Illinois State hosts rival Southern Illinois at Hancock Stadium in Normal Nov. 22, the final game of the regular season for both teams. The game may well have playoff implications. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Dan Verdun
Two weeks ago, Illinois State and Southern Illinois both appeared well on the way to bolstering their playoff resumes.
Things shifted Saturday when both teams lost home games to Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents.
Illinois State, which entered the weekend ranked in the Top 10 in both major national FCS polls, surrendered a fourth-quarter lead and lost to Youngstown State, 40-35, on homecoming.
Southern Illinois, ranked No. 12, stumbled through what head coach Nick Hill termed an “inexcusable” first half and fell to nationally ranked North Dakota, 38-19, in Carbondale.
Both the Redbirds and Salukis are 4-3 overall and 1-2 in the MVFC. Each is also seeking answers as injuries have begun to eat into their rosters.
Yet, neither program views its remaining schedule as “must-win” games.
“Probably not,” ISU head coach Brock Spack said. “You could probably win eight games or maybe even seven if they’re the right seven games to get into the playoffs.”
SIU, meanwhile, has lost in consecutive weeks to highly ranked teams: No. 1 North Dakota State on the road and No. 9/11 North Dakota at home.
“We can’t let it define us,” SIU captain and linebacker Colin Bohanek said. “The thing we’ve got to tell ourselves is that despite two tough losses in a row, we’ve got to come right back. We’ve got to turn that anger and frustration into fuel.”
Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse passed for a career-high five touchdowns in Saturday’s loss.
“Doesn’t mean anything really. All I care about is a win,” he said of the achievement.
Both programs understand there is only the next game and they must strive to move forward.
“We have to be better, and now that’s our job to make sure that happens quickly,” SIU head coach Nick Hill said. “I believe in this team.”
Spack said, “There’s a lot of football to be played.”
Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings
National perspective
Craig Haley, Stats Perform/The Analyst FCS Senior Editor, examined the playoff picture to date in a Sunday story.
Haley noted that while Saturday’s matchup between No. 1 North Dakota State and No. 2 South Dakota State could pave the way to the national title, both the Bison and Jackrabbits still must face North Dakota on the road.
“Just as interesting is the teams right below the top trio (South Dakota, Illinois State, Southern Illinois) trying to avoid beating each other up too much and losing at-large playoff bids,” Haley wrote.
Zach McKinnell, Senior Editor for FCS Central on Sports Illustrated, told Prairie State Pigskin that the Nov. 22 matchup between ISU and SIU in Normal “will probably face each other in a potential elimination to end the season.”
“The Salukis are in a tough spot due to having one non-Division I win,” McKinnell said. “Each team probably needs to finish 4-1 down the stretch, which doesn’t leave a ton of room for error.”
In addition, with the Ivy League participating in the FCS postseason for the first time, there are fewer playoff spots available than in prior years.
“It probably doesn’t hurt the MVFC, which will usually always gets three or more bids,” McKinnell said. “It’s the OVC-Big South, CAA, Southland and SoCon that are impacted the most. Those conferences are going to have to really fight to get 2-3 teams into the postseason now.
“It just puts a major emphasis on Division I wins, strength of schedule and non-conference wins. You have to check every box now.”
What’s left
Oct. 25
SIU hosts Northern Iowa
ISU at South Dakota
Nov. 1
ISU hosts Northern Iowa
SIU at Murray State
Nov. 8
ISU at Indiana State
SIU at Youngstown State
Nov. 15
SIU hosts South Dakota
ISU at South Dakota State
Nov. 22
ISU hosts SIU
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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