The Illinois State Redbirds have added the Valparaiso Beacons to their 2027 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the football game contract was obtained from Illinois State University via a state Freedom of Information Act request.
Illinois State will host the Valparaiso Beacons at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Ill., on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2027. The Redbirds will pay the Beacons a $125,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.
Illinois State competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), while Valparaiso plays in the non-scholarship Pioneer Football League (PFL). The two schools first met on the gridiron in 1933 and have played a total of five contests.
In their most recent matchup in 2022, Illinois State defeated Valparaiso at home, 28-21, before an announced crowd of 6,937. The victory gave the Redbirds a one-game advantage in the overall series, which now stands at 3-2.
With the addition of Valparaiso, Illinois State now has three opponents on its non-conference slate for the 2027 season. The Redbirds are also scheduled to play road tilts against the Missouri Tigers on Sept. 4 and the Eastern Illinois Panthers on Sept. 18.
The Redbirds are the first known non-conference opponent scheduled for the Valparaiso Beacons in 2027.
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