ISU remains in top 20 in both national FCS polls

[September 11, 2013]  PHILADELPHIA -- The Illinois State football team did not play during Week 2 because of a bye week, but the Redbirds moved up in both Football Championship Subdivision polls announced Monday. The Redbirds were ranked No. 16 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 18 in The Sports Network FCS Top 25.

The Redbirds were previously ranked No. 17 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 18 by TSN after Week 1. ISU has now been ranked in 23 consecutive Sports Network polls, dating back to the 2011 season. North Dakota State remained a unanimous No. 1 selection in the FCS Coaches Poll and collected 146 of the 152 first-place TSN votes to stay at the top of the rankings.

ISU will head to Charleston, Ill., this weekend to face off against Eastern Illinois, which moved up five spots to No. 9 in The Sports Network FCS Top 25 following a double-overtime win over Southern Illinois on Saturday. The Panthers also came in at No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll, meaning that Saturday's matchup between the longtime rivals will be their first since 2006 with both teams nationally ranked.

The Redbirds and Bison were also joined in the polls by three other Missouri Valley Football Conference members. South Dakota State stayed in the top 10 in both polls, as they were selected in the No. 6 spot in both. Northern Iowa remained in the top 10 in both polls, coming in just behind the Jackrabbits with the No. 7 spot in TSN polling and the No. 8 spot in the coaches' poll. Youngstown State rounds out the group, after the Penguins stayed in the coaches' poll in the No. 23 spot and cracked into TSN for the first time this season at No. 24.

ISU and EIU will square off in the 102nd Mid-America Classic on Saturday, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. at O'Brien Field.

[Text from news release received from Illinois State University]