Illinois State Redbirds football
2023 Illinois State Redbirds football team
First season1887
Head coachBrock Spack
14th season, 95–65 (.594)
StadiumHancock Stadium
(capacity: 13,391)
LocationNormal, Illinois
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceMissouri Valley
All-time record486–526–68 (.481)
Bowl record0–1 (.000)
Playoff appearances8
1998, 1999, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
Conference titles10
1937, 1940, 1941, 1945, 1950, 1967, 1968, 1999, 2014, 2015
RivalriesEastern Illinois (rivalry)
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
Websitegoredbirds.com

The Illinois State Redbirds football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Illinois State University located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1887. The team plays its home games at the 13,391 seat Hancock Stadium. They are coached by Brock Spack.

History

Prior to 1923, the Illinois State football team was known as the Teachers or Fighting Teachers. When Clifford E. Horton began coaching the team in 1923, he proposed the Cardinals as the team's new nickname, after its red and white colors. The Pantagraph sports editor Fred Young changed the name to the Redbirds to distinguish the team from the nearby St. Louis Cardinals.[2]

Classifications

  • 1906–1956: None
  • 1956–1972: NCAA College Division (Small College)
  • 1973–1975: NCAA Division II
  • 1976–1977: NCAA Division I
  • 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A
  • 1982–2006: NCAA Division I–AA
  • 2006–present: NCAA Division I FCS

Conference memberships

Conference championships

Illinois State has won 10 conference titles, four outright.

Year Conference Coach Overall record Conference record
1937†Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceHoward Hancock5–1–23–1–1
19405–3–13–0–1
1941†3–4–13–0–1
1945Edwin Struck4–33–0
1950Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference7–1–25–0–1
1967†Larry Bitcon8–22–1
1968†6–42–1
1999Missouri Valley Football ConferenceTodd Berry11–36–0
2014†Brock Spack13–27–1
2015†10–37–1

† Co-championship

Postseason appearances

Illinois State has made eight appearances in the Division I–AA/FCS playoffs, garnering a record of 10–8.

Year Round Opponent Result
1998First RoundNorthwestern StateL 28–48
1999First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Colgate
Hofstra
Georgia Southern		W 56–13
W 37–20
L 17–31
2006First Round
Quarterfinals		Eastern Illinois
Youngstown State		W 24–13
L 21–28
2012Second Round
Quarterfinals		Appalachian State
Eastern Washington		W 38–37 OT
L 35–51
2014Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Championship		Northern Iowa
Eastern Washington
New Hampshire
North Dakota State		W 41–21
W 59–46
W 21–18
L 27–29
2015Second Round
Quarterfinals		Western Illinois
Richmond		W 36–19
L 27–39
2016First RoundCentral ArkansasL 24–31
2019First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		Southeast Missouri State
Central Arkansas
North Dakota State		W 24–6
W 24–14
L 3–9

Bowl games

Illinois State has one bowl appearance, going 0-1.[3]

Year Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1950Edwin StruckCorn BowlMissouri-RollaL 6–7

Wins Over FBS Teams

Year Opponent Result
1987Western MichiganW 20-6
1991AkronW 25-3
2012Eastern MichiganW 31-14
2016NorthwesternW 9-7
2018Colorado StateW 35-19

Head coaches

Years Name
1895 George Dygert
1896 Louis H. Galbreath
1897 B. C. Edwards
1903–1906 John P. Stewart
1907 John A. H. Keith
1908–1909 George Binnewies
1912–1922 Harrison Russell
1923–1924 Clifford E. Horton
1925–1926 Don Karnes
1927–1930 Joe Cogdal
1931–1944 Howard Hancock
1945–1964 Edwin Struck
1965–1971 Larry Bitcon
1972–1976 Gerry Hart
1977–1980 Charlie Cowdrey
1981–1987 Bob Otolski
1988–1995 Jim Heacock
1996–1999 Todd Berry
2000–2008 Denver Johnson
2009–present Brock Spack

[4]

Rivalries

Eastern Illinois

The Mid-America Classic is the rivalry game between Illinois State and Eastern Illinois. The rivalry began in 1901 and is the oldest in the state of Illinois. With the 100th game in the series, representatives from both schools met and developed the Mid-America Classic renaming for the rivalry. The two schools also collaborated on a traveling trophy, which holds plaques with the results of the previous 100 games in the series and has room for results of future games in the series.[5] The two teams have played 111 times in total, with Illinois State holding a 59–43–9 advantage in the all-time series as of the 2023 season.

National Award Winners

Mosi Tatupu Award

The Mosi Tatupu Award was given annually to the College Football Special Teams Player of the Year by the Maui Quarterback Club and the Hula Bowl, from 1997 to 2006.

Buck Buchanan Award

The Buck Buchanan Award is given annually to the College Football Best Defensive Player in the FCS by Stats Perform, from 1995 to present.

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

Redbirds drafted into the NFL

Draft YearPlayerPositionRoundOverallNFL Team
2018 Davontae HarrisCB5151Cincinnati Bengals
2015 James O'ShaughnessyTE5173Kansas City Chiefs
2014 Shelby HarrisDE7235Oakland Raiders
2013 Nate PalmerLB6193Green Bay Packers
2007 Laurent RobinsonWR375Atlanta Falcons
2006 Brent HawkinsDE5160Jacksonville Jaguars
2005 Boomer GrigsbyLB5138Kansas City Chiefs
1990 Bill MillerWR10258Detroit Lions
1986 Jim MeyerT7167Cleveland Browns
1985 Mike PriorDB7176Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1984 Clarence CollinsWR362San Diego Chargers
1978 Estus HoodDB362Green Bay Packers
1976 Calvin HarperT6172Kansas City Chiefs
1973 Ron BellRB6140Pittsburgh Steelers
1970 Guy HomolyDB15385Cleveland Browns
1969 Dennis NelsonT377Baltimore Colts

References

  1. ↑ Redbird Athletics Identity Manual (PDF). November 29, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Redbirds result of teamwork". The Pantagraph. September 16, 1971. p. C-10. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  3. ↑ DeLassus, David. "Division I-AA All-Time Wins". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  4. ↑ "2021 Redbird Football Media Guide" (PDF). Illinois State University Athletics Department. p. 59. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Illinois State, Eastern Illinois unveil Mid America Classic trophy - WJBC - the Voice of Central Illinois". Archived from the original on 2011-10-13. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
  6. ↑ https://www.ottawaredblacks.com/tag/matthew-goldsmith/
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