https://goredbirds.com/rss.aspx?path=footballLatest news items for Illinois State University Athleticsen-us60https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/14/football-dawson-named-to-the-2026-walter-payton-award-watch-list.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/14/football-dawson-named-to-the-2026-walter-payton-award-watch-list.aspxFootball

Illinois State senior running back Victor Dawson has earned a spot among the best offensive players in the country, as he was named to the Stats Perform 30-player preseason watch list for the iconic Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football and is celebrating its 40th Anniversary season.]]>Victor DawsonTue, 14 Jul 2026 08:00:00 CST261076https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/13/football-four-redbirds-named-preseason-fcs-all-americans-by-stats-perform.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/13/football-four-redbirds-named-preseason-fcs-all-americans-by-stats-perform.aspxFootball

As the 2026 college football season quickly approaches, a quartet of Illinois State standouts have been tabbed as preseason FCS All-Americans by Stats Perform on Monday on the annual list.]]>La'Shavion BrownMon, 13 Jul 2026 09:00:00 CST261075https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/9/football-illinois-state-adds-2026-week-zero-game-against-st-francis.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/7/9/football-illinois-state-adds-2026-week-zero-game-against-st-francis.aspxFootball

The Illinois State football program has announced that it will host in-state foe St. Francis (Ill.) to open the 2026 football season on Saturday, August 29, at 6 p.m. on Jay and Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium. With the game, the Redbirds now have a full 12-game slate for the 2026 season.]]>HelmetThu, 9 Jul 2026 09:00:00 CST261071https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/16/football-big-new-audiovisual-experience-headed-to-illinois-state-from-daktronics.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/16/football-big-new-audiovisual-experience-headed-to-illinois-state-from-daktronics.aspxFootball

Daktronics has partnered with Illinois State University to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display, totaling 2,025 square feet, and a Daktronics Sportsound audio system in the end zone of Jay & Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois. The video display, complete with Show Control system and custom digital content, and audio system will be delivered ahead of the 2026 football season.]]>Hancock StadiumThu, 16 Apr 2026 19:07:00 CST260909https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/11/football-spring-camp-report-5-red-team-wins-23-20-in-double-overtime-in-annual-spring-showcase-scrimmage.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/11/football-spring-camp-report-5-red-team-wins-23-20-in-double-overtime-in-annual-spring-showcase-scrimmage.aspxFootball

The Illinois State football team officially wrapped up spring practices on Saturday, as the Redbirds held their annual Spring Showcase Scrimmage on Jay and Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium. With sunny skies and excited Redbird fans in the stands, the game was tied after regulation and headed to overtime, with the Red Team coming out on top 23-20 over the White Team in double OT for the victory.]]>Tyler LoftonSat, 11 Apr 2026 17:58:00 CST260895https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/9/football-spring-camp-report-4-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/9/football-spring-camp-report-4-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel.aspxFootball

A long offseason of training and 13 practices during spring training camp have been completed for Illinois State Football, which can see the light at the end of the tunnel as spring workouts come to an end on Saturday. On Thursday morning, the Redbirds went through their final fully-padded practice of the spring before the upcoming scrimmage on Saturday.]]>Rylan CrawfordThu, 9 Apr 2026 13:43:00 CST260886https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/7/carpenter-hired-as-redbird-football-running-backs-coach.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/4/7/carpenter-hired-as-redbird-football-running-backs-coach.aspxFootball

Illinois State head coach Brock Spack has completed his coaching staff for the upcoming 2026 season, as he has announced the hiring of KeyShawn Carpenter as the team's new running backs coach. He replaces Mike Grant, who left for a position on the coaching staff at Iowa.]]>KeyShawn CarpenterTue, 7 Apr 2026 16:10:00 CST260878https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/31/full-day-of-football-family-fun-set-for-april-11.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/31/full-day-of-football-family-fun-set-for-april-11.aspxFootball

A long offseason of lifting weights and training and four-plus weeks of spring practice will come to an end when fans have an opportunity to see the new-look Redbirds at the annual Spring Showcase scrimmage on Saturday, April 11, at Hancock Stadium.]]>Misc. FootballTue, 31 Mar 2026 11:54:00 CST260844https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/28/football-spring-camp-report-3-redbirds-run-through-first-scrimmage.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/28/football-spring-camp-report-3-redbirds-run-through-first-scrimmage.aspxFootball

On a sunny but chilly Saturday morning on Jay and Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium, Illinois State worked through its first scrimmage of Spring Camp 2026.]]>Tyler LoftonSat, 28 Mar 2026 13:54:00 CST260826https://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/26/football-spring-camp-report-2-nearing-the-midway-point.aspxhttps://goredbirds.com/news/2026/3/26/football-spring-camp-report-2-nearing-the-midway-point.aspxFootball

Don't look now, but spring training camp for Illinois State is nearly half over as the Redbirds took the field for their seventh practice of the spring on an unseasonably warm morning at Hancock Stadium on Thursday.]]>Spring Camp 2026Thu, 26 Mar 2026 21:22:00 CST260820