The game will be televised on Comcast SportsNet (CSN) via the Illinois State Television Network. To locate which channel CSN is available on through your cable provider, please view the channel finder.
THE SERIES
ISU has only competed against a current Southwestern Athletic Conference member one time previously, an Oct. 21, 2000, meeting against Prairie View A&M that resulted in a 64-0 win for the Redbirds.
THE COACHES
Illinois State: Brock Spack (Purdue, 1983) is in his sixth season as the head coach at Illinois State (33-24). Spack led the Redbirds to their first playoff victory since 2006, just the third nine-win season in school history and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award during the 2012 season.Mississippi Valley State: Rick Comegy (Millersville, 1976) is in his first season as the head coach at Mississippi Valley State (1-0) and has a career record of 163-86. He arrived at MVSU after a stellar career as head coach at Jackson State, where he led the Tigers to the SWAC championship game in 2012 and 2013.
THE REDBIRDFOOTBALL PROGRAM
- Four FCS playoff appearances (1998, 1999, 2006, 2012)
- Three-time FCS quarterfinalists (1999, 2006, 2012)
- Four-straight winning seasons for the first time since the 1940's
- The team is 22-6 at home under Spack's guidance
- ISU finished the 2013 regular season undefeated at home (5-0), the first perfect home record for the Redbirds since 1999
- The team set a program-record cumulative GPA of 2.94 in the Spring 2014 semester
Junior running back and 2014 team captain Marshaun Coprich leads the way for the Redbirds on the ground. In 2013, Coprich led the team with 890 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Those numbers were bolstered by a streak of four-consecutive 100-plus yard rushing performances in the month of October, including a 124 yard and career-high three touchdown game in a victory over in-state rival Western Illinois.
THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT
Mississippi Valley State University is located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, and has an enrollment of 2,452 students. The Delta Devils are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and play their home games at Rice-Totten Stadium (10,000).
- The Delta Devils finished the 2013 season with a 2-9 record, including a 2-7 record in SWAC play which placed them fifth overall in the Eastern division.
- MVSU upended University of Faith, 32-8, at Rice-Totten Stadium last Saturday to kickoff the 2014 season and give first-year head coach Rick Comegy a win in his first game at the helm.
- Jerrell Moore, who made the switch from receiver to running back, made a huge splash with 116 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against the Glory Eagles. He had a 52-yard run and a 38-yard scamper for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
- All-SWAC wide receiver Julian Stafford led the Delta Devils with three receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Patrick Ivy connected with Stafford on a 50-yard strike in the second quarter and again in the fourth quarter on a 17-yard pass.
- The Delta Devils limited the Glory Eagles to just 50 total yards, including negative 32 yards on the ground, and were led by defensive tackle Jeremiah Russell who forced two safeties and had six solo tackles.
In 2012, Illinois State finished the regular season with a perfect 5-0 record in road games en route to an appearance in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. The 2013 team set a goal to be perfect at home inside the newly-renovated Hancock Stadium, and the team secured a perfect 5-0 regular season home record with a hard-fought 13-3 victory over UNI (Nov. 2). The unblemished record at home was the first for the Redbirds since 1999, when that team finished 5-0 during the regular season and added a home playoff win to finish 6-0. The Redbirds are looking for similar success in 2014, with seven home contests on the slate.
REDBIRDS PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL
Coming off its first sub-.500 season in the last five years, the Illinois State football team was picked to finish sixth in the 2014 Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll. Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State was selected first in the annual list selected by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media. A pair of Redbirds were also selected to the 2014 MVFC Preseason Team in the annual vote. Senior preseason All-American long snapper Chris Highland and 2013 All-MVFC Second-Team linebacker Pat Meehan were among 30 MVFC student-athletes listed on the preseason lineup. In addition, senior offensive tackle Jermaine Barton was tabbed as a preseason honorable mention selection, signifying he received at least five votes on the ballots submitted.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Redbirds have played well at home under the leadership of head coach Brock Spack, including in their home openers the last five seasons. ISU is a perfect 5-0 in home openers in the past five seasons, and the Redbirds hope to extend that streak to six against Mississippi Valley State on Saturday. Last year, the 'Birds celebrated the opening of the newly-renovated Hancock Stadium with a 31-17 non-conference victory over Abilene Christian.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Over the past four seasons, the Redbird defense has scored nine touchdowns, including a pair in 2013. Safety Tevin Allen scooped up a dropped lateral attempt and returned it 17 yards for a score in a win over UNI (Nov. 2) and fellow safety Dontae McCoy returned an interception 64 yards for a score in the season finale at SIU (Nov. 16). With the two touchdowns, Illinois State has scored at least one defensive touchdown each year under Spack.
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COURTESY ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY REDBIRDS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS
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