By Bryan Bloodworth
NORMAL – Illinois State’s No. 4 nationally ranked football team begins defense of its Missouri Valley Conference championship Saturday when it meets No. 6-ranked Northern Iowa in a noon kickoff at Hancock Stadium.
The Redbirds also will be looking to extend their school-record home winning streak to 15 in the league opener for both teams.
“The energy level you feel from your home crowd is a little different than the energy level when you’re on the road,” said ISU coach Brock Spack during his weekly news conference Tuesday. “That can make you a point or two better. The players can feel that energy, so it does help them.”
Both teams have 2-1 records and split a pair of decisions last year. ISU lost at UNI in the regular season, but avenged the loss with a 41-21 victory at Hancock Stadium in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
“Northern Iowa isn’t much different from a year ago, except on offense,” said Spack. “They have a new system offensively. They’re up-tempo, no-huddle. They’re big up front like they always are. The backs are very, very solid and they have good receivers.
“The defense is a group that’s very, very salty. It’s always hard-playing, very well-coached and disciplined unit, so we’ll have our hands full. We’re going to have to play very well.”
ISU running back Marshaun Coprich ranks second among all active FCS players with 3,586 career rushing yards. He trails only Villanova senior quarterback John Robertson, who has 3,643 yards.
Coprich, who already holds the ISU record for career touchdowns with 41, needs just 134 yards to surpass Toby Davis as the school’s all-time leader in rushing yards and 361 yards to pass Davis’ all-purpose yardage record.
Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]
