The Illinois State Redbirds have released their 2020 football schedule, which features six home games and 11 contests overall.
Illinois State will open the 2020 season on the road on Saturday, September 5 against the Illinois Fighting Illini. The two schools have met three times on the gridiron, most recently in 2009, and the Illini lead the overall series 3-0.
The following week on Sept. 12, Illinois State opens their home schedule at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois, against the Easter Illinois Panthers in the 109th Mid America Classic.
After an open date on Sept. 12, the Redbirds begin a slate of eight-consecutive Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) contests, beginning with the South Dakota Coyotes at Hancock Stadium on Sept. 26.
MVFC action for Illinois State continues for the next seven weeks with an away-home rotation — at North Dakota State (Oct. 3), vs. Southern Illinois (Oct. 10), at Northern Iowa (Oct. 17), vs. Western Illinois (Oct. 24), at Indiana State (Oct. 31), vs. North Dakota (Nov. 7), and at Missouri State (Nov. 14).
Illinois State concludes their 2020 football schedule with a non-conference contest at home against the Dixie State Trailblazers on Nov. 21.
The Redbirds finished the 2018 season 6-5 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Their 2019 schedule begins with a trip to play the Northern Illinois Huskies on Saturday, Aug. 31.