ISU football picked to finish 7th in MVFC preseason poll

The Redbirds open the season against Butler on Sept. 4 at Hancock Stadium. (WJBC File Photo)

By WJBC Staff

NORMAL – The Missouri Valley Football Conference released its preseason poll this week and the Illinois State Redbirds were picked to finish seventh.

For the first time since joining the conference in 2008, SDSU has been chosen to win the conference in the fall of 2021 with 454 points and 24 first-place votes. North Dakota State follows close behind in second with 435 points and 18 first-place votes. North Dakota (357), Southern Illinois (345), Northern Iowa (311), and Missouri State (256) make up the middle of third through sixth respectively. Illinois State takes the seventh spot receiving 196 votes. Rounding out the bottom are South Dakota (163), Youngstown State (126), Indiana State (112), and Western Illinois (83).

The preseason poll is voted on by league coaches, media and sports information directors.

In conjunction with the preseason poll predictions, the league also published the Pre-Season All-Conference teams and ISU fullback Timothy McCloyn received a selection to the All-Conference Honorable Mention team.

The Redbirds open the season against Butler on Sept. 4 at Hancock Stadium.

WJBC News can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…