Nov. 20, 2005
NORMAL, Ill. -
Even with a perfect 3-0 record against the 16-team field, the Illinois State football team will play the role of spectators when the 2005 NCAA I-AA Playoffs begin this weekend, as the No. 24-ranked Redbirds were not awarded an at-large bid when the tournament field was announced Sunday on ESPNews.
The Redbirds finish the 2005 campaign with a 7-4 record, their highest win total since the 2000 season. The seven-win season marked only the ninth time the Redbirds had won seven or more games in the 113-year history of the program. Included in ISU's seven victories were sound defeats of I-AA playoff participants Eastern Illinois (27-6), Northern Iowa (38-3) and Southern Illinois (61-35).
"I don't think there is any question that we have a playoff-caliber team," head coach Denver Johnson said. "Obviously we are disappointed that we are not in, but not surprised. Particularly after watching what happened around the country yesterday, I knew our chances were probably going the wrong way."
Despite having five teams ranked in last week's top-25 poll, the Gateway Football Conference only placed two teams in the field with automatic qualifier Northern Iowa and at-large entry Southern Illinois. Youngstown State, which finished the season 8-3, was left out of the tournament field along with the Redbirds.
