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) 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 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.

Classifications

Conference memberships

Conference championships

Illinois State has won 10 conference titles, four outright. † Co-championship

Postseason appearances

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoffs

The Redbirds have made nine appearances in the Division I–AA/FCS playoffs, with a combined record of 11–8.

Bowl games

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

Wins over FBS teams

Head coaches

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 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

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of June 9, 2024.