NORMAL, Ill. – Almost two years to the day, the Illinois State football team will travel to Cheney, Washington, for a NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoff quarterfinal game at Eastern Washington on Saturday, Dec. 13, with kickoff slated for 3 p.m. CT.
ISU makes its return to the FCS quarterfinals and to "The Inferno" at Roos Field, where the Eagles defeated the Redbirds by a score of 51-35 in 2012, to put an end to ISU's playoff run. Tickets for the game are on sale now, by ordering online at GoRedbirds.com/tickets or by calling the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000.
The fifth-seeded Redbirds (11-1, 7-1 MVFC) have advanced to the FCS quarterfinals for the fourth time in school history and second time in the last three seasons. ISU advanced to the round of eight, thanks to a dominant 41-21 win over Missouri Valley Football Conference foe Northern Iowa on Saturday at Hancock Stadium. Junior quarterback Tre Roberson threw for 382 yards and four touchdowns against the Panthers and Marshaun Coprich rushed for over 100 yards for the 12-consecutive game, to help the 'Birds earn their first home playoff win since 1999.
Likewise, fourth-seeded Eastern Washington (11-2, 7-1 Big Sky) had to defeat a conference opponent to advance to the quarterfinals and host the Redbirds. The Eagles won the turnover battle, 3-1, against Montana, and turned a pair of Grizzly turnovers into 10 points in the second half. Walter Payton Award finalist Vernon Adams passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns and running back Quincy Forte rushed for 128 yards and a score to lead the Eagles offensively.
Saturday's game can be heard live on WJBC 1230 AM, with Dick Luedke and Ted Schmitz on the call, and the game will be streamed live online via ESPN3.
GoRedbirds.com:Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.ÂÂÂÂ
