By Bryan Bloodworth

NORMAL – As expected, Illinois State’s football team was among the top four seeds in the FCS playoffs announced Sunday.

The Redbirds, who have a 9-2 record and shared the Missouri Valley Conference championship with North Dakota State, were given the No. 2 seed.

Thus, the Redbirds are one of eight teams with a first-round bye next week when the playoffs begin.

But just as important, with the high seed, ISU is guaranteed to be the host team for all its games up to the national championship game in Frisco, Texas.

The Redbirds, who lost the national championship game to North Dakota State a year ago, will open the playoffs Dec. 5 against the winner of next week’s Western Illinois (6-5) at Dayton (10-1) contest.

ISU was one of five teams from the MVC to make the playoffs along with North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Northern Iowa and Western Illinois.

North Dakota State, which shared the MVC title with ISU for a second straight season, is the No. 3 overall seed.

The other top four seeds went to No. 1 ranked Jacksonville State and McNeese State at No. 4.

Also gaining first round byes were James Madison at No. 5 followed by Portland State, Richmond and Charleston Southern.

First-round games involving  Valley teams find South Dakota State at Montana and Eastern Illinois at Northern Iowa.

North Dakota State will play the winner of the South Dakota State-Montana game in the second round.

Bryan Bloodworth can be contacted at [email protected]

Reaction interviews from ISU personnel can be found here. 

The full FCS play of bracket can be found here.