The Illinois State Redbirds football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). 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 the 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. Fred Young, the sports editor for The Pantagraph in Bloomington, Illinois, changed the name to the Redbirds to distinguish the team from the nearby St. Louis Cardinals.

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 1887–1907: Independent 1908–1949: Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1950–1969: Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 1970–1972: Independent 1973–1975: Division II Independent 1976–1977: Division I Independent 1978–1980: Division I–A Independent 1981–1985: Missouri Valley Conference 1986–present: Gateway Football Conference/Missouri Valley Football Conference

Conference championships

Illinois State has won ten conference titles, four outright. 1937 † Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Howard Hancock 5–1–2 3–1–1 1940 5–3–1 3–0–1 1941 † 3–4–1 3–0–1 1945 Edwin Struck 4–3 3–0 1950 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 7–1–2 5–0–1 1967 † Larry Bitcon 8–2 2–1 1968 † 6–4 2–1 1999 Missouri Valley Football Conference Todd Berry 11–3 6–0 2014 † Brock Spack 13–2 7–1 2015 † 10–3 7–1 † Co-championship

Postseason appearances NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs The Redbirds have made ten appearances in the Division I–AA/FCS playoffs, with a combined record of 15–10.

1998 First Round at Northwestern State L 28–48 1999 First RoundQuarterfinalSemifinal Colgateat Hofstraat Georgia Southern W 56–13W 37–20L 17–31 2006 First RoundQuarterfinal at Eastern Illinoisat Youngstown State W 24–13L 21–28 2012 Second RoundQuarterfinal at Appalachian Stateat Eastern Washington W 38–37 OTL 35–51 2014 Second RoundQuarterfinalSemifinalFinal Northern Iowaat Eastern Washingtonat New Hampshirevs North Dakota State W 41–21W 59–46W 21–18L 27–29 2015 Second RoundQuarterfinal Western IllinoisRichmond W 36–19L 27–39 2016 First Round at Central Arkansas L 24–31 2019 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinal at Southeast Missouri Stateat Central Arkansasat North Dakota State W 24–6W 24–14L 3–9 2024 First RoundSecond Round at Southeast Missouri Stateat UC Davis W 35–27L 10–42 2025 First RoundSecond RoundQuarterfinalSemifinalFinal at Southeastern Louisianaat North Dakota Stateat UC Davisat Villanovavs Montana State W 21–3W 29–28W 42–31W 30–14L 34–35 OT

Bowl games Illinois State has one bowl appearance, going 0–1. 1950 Edwin Struck Corn Bowl Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy L 6–7

Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy now known as Missouri S&T.

Wins over FBS teams

1987 Western Michigan 20–6 1991 at Akron 25–3 2012 at Eastern Michigan 31–14 2016 at Northwestern 9–7 2018 at Colorado State 35–19 2026 at Northern Illinois 28–24

Head coaches 1895 George Dygart 1896 L. H. Galbreath 1897 B. C. Edwards 1903–1906 John P. Stewart 1907 John A. Keith 1908–1909 George Binnewies 1912–1922 Harrison Russell 1923–1924 Clifford E. "Pop" 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 Overall

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. The two teams have played 113 times in total, with Illinois State holding a 61–43–9 advantage in the all-time series as of the 2025 season.

National award winners

Buck Buchanan Award Zeke Vandenburgh, 2023

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

Mosi Tatupu Award Ryan Hoffman, 2005

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.

Notable former players Current NFL players Name Debut Position Team Shelby Harris 2014 DT New York Giants Keondre Jackson 2025 S Baltimore Ravens

Notable alumni include:

B. J. Bello Duane Butler Aveion Cason Luke Drone Chris Faletto Jim Fitzpatrick Larry Fitzpatrick Kevin Glenn Matthew Goldsmith (CFL) Boomer Grigsby Davontae Harris Shelby Harris Brent Hawkins Estus Hood Jason Johnson Andy King John Kropke Michael Liedtke Cameron Meredith Jim Meyer Tom Nelson James O'Shaughnessy Nate Palmer Mike Prior Tre Roberson James Robinson Laurent Robinson Colton Underwood Joe Vodicka Cody White Mike Zimmer Cam Grandy Daniel Sobkowicz Jalan Gaines

Redbirds drafted into the NFL Draft Year Player Position Round Overall NFL Team 2018Davontae Harris CB 5151 Cincinnati Bengals 2015James O'Shaughnessy TE 5173 Kansas City Chiefs 2014Shelby Harris DE 7235 Oakland Raiders 2013Nate Palmer LB 6193 Green Bay Packers 2007Laurent Robinson WR 375 Atlanta Falcons 2006Brent Hawkins DE 5160 Jacksonville Jaguars 2005Boomer Grigsby LB 5138 Kansas City Chiefs 1990Bill Miller WR 10258 Detroit Lions 1986Jim Meyer T 7167 Cleveland Browns 1985Mike Prior DB 7176 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1984Clarence Collins WR 362 San Diego Chargers 1978Estus Hood DB 362 Green Bay Packers 1976Calvin Harper T 6172 Kansas City Chiefs 1973Ron Bell RB 6140 Pittsburgh Steelers 1970Guy Homoly DB 15385 Cleveland Browns 1969Dennis Nelson T 377 Baltimore Colts

Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of July 9, 2026.

St. Francis (IL) at Eastern Illinois Eastern Illinois at Wisconsin at Northwestern at Western Illinois at Missouri at Illinois at Northern Illinois Valparaiso Eastern Illinois

References

External links