Head coach Brock Spack’s Illinois State Redbirds return to the FCS postseason for the first time in five years. ISU travels to Southeast Missouri, Saturday, Nov. 30. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
After qualifying for the FCS playoffs five times in a seven-year stretch during the 2010s, Illinois State had to wait five more years for a postseason return.
ISU (9-3 overall, 6-2 Missouri Valley Football Conference) learned Sunday it earned a No. 12 seed in this year’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) 24-team playoff bracket.
Head coach Brock Spack’s Redbirds will play in Cape Girardeau, Mo., against Southeast Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 30 in a first-round matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Southeast Missouri (9-3) was part of a four-way tie for first place Big South-Ohio Valley Conference Football Association championship. SEMO was awarded the league’s automatic bid based on tiebreakers.
The Redhawks, coached by Tom Matukewicz, hosted Illinois State in 2019. ISU, led by running back James Robinson, won that game, 24-6. Matukewicz formerly served as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois and Northern Illinois under head coach Jerry Kill.
Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois are common opponents as both are members of the Big South-OVC and played Illinois State as non-conference foes early this season.
The winner of the Illinois State-SEMO game will face No. 5 seed UC Davis (10-2), which received a first-round bye, in the second round Dec. 7.
This year’s Redbirds’ playoff appearance snaps the longest postseason drought in Spack’s 16-year tenure at Illinois State.
“It’s great,” Spack said. “It’s obviously why we do this, but I’ve been there many times. … It’s not me, it’s up to you (as players) and how bad do you want to be there. This team is a gritty group.”
Senior special
For players such as senior safeties and Illinois natives Dillon Gearhart and Keondre Jackson, this year’s postseason berth has special meaning.
“I’ve been here since 2019,” Gearhart said. ”I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen all the highs and lows. I’m blessed to be here at this time now.
“Around this time last year I walked for senior day. I was unsure what I was going to do. Ultimately I made the decision to come back (for my final year of eligibility) because this team was special and had something going on.”
Jackson added: “It means a lot. When I first came here, we were 6-5 two years in a row. You had some guys leaving (in the transfer portal), but you just stay true and stay home. You just trust the process.
“We all became closer and tighter. That made a big difference.”
Four MVFC teams make field
ISU was one of four Missouri Valley teams to qualify for the field. MVFC members North Dakota State (No. 2), South Dakota State (No. 3) and South Dakota (No. 4) earned top-eight seeds. Montana State from the Big Sky Conference was the No. 1 overall seed.
Illinois State only played one of the other three MVFC seeds during the regular season. North Dakota State defeated ISU, 42-10, Sept. 28 in Normal. The Redbirds did not play play either South Dakota or South Dakota State due to the unbalanced MVFC schedule.
Missouri State, which finished 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the MVFC, was not eligible for the playoffs since the Bears are moving to the FBS level next fall.
Last season, the MVFC matched its own all-time high with six postseason bids. Southern Illinois was included in that group. The Salukis won a first-round game against Nicholls State before losing to No. 4 seed Idaho in the second round.
The Redbirds are the lone Illinois FCS school to make the playoffs and post a winning record this season. ISU defeated the other three programs this fall.
ISU playoff history
The Redbirds have made nine playoff appearances in their history, including six under Spack (2012, ‘14, ‘15, ‘16, ‘19 and ‘24).
ISU first qualified for the playoffs in 1998 and ‘99 under then-head coach Todd Berry. Denver Johnson’s Redbirds made the 2006 postseason field.
Illinois State is 10-8 all-time in the postseason. The 2014 Redbirds won three postseason games – two on the road – to reach the national championship game. North Dakota State edged ISU, 29-27, in that Jan. 10, 2015 title game.
Prairie State Pigskin will have extended daily coverage of Illinois State football leading up to Saturday’s game.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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