ISU Jumps Three Spots To No. 6 In FCS Coaches Poll

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Three teams in the top eight of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches Poll last week fell to unranked teams, which aided Illinois State (7-0, 4-0 MVFC) in moving up three spots to No. 6 in this week's poll following the Redbirds 21-7 defeat of Missouri State last weekend.

ISU's No. 6 ranking in the FCS Coaches Poll is the highest for the Redbirds since 2006, when they were also ranked sixth before heading to Northern Iowa, where they suffered a 38-27 defeat in the regular-season finale.

The Redbirds remain as one of four undefeated teams remaining in the Top 25 polls, alongside North Dakota State (8-0), Coastal Carolina (8-0) and Harvard (6-0).  In addition to its move up the FCS Coaches Poll, ISU also moved up a pair of spots to No. 7 overall in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 Monday.

Illinois State has maintained a spot in the national rankings for seven-consecutive weeks and improved to 7-0 to start the season for the first time since 1932 with the come-from-behind win against the Bears. The Redbirds remained undefeated thanks to a strong defensive effort that limited MSU to just seven points and 252 yards of total offense.  Three of the four undefeated teams remaining in the FCS all share the common trait of defense, as North Dakota State, Harvard and Illinois State rank one through three, respectively, in the nation in scoring defense. 

North Dakota State once again received all 26 first-place votes for a total of 650 points and extended their FCS-record winning streak to 32 games with a victory at South Dakota. The MVFC led all conferences once again with seven teams in the Top 25, and the Bison and Redbirds were followed by No. 13 Youngstown State (6-2), No. 19 South Dakota State (5-3), No. 21 Indiana State (5-3), No. 22 Northern Iowa (4-4) and No. 25 Southern Illinois (5-4).

The Bison were also a unanimous first-place selection in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and led a group of six teams from the MVFC to be ranked.  The No. 7-ranked Redbirds were followed by No. 11 Youngstown State, No. 18 South Dakota State and No. 19 Indiana State.  Rounding out the Valley Football representatives in the Top 25 was No. 22 Northern Iowa, as Southern Illinois dropped out of the Top 25 following a loss to the Sycamores last weekend.

No. 6 Illinois State will hit the road to face No. 22 Northern Iowa on Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in a battle of ranked MVFC foes.  Kickoff at the UNI Dome is scheduled for 4 p.m.

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