This is the nineteenth post in our 25-part Super Squad Series, recognizing the best programs over the last three years in every single Division I FBS & FCS Conference, as well as the upperclassmen & staff who’ve anchored them.

Jump to this week’s countdown

Full updated rankings after last week‘s rundown of the Pac-12 programs:

Week 18 Super Squad Poster

About Super Squad Rating

Super Squad Ratings range 0-100, heavily-weighed toward zero. A 100.0 rating is only achievable for a team that finishes #1 in College Football all three years, with a 100+ power rating each year. The top three 2020 Super Squads rate in at 78, 57, and 47, respectively.

Best thought of as a notoriety score:
“How many normal people out of 100 should recognize this program’s success the last three years?”

EXAMPLE
Consider an SSR (Super Squad Rating) of 78 to abstractly mean that program deserves 78% of Americans’ attention.
Conversely a program with a 1.1 SSR would be worth the attention of only 11 out of 1,000 Americans.


For anyone paying the FCS any attention, this week’s winner is so obvious that to sincerely question it would hurt.

So obvious, in fact, that we asked you who you thought SECOND-best was in our weekly poll.

If you’re not familiar, here are some fast-facts about this week’s Missouri Valley 2020 Super-Squad Champion:

  • 45 Wins in the last three years. More than any team in college football.
  • One Loss in the last three years. Less than any team in college football.
  • Amidst a 36 game Win-streak with last Loss on Nov 4, 2017.
  • Nine consecutive Missouri Valley Conference Titles.
  • Won last three FCS National Titles.
  • Won eight of last nine FCS National Titles.
  • More-than-tripled their opponents’ scores each year 2017, 2018, 2019.
  • 6-0 vs FBS teams in 2010s, impressively last-beating Iowa in 2016.
  • Five NFL draftees in the last five years, 10 active NFL players.

Congratulations North Dakota State Bison for being our Missouri Valley 2020 Super Squad Champion! Kudos to your entire program, especially the 51 young men who were on the roster each of these three years – 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 – listed here:

CONGRATULATIONS Christian Watson, Dom Davis, Jaxon Brown, Dimitri Williams, James Hendricks, Tre Fort, Marquise Bridges, Josh Hayes, Noah Sanders, Adam Cofield, Seth Wilson, Carson Yaggie, Michael Tutsie, Dawson Weber, Ty Brooks, Jake Reinholz, Garret Wegner, Garrett Malstrom, Costner Ching, Jabril Cox, Beau Pauly, Austin Avery, Ross Kennelly, Mason Hofstedt, Jackson Hankey, Cole Karcz, Aaron Mercadel, Zach Willis, Josh Howieson, Karson Schoening, Lane Tucker, Zach Kubas, Nash Jensen, Cordell Volson, Zack Johnson, Cody Mauch, Dillon Radunz, Andy Voyen, Josh Babicz, Ben Ellefson, Trevor Heit, Peter Isais, Noah Gindorff, Justice Kelly, Cole Jacob, Derrek Tuszka, Jack Darnell, Logan McCormick, Quinn Alo, Matt Biegler, Spencer Waege.

But before getting too ahead of ourselves, let’s count down their conference cohort from worst to first:


10th

#204 Missouri State Bears

2.6 Super Squad Rating

Missouri State Bears logo

Record:

8-25 Overall
5-19 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

37.3

Yearly Finish:

#203, #177, #227


9th

#200 Indiana State Sycamores

2.8 Super Squad Rating

Indiana State Sycamores logo

Record:

12-22 Overall
8-16 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

38.1

Yearly Finish:

#246, #146, #178


8th

#153 Southern Illinois Salukis

3.9 Super Squad Rating

Southern Illinois Salukis logo

Record:

13-21 Overall
8-16 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

47.0

Yearly Finish:

#152, #179, #112


7th

#139 Western Illinois Leathernecks

4.3 Super Squad Rating

Western Illinois Leathernecks logo

Record:

14-21 Overall
10-14 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

47.4

Yearly Finish:

#60, #131, #233


6th

#114 Youngstown State Penguins

5.0 Super Squad Rating

Youngstown State Penguins logo

Record:

16-18 Overall
9-15 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

52.8

Yearly Finish:

#74, #140, #128


5th

#109 South Dakota Coyotes

5.1 Super Squad Rating

South Dakota Coyotes logo

Record:

17-19 Overall
11-13 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

52.8

Yearly Finish:

#55, #154, #141


4th

#88 Illinois State Redbirds

6.1 Super Squad Rating

Illinois State Redbirds logo

Record:

22-15 Overall
12-12 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

57.2

Yearly Finish:

#80, #95, #89


3rd

#63 Northern Iowa Panthers

8.0 Super Squad Rating

Northern Iowa Panthers logo

Record:

25-16 Overall
17-7 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

62.0

Yearly Finish:

#49, #72, #63


2nd

#30 South Dakota State Jackrabbits

11.0 Super Squad Rating

South Dakota State Jackrabbits logo

Record:

29-11 Overall
17-7 Missouri Valley

Average Power:

68.3

Yearly Finish:

#25, #31, #66


WINNER

[Top 10] North Dakota State Bison

24.1 Super Squad Rating

North Dakota State Bison logo

Record:

45-1 Overall
23-1 Missouri Valley
3 Missouri Valley Titles (2017-2019)

Average Power:

80.9

Yearly Finish:

#11, #7, #17

Even considering their lower state of competitive play, North Dakota State has accomplished more than any program in the past decade.

Don’t just take our word for it:

They also have this guy, who could draft quite highly in 2021:

Congratulations all Bison coaches, staff, administrators, players, and especially the 51 young men present on the roster all three years to earn this title!

NDSU Bison Plaque

Super Squad Rankings

These are our up-to-date Division I Super Squad rankings after this week’s announced winner. Follow along as each Sunday we fill in more teams and announce our next Super Squad!



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