2018 Illinois State Redbirds football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2018
| team = Illinois State Redbirds
| sport = football
| image = Illinois State Redbirds Wordmark.png
| image_size = 175
| conference = Missouri Valley Football Conference
| short_conf = MVFC
| record = 6–5
| conf_record = 3–5
| head_coach= Brock Spack
| hc_year = 10th
| off_coach = Kurt Beathard
| oc_year = 3rd
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Travis Niekamp
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| mvp = Zackary Mathews
| mvp2 = Spencer Schnell
| captain = Luther Kirk
| captain2 = Spencer Schnell
| captain3 = Nick Kielbasa
| stadium = Hancock Stadium
}}
{{2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings}}
The 2018 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for sixth in the MVFC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
Preseason
=Preseason MVFC poll=
The MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Redbirds predicted to finish in fifth place.{{Cite web|url=http://www.valley-football.org/news/2018/7/19/football-north-dakota-state-tabbed-as-favorite-to-win-2018-mvfc-title.aspx|title=North Dakota State Picked to Win 2018 MVFC Title}}
| class="wikitable" | ||
| align="center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Illinois State Redbirds|Predicted finish|Team|Votes (1st place)}} | ||
| align="center"
| 1 | North Dakota State | 390 (39) |
| align="center"
| 2 | South Dakota State | 270 |
| align="center"
| 3 | Northern Iowa | 258 |
| align="center"
| 4 | Youngstown State | 248 |
| align="center"
| 5 | Illinois State | 248 |
| align="center"
| 6 | South Dakota | 206 |
| align="center"
| 7 | Western Illinois | 163 |
| align="center"
| 8 | Southern Illinois | 139 |
| align="center"
| 9 | Missouri State | 90 |
| align="center"
| 10 | Indiana State | 41 |
=Preseason All-MVFC Teams=
The Redbirds placed five players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.{{Cite web|url=http://valley-football.org/documents/2018/7/31//2018_MVFC_Preseason_Team_and_Poll.pdf?id=41|title = Preseason All-Conf and Team (PDF) - Missouri Valley Football Conference}}
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
Offense
1st team
James Robinson – RB
Spencer Schnell – WR
Drew Himmelman – OL
2nd team
Tylor Petkovich – TE
{{col-break}}
Defense
2nd team
Mitchell Brees – DB
{{col-end}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2018
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = STATS
| timezone = Central
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 1
| time = 6:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 21
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2018|team=Saint Xavier Cougars|title=Saint Xavier}}
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| tv = NBCS CHIC+, ESPN+
| score = 46–0
| attend = 9,157
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 8
| time = 6:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 19
| opponent = Eastern Illinois
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| gamename = Mid-America Classic
| tv = NBCS CHIC+, ESPN+
| score = 48–10
| attend = 8,914
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 22
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 16
| opponent = Colorado State
| site_stadium = Canvas Stadium
| site_cityst = Fort Collins, CO
| tv = ATTSN
| score = 35–19
| attend = 26,259
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 9
| opponent = Missouri State
| site_stadium = Robert W. Plaster Stadium
| site_cityst = Springfield, MO
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 21–24
| attend = 12,224
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank = 15
| opponent = Western Illinois
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| tv = NBCS CHIC, ESPN+
| score = 33–16
| attend = 8,516
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = W
| homecoming = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Southern Illinois
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 51–3
| attend = 11,247
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 20
| time = 2:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 8
| opponent = North Dakota State
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Fargodome
| site_cityst = Fargo, ND
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 14–28
| attend = 18,553
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| time = 12:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| rank = 11
| opponent = South Dakota State
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 28–38
| attend = 12,144
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = Northern Iowa
| site_stadium = UNI-Dome
| site_cityst = Cedar Falls, IA
| tv = ESPN+
| score = 16–26
| attend = 10,838
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| time = 12:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 23
| opponent = Indiana State
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Terre Haute, IN
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 23–28
| attend = 4,016
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 17
| time = 12:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Youngstown State
| site_stadium = Hancock Stadium
| site_cityst = Normal, IL
| tv = NBCS CHIC, ESPN+
| score = 35–28
| attend = 6,072
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Illinois State Redbirds Schedule 2018 |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/2287/season/2018 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=November 29, 2022 }}{{cite web |author= |title=2018 Football Schedule |url=https://goredbirds.com/sports/football/schedule/2018 |publisher=Illinois State University |access-date=November 29, 2022 }}
Game summaries
=Saint Xavier=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Cougars
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=No. 21 Redbirds
|H1=14
|H2=10
|H3=14
|H4=8
}}
{{Clear}}
=Eastern Illinois=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Panthers
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=10
|R4=0
|Home=No. 19 Redbirds
|H1=7
|H2=21
|H3=10
|H4=10
}}
{{see also|2018 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team|Mid-America Classic}}
{{Clear}}
=At Colorado State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 16 Redbirds
|R1=0
|R2=14
|R3=7
|R4=14
|Home=Rams
|H1=6
|H2=0
|H3=7
|H4=6
}}
{{see also|2018 Colorado State Rams football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Missouri State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 9 Redbirds
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=14
|R4=7
|Home=Bears
|H1=3
|H2=7
|H3=7
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2018 Missouri State Bears football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Western Illinois=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Leathernecks
|R1=6
|R2=7
|R3=3
|R4=0
|Home=No. 15 Redbirds
|H1=2
|H2=10
|H3=0
|H4=21
}}
{{see also|2018 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Southern Illinois=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Salukis
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=3
|R4=0
|Home=No. 12 Redbirds
|H1=7
|H2=24
|H3=7
|H4=13
}}
{{see also|2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At North Dakota State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 8 Redbirds
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=7
|Home=No. 1 Bison
|H1=7
|H2=14
|H3=7
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2018 North Dakota State Bison football team}}
{{Clear}}
=South Dakota State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 7 Jackrabbits
|R1=7
|R2=21
|R3=7
|R4=3
|Home=No. 11 Redbirds
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=21
}}
{{see also|2018 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Northern Iowa=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 14 Redbirds
|R1=3
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=13
|Home=Panthers
|H1=3
|H2=16
|H3=7
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2018 Northern Iowa Panthers football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Indiana State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 23 Redbirds
|R1=10
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=6
|Home=Sycamores
|H1=0
|H2=21
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2018 Indiana State Sycamores football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Youngstown State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Penguins
|R1=3
|R2=10
|R3=8
|R4=7
|Home=Redbirds
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=7
|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2018 Youngstown State Penguins football team}}
{{Clear}}
Ranking movements
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = STATS FCS
| poll1firstweek = 0
| poll1lastweek = 13
| poll1_0=21
| poll1_1=19
| poll1_2=19
| poll1_3=16
| poll1_4=9
| poll1_5=15
| poll1_6=12
| poll1_7=8
| poll1_8=11
| poll1_9=14
| poll1_10=23
| poll1_11=RV
| poll1_12=RV
| poll1_13=
| poll1_14=
| poll1_15=
| poll1_16=
| poll1_17=
| poll1_18=
| poll1_19=
| poll1_20=
| poll2title = Coaches
| poll2firstweek = 0
| poll2lastweek = 13
| poll2_0=20
| poll2_1=19
| poll2_2=18–T
| poll2_3=15
| poll2_4=10
| poll2_5=14
| poll2_6=12
| poll2_7=9
| poll2_8=9
| poll2_9=13
| poll2_10=22
| poll2_11=RV
| poll2_12=RV
| poll2_13=
| poll2_14=
| poll2_15=
| poll2_16=
| poll2_17=
| poll2_18=
| poll2_19=
| poll2_20=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Illinois State Redbirds football navbox}}