# 2017 Illinois State Redbirds football team

The 2017 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by ninth-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for fifth in the MVFC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 2 | 6:30 p.m. | Butler* | No. 20 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ESPN3 | W 45–0 | 10,840 |
| September 16 | 2:00 p.m. | at Eastern Illinois* | No. 18 | O'Brien StadiumCharleston, IL (Mid-America Classic) | OVCDN | W 44–13 | 7,031 |
| September 23 | 2:00 p.m. | at Missouri State | No. 14 | Plaster Sports ComplexSpringfield, MO | ESPN3 | W 34–9 | 7,183 |
| September 30 | 6:30 p.m. | Indiana State | No. 12 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ESPN3 | W 24–13 | 13,391 |
| October 7 | 6:00 p.m. | at Northern Arizona* | No. 11 | Walkup SkydomeFlagstaff, AZ | FCSP, Pluto TV | L 16–37 | 10,420 |
| October 14 | 2:00 p.m. | at Southern Illinois | No. 17 | Saluki StadiumCarbondale, IL | ESPN3 | L 7–42 | 8,121 |
| October 21 | 2:00 p.m. | No. 4 South Dakota | No. 24 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ESPN3, NBCS CH | W 37–21 | 12,113 |
| October 28 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 21 Youngstown State | No. 16 | Stambaugh StadiumYoungstown, OH | ESPN3 | W 35–0 | 12,723 |
| November 4 | Noon | No. 15 Western Illinois | No. 12 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ESPN3 | L 14–31 | 13,192 |
| November 11 | 2:00 p.m. | at No. 6 South Dakota State | No. 17 | Dana J. Dykhouse StadiumBrookings, SD | ESPN3 | L 24–27 $^{OT}$ | 9,458 |
| November 18 | Noon | No. 4 North Dakota State | No. 21 | Hancock StadiumNormal, IL | ESPN3 NBCS CH | L 7–20 | 7,664 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Butler

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| No. 20 Redbirds | 0 | 17 | 21 | 7 | 45 |

### At Eastern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 18 Redbirds | 10 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 44 |
| Panthers | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 |

### At Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 14 Redbirds | 3 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 34 |
| Bears | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 |

### Indiana State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Sycamores | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| No. 12 Redbirds | 10 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 24 |

### At Northern Arizona

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 11 Redbirds | 0 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 16 |
| Lumberjacks | 0 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 37 |

### At Southern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 17 Redbirds | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Salukis | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |

### South Dakota

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 4 Coyotes | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 24 Redbirds | 14 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 37 |

### At Youngstown State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 16 Redbirds | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| No. 21 Penguins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### Western Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 15 Leathernecks | 0 | 0 | 17 | 14 | 31 |
| No. 12 Redbirds | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |

### At South Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| No. 17 Redbirds | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
| No. 6 Jackrabbits | 7 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 27 |

### North Dakota State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 4 Bison | 0 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 20 |
| No. 21 Redbirds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |

## Redbirds drafted

| Draft Year | Player | Position | Round | Overall | NFL Team |
| 2018 | Davontae Harris | CB | 5 | 151 | Cincinnati Bengals |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 20 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 21 | 23 | RV |
| Coaches | 18 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 8–T | 7 | 15 | 24 | 21 | 13 | 20 | 25 | RV | — |