| Record | Ranking^ | | |
Year | Champions | Conference | Overall | STATS^^ | Coaches | Playoff finish | Head coach |
1985 | Northern Iowa | 5–0 | 11–2 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 33-41 vs. Georgia Southern | Darrell Mudra |
1986 | Eastern Illinois | 5–1 | 11–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 21-28 vs. Eastern Kentucky | Al Molde |
1987 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 10–4 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 41-44OT vs. Louisiana-Monroe | Darrell Mudra |
1988 | Western Illinois | 6–0 | 10–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 32-35 vs. Western Kentucky | Bruce Craddock |
1989 | Missouri State | 5–1 | 10–3 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 22-55 vs Stephen F. Austin | Jesse Branch |
1990 | Missouri State | 5–1 | 9–3 | 6 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 35-41 vs. Idaho | Jesse Branch |
Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–4 | 11 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 3-20 vs. Boise State | Terry Allen |
1991 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 11–2 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 13-41 vs. Marshall | Terry Allen |
1992 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 12–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 7-19 vs. Youngstown State | Terry Allen |
1993 | Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–4 | 13 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 21-272OT at Boston University | Terry Allen |
1994 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 8–4 | 11 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 21-23 at Montana | Terry Allen |
1995 | Eastern Illinois | 5–1 | 10-2 | 14 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 29-34 at Stephen F. Austin | Bob Spoo |
Northern Iowa | 5–1 | 8–5 | 13 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 24-41 at Marshall | Terry Allen |
1996 | Northern Iowa | 5–0 | 12–2 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 14-31 at Marshall | Terry Allen |
1997 | Western Illinois | 6–0 | 11–2 | 6 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 12-14 vs. McNeese State | Randy Ball |
1998 | Western Illinois | 5–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 14-42 at Georgia Southern | Randy Ball |
1999 | Illinois State | 6–0 | 11–3 | 3 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 17-31 at Georgia Southern | Todd Berry |
2000 | Western Illinois | 5–1 | 9–3 | 12 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 7-37 vs. Lehigh | Don Patterson |
2001 | Northern Iowa | 6–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA Division I-AA 0-38 at Montana | Mark Farley |
2002 | Western Illinois | 6–1 | 11–2 | 5 | – | NCAA Division I-AA 28-31 vs. Western Kentucky | Don Patterson |
Wester Kentucky | 6–1 | 12–3 | 1 | – | National Champion 34-14 vs. McNeese State | Jack Harbaugh |
2003 | Northern Iowa | 6–1 | 10–3 | 5 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 7-37 at Delaware | Mark Farley |
Southern Illinois | 6–1 | 10–2 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 7-48 at Delaware |
2004 | Southern Illinois | 7–0 | 10–2 | 9 | – | NCAA Division I-AA First Round 31-35 vs. Eastern Washington | Jerry Kill |
2005 | Northern Iowa | 5–2 | 11–4 | 2 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Runner-up 16-21 vs. Appalachian State | Mark Farley |
Southern Illinois | 5–2 | 9–4 | 7 | – | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 24-38 at Appalachian State | Jerry Kill |
Youngstown State | 5–2 | 8–3 | 14 | – | None | Jon Heacock |
2006 | Youngstown State | 6–1 | 11–3 | 4 | – | NCAA FCS Semifinal 24-49 at Appalachian State | Jon Heacock |
2007 | Northern Iowa | 6–0 | 12–1 | 4 | 5 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 27-39 vs. Delaware | Mark Farley |
2008 | Northern Iowa | 7–1 | 12–3 | 4 | 4 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 20-21 vs. Richmond | Mark Farley |
Southern Illinois | 7–1 | 9–3 | 11 | 10 | NCAA FCS First Round 20-29 vs. New Hampshire | Dale Lennon |
2009 | Southern Illinois | 8–0 | 11–2 | 6 | 6 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 3-24 at William & Mary | Dale Lennon |
2010 | Northern Iowa | 6–2 | 7–5 | 19 | 18 | NCAA FCS First Round 7-14 vs. Lehigh | Mark Farley |
2011 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 17-6 vs. Sam Houston | Craig Bohl |
2012 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 39-13 vs. Sam Houston | Craig Bohl |
2013 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 35-7 vs. Towson | Craig Bohl |
2014 | Illinois State | 7–1 | 13–2 | 2 | 2 | NCAA FCS Runner-up 27-29 vs. North Dakota State | Brock Spack |
North Dakota State | 7–1 | 15–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 29-27 vs. Illinois State | Chris Klieman |
2015 | Illinois State | 7–1 | 10–3 | 5 | 5 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 27-39 vs. Richmond | Chris Klieman |
North Dakota State | 7–1 | 13–2 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 37-10 vs. Jacksonville State | Chris Klieman |
2016 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 12–2 | 3 | 3 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 17-27 vs. James Madison | Chris Klieman |
South Dakota State | 7–1 | 9–4 | 6 | 7 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 10-36 at North Dakota State | John Stiegelmeier |
2017 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 17-13 vs. James Madison | Chris Klieman |
2018 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 38-24 vs. Eastern Washington | Chris Klieman |
2019 | North Dakota State | 8–0 | 16–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 28-20 vs. James Madison | Matt Entz |
2020^^^ | Missouri State | 5–1 | 5–5 | 13 | 13 | NCAA FCS First Round 10-44 vs. North Dakota | Bobby Petrino |
South Dakota State | 5–1 | 8–2 | 2 | 2 | NCAA FCS Runner-up 21-23 vs. Sam Houston | John Stiegelmeier |
North Dakota | 4–1 | 5–2 | 6 | 6 | NCAA FCS Quarterfinal 21-34 at James Madison | Bubba Schweigert |
2021 | North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 38-10 vs. Montana State | Matt Entz |
2022 | South Dakota State | 8–0 | 14–1 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 45-21 vs. North Dakota State | John Stiegelmeier |
2023 | South Dakota State | 8–0 | 15–0 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 23–3 vs. Montana | Jimmy Rogers |
2024 | | – | – | | | | |