 2 | 1 | 2005, 2006 |
| Western Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 2002 |
| North Dakota | 1 | 0 | 2020 |
| South Dakota | 1 | 0 | 2024 |
| Indiana State | 0 | 0 | |
| Murray State | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | – | 28 |

### Keys

* Bold indicates an outright conference championship
* Italics indicates a school currently not a member of the MVFC

## Championships by head coach

| Head Coach | School | MVFC Championships |
| Terry Allen | Northern Iowa | 7 |
| Mark Farley | Northern Iowa | 6 |
| Chris Klieman | North Dakota State | 5 |
| John Stiegelmeier | South Dakota State | 3 |
| Craig Bohl | North Dakota State | 3 |
| Darrell Mudra | Northern Iowa | 2 |
| Jesse Branch | Missouri State | 2 |
| Randy Ball | Western Illinois | 2 |
| Don Patterson | Western Illinois | 2 |
| Jerry Kill | Southern Illinois | 2 |
| Jon Heacock | Youngstown State | 2 |
| Dale Lennon | Southern Illinois | 2 |
| Matt Entz | North Dakota State | 2 |
| Brock Spack | Illinois State | 2 |
| Jimmy Rogers | South Dakota State | 2 |
| Al Molde | Eastern Illinois | 1 |
| Bruce Craddock | Western Illinois | 1 |
| Bob Spoo | Eastern Illinois | 1 |
| Todd Berry | Illinois State | 1 |
| Jack Harbaugh | Western Kentucky | 1 |
| Bobby Petrino | Missouri State | 1 |
| Bubba Schweigert | North Dakota | 1 |
| Bob Nielson | South Dakota | 1 |
| Tim Polasek | North Dakota State | 1 |