1999 Illinois State Redbirds football team

1999 Illinois State Redbirds football
Gateway champion
NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal, L 17–28 vs. Georgia Southern
Conference	Gateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 3
Record	11–3 (6–0 Gateway)
Head coach	Todd Berry (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	John Bond (4th season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Dennis Therrell (4th season)
Base defense	4–4
MVP	Damian Gregory, Mike Rodbro
Captain	Rickey Garrett, Damian Gregory, Ryan Szokola, Willie Watts
Home stadium	Hancock Stadium

1999 Gateway Football Conference standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 3 Illinois State $^		6	–	0					11	–	3
No. 2 Youngstown State ^		5	–	1					12	–	3
No. 15 Northern Iowa		3	–	3					8	–	3
Western Illinois		2	–	4					7	–	4
Southwest Missouri State		2	–	4					5	–	6
Indiana State		2	–	4					3	–	8
Southern Illinois		1	–	5					5	–	6
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1999 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Todd Berry, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Gateway Football Conference title. Illinois State received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Redbirds defeated Colgate in the first round and Hofstra in the quarterfinals before losing to Georgia Southern in the semifinals.^[1] Illinois State was ranked No. 3 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.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 2	Truman State*	No. 8	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 41–9	10,458	[3]
September 11	Southeast Missouri State*	No. 5	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 55–7	9,322	[4]
September 18	at Minnesota*	No. 5	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Minneapolis, MN	L 7–55	33,726	[5]
September 25	at Southwest Missouri State	No. 11	Robert W. Plaster Stadium Springfield, MO	W 46–42	15,005	[6]
October 2	No. 5 Northern Iowa	No. 10	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 47–28	11,378	[7]
October 9	Indiana State	No. 7	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 20–17	10,870	[8]
October 16	at No. 19 South Florida*	No. 6	Raymond James Stadium Tampa, FL	L 13–14	22,054	[9]
October 23	at Southern Illinois	No. 12	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 55–48	13,100	[10]
October 30	at No. 8 Youngstown State	No. 11	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	W 31–28	15,414	[11]
November 6	Western Illinois	No. 11	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 38–30	14,108	[12]
November 13	at Eastern Illinois*	No. 7	O'Brien Stadium Charleston, IL (rivalry)	W 24–17	3,033	[13]
November 27	No. 18 Colgate*	No. 5	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	W 56–13	7,133	[14]
December 4	at No. 4 Hofstra*	No. 5	James M. Shuart Stadium Hempstead, NY (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)	W 37–20	5,586	[15]
December 11	at No. 2 Georgia Southern*	No. 5	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)	L 17–28	12,299	[16]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "2021 Redbird Football Media Guide" (PDF). Illinois State University Athletics Department. p. 70. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
2. "Division I-AA Poll". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. December 21, 1999. p. 5B. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "ISU Hammers Truman State". Herald and Review. Associated Press. September 3, 1999. p. B7. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Reinhardt, Randy (September 12, 1999). "ISU Cranks Up Offense". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Craig, Mark (September 19, 1999). "Cockerham Shines As 'U' Glides". Star Tribune. p. C1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Reinhardt, Randy (September 26, 1999). "Stunning Rally Rescues Redbirds". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Cooper, Craig (October 3, 1999). "Redbirds Blitz Panthers To Win I-AA Showdown". Quad-City Times. p. 135. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Reinhardt, Randy (October 10, 1999). "Big Win Costs ISU". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "South Florida Sneaks Past Illinois State 14-13". The News-Press. Associated Press. October 17, 1999. p. 8C. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Burk Tosses Five TD Passes, Rallying Illinois State Over Southern". Herald and Review. Associated Press. October 24, 1999. p. C5. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Reinhardt, Randy (October 31, 1999). "Gateway Champs". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Illinois St. Finishes Perfect In Gateway". Springfield News-Leader. Associated Press. November 7, 1999. p. 5C. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Reinhardt, Randy (November 14, 1999). "'Drained' Redbirds Get 9th Win". The Pantagraph. p. F1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Illinois State Blasts Past Colgate In The First Round". The Southern Illinoisan. Associated Press. November 28, 1999. p. 2B. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Rubin, Roger (December 5, 1999). "Hofstra Can't Stop Illinois St". New York Daily News. p. 81. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Reese, Earnest (December 12, 1999). "Bang-Up Defense Puts Eagles In Final". The Atlanta Constitution. p. E1. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.