NASHVILLE – Conversations with his mother, a four-time All-American swimmer who narrowly missed Olympic qualification, convinced Jake Pope to use his seventh and final year of eligibility.
Now, the Illinois State offensive lineman is one win away from a national title, as the Redbirds take on Montana State in the FCS National Championship on Monday at 6 p.m. inside FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.
"I knew that I hadn't put my best football on the field," Pope said during media availability on Saturday afternoon. "So, I talked to my mom about it and what she could have done differently to get where she wanted to be, and I decided I just want no regrets."
The 6-foot-7, 300-pound lineman began the year at right tackle. But during the Redbirds' homecoming game against Youngstown State, starting left tackle Brandon Smith suffered a season-ending injury.
The Redbirds needed a quick solution, so Pope switched to left tackle, the position he had played his entire career before arriving at ISU.
"I didn't hesitate," Pope said. "No problem."
The move reshuffled Illinois State's offensive line, but the unit didn't flinch. Instead, it leaned into what Pope believes has defined the group all season.
"I don't really think it's necessarily that there's a difference between us and other teams," Pope said. "It's more about how strong the dynamic is in our offensive line room. This year has been exceptional with how we've grown as a unit instead of individually. When people have had to step up, they do."
Illinois State's growth wasn't linear, however. A blowout loss to Southern Illinois to end the regular season served as a learning point, Pope said, forcing the team to reset and hone back in on the basics.
Such a loss could've derailed the Redbirds' hopes of a playoff run, but with leaders like Pope on the squad, that was never an option.
This leadership role comes naturally for Pope, a 2025 Phil Steele All-American, an All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First-Team selection and two-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week honoree.
"Truthfully, being as old as I am, I've learned a lot of things along the way," Pope said. "I've seen about every aspect that college football has to offer. If I can put my insight into the younger guys and have them learn lessons that I learned the hard way without going through that heartache, then I've done something right."
Since that loss on Senior Day against Southern Illinois, the Redbirds have rattled off four straight playoff road wins en route to the second national title game appearance in program history.
The stakes may be higher, but Pope said the Redbirds' approach hasn't changed as they prepare for Monday night's championship game.
"We haven't wavered at our worst, and we haven't wavered at our best," Pope said. "Ever since we got to this point, we've looked at it as just another opportunity."
For Pope, that opportunity represents the culmination of a career defined by persistence. After seven seasons, and a choice driven by the desire to leave nothing unfinished, he will step onto the field one final time with everything he came back for within reach.
"Every opportunity is a blessing," Pope said. "To be in this position with some of my best friends and an amazing coaching staff, we can't draw it up any better."
