Birds’ picked fifth in MVFC preseason poll

Posted on July 30, 2018
Illinois State was picked fifth in the annual preseason poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors. (WJBC)

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – The Illinois State football team was picked in the top half of the ultra-competitive Missouri Valley Football Conference, as the Redbirds were picked fifth Monday in the annual preseason poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.

North Dakota State has earned the league title for seven-straight years and was a unanimous choice at the top spot, receiving all 39 first-place tallies and a total of 390 points. It marks just the second time in league history that a team received all of the first-place votes in the MVFC pre-season poll (NDSU also did it in 2013.) South Dakota State earned the second spot in the poll, finishing with 340 total points, followed by UNI (270), Youngstown State (258), Illinois State (248) and South Dakota (206).

The league is coming off a season in which five teams represented the conference in the playoffs. The MVFC has had four or more playoff teams in four-straight seasons (earning five each in 2014, 2015 and last year).  Western Illinois was one of the league’s five playoff teams a year ago, and the Leathernecks — with new head coach Jared Elliott at the helm — are picked seventh with 163 total points.  Western is followed by Southern Illinois (139), Missouri State (90) and Indiana State (41) in the voting.

The Redbirds return 42 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year’s squad, which finished 6-5 overall. ISU returns three players on offense that were named to the MVFC All-Conference team a year ago in running back James Robinson (1st Team), Spencer Schnell (2nd Team) and tight end Tylor Petkovich(Honorable Mention). 2017 MVFC All-Newcomer Team selections Drew Himmelman and Markel Smithare also back for the ‘Birds, who look to make it back to the playoffs in 2018.

Illinois State opens the 2018 season Sept. 1 against Saint Xavier at Hancock Stadium. To purchase Redbird football season or single-game tickets, contact the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 or visit www.goredbirds.com/tickets.

The MVFC will announce its pre-season all-conference teams later this week (Tuesday-Offense; Wednesday-Defense).

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