Illinois State defensive lineman Harman ruled out for season with ‘lower body injury’

Illinois State head coach Brock Spack said Monday that defensive lineman Ben Harman will miss the rest of the season with a lower body injury. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)

By Barry Bottino

Two weeks after his first start of the season, Illinois State defensive lineman Ben Harman has been ruled out for the season.

ISU head coach Brock Spack told Prairie State Pigskin that a “lower body injury” has ended Harman’s 2025 campaign.

“I think he’ll be back for spring practice, but if not, in June,” Spack said.

Harman, a redshirt freshman from Wisconsin, started Sept. 13 at Eastern Illinois and had a sack for the Redbirds.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Harman had three tackles Sept. 6 against Morehead State.

He missed the Redbirds’ 38-36 double-overtime win against North Alabama with the injury.

Despite playing in only three games, Harman collected seven tackles and a team-leading four quarterback hurries.

Facing No. 1

When the Redbirds – ranked No. 6 in this week’s FCS national media poll – host No. 1 North Dakota State at 6 p.m. Saturday, it will mark the 11^th time in Spack’s tenure that ISU has faced the nation’s top-ranked team.

Illinois State is 1-9 in the previous 10 games against No. 1s, with the victory coming in the 2024 postseason against New Hampshire. The Redbirds won that game, 21-18.

The last time ISU played a No. 1 team was a 41-20 loss Oct. 7, 2023, against South Dakota State in Normal.

Saturday will be the Missouri Valley Football Conference opener for the Redbirds.

Big-play bonanza

The Bison (4-0 overall, 1-0 MVFC) have been picking up yardage in chunks on offense this season. NDSU has 37 plays of 20 or more yards thus far, with All-America wide receiver Bryce Lance (seven) leading the way.

“He’s not the only weapon they have,” Spack said. “It’s NDSU. There’s no slouch out there. They all can hurt you.”

Running back Barika Kpeenu has five big plays for the Bison, while five other players have at least three 20-yard plays.

Illinois State (3-1) has compiled 20 offensive plays of 20 yards or more, led by wide receivers Daniel Sobkowicz (seven) and Luke Mailander (five).

Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.

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