The Illinois State football players and coaches had a lot to cheer about Sunday inside the Hancock Stadium Club, as the team was selected to play Southeast Missouri State in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday, November 30. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., Central Time, at Houck Field in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and the contest will air live on ESPN3.
The Redbirds (8-4, 5-3 MVFC) will be making their eighth appearance in the FCS playoffs (1998, 1999, 2006, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016) and fifth under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack. Illinois State boasts a record of 8-7 all-time in the playoffs and have advanced to the quarterfinals five times, the semifinals twice and the FCS Championship once in 2014.
ISU, which was ranked No. 13 in the final regular-season poll released by STATS FCS, will take on the No. 12 ranked Redhawks (9-3, 7-1 OVC). SEMO earned a share of the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference title with Austin Peay after beating Murray State on Saturday. The Redbirds and Redhawks will meet for the 11th time overall, with ISU holding a 7-3 advantage in the series. The two teams last met in 2001.
Ticket information will be made available shortly on GoRedbirds.com.
