Illinois State will follow up on the most successful football season in school history with a road-heavy early schedule this fall.

The Redbirds will open Sept. 5 at Iowa and play four of their first six games on the road. The only home games over that stretch will be Sept. 12 against Morgan State and the Oct. 3 Missouri Valley Football Conference opener against Northern Iowa.

Dates against other Illinois schools include Sept. 19 at Eastern Illinois, Oct. 24 at home against Western Illinois and Nov. 14 at Southern Illinois.

The Redbirds played for the Football Championship Subdivision title last fall. They lost to North Dakota State but finished the season 13-2.