To see the schedule, scroll to the bottom of the story ...
Seven teams that finished with winning records last year, including four that qualified for the 2000 NCAA I-AA playoffs and five that appeared in the final top 25 poll, highlight the 2001 Illinois State football schedule announced Thursday.
The 2000 Redbirds won their last six games to finish with a 7-4 mark and a No. 24 national ranking under first-year coach Denver Johnson. Johnsons second Redbird team opens with a pair of tough road games, the first of which is against Mid-American Conference power Western Michigan, a I-A program.
I dont think anyone will accuse us of lining up a soft schedule, Johnson said. You can spend a lot of time looking up and down this one trying to find a bad team. There just arent any.
Our team likes the challenge of playing a schedule like this and it provides tremendous incentive for us in the off-season. Well have to be polished to compete against a schedule like this and well have to be very good right from the start.
For the first time in four years, Illinois States schedule is comprised solely of I-A or I-AA teams. In each of the last three seasons, the Redbirds played at least one Division II opponent. The last three ISU teams opened against sub-I-AA opposition.
Those games gave the program an opportunity to gain confidence and rest injured players, said Johnson. We dont have a game like that this year, but we do have an open week (Nov. 3) and well have to make good use of that time.
The Redbirds have played at least one I-A team in 19 of the last 20 seasons and will extend that streak when they open the season at Western Michigan Aug. 30. The Broncos finished last season 9-3 and won the MAC's Western Division before bowing to Marshall in the leagues championship game.
Following the season-opener, the 'Birds play non-conference games against Murray State, Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State, all members of the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Redbirds travel to Murray State Sept. 8. Illinois State head coach Denver Johnson and several members of his staff left Murray to take over the ISU program following the 1999 campaign. The Racers posted a 6-5 record last season after going 7-4 in the three previous years under Johnson.
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Illinois State opens its home slate Sept. 15 against EIU in the eighth most-played series in I-AA football. ISU owns a 44-36-9 record in the series after handing the Panthers a 44-41 double-overtime loss at Hancock Stadium last year. Runners up in the OVC last season, the Panthers finished 8-4 and ranked No. 20 in the final poll with a playoff appearance.
The Redbirds conclude their non-conference slate against SEMO Sept. 22 at Hancock Stadium before embarking on a grueling Gateway Football Conference schedule.
Already considered one of the toughest conferences in I-AA football, the Gateway gets stronger this season with the addition of 2000 OVC champion Western Kentucky. Ranked No. 6 at the end of last season, the Hilltoppers are one of five Gateway teams to appear in the final poll and one of three teams to earn an NCAA Playoff birth in 2000.
The Redbirds open their Gateway slate against WKU Sept. 29 at Hancock Stadium and then travel to Carbondale to face Southern Illinois Oct. 6.
The non-conference schedule looks imposing, then you jump right into what may be arguably the best I-AA league in the country from top to bottom, Johnson said. One of the positives of playing a difficult non-conference schedule is that it can prepare you for a tough league race.
In a meeting between the last two conference champs, Illinois State and Western Illinois will square off Oct. 13 at Hancock Stadium. ISU has won the last two meetings between the teams and will be looking to notch its first three-game winning streak against the Leathernecks since the 'Birds took six straight in the mid-1940s. The defending GFC champs, the Leathernecks were 9-3 a year ago and hosted a first-round playoff game.
The Redbirds travel to Youngstown State on Oct. 20. The Penguins, under first-year head coach Jon Heacock, were ranked No. 9 last season with a 9-3 record and a playoff appearance.
Northern Iowa invades Normal for Homecoming Oct. 27. The Panthers were 7-4 and ranked No. 15 at the end of last season.
The 'Birds conclude the season with games at home against Indiana State Nov. 10 and at Southwest Missouri State Nov. 17, respectively. The first round of the NCAA Playoffs is scheduled for Nov. 24.
Season ticket information is available from the Redbird Arena ticket office (309/438-8000).
2001 Illinois State Football Schedule
Aug. 30 at Western Michigan, time tba
Sept. 8 at Murray State, time tba
Sept. 15 EASTERN ILLINOIS, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 22 SE MISSOURI STATE (VI), 1 p.m.
Sept. 29 WESTERN KENTUCKY* (FD), 1 p.m.
Oct. 6 at Southern Illinois*, 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 WESTERN ILLINOIS*, 1 p.m.
Oct. 20 at Youngstown State*, 3 p.m.
Oct. 27 NORTHERN IOWA* (HC), 2:30 p.m.
Nov. 3 Open
Nov. 10 INDIANA STATE*, 1 p.m.
Nov. 17 at Southwest Missouri State* 1 p.m.
* indicated Gateway Football Conference games
VI-Varsity I Day, FD-Family Day, HC-Homecoming
all times Central and subject to change
