View source for Missouri Valley Conference Football

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[[image:Missouri_Valley_Conference.png|right]]
'''Missouri Valley Conference Football''' began in 1907, as the '''Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association'''. At the time, the league included most of the major state institutions in the lower midwest. In 1928, however, the league fractured. The big schools departed to form what is now the [[{{b12}}]], while the smaller schools soldiered on under the Missouri Valley banner.

The league remained a major conference for the duration of its existence, but suffered a great many hardships over the years. Schools abandoned football entirely, or left the conference for greener pastures, and the conference was rocked in 1951 by the [[1951 Missouri Valley Conference Football|Johnny Bright incident]]. Drake and Bradley left the conference in protest, in the process sabotaging their own football programs for the sake of a noble gesture. But the conference still stayed afloat until, after having invited several former Division II schools to join the ranks in the late 70s, the NCAA lowered the boom. The NCAA's 1982 decision to force nearly a third of Division I-A to drop down to I-AA doomed the conference's football operation. By 1985, with the impending departure of [[Tulsa]] (desperately trying to maintain their status as a legitimate major program) and the desperate straits of the program at the other legitimate Division I-A program ([[Wichita State]]) which would see its football program disbanded just a year later, the conference folded.

Several former football-playing members of the conference are still Missouri Valley members: [[Bradley]], [[Drake]], [[Illinois State]], [[Indiana State]], [[Southern Illinois]], and [[Wichita State]] all continue to compete as all-sport members of the league, [[Tulsa]] remained a member until 1996, and [[Creighton]] did as well until departing to join the [[Big East]] in 2013. But three of those schools no longer have football at all, while three of the other five immediately joined the '''Gateway Football Conference''' when the Valley stopped sponsoring football. The Gateway is now actually the [[{{mvcf}}]], but as the precursor league to the Gateway operated alongside the old Missouri Valley Conference, the Gateway/MVFC cannot be considered a contination of the Valley.

'''Missing data''': We've been able to unearth almost everything, but we are still missing the all-conference teams for [[1928 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1928]] and [[1939 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1939]], second-team selections for [[1932 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1932]], [[1940 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1940]], and [[1947 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1947]], and 1979-1985, and the Newcomer of the Year winners for [[1971 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1971]], [[1973 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1973]], [[1985 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1985]]. If you have access to this information, your assistance would be appreciated.
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=='''Membership'''==
===Former Members===
(Charter members in bold)
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 700px;"
|'''School'''
|'''Years'''
|'''Former Conference'''
|'''Succeeding Conference'''
|-
|[[Bradley]]
|1949-1951
|[[1948 NCAA College Division Football Independents|{{cdind}}]]
|[[1952 NCAA College Division Football Independents|{{cdind}}]]<sup>†</sup>
|-
|[[Butler]]
|1932-1934
|[[1931 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|[[1935 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|-
|[[Cincinnati]]
|1957-1969
|[[1956 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1970 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|-
|[[Creighton]]
|1928-1942
|[[1927 North Central Conference Football|North Central Conference]]
|dropped football
|-
|[[Detroit]]
|1949-1956
|[[1948 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1957 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|-
|[[Drake]] (1)
|1908-1951
|[[1907 Football Independents|Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|[[1952 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]<sup>†</sup>
|-
|Drake (2)
|1970-1985
|[[1970 NCAA College Division Football Independents|{{cdind}}]]
|[[1987 NCAA Division III Football Independents|{{d3ind}}]]<sup>††</sup>
|-
|[[Grinnell]]
|1918-1938
|[[1917 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|[[1939 Midwest Conference Football|Midwest Conference]]
|-
|[[Houston]]
|1951-1959
|[[1950 Lone Star Conference Football|Lone Star Conference]]
|[[1960 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|-
|[[Illinois State]]
|1980-1985
|[[1979 NCAA Division I FBS Independents|{{fbsind}}]]
|[[1986 Gateway Football Conference|Gateway Football Conference]]
|-
|[[Indiana State]]
|1978-1985
|[[1977 NCAA Division I Football Independents|{{d1ind}}]]
|[[1986 Gateway Football Conference|Gateway Football Conference]]
|-
|'''[[Iowa]]'''
|1907-1910
|[[1906 Western Conference Football|Western Conference]]<sup>‡</sup>
|[[1911 Western Conference Football|Western Conference]]<sup>‡</sup>
|-
|[[Iowa State]]
|1908-1927
|[[1907 Football Independents|Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|'''[[Kansas]]'''
|1907-1927
|[[1906 Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football|Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|[[Kansas State]]
|1913-1927
|[[1906 Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football|Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|[[Louisville]]
|1963-1974
|[[1962 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1975 NCAA Division I Football Independents|{{d1ind}}]]
|-
|[[Memphis|Memphis State]]
|1968-1972
|[[1967 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1973 NCAA Division I Football Independents|{{d1ind}}]]
|-
|'''[[Missouri]]'''
|1907-2011
|[[1906 Football Independents|Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|'''[[Nebraska]]''' (1)
|1907-1918
|[[1906 Football Independents|Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|[[1919 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|-
|Nebraska (2)
|1921-2010
|[[1920 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|[[New Mexico State]]
|1971-1982
|[[1970 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1983 NCAA Division I FBS Football Independents|{{fbsind}}]]
|-
|[[North Texas|North Texas State]]
|1957-1974
|[[1956 Gulf Coast Conference Football|Gulf Coast Conference]]
|[[1975 NCAA Division I Football Independents|{{d1ind}}]]
|-
|[[Oklahoma]]
|1920-1927
|[[1919 Southwest Conference Football|Southwest Conference]]
|[[1928 Big 6 Conference Football|Big 6 Conference]]
|-
|[[Oklahoma State|Oklahoma A&M]]
|1925-1956
|[[1924 Southwest Conference Football|Southwest Conference]]
|[[1957 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|-
|[[Saint Louis]]
|1937-1949
|[[1936 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|dropped football
|-
|[[Southern Illinois]]
|1974-1985
|[[1973 NCAA Division I Football Independents|{{d1ind}}]]
|[[1986 Gateway Football Conference|Gateway Football Conference]]
|-
|[[Tulsa]]
|1935-1985
|[[1934 NCAA Football Independents|NCAA Independents]]
|[[1986 NCAA Division I FBS Football Independents|{{fbsind}}]]
|-
|[[Washburn]]
|1935-1940
|[[1934 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football|Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|[[1941 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football|Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
|-
|'''[[Washington (MO)]]'''
|1907-1942
|[[1906 Football Independents|Pre-NCAA Independents]]
|[[1947 NCAA College Division Football Independents|{{cdind}}]]<sup>‡‡</sup>
|-
|[[West Texas A&M|West Texas State]]
|1972-1985
|[[1971 NCAA University Division Football Independents|{{udind}}]]
|[[1986 Lone Star Conference Football|Lone Star Conference]]
|-
|[[Wichita State]]
|1947-1985
|[[1946 NCAA College Division Football Independents|{{cdind}}]]
|[[1986 NCAA Division I FBS Football Independents|{{fbsind}}]]
|}
<sup>†</sup> - Bradley and Drake left the conference in protest following the 1951 season after the racially-motivated injuries to Drake running back Johnny Bright during their game against Oklahoma A&M. Both would return to the conference for basketball within a few years, but Bradley never returned for football and Drake would not for twenty years.

<sup>††</sup> - Drake dropped their program for one year after the dissolution of the conference, returning a year later as a non-scholarship Division III program.

<sup>‡</sup> - Iowa's membership in the MVIAA was concurrent with their membership in the Western Conference (now the Big Ten); Iowa never left the Western after joining in 1899.

<sup>‡‡</sup> - Washington dropped their program for the war in 1942, but never returned to the conference. They began play again as an independent in 1947, and never resumed major college athletics.

=='''Conference Regular Season Championships'''==
''italics'' indicate tie.
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|style="width: 100px;"|'''Team'''
|style="width: 100px;"|'''Titles'''
|'''Years'''
|-
|Tulsa
|22 (19+6)
|''[[1935 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1935]]'', ''[[1936 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1936]]'', [[1937 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1937]], [[1938 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1938]], [[1940 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1940]], [[1941 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1941]], [[1942 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1942]], [[1943 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1943]], [[1946 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1946]], [[1947 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1947]], [[1950 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1950]], [[1951 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1951]], [[1962 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1962]], [[1965 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1965]], ''[[1966 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1966]]'', ''[[1973 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1973]]'', [[1974 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1974]], [[1975 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1975]], ''[[1976 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1976]]'', [[1980 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1980]], ''[[1981 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1981]]'', [[1982 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1982]], [[1983 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1983]], [[1984 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1984]], [[1985 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1985]]
|-
|Nebraska
|9.5 (7+5)
|''[[1907 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1907]]'', [[1910 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1910]], ''[[1911 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1911]]'', ''[[1912 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1912]]'', ''[[1913 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1913]]'', [[1914 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1914]], [[1915 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1915]], [[1916 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1916]], [[1917 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1917]], [[1921 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1921]], ''[[1922 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1922]]'', [[1923 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1923]]
|-
|Oklahoma A&M
|7.5 (7+1)
|[[1926 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1926]], ''[[1930 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1930]]'', [[1932 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1932]], [[1933 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1933]], [[1944 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1944]], [[1945 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1945]], [[1948 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1948]], ''[[1953 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1953]]''
|-
|Drake
|5.0 (3+4)
|''[[1922 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1922]]'', [[1928 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1928]], [[1929 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1929]], ''[[1930 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1930]]'', [[1931 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1931]], ''[[1972 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1972]]'', ''[[1981 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1981]]''
|-
|Missouri
|4.5 (4+1)
|''[[1913 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1913]]'', [[1919 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1919]], [[1924 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1924]], [[1925 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1925]], [[1927 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1927]]
|-
|North Texas State
|4.0 (2+4)
|[[1958 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1958]], ''[[1959 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1959]]'', ''[[1966 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1966]]'', [[1967 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1967]], ''[[1971 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1971]]'', ''[[1973 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1973]]''
|-
|Wichita State
|4.0 (3+2)
|[[1954 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1954]], ''[[1955 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1955]]'', [[1960 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1960]], [[1961 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1961]], ''[[1963 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1963]]''
|-
|Houston
|3.5 (3+1)
|[[1952 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1952]], [[1956 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1956]], [[1957 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1957]], ''[[1959 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1959]]''
|-
|Detroit
|2.5 (2+1)
|[[1949 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1949]], ''[[1953 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1953]]'', ''[[1955 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1955]]''
|-
|Memphis
|2.5 (2+1)
|[[1968 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1968]], [[1969 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1969]], ''[[1971 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1971]]''
|-
|Washington (MO)
|2.5 (2+1)
|[[1934 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1934]], ''[[1935 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1935]]'', [[1939 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1939]]
|-
|West Texas State
|2.5 (2+1)
|''[[1972 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1972]]'', [[1977 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1977]], [[1979 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1979]]
|-
|Iowa State
|1.0 (0+2)
|''[[1911 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1911]]'', ''[[1912 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1912]]''
|-
|Cincinnati
|1.5 (1+1)
|''[[1963 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1963]]'', [[1964 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1964]]
|-
|Louisville
|1.5 (1+1)
|[[1970 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1970]], ''[[1972 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1972]]''
|-
|New Mexico State
|1.5 (1+1)
|''[[1976 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1976]]'', [[1978 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1978]]
|-
|Kansas
|1.0 (1+0)
|[[1908 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1908]]
|-
|Oklahoma
|1.0 (1+0)
|[[1920 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1920]]
|-
|Creighton
|0.5 (0+1)
|''[[1936 Missouri Valley Conference Football|1936]]''
|-
|Iowa
|0.5 (0+1)
|''[[1907 Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football|1907]]''
|}
=='''Post-Season'''==
(Note: only post-season appearances while a member of the conference are listed.  For clarity purposes, the year denotes the year of fall regular season; the actual game date may be in January of the following year.)
==='''Bowl Game Appearances'''===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|'''Team'''
|'''Appearances'''
|'''Record'''
|-
|Tulsa
|9
|3-6
|-
|Oklahoma A&M
|4
|3-1
|-
|Drake
|3
|2-1
|-
|Houston
|1
|1-0
|-
|Memphis State
|1
|1-0
|-
|Louisville
|1
|0-0-1
|-
|Missouri
|1
|0-1
|-
|North Texas State
|1
|0-1
|-
|Wichita State
|1
|0-1
|}
==='''NCAA Division I-AA Playoff Appearances'''===
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 600px;"
|'''Team'''
|'''Appearances'''
|'''Years'''
|-
|Indiana State
|2
|[[1983 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs|1983]], [[1984 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs|1984]]
|-
|Southern Illinois
|1
|[[1983 NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs|1983]]
|}
=='''National Individual Awards'''==
{| class="wikitable zebra" style="width: 700px;"
|[[Sammy Baugh Trophy]]
|1964: Jerry Rhome (QB), Tulsa
|-
|[[AFCA Division I FCS Coach of the Year|AFCA Division I-AA Coach of the Year]]
|1983: Rey Dempsey, Southern Illinois
|-
|[[NCAA Division I FBS Consensus All-Americans]]<br>* - unanimous selection
|1915: Guy Chamberlin (E), Nebraska<br>1924: Ed Weir (T), Nebraska<br>1925: Ed Weir* (T), Nebraska<br>1945: Bob Fenimore (B), Oklahoma A&M<br>1965: Howard Twilley* (E), Tulsa<br>1968: Joe Greene (DT), North Texas State
|-
|[[NCAA Division I FCS First-Team All-Americans]]
|1982: Craig Wederquist (T), Drake<br>1982: Pat Dunsmore (TE), Drake<br>1983: Donnell Daniel (DB), Southern Illinois<br>1983: Terry Taylor (DB), Southern Illinois<br>1983: Ed Martin (DE), Indiana State<br>1984: Wayne Davis (DB), Indiana State<br>1985: Jim Meyer (OL), Illinois State<br>1985: Vencie Glenn (DB), Indiana State
|-
|[[NCAA Division II Football First-Team All-Americans|AP First-Team Little All-Americans]]
|1972: Mike Samples (DT), Drake
|}
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{{mvc fby}}
[[category:{{mvc}}| ]]
[[category:{{mvc}} Football| ]]