NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State football team will have the opportunity to show what it can do against some of the best teams in the region over the next several years, as the Redbirds will face off against Illinois in 2020 and Iowa in 2024. The Big Ten Conference announced the entire slate of Big Ten football schedules for 2022-25 on Wednesday.
These games against FBS foes are added to previously announced matchups against Northern Illinois (2019) and Wisconsin (2022).Â
"It's nice for us to be able to schedule some of these Big Ten opponents again," ISU head coach Brock Spack said. "These games are great for our players and fans, and the last time we played a Big Ten team we had a great outing against Northwestern in 2016. I think any Missouri Valley Football Conference team can hang with these kinds of teams and have proven that in the past. Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa are great venues to visit and these games should be a lot of fun in the future."
The Redbirds will travel the short distance on I-74 to face the Illini on Sept. 5, 2020, at Memorial Stadium. Illinois State and Illinois have squared off three times previously, with the Illini coming out on top in each meeting. The two teams last faced off in 2009, when ISU and MVFC all-time leading passer Matt Brown made his collegiate debut in a 45-17 loss to the Illini.
Iowa and Illinois State will face off for the second time on Aug. 31, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Redbirds and the Hawkeyes previously met in 2015, following the Redbirds' run to the FCS National Championship game in 2014. ISU and former Big Ten standout Tre Roberson hung with the Hawkeyes early, but Iowa eventually pulled away for a 31-14 victory.
ISU is 1-9 all-time against current Big Ten Conference members, with the lone win coming via a 9-7 win at Northwestern for the Redbirds in 2016.
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