CHICAGO – The Illinois State football team was ranked No. 21 in the STATS FCS Preseason Top 25 announced Monday.
The Redbirds are looking to get back to the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and into the playoffs, after snapping a three-year playoff streak last season after a 6-5 campaign. ISU is led by head coach Brock Spack, who begins his 10th season at the helm of the program (68-40) and has guided the 'Birds to eight winning seasons and four total playoff appearances in his tenure.
The Redbirds return 42 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year's squad, including three players on offense that were named to the MVFC All-Conference team a year ago in running back James Robinson (1st Team), Spencer Schnell (2nd Team) and tight end Tylor Petkovich (Honorable Mention). 2017 MVFC All-Newcomer Team selections Drew Himmelman and Markel Smith are also back for the 'Birds, who look to make it back to the playoffs in 2018.Â
Eight FCS conferences placed teams in the preseason rankings, led by CAA Football with six, the Missouri Valley Football Conference five and the Southland Conference four.
Defending MVFC and FCS national champion North Dakota State was an overwhelming No. 1 in the national media poll, collecting 151 of the 157 first-place votes and 3,919 points. The Bison were followed by national runner-up James Madison, which gained the other six first-place votes, and fellow semifinalists South Dakota State and Sam Houston State as the top four spots remained unchanged from the final 2017 rankings. Other MVFC representatives in the poll include UNI (No. 13) and Youngstown State (No. 25).
A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote. The Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon during the regular season, except for Sunday morning, Nov. 18, prior to the selection of the 24-team FCS playoff field. A final Top 25 will follow the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas.
Illinois State opens the 2018 season at Hancock Stadium Saturday, Sept. 1, against Saint Xavier at 6:30 p.m. That game will be Reggie's Kids Club night and features discounted tickets for members and family, a mini football giveaway for RKC members and halftime fireworks presented by BOPI. To purchase tickets for the season opener, season tickets or partial season plans, call the Illinois State Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000 or order online at GoRedbirds.com/Tickets.
GoRedbirds.com: Â Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
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