North Dakota State Picked to Win Missouri Valley Football Crown

(St. Louis) Tyler Roehl of North Dakota State is one of five Bison on the pre-season all-Valley Football team.

North Dakota State, one of two new members in the nine-member Missouri Valley Football Conference, has been tabbed to win the 2008 league title in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.

Team (first-place votes) Points
1. North Dakota State (13) 289
2. Northern Iowa (15) 275
3. Youngstown State (1) 209
4. Western Illinois (4) 202
5. Southern Illinois (2) 201
6. South Dakota State 149
7. Missouri State 105
8. Illinois State 104
9. Indiana State 41

The Bison, ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in some preseason football publications, earned 289 points and 13 first-place votes, to edge defending league champ Northern Iowa in the poll. The Panthers received 275 points, including 15 first-place tallies.

The next three teams were tightly bunched for the third-, fourth- and fifth-place spots, as 10 points separated Youngstown State (3rd-209), Western Illinois (4th-202), and Southern Illinois (5th-201). Each of the top-five teams in the poll received at least one vote to finish first.

The league's other new team, South Dakota State, is picked sixth with 149 points. The Jackrabbits, with North Dakota State, competed in the Great West Football Conference last year. The poll has Missouri State picked seventh (105 points), followed by Illinois State (104) and Indiana State (41).

2008 Missouri Valley Football Preseason Team

Name, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / High School
QB Cody Kirby, Missouri State 5-11 200 So. Rogers, Ark. / Rogers High
RB Herb Donaldson, Western Illinois 5-11 225 Sr. St. Louis, Mo. / CBC High
RB Tyler Roehl, North Dakota State 5-10 232 Sr. West Fargo, N.D. / West Fargo High
FB Javid Milton, Western Illinois 5-10 240 Sr. Houston, Texas / Westfield High
WR Johnny Gray, Northern Iowa 5-9 185 Sr. Deerfield Beach, Fla. / Deerfield Beach High
WR Ferlando Williams, Youngstown State 6-0 205 Sr. Warner Robins, Ga. / Georgia Military
TE Clay Harbor, Missouri State 6-4 230 Jr. Dwight, Ill. / Dwight High
OL David Arkin, Missouri State 6-5 281 So. Wichita, Kan. / Kapaun High
OL Keith Buckman, North Dakota State 6-5 310 Jr. Belfield, N.D. / Belfield High
OL Aaron Lockwood, Southern Illinois 6-2 303 Sr. Topeka, Kan. / Seaman High
OL Brad Samsa, Youngstown State 6-3 275 Sr. Warren, Ohio / Howland High
OL Kevin Robling, South Dakota State 6-3 270 Sr. Jordan, Minn. / Jordan High
PK Taylor Rowan, Western Illinois 6-0 190 Sr. Melbourne, Fla. / Melbourne High

DL James Cloud, Southern Illinois 6-2 216 Sr. Hackensack, N.J. / Hackensack High
DL Mark Huygens, Northern Iowa 6-6 277 Sr. Sergeant Bluff, Iowa / Sergeant Bluff
DL Josh Galloway, Western Illinois 6-2 250 Sr. Reno, Nevada / Reno High
DL Joe Lardinois, North Dakota State 6-4 262 Sr. New Franken, Wis. / Notre Dame Acad.
DL James Ruffin, Northern Iowa 6-4 265 Jr. Burnsville, Minn. / Burnsville High
DL Mychal Savage, Youngstown State 6-2 305 Sr. Hartsdale, N.Y. / Hargrave Military Acad.
LB De'Veon Harris, Northern Iowa 6-1 215 Sr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Ely High
LB Ramon Humber, North Dakota State 5-11 226 Sr. Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park
LB Brandin Jordan, Southern Illinois 5-11 230 Jr. Kenner, La. / John Curtis Christian High
LB Jason Williams, Western Illinois 6-3 235 Sr. Chicago, Ill. / DuSable High
DB Darrell Lloyd, Northern Iowa 6-0 191 Sr. O'Fallon, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt North High
DB Tom Nelson, Illinois State 6-0 200 Sr. Arlington Heights, Ill. / John Hersey High
DB Nick Schommer, North Dakota State 6-0 197 Sr. Prescott, Wis. / Prescott High
DB Patrick Stoudamire, Western Illinois 5-11 200 Jr. Portland, Ore. / Centennial High
P Scott Ravanesi, Southern Illinois 6-0 196 Jr. Carol Stream, Ill. / Glenbard North High
RS Johnny Gray, Northern Iowa 5-9 185 Sr. Deerfield Beach, Fla. / Deerfield Beach

Honorable Mention:
QB Ryan Berry (South Dakota State); RB Corey Lewis (Northern Iowa); FB Tyler Jangula (North Dakota State); WR Kole Heckendorf (North Dakota State); TE Derrick Bush (Youngstown State); TE Jerimiah Wurbacher (North Dakota State); OL Jack Byrne (Indiana State); OL Shawn Smith (Southern Illinois); PK Brian Palmer (Youngstown State); DL Danny Batten (South Dakota State), DL Eric Schroeder (South Dakota State); DB Chauncey Mixon (Southern Illinois); LB Jimmy Rogers (South Dakota State), DB Robert Hodges (Western Illinois); RS Shamen Washington (North Dakota State).
*Courtesy: Missouri Valley Sports Information