What is the Missouri Valley Football Conference?
Q: What is the Missouri Valley Football Conference?
A: The Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) is a group of 11 colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States who play football against one another. Each school plays the others every season, and the conference champion earns a place in the NCAA Division I Football Championship, the postseason tournament of the second-level Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Q: How did MVFC come to be?
A: The MVFC has a confusing history that is closely tied to that of two other existing conferences: the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU), now known as The Summit League. In 1984, all AMCU football schools were members of NCAA Division I-AA. The MVC had schools that played in both DIvision I-A (today's Football Bowl Subdivision) and Division I-AA. After AMCU dropped football after 1984 season, and MVC announced it would do same after 1985 season, all remaining AMCU football teams plus MVC's I-AA teams joined Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference which sponsored only women's sports. Most schools in Gateway were also MVC members. In 1992, women's portion of Gateway merged into MVC; at this time Gateway became a football-only conference changing its name to Gateway Football Conference. Finally in 2008, Gateway changed its name to current Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Q: Are MVFC and MVC legally separate entities?
A: Yes, they are still legally separate but operate out of same offices in St Louis.
Q: What happens when an MVFC team wins their championship?
A: When an MVFC team wins their championship they earn a place in NCAA Division I Football Championship which is postseason tournament for second level Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Q: What was AMCU originally called?
A: AMCU was originally called Association of Mid-Continent Universities but is now known as The Summit League.
