Redbird Football Approaches Senior Day Looking For 5th Straight Win

Image Courtesy of Illinois State Athletics 

NORMAL, Ill. – The Redbirds approach the final week of the regular season with high hopes for the playoffs, but they still have one more opponent to take care of before worrying about the Postseason. Following a 31-19 victory over Indiana State, Coach Spack embraced the microphone after dominating the Sycamores in the final 3 quarters of their victory last week. The Redbirds will look to continue their winning streak as they will face North Dakota this weekend at home for Senior Day.

Coach Spack made sure to first talk about his seniors in this week’s Press Conference, giving them high praise, “Senior Day is always emotional… this is really an excellent group of guys, a group full of leaders.” Coach Spack also contributed the things that the group has been through together as a big part of who they are now, and how it has helped mold them. Coach is just hoping for many more games to play with this group of 26 Seniors before it is all over.

Illinois State is coming off a 4th straight win with another road victory, winning 31-19 over the Sycamores from Indiana State. Indiana State started out the first quarter with a great plan, but it was all Redbirds from there as they would go on to score 31 unanswered points in the final 3 quarters to solidify the win. Tommy Rittenhouse led the way for the Redbirds yet again, throwing for 319 yards and 3 touchdowns. Those 319 passing yards would help Rittenhouse surpass the 2000 career passing yards mark. Wenkers Wright would lead the rush attack for the Redbirds with 64 rushing yards and a touchdown.

With the season’s final game approaching, the Redbirds have set themselves with a good chance to see the playoffs. When asked about the playoffs, Coach Spack said, “We are all about North Dakota this week, nothing else.” An 8-3 record for the Redbirds shows playoff promise, but being 9-3 looks a lot better than 8-4. The Redbirds will be put to the test yet again with a North Dakota team that is exceptionally good in the run game, averaging almost 200 rushing yards a game as well as a defense that is well coached and very disruptive.

The 8-3 Illinois State Redbirds will face off against the 5-6 North Dakota Fighting Hawks in their 4th-ever matchup against one another. All the meetings between these two now-conference foes have taken place in Grand Forks, ND, making this the first home game for ISU against the Hawks. The kickoff for Saturday at Hancock Stadium is set for noon, with Senior Day festivities to start before then.