By Bryan Bloodworth

NORMAL – Illinois State’s football team hopes to go where no other football team has gone in school history.

The Redbirds will be gunning for their third straight FCS playoff appearance and Missouri Valley Conference championship. ISU opens the season Saturday at 6 p.m. against Valparaiso in the first of three straight non-conference games before league play begins Sept. 24.

The return of nine starters on offense and six on defense has the No. 10 nationally ranked Redbirds in good position to advance to the FCS playoffs for the fourth time in five years.

PODCAST: Listen to ISU offensive co-coordinators here

“We’re pretty optimistic,” said Spack, who enters his eighth season at the helm with a 56-29 record.  “We have high expectations for our team. We always do and no one has higher expectations on us than we do.

“We expect to be good, but a lot of things have to go our way. We have to stay healthy and guys have to keep developing and some people you’re expecting to come through for you need to come through to have a special year.”

PODCAST: Listen to ISU defensive coordinator here

The Redbirds, who finished 10-3 last year, play 11 straight games without a bye week.

“It’s going to be a grinding season,” said Spack. “We have to make sure we get our team ready from that standpoint. It’s a good schedule. You like to have a bye between your non-conference and conference season, but sometimes when you’re playing well you want to keep playing. Our depth is a little better than it’s been, so hopefully that won’t be a factor.”

Bryan Bloodworth can be reached at [email protected]