2025 Illinois State Redbirds football team
American college football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2025 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 17th-year head coach Brock Spack. The Redbirds played their home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
| 2025 Illinois State Redbirds football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
| Ranking | |
| STATS | No. 2 |
| FCS Coaches | No. 2 |
| Record | 12–5 (5–3 MVFC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Tony Petersen (4th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Defensive coordinator | Travis Niekamp (8th season) |
| Base defense | 3–3–5 |
| Captains |
|
| Home stadium | Hancock Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4т North Dakota State $^ | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 South Dakota ^ | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Illinois State ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 12 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 14 North Dakota ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 Youngstown State ^ | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 South Dakota State ^ | 4 | – | 4 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 25 Southern Illinois | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Iowa | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Murray State | 1 | – | 7 | 1 | – | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana State | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Illinois State was an at-large selection into the playoff field and were unseeded; however, they defeated #17 (tie) ranked Southeastern Louisiana, #1 North Dakota State, #11 UC Davis and #9 Villanova, all away from home, to become the first FCS team to reach the championship game by defeating four consecutive road opponents.[1] The Redbirds appeared in their second FCS National Championship Game (first since 2015); they faced #2 Montana State in the title game, falling 34–35 in overtime.
Preseason
MVFC poll
The Missouri Valley Football Conference released its preseason poll on July 21, 2025, voted on by league athletic directors, coaches, and media members. The Redbirds were predicted to in finish fourth place within the ten-team conference.[2]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 18 (FBS) Oklahoma* | No. 6 | SECN+/ ESPN+ | L 3–35 | 83,218 | |
| September 6 | 6:00 p.m. | Morehead State* | No. 7 | ESPN+ | W 41–13 | 9,671 | |
| September 13 | 2:00 p.m. | at Eastern Illinois* | No. 7 | ESPN+ | W 42–30 | 6,720 | |
| September 20 | 12:00 p.m. | North Alabama* | No. 6 |
| ESPN+ | W 38–36 2OT | 11,287 |
| October 4 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 North Dakota State | No. 6 |
| ESPN+ | L 16–33 | 9,829 |
| October 11 | 6:00 p.m. | at Murray State | No. 9 | ESPN+ | W 46–32 | 5,647 | |
| October 18 | 2:00 p.m. | Youngstown State | No. 10 |
| Marquee/ ESPN+ | L 35–40 | 9,834 |
| October 25 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 21 South Dakota | No. 18 | MidCo Sports/ ESPN+ | W 21–13 | 6,333 | |
| November 1 | 2:00 p.m. | Northern Iowa | No. 17 |
| Marquee/ ESPN+ | W 31–16 | 7,756 |
| November 8 | 12:00 p.m. | at Indiana State | No. 16 | ESPN+ | W 52–20 | 3,522 | |
| November 15 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 16 South Dakota State | No. 14 | MidCo Sports/ ESPN+ | W 35–21 | 11,407 | |
| November 22 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 24 Southern Illinois | No. 11 |
| Marquee/ ESPN+ | L 7–37 | 6,895 |
| November 29 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 17т (16) Southeastern Louisiana* | No. 17т | ESPN+ | W 21–3 | 6,117 | |
| December 6 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 1 (1) North Dakota State* | No. 17т | ESPN+ | W 29–28 | 10,464 | |
| December 13 | 4:00 p.m. | at No. 11 (8) UC Davis* | No. 17т |
| ESPN+ | W 42–31 | 9,216 |
| December 20 | 6:30 p.m. | at No. 9 (12) Villanova* | No. 17т |
| ESPN2 | W 30–14 | 4,133 |
| January 5, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. | vs. No. 2 (2) Montana State* | No. 17т | ESPN | L 34–35 OT | 24,105 | |
| |||||||
Game summaries
All times are Central time
at No. 18 (FBS) Oklahoma
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 6 Redbirds | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| No. 18 (FBS) Sooners | 7 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 35 |
at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium • Norman, OK
- Date: August 30
- Game time: 5:00 PM CDT
- Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 79 °F (26 °C) • Wind: E at 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h)
- Game attendance: 83,218
- Referee: Marc Curles
- TV announcers (SECN+/ESPN+): Richard Cross (play-by-play), Tyoka Jackson (analyst), Madison Hock (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | ISU | OKL |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 8 | 23 |
| Total yards | 151 | 495 |
| Rushing yards | 117 | 103 |
| Passing yards | 34 | 392 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 10–20–0 | 30–37–1 |
| Time of possession | 27:04 | 32:56 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 6/13, 22 yards |
| Rushing | Wenkers Wright | 7 carries, 50 yards | |
| Receiving | Eddie Kasper | 1 reception, 10 yards | |
| Oklahoma | Passing | John Mateer | 30/37, 392 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Tory Blaylock | 8 carries, 42 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Keontez Lewis | 9 receptions, 119 yards, 2 TD |
Morehead State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
| No. 7 Redbirds | 3 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 41 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
- Date: September 6
- Game time: 6:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 68 °F (20 °C) • Wind: NW at 11 miles per hour (18 km/h)
- Game attendance: 9,671
- Referee: Carl Chapman
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Kurt Pegler (play-by-play), Clay Harbor (analyst), Genna Rose (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | MSU | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 20 | 21 |
| Total yards | 234 | 393 |
| Rushing yards | 100 | 223 |
| Passing yards | 134 | 170 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–28–1 | 13–23–1 |
| Time of possession | 35:26 | 24:34 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morehead State | Passing | Carter Cravens | 14/28, 134 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Isaac Stopke | 13 carries, 86 yards | |
| Receiving | Ryan Upp | 7 receptions, 69 yards | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 8/13, 81 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 10 carries, 88 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 5 receptions, 87 yards, TD |
at Eastern Illinois (Mid-America Classic)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 7 Redbirds | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Panthers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 30 |
at O'Brien Field • Charleston, IL
- Date: September 13
- Game time: 12:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 91 °F (33 °C) • Wind: S at 12 miles per hour (19 km/h)
- Game attendance: 6,720
- Referee: Drew Myers
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Mike Bradd (play-by-play), Dave Kidwell (analyst), Kaylee Unruh (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | ISU | EIU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 20 |
| Total yards | 485 | 446 |
| Rushing yards | 186 | 35 |
| Passing yards | 299 | 411 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 24–35–0 | 28–44–2 |
| Time of possession | 30:30 | 29:30 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 24/35, 299 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Wenkers Wright | 14 carries, 94 yards, 3 TD | |
| Receiving | Luke Mailander | 5 receptions, 109 yards, 1 TD | |
| Eastern Illinois | Passing | Connor Wolf | 28/43, 411 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Charles Kellom | 15 carries, 22 yards | |
| Receiving | C J Nelson | 7 receptions, 194 yards, 2 TD |
North Alabama
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | 0 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 36 |
| No. 6 Redbirds | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 38 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 12:00 PM
- Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 79 °F (26 °C) • Wind: S at 9 miles per hour (14 km/h)
- Game attendance: 11,287
- Referee: John Shay
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Kurt Pegler (play-by-play), Clay Harbor (analyst), Kalia Butler (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | UNA | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 29 |
| Total yards | 409 | 506 |
| Rushing yards | 144 | 217 |
| Passing yards | 265 | 289 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–37–1 | 21–37–0 |
| Time of possession | 30:30 | 29:30 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Alabama | Passing | Ari Patu | 17/31, 243 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Ari Patu | 14 carries, 60 yards | |
| Receiving | K J Fields | 7 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 20/36, 250 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 9 carries, 89 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 10 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD |
No. 1 North Dakota State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Bison | 7 | 8 | 3 | 15 | 33 |
| No. 6 Redbirds | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 6:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 82 °F (28 °C) • Wind: N at 10 miles per hour (16 km/h)
- Game attendance: 9,829
- Referee: Jason Berg
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Greg Halbleib (play-by-play), Clay Harbor (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | NDS | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 21 | 22 |
| Total yards | 407 | 328 |
| Rushing yards | 213 | 137 |
| Passing yards | 194 | 191 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 12–14–0 | 20–35–1 |
| Time of possession | 29:38 | 30:22 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cole Payton | 12/14, 194 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Barika Kpeenu | 14 carries, 116 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Jackson Williams | 3 receptions, 71 yards | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 20/35, 191 Yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 11 carries, 68 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 7 receptions, 75 yards, 1 TD |
at Murray State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 9 Redbirds | 21 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 46 |
| Racers | 3 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 32 |
at Roy Stewart Stadium • Murray, KY
- Date: October 11
- Game time: 6:00 PM
- Game weather: • Temperature: 78 °F (26 °C) • Wind: NE at 6 miles per hour (9.7 km/h)
- Game attendance: 5,647
- Referee: Gregory Gompf
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Casey Roehl (play-by-play), Drayton Charlton-Perrin (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | ILS | MUR |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 31 | 26 |
| Total yards | 510 | 471 |
| Rushing yards | 172 | 170 |
| Passing yards | 338 | 301 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 21–25–0 | 24–40–1 |
| Time of possession | 30:57 | 29:03 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 21/25, 338 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 10 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 8 receptions, 162 yards, 1 TD | |
| Murray State | Passing | Jim Ogle | 23/39, 283 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jawaun Northington | 15 carries, 71 yards | |
| Receiving | Lucas Desjardins | 8 receptions, 95 yards |
Youngstown State (Homecoming)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penguins | 6 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 40 |
| No. 10 Redbirds | 0 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | YSU | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 27 | 23 |
| Total yards | 561 | 348 |
| Rushing yards | 233 | 142 |
| Passing yards | 328 | 206 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 23–34–1 | 16–30–2 |
| Time of possession | 39:15 | 20:45 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngstown State | Passing | Beau Brungard | 23/34, 328 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Beau Brungard | 30 carries, 200 yards, 3 TD | |
| Receiving | Ethan Wright | 4 receptions, 86 yards | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 16/29, 206 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 10 carries, 65 yards | |
| Receiving | Luke Mailander | 4 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD |
at No. 21 South Dakota
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 18 Redbirds | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| No. 21 Coyotes | 3 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 |
at DakotaDome • Vermillion, SD
- Date: October 25
- Game time: 1:00 PM
- Game weather: Indoors • Temperature: 72 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 6,333
- Referee: Jason Perkins
- TV announcers (MidCo Sports/ESPN+): Jay Eisen (play-by-play), Andre Fields (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | ISU | USD |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 18 | 22 |
| Total yards | 300 | 369 |
| Rushing yards | 130 | 196 |
| Passing yards | 170 | 173 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 19–28–0 | 21–39–0 |
| Time of possession | 23:19 | 36:41 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 18/27, 141 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Seth Glatz | 5 carries, 35 yards | |
| Receiving | Dylan Lord | 8 receptions, 82 yards | |
| South Dakota | Passing | Aidan Bouman | 21/38, 173 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | L J Phillips Jr | 26 carries, 129 yards | |
| Receiving | Larenzo Fenner | 4 receptions, 65 yards |
Northern Iowa
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 0 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| No. 17 Redbirds | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 2:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 50 °F (10 °C) • Wind: W at 8 miles per hour (13 km/h)
- Game attendance: 7,756
- Referee: Tyler Downs
- TV announcers (Marquee/ESPN+): Kurt Pegler (play-by-play), Zack Annexstad (analyst), Kalia Butler (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | UNI | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 16 | 25 |
| Total yards | 240 | 430 |
| Rushing yards | 98 | 202 |
| Passing yards | 142 | 228 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 15–23–2 | 28–37–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:32 | 31:28 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Iowa | Passing | Jaxon Dailey | 15/23, 142 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Jaxon Dailey | 16 carries, 40 yards | |
| Receiving | J C Roque Jr | 5 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 28/37, 228 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 17 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Luke Mailander | 4 receptions, 72 yards |
at Indiana State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 16 Redbirds | 7 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 52 |
| Sycamores | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
|
| Statistics | ILS | INS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 33 | 12 |
| Total yards | 555 | 272 |
| Rushing yards | 241 | 68 |
| Passing yards | 314 | 204 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 29–34–0 | 17–28–2 |
| Time of possession | 40:42 | 19:18 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 29/34, 314 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 21 carries, 116 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Dylan Lord | 8 receptions, 87 yards, 1 TD | |
| Indiana State | Passing | Keegan Patterson | 16/26, 202 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Deion Brown | 7 carries, 39 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Rashad Rochelle | 6 receptions, 103 yards, 1 TD |
at No. 16 South Dakota State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 14 Redbirds | 28 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| No. 16 Jackrabbits | 0 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 21 |
at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium • Brookings, SD
- Date: November 15
- Game time: 2:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 52 °F (11 °C) • Wind: N at 10 miles per hour (16 km/h)
- Game attendance: 11,407
- Referee: Grant Henderson
- TV announcers (MidCo Sports/ESPN+): Tyler Merriam (play-by-play), Mason Lieseth (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | ILS | SDS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 20 | 22 |
| Total yards | 275 | 320 |
| Rushing yards | 134 | 66 |
| Passing yards | 141 | 254 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 17–33–0 | 32–51–2 |
| Time of possession | 28:56 | 31:04 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 17/32, 141 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 20 carries, 98 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 5 receptions, 55 yards, 3 TD | |
| South Dakota State | Passing | Jack Henry | 32/51, 254 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Jack Henry | 18 carries, 41 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Alex Bullock | 9 receptions, 68 yards |
No. 24 Southern Illinois (Senior Day)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 24 Salukis | 7 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 37 |
| No. 11 Redbirds | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Hancock Stadium • Normal, IL
- Date: November 22
- Game time: 12:00 PM
- Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 50 °F (10 °C) • Wind: SW at 10 miles per hour (16 km/h)
- Game attendance: 6,895
- Referee: John Shay
- TV announcers (Marquee/ESPN+): Kurt Pegler (play-by-play), Zack Annexstad (analyst), Kacy Standohar (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | SIU | ILS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 22 | 12 |
| Total yards | 455 | 217 |
| Rushing yards | 296 | 73 |
| Passing yards | 159 | 144 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 18–31–0 | 15–27–2 |
| Time of possession | 36:53 | 23:07 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Illinois | Passing | D J Williams | 18/30, 159 yards |
| Rushing | Eddie Robinson | 19 carries, 145 yards | |
| Receiving | Jay Jones | 4 receptions, 60 yards | |
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 12/22, 134 yards, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 14 carries, 25 yards | |
| Receiving | Dylan Lord | 4 receptions, 67 yards |
NCAA Division I playoffs
at No. 17т (16) Southeastern Louisiana (first round)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17т Redbirds | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 17т (16) Lions | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
at Strawberry Stadium • Hammond, LA
- Date: November 29
- Game time: 12:00 PM
- Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 67 °F (19 °C) • Wind: SE at 13 miles per hour (21 km/h)
- Game attendance: 3,321
- Referee: Jeff Pumphrey
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Jack Benjamin (play-by-play), Forrest Conoly (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | ISU | SLU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 17 | 18 |
| Total yards | 292 | 321 |
| Rushing yards | 145 | 107 |
| Passing yards | 147 | 214 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 15–23–0 | 24–39–4 |
| Time of possession | 28:21 | 31:39 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 14/22, 146 yards |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 11 carries, 72 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 8 receptions, 89 yards | |
| Southeastern Louisiana | Passing | Carson Camp | 14/21, 120 yards, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Jaedon Henry | 8 carries, 45 yards | |
| Receiving | Jaylon Domingeaux | 6 receptions, 78 yards |
at No. 1 (1) North Dakota State (second round)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17т Redbirds | 0 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 29 |
| No. 1 (1) Bison | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
- Date: December 6
- Game time: 12:00 PM
- Game weather: Indoors • Temperature: 70 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 10,464
- Referee: Gregg Wilson
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Shawn Kenney (play-by-play), Charles Arbuckle (commentator)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | ILS | NDS |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 23 | 6 |
| Total yards | 422 | 179 |
| Rushing yards | 173 | 59 |
| Passing yards | 249 | 120 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 35–52–5 | 6–19–0 |
| Time of possession | 42:01 | 17:59 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 35/52, 249 yards, 3 TD, 5 INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 23 carries, 137 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 8 receptions, 67 yards, 3 TD | |
| North Dakota State | Passing | Cole Payton | 4/12, 101 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Barika Kpeenu | 16 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Bryce Lance | 1 reception, 78 yards, 1 TD |
at No. 11 (8) UC Davis (quarterfinal round)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17т Redbirds | 21 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
| No. 11 (8) Aggies | 17 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
at UC Davis Health Stadium • Davis, CA
- Date: December 13
- Game time: 4:00 PM
- Game weather: Fog • Temperature: 41 °F (5 °C) • Wind: NE at 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h)
- Game attendance: 9,216
- Referee: James Brookhart
- TV announcers (ESPN+): Ted Emrich (play-by-play), Rene Ingoglia (analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | ISU | UCD |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 26 | 24 |
| Total yards | 532 | 533 |
| Rushing yards | 266 | 131 |
| Passing yards | 266 | 402 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 15–21–1 | 29–41–1 |
| Time of possession | 35:45 | 24:15 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 15/20, 266 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 29 carries, 148 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 6 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD | |
| UC Davis | Passing | Caden Pinnick | 29/41, 402 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Jordan Fisher | 13 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Stacy Dobbins | 10 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TD |
at No. 9 (12) Villanova (semifinal round)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17т Redbirds | 7 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 30 |
| No. 9 (12) Wildcats | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 14 |
at Villanova Stadium • Villanova, PA
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 6:30 PM
- Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 31 °F (−1 °C) • Wind: S at 14 miles per hour (23 km/h)
- Game attendance: 4,133
- Referee: Zachary Erdmann
- TV announcers (ESPN2): Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), Lauren Sisler (sideline)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
| Statistics | IST | VIL |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 26 | 15 |
| Total yards | 426 | 300 |
| Rushing yards | 175 | 101 |
| Passing yards | 251 | 100 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 18–38–1 | 13–30–1 |
| Time of possession | 39:43 | 20:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 18/38, 251 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 34 carries, 155 yards | |
| Receiving | Daniel Sobkowicz | 7 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD | |
| Villanova | Passing | Pat McQuaide | 13/30, 199 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Ja'briel Mace | 11 carries, 59 yards | |
| Receiving | Luke Colella | 4 receptions, 58 yards |
vs. No. 2 (2) Montana State (final round)
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 17т Redbirds | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 34 |
| No. 2 (2) Bobcats | 7 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
at FirstBank Stadium • Nashville, TN
- Date: January 5, 2026
- Game time: 6:30 PM
- Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 57 °F (14 °C) • Wind: S at 7 miles per hour (11 km/h)
- Game attendance: 24,105
- Referee: James Brookhart
- TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Flemming (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (analyst), Stormy Buonantony (sideline), Matt Austin (rules analyst)
- Box score
| Game information |
|---|
|
| Statistics | ISU | MSU |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 33 | 20 |
| Total yards | 471 | 381 |
| Rushing yards | 160 | 101 |
| Passing yards | 311 | 280 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 33–46–0 | 18–27–0 |
| Time of possession | 39:41 | 20:19 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois State | Passing | Tommy Rittenhouse | 33/46, 311 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Victor Dawson | 29 carries, 126 yards | |
| Receiving | Dylan Lord | 13 receptions, 161 yards, 2 TD | |
| Montana State | Passing | Justin Lamson | 18/27, 280 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Adam Jones | 5 carries, 46 yards | |
| Receiving | Taco Dowler | 8 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD |