April 4 Updated Story
Murray State is set to join the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023, the school and league announced today.
It was a mostly expected move after Murray State announced in January that it is joining the Missouri Valley Conference for its other sports, although the MVC and MVFC are independent of each other. But the official MVFC announcement took longer than expected with a few quiet months in between.
“With Murray State becoming the 12th Missouri Valley Football Conference member, we have stabilized and strengthened FCS football in the Midwest and cemented the MVFC’s position as the premier FCS football conference in the nation,” MVFC Commissioner Patty Viverito said. “This course of action makes good sense for our conference, our member institutions, our fans and most importantly our student-athletes. With this move, we will turn long-standing traditional games with neighboring schools into conference rivalries and open the way for equally satisfying new rivalries throughout the league.”
Murray State (Kentucky) will play an Ohio Valley Conference schedule in 2022. The MVFC will then grow to 12 teams in 2023 — North Dakota State, Missouri State, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, North Dakota, Illinois State, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, and Murray State.
The Racers went 6-5 in 2021, 5-2 in the spring, 4-8 in 2019, and 5-6 in 2018. They averaged 7,844 fans last season, the highest in the OVC, the 35th most in the FCS, and which would have ranked No. 7 in the MVFC.
“We are appreciative, grateful and blessed to align our football program within the best competitive environment in the country, the Missouri Valley Football Conference,” Murray State Director of Athletics Kevin Saal said. “The journey ahead will constitute great challenge, however, through the commitment and support of Murray State University, President Jackson and the Board of Regents, our athletics department, coaches, student-athletes, community, donors, and season-ticket holders, we will meet these challenges with great energy and enthusiasm. Thank you to the MVFC Presidents Council for this honor and opportunity. Prospective student-athletes who desire to align themselves with a football program committed to growth within the best competitive environment in the country need look no further than Murray State University.”
The OVC has lost four members to conference realignment — Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay, and Murray State. It has formed a football association with the Big South, set to begin in 2023.
April 3 Original Story
Murray State is set to join the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023, sources told HERO Sports, with the official announcement coming on Monday around 10 a.m. CT.
It was a mostly expected move after Murray State announced in January that it is joining the Missouri Valley Conference for its other sports, although the MVC and MVFC are independent of each other. But the official MVFC announcement took longer than expected with a few quiet months in between.
Murray State (Kentucky) will play an Ohio Valley Conference schedule in 2022. The MVFC will then grow to 12 teams in 2023 — North Dakota State, Missouri State, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, North Dakota, Illinois State, Youngstown State, Western Illinois, and Murray State.
The OVC has lost four members to conference realignment — Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay, and Murray State. It has formed a football association with the Big South, set to begin in 2023.
