HEROSPORTS
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Pac-12 Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Pac-12 Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
HEROSPORTS
No Result
View All Result

Northern Sun Football Might As Well Be Walking on the Sun

HERO Sports by HERO Sports
October 19, 2014
Northern Sun Football Might As Well Be Walking on the Sun

We have the Northern Sun ranked as the number one conference in D2 football. The 14-team conference has a median HeroSports of 26, one better than the median of the Gulf South and two better than the Lone Star Conference. Seven Northern Sun teams rank in the BR Top 25, and all 14 rank in the BR Top 100.

No conference has a top team ranked higher than BR-1 Minnesota State-Mankato (obviously), but even more impressively, no conference has a higher-ranked bottom team than BR-79 Minnesota-Crookston. Crookston and Minot State are both winless at the bottom of the conference, but both benefit greatly from membership in the NSC, since strength of schedule plays so heavily in our rankings. We assume an 0-7 record in the Northern Sun would prepare these teams to do pretty well in most other conferences — a rising tide raises all ships.

The top three teams in the conference would be the top three teams in any conference — BR-1 Minnesota State-Mankato, BR-2 Sioux Falls, and BR-3 Minnesota-Duluth. These three teams are a combined 20-0, with Mankato and Sioux Falls at 7-0, and Duluth at 6-0.

Minnesota State-Mankato and Sioux Falls have been the two best teams in the conference so far, by just about any standard. Mankato leads the conference in scoring offense (47.1 ppg) and scoring defense (10.4 ppg allowed), and Sioux Falls is second in both (43.9 ppg, 13.6 ppg allowed). They’re also one and two in turnover margin (+12 for Sioux Falls, +11 for Minnesota State).

The Mavericks travel to face BR-11 Augustana (SD) next weekend, one week after the Vikings held off a hard-charging Wayne State (Neb.) for a 52-48 win. Trey Heid threw six touchdown passes in that game — five in the first half to put his team up 35-7 at the break, and one at the very end to retake the lead and prevent the comeback.

Sioux Falls will also hit the road to face a hot quarterback this coming weekend. BR-16 Winona State’s sophomore signal caller leads the NSC in passing yards per game (347.6), passing touchdowns (18), and is second in completion percentage (62.1). His Warriors are 4-3, but 1-3 in their last four with consecutive losses to Minnesota-Duluth, at Wayne State (Neb.), and to Minnesota State-Mankato before a win at Upper Iowa last weekend.

Once Minnesota State tangles with Augustana (SD) and Sioux Falls gets back from Winona State, the two teams will meet in the biggest game of the D2 season so far (assuming, of course, that they both take care of business this weekend and stay undefeated).

The game will take place in Mankato, where the Mavericks haven’t lost a regular season game since October 9, 2010. They’re 21-0 since then. Their only loss at home in that span was a shocking upset at the hands of St. Cloud State in the second round of last season’s D2 playoffs. The Mavericks avenged that loss week one of this season, 31-0 on the same field, and the Huskies have struggled since advancing to the National Quarterfinals last season. They’re 3-4, and have plummeted from BR-3 in the preseason to a low of BR- 32 last week.

BR-3 Minnesota-Duluth is an interesting case, since they won’t have to face either Sioux Falls or Minnesota State-Mankato this season, unless it happens in the playoffs. With the schedule they’ve got left, it would be shocking if the Bulldogs lost any of their remaining games. The highest-ranked team left on their schedule is BR-35 Bemidji State, who they get at home this weekend.

If Duluth finishes undefeated, and Mankato or Sioux Falls finish undefeated (which seems likely), two teams from the Northern Sun will end up with excellent seeding in the playoffs. There are still plenty of opportunities for a slip-up, but with winter coming, Northern Sun football looks hot.

split-fbo-6-23-25
Previous Post

Mark Stoops Breathes Life Into Kentucky Football

Next Post

Wartburg Football Finds Success On The Gridiron

Next Post
Wartburg Football Finds Success On The Gridiron

Wartburg Football Finds Success On The Gridiron

No Result
View All Result

Recent Posts

  • Extreme Makeover: AD Edition
  • 2025 North Texas Football Preview: Prediction, Betting Odds & Schedule
  • 2025 Kent State Football Preview: Prediction, Betting Odds & Schedule

HERO Sports is the go-to website for FBS and FCS football news, analysis, and predictions.

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US)
877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY)
1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR)

For new customer offers, Bonus Bets expire in seven days. One New Customer Offer only. Add'l terms. For existing customers, Bonus Bets expire in seven days. Add'l terms.

21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. First Bet Offer for new customers only (if applicable). Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Welcome Offer Bet $10, $150 in Bonus Bets

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (AVAILABLE IN THE US). 21+ ONLY. CO, MI, NJ, PA, WV ONLY. PLEASE GAMBLE RESPONSIBLY. SEE BETMGM.COM FOR TERMS. THIS PROMOTIONAL OFFER IS FOR NEW PLAYERS ONLY. SUBJECT TO ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. BONUS BETS ARE NON-WITHDRAWABLE. US PROMOTIONAL OFFERS NOT AVAILABLE IN MISSISSIPPI, NEVADA, NEW YORK, ONTARIO AND PUERTO RICO.

  • About HERO Sports
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 HERO SPORTS.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • FCS
    • FCS Home
    • Big South-OVC
    • Big Sky
    • CAA
    • Ivy
    • MEAC
    • MVFC
    • NEC
    • Patriot
    • Pioneer
    • SoCon
    • Southland
    • SWAC
    • UAC
  • FBS
    • FBS Home
    • AAC Football
    • CUSA Football
    • MAC Football
    • Mountain West Football
    • Pac-12 Football
    • Sun Belt Football
  • College Basketball
  • Register at BetMGM
  • BetMGM Promotions
  • More
    • About HERO Sports
    • Contact

© 2022 HERO SPORTS.