Illinois State Redbirds football

Illinois State University: 2016 Redbird Football - Regular Season ...

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The Illinois State Redbirds football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Illinois State University located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The school's first football team was fielded in 1887. The team plays its home games at the 13,391 seat Hancock Stadium. They are coached by Brock Spack.

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History

Classifications

1937-1972: NCAA College Division
1973-1975: NCAA Division II
1976-1977: NCAA Division I
1978-1981: NCAA Division I-A
1982-present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS

Conference memberships

1887-1924: Independent
1925-1949: Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1950-1969: Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1970-1972: Independent
1973-1975: Division II Independent
1976-1977: Division I Independent
1978-1980: Division I-A Independent
1981-1985: Missouri Valley Conference
1986-present: Gateway Football Conference/Missouri Valley Football Conference

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Mid-America Classic

The Mid-America Classic is the rivalry game between the Illinois State and Eastern Illinois. The rivalry began in 1901 and is the oldest in the state of Illinois. The two teams have played 106 times in total, with Illinois State holding a 55-42-9 advantage in the all-time series. With the 100th game in the series approaching, representatives from both schools met in the spring prior and developed the Mid-America Classic moniker, renaming for the rivalry. The two schools also collaborated on a traveling trophy, which holds plaques with the results of the previous 100 games in the series and has room for results of future games in the series.