Sept. 24, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Illinois State football team suffered a respectable 38-17 loss at Missouri, the No. 25-ranked team in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but in the eyes of the voters, a loss is still a loss, and the Redbirds fell two places in each of the two officially-recognized top-25 polls.
With a 2-2 record on the season, the Redbirds stand at No. 16 in both the The Sports Network and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches' Top-25 polls. Montana claimed the top position in both polls, after Appalachian State's loss at Wofford, and as a result Massachusetts moved into the No. 2 position.
Northern Iowa, the Redbirds' opponent this week, is No. 3 and North Dakota State earned a No. 4 ranking according to The Sports Network. The two schools are flip-flopped in the FCS Coaches' Poll, while Appalachian State is ranked No. 5 in both polls.
In addition to Illinois State and Northern Iowa, the Gateway Football Conference continues to have five teams ranked in both top-25 polls. Southern Illinois and Youngstown State are ranked in the top-10, while Western Illinois is rated No. 17.
Including pre and postseason polls, the Redbirds have now been ranked in the top-25 for 22-straight weeks.
Hancock Stadium will be the site of the top-25 showdown between the No. 16-ranked Redbirds and No. 3-rated Northern Iowa. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m., Saturday.
