The Illinois State football team has had unprecedented success over the past two seasons, with a FCS National Championship appearance in 2014 and back-to-back shares of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title on its résumé in the past two seasons. However, the Redbirds will look to get off to a good start in 2016 with a win over Valparaiso Saturday, with hopes of advancing to the FCS playoffs for the third-straight season, something the program has not done in its history.

 

Head coach Brock Spack is in his eighth season as the head coach at Illinois State (56-29). Spack has led the Redbirds to back-to-back shares of the MVFC title the past two seasons and FCS playoff appearances three times in the past four seasons.

 

The Crusaders finished the 2015 season with a 1-9 record, including a 1-7 record in Pioneer League play. Valparaiso picked up its lone win of the season at Davidson in early October.

 

Anthony Warrum had a breakout season in 2015 and looks to improve on those numbers in 2016. The Fishers, Indiana, native earned third-team All-America honors last season, after setting a single-season record and leading the MVFC with 15 receiving touchdowns. Warrum also ranked second in the league with 1,290 yards on 58 receptions and recorded over 100 yards receiving in six contests, including the last two games of the season with a career-best nine receptions in the FCS quarterfinal loss to Richmond.

 

Illinois State senior outside linebacker Alejandro Rivera was named one of 165 nominees for the 2016 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, as announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the AFCA.

 

Game time at Hancock Stadium Saturday is 6 pm.