SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Illinois State football team was picked fourth in the annual Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll, as announced by the Conference office on Monday at the league's media day in Sioux Falls. A panel of league head coaches, communications directors, and media conducted the voting.
Defending FCS national champ North Dakota State was picked as the favorite once again, as the Bison received 39 of a possible 42 first-place tallies and 417 total points to outdistance South Dakota State (355 points) and South Dakota (349 points). All three teams reached the national semifinals in 2024, and fellow NCAA playoff team Illinois State's fourth place spot (292) was its highest pre-season pick since 2019. Youngstown State (211), Southern Illinois (208), North Dakota (196), UNI (130), Indiana State (105) and Murray State (47) round out the poll.
In addition, the MVFC released a player "Watch List" to highlight the league's top student-athletes heading into fall camp.
Quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse, running back Wenkers Wright, tight end/fullback Scotty Presson Jr., tight end Javon Charles, offensive linemen Jake Pope and Landon Woodard, wide receivers Eddie Kasper and Daniel Sobkowicz, defensive linemen Jake Anderson and Nick Kessler, linebacker Tye Niekamp, defensive back Shadwel Nkuba II, longsnapper Dylan Calabrese and punter Hayden Futch were the 14 Redbirds named to the league's preseason "Watch List." Niekamp, Calabrese, Wright, Sobkowicz, Anderson, and Rittenhouse were all recently named preseason All-Americans by Stats Perform as well.
The Redbirds are set to open the 2025 fall season on August 30 at Oklahoma, before hosting Morehead State in the home opener on September 6 with kickoff set for 6 p.m. CT at Hancock Stadium. Redbird Football season and single-game tickets, as well as mini-plans, are available for purchase now online at GoRedbirds.com/Tickets or by contacting the ISU Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 438-8000.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
