Redbirds surge to No. 5 in FCS polls after win over Northwestern

Posted on September 13, 2016
Hancock Stadium
Illinois State will host Eastern Illinois on Saturday. (WJBC file photo)

By ISU Sports Information

NORMAL – A 9-7 win over FBS foe Northwestern on the road last Saturday catapulted the Illinois State football team into the Top 5 of every national poll Monday, a jump of nearly five spots on each list.

The Redbirds (2-0) flew up five spots in both the HERO Sports Top 25 and the STATS FCS Top 25 polls and improved four spots up to No. 5 in the FCS Coaches Poll. A total of six Missouri Valley Football Conference teams, led by top-10 ranked teams North Dakota State (1), Illinois State (5), UNI (9) and South Dakota State (9) are ranked in the three polls this week. Western Illinois (15) and Youngstown State (20) are also in the Top 25, while South Dakota and Southern Illinois received votes.

Illinois State joins three other league teams (Missouri State, North Dakota State, Western Illinois) with 2-0 records to start the season. The Redbirds last started 2-0 to begin the 2014 season, which ultimately saw them win 13 games on way to an appearance in the FCS National Championship game against the Bison. ISU also started 2-0 in 2012, and finished the year 9-4 advancing to the FCS playoff quarterfinals.

The No. 5-ranked Redbirds will host in-state rival Eastern Illinois (1-1, 0-0 MVFC) Saturday in the Mid-America Classic at Hancock Stadium on Family Weekend.

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