| Record | Ranking[a] | | |
|---|
| Year | Champions | Conference | Overall | STATS[b] | 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 |
| Western 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 | Jerry Kill |
| 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 | Brock Spack |
| 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[c] |
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 |
North Dakota State | 7–1 | 14–2 | 1 | 1 | National Champion 35–32 vs. Montana State | Tim Polasek |
| South Dakota | 7–1 | 11–3 | 4 | 4 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 17–31 at Montana State | Bob Nielson |
| South Dakota State | 7–1 | 12–3 | 3 | 3 | NCAA FCS Semifinal 21–28 at North Dakota State | Jimmy Rogers |
| 2025 |
North Dakota State | 8–0 | 12–1 | 4т | 5 | NCAA FCS Second Round 28–29 vs Illinois State | Tim Polasek |