2000 Illinois State Redbirds football team

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2000 Illinois State Redbirds football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports NetworkNo. 24
Record7–4 (4–2 Gateway)
Head coach
MVPRyan Szokola, Willie Watts
Home stadiumHancock Stadium
Seasons
← 1999
2001 →
2000 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 12 Western Illinois $^   5 1     9 3  
No. 11 Youngstown State ^   4 2     9 3  
No. 24 Illinois State   4 2     7 4  
No. 19 Northern Iowa   3 3     7 4  
Southwest Missouri State   2 4     5 6  
Southern Illinois   2 4     3 8  
Indiana State   1 5     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 2000 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Denver Johnson, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the Gateway.[1] Illinois State was ranked No. 24 in The Sports Network's postseason ranking of NCAA Division I-AA teams.[2] The team played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.

In their opening game against West Virginia Tech an NCAA Division II team, the Redbirds scored 75 points, the most the team had scored in a game since 1937.[3]

Schedule[edit]

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 31West Virginia Tech*No. 5W 75–1010,126[3]
September 9at Northern Illinois*No. 5L 0–5224,682[4]
September 16at Southeast Missouri State*No. 17L 25–288,125[5]
September 30at Northern IowaNo. 23L 28–3413,088[6]
October 7No. 3 Youngstown Statedagger
  • Hancock Stadium
  • Normal, IL
L 12–1411,938[7]
October 14at Indiana StateW 21–05,287[8]
October 21Prairie View A&M*
  • Hancock Stadium
  • Normal, IL
W 64–07,841[9]
October 28Southern Illinois
  • Hancock Stadium
  • Normal, IL
W 27–1713,011[10]
November 4at No. 4 Western IllinoisW 25–1810,147[11]
November 11No. 20 Eastern Illinois
  • Hancock Stadium
  • Normal, IL (rivalry)
W 44–41 2OT8,540[12]
November 18Southwest Missouri State
  • Hancock Stadium
  • Normal, IL
W 40–76,527[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2021 Redbird Football Media Guide" (PDF). Illinois State University Athletics Department. p. 70. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  2. ^ "I-AA poll". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. December 19, 2000. p. 4C. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Reinhardt, Randy (September 1, 2000). "Redbirds put boot to foe". The Pantagraph. p. B1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Narang, Bobby (September 10, 2000). "Huskies silence I-AA Redbirds". Daily Chronicle. p. B1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (September 17, 2000). "SEMO drops Redbirds". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Logue, Andrew (October 1, 2000). "Red-hot receivers perk up Panthers". Des Moines Register. p. 11C. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (October 8, 2000). "Turned over". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (October 15, 2000). "Redbirds' offense comes alive". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (October 22, 2000). "ISU storms past Prairie View". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (October 29, 2000). "Big plays spark ISU". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (November 5, 2000). "Beshel's TD carries ISU to upset". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Redbirds recover for 2 OT victory". The Rock Island Argus. Associated Press. November 12, 2000. p. C2. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Reinhardt, Randy (November 19, 2000). "After rout, ISU roots for more". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.