DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Nearly everyone in the Missouri Valley Conference believes Northern Iowa will be the team to beat in 2011.
It doesn’t feel that way to coach Mark Farley after the way the Panthers finished in 2010. The Panthers won the Valley title last season but finished just 7-5 overall and were knocked out of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs with a humbling 14-7 home loss to Lehigh.
Northern Iowa was the overwhelming pick to win the conference again, receiving 29 of 36 first-place votes in the league’s preseason poll of coaches, media and sports information directors released Monday.
North Dakota State got six first-place votes and was second behind Northern Iowa. Southern Illinois was third with one vote for first.
