DII CONFERENCE · 2026 SEASON

Northern Sun

#30 overall#5 in DIIRR50 -3.2Upper strength -2.014 teamsTop 25 teams 0

VERDICT BEGINS · 2026

The Mankato Standard

Minnesota State-Mankato has been the NSIC's dominant program for a decade: three DII national championships since 2018, including back-to-back titles in 2021-22 under Matt Entz. The Mavericks routinely appear in the DII top 10 and draw 10,000+ fans for home games in Mankato. The NSIC spans the upper Midwest from South Dakota to Minnesota to Wisconsin, with a culture of football seriousness that exceeds its conference's national profile. It is the DII answer to the SEC's model: one program sets the standard, and everyone else chases it.

Division II14 teamsRace: Super RegionLeader: Minnesota State

Northern Sun · 2026 Season

Three Things to Watch

The StandardMinnesota State-Mankato: Three Titles, One Program

Minnesota State-Mankato won three DII national championships since 2018 under Matt Entz — including back-to-back titles in 2021-22. The Mavericks draw 10,000+ fans to home games in a city of 44,000 and recruit across the Upper Midwest with a staff that has produced more NFL players per decade than most FBS programs in their region. Their system survives coaching transitions because the program culture is embedded at every level of the organization.

The Challenger

Augustana (SD): The NSIC's Most Consistent Rival

Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota draws from the I-29 corridor between Sioux Falls and Fargo — a pipeline that produces linemen and defensive backs at a rate that exceeds its high school enrollment. They have won NSIC titles and appeared in Super Region championship games, competing with a physical style that matches the Upper Midwest's football identity. In any year Mankato struggles, Augustana is the program most likely to claim the conference title.

Wild CardWinona State's Warrior Identity

Winona State in Winona, Minnesota won four DII national championships between 2005 and 2012 — the previous NSIC dynasty before Mankato supplanted it. Their Warriors draw from the Mississippi River corridor and southeastern Minnesota, competing with a program culture built on winning national championships that predates Mankato's modern run. They are the NSIC's third-most decorated program historically and the one most likely to surprise if Mankato and Augustana both struggle in November.

Conference Standings · Northern Sun · 2026

Standings

# Team Conf Overall Pwr Last 5
1Minnesota State2–03–0-0.9
2Northern State2–03–0-2.6
3Minnesota Duluth2–02–1-1.8
4Sioux Falls2–02–1-2.7
5Augustana (SD)1–12–1-2.5
6Wayne State (NE)1–12–1-2.8
7Minnesota St Moorhead1–12–1-2.9
8Winona State1–11–2-2.2
9Bemidji State1–11–2-3.2
10University of Mary1–11–2-4.5
11Concordia St. Paul0–21–2-5.1
12Southwest Minnesota State0–21–2-6.1
13Jamestown0–20–3-2.5
14Minot State0–20–3-3.3

Conference record determines Super Region seeding. Power = neutral-field pts vs. all-level average.

Projected Standings · Northern Sun · 2026

Win Projection

Odds of winning at least N conference games from current power ratings — full slate played out, not locked to results. AVG = expected wins; W–L = most-likely record.

# Team W–L PWR AVG ≥10≥9≥8≥7≥6≥5≥4≥3≥2≥1
Favorites
1Minnesota State6–4+2.25.63112853769198✓✓
2Minnesota Duluth5–5+1.35.328234771889799✓
3Winona State5–5+0.95.217214368869699✓
Challengers
4Sioux Falls5–5+0.45.116194166859699✓
5Jamestown5–5+0.55.116194166859699✓
6Augustana (SD)5–5+0.65.116194165859699✓
7Northern State5–5+0.55.116194065859599✓
The Field
8Wayne State (NE)5–5+0.35.116183964849599✓
9Bemidji State5–5-0.15.015173863839599✓
10Minnesota St Moorhead5–5+0.25.015173862839599✓
11Minot State5–5-0.25.015163762839599✓
Rebuilding
12University of Mary5–5-1.44.613112852759198✓
13Concordia St. Paul4–6-2.04.53102650749198✓
14Southwest Minnesota State4–6-3.04.2272042678797✓

Conference Power · Division II

Where We Stand

# Conference Avg Power vs Focal Top Team
1South Atlantic
-2.8
—Newberry
2GLIAC
-2.9
1–1Ferris State
3Mid America
-3.0
2–1Central Oklahoma
4Northern SunYou are here
-3.2
—Minnesota State
5Rocky Mountain
-3.2
2–1Western Colorado
6SIAC
-3.3
—Kentucky State
7Great Midwest Athletic
-3.5
—Ashland
8Lone Star
-3.5
—Central Washington
9Great Lakes
-3.5
1–1Indianapolis
10Great American
-3.7
—Harding
11CIAA
-3.9
—Virginia State
12Northeast 10
-4.0
—Franklin Pierce
13Pennsylvania State Athletic
-4.0
0–1Kutztown
14Carolinas
-4.2
—UNC Pembroke
15Mountain East
-4.3
—Charleston (WV)

Round-robin power = strength of schedule-adjusted conference average, points vs. all-level average team. Record = Northern Sun's record vs. that conference across all games this season.

Minnesota State-Mankato has been the NSIC's dominant program for a decade: three DII national championships since 2018, including back-to-back titles in 2021-22 under Matt Entz. The Mavericks routinely appear in the DII top 10 and draw 10,000+ fans for home games in Mankato. The NSIC spans the upper Midwest from South Dakota to Minnesota to Wisconsin, with a culture of football seriousness that exceeds its conference's national profile. It is the DII answer to the SEC's model: one program sets the standard, and everyone else chases it.

Conference Snapshot

RR50-3.2
Upper Strength-2.0
Median Power-2.9
Resume Pulse47.3
Avg ATS--
Wins vs Market+0.00
Top-to-Middle Gap1.8
Combined Record21-21

`RR50`, `Upper Strength`, and `Median Power` are shown on the same public power scale as the rest of the site: points on a neutral field versus the average all-level NCAA team. Very small affiliations are gently regressed toward their subdivision baseline so a one-team outlier does not hijack the entire conference board.

Northern Sun Team Board

The league stack, sorted by predictive strength. Power is shown as neutral-field points versus the all-level average team, while resume is shown on a 0-100 season score.

Rank Team Record Power Resume ATS Wins vs Market Recent Form
#281 Minnesota State 3-0 -0.9 85 -- +0.00 3-0 over the last 3 (W1 W1 W2)
#296 Minnesota Duluth 2-1 -1.8 50 -- +0.00 2-1 over the last 3 (L1 W1 W2)
#305 Winona State 1-2 -2.2 61 -- +0.00 1-2 over the last 3 (L1 L1 W2)
#316 Augustana (SD) 2-1 -2.5 41 -- +0.00 2-1 over the last 3 (W1 L1 W2)
#317 Jamestown 0-3 -2.5 3 -- +0.00 0-3 over the last 3 (L1 L1 L2)
#320 Northern State 3-0 -2.6 84 -- +0.00 3-0 over the last 3 (W1 W1 W2)
#321 Sioux Falls 2-1 -2.7 54 -- +0.00 2-1 over the last 3 (L1 W1 W2)
#328 Wayne State (NE) 2-1 -2.8 46 -- +0.00 2-1 over the last 3 (W1 W1 L2)
#331 Minnesota St Moorhead 2-1 -2.9 59 -- +0.00 2-1 over the last 3 (W1 W1 L2)
#342 Bemidji State 1-2 -3.2 41 -- +0.00 1-2 over the last 3 (L1 W1 L2)
#343 Minot State 0-3 -3.3 24 -- +0.00 0-3 over the last 3 (L1 L1 L2)
#382 University of Mary 1-2 -4.5 54 -- +0.00 1-1 over the last 2 (L1 W2)
#398 Concordia St. Paul 1-2 -5.1 36 -- +0.00 1-2 over the last 3 (W1 L1 L2)
#415 Southwest Minnesota State 1-2 -6.1 23 -- +0.00 0-2 over the last 2 (L1 L2)