Redbirds enter final week ranked No. 6      

[NOV. 15, 2006]  NORMAL -- For the first time in Illinois State history, the Redbird football team entered each game during the regular season ranked in the top 10 nationally. That streak continued on Monday, when the Redbirds received a No. 6 ranking in both The Sports Network I-AA Top-25 Poll and the College Sporting News Coaches Poll.

The Redbirds, who have been ranked somewhere between No. 3 and No. 9 every week this season, moved up one position from last week's poll after James Madison was defeated by Villanova 21-20. The top three positions remained intact with Appalachian State earning 84 first-place votes, followed by Montana and Massachusetts. North Dakota State, Youngstown State and Illinois State each moved up one spot from last week, while James Madison fell from No. 4 to No. 7.

After Southern Illinois' convincing victory over Northern Iowa, the Salukis climbed to No. 11 in the poll and the Panthers fell to No. 20. UNI fell eight spots from No. 12, but that still gives the Gateway Football Conference four teams in the top 25.

Dating back to last season, the Redbirds have been ranked for 13 consecutive weeks. ISU closes out the regular season on Saturday, when the No. 6 Redbirds travel to No. 20 Northern Iowa. [See pre-game notes.] A Redbird victory would mean a share of the conference title with Youngstown State and a probable higher seed in the NCAA playoffs.

[Illinois State University news release provided by Todd Kober, assistant athletics director, media relations

LDN sports sponsored by: