Illinois State Football
Illinois State is an NCAA Division I FCS football program in the MVFC, based in Normal, IL. The 2026 record stands at 7-2. The Cooper Predictor rates Illinois State at +19.7, No. 5 of 127 FCS teams and No. 3 of 9 in the MVFC. The model projects an 8-4 finish, with Playoff Odds of 69.9%. The model's pre-game picks are 5-3 in Illinois State games this season. Most recent result: beat Murray State 35-14 on Oct 31. Next up: at North Dakota on Nov 7 — the model projects North Dakota 28-27, giving Illinois State a 48% chance to win.
Open Illinois State in Cooper Predictor U →Updated Nov 2, 2026 · power ratings compare teams within NCAA Division I FCS.
2026 schedule, predictions & results
| Date | Opponent | Projection | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29 | vs St. Francis (IL) | no pick on record | W 76-0 |
| Sep 5 | @ Western Illinois | W 45-20 93% ✓ | W 41-10 |
| Sep 12 | @ Northern Illinois | L 21-27 30% ✗ | W 28-24 |
| Sep 19 | vs Eastern Illinois | W 42-10 97% ✓ | W 49-13 |
| Sep 26 | @ Northern Iowa | W 35-17 91% ✗ | L 21-28 |
| Oct 3 | vs South Dakota State | W 28-27 55% ✗ | L 14-31 |
| Oct 17 | @ Southern Illinois | W 28-24 70% ✓ | W 35-14 |
| Oct 24 | vs Indiana State | W 42-17 94% ✓ | W 17-10 |
| Oct 31 | vs Murray State | W 45-10 98% ✓ | W 35-14 |
| Nov 7 | @ North Dakota | L 27-28 48% | — |
| Nov 14 | @ Youngstown State | L 27-31 35% | — |
| Nov 21 | vs South Dakota | W 28-24 59% | — |
Projection = the model's pick, projected score and Illinois State's win probability. For games already played it is the pick frozen before kickoff, with ✓ or ✗ beside it — every pick stays public.
MVFC by power rating
| # | Team | 2026 | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South Dakota State | 7-2 | +23.9 |
| 2 |  Youngstown State | 7-2 | +21.6 |
| 3 | Illinois State | 7-2 | +19.7 |
| 4 |  South Dakota | 7-3 | +18.4 |
| 5 |  North Dakota | 6-4 | +17.5 |
| 6 |  Southern Illinois | 4-5 | +10.5 |
| 7 |  Northern Iowa | 4-4 | +10.3 |
| 8 |  Indiana State | 2-7 | +0.7 |
| 9 |  Murray State | 1-8 | -9.5 |
High schools on the Illinois State roster
From publicly published rosters, for the high school states the Cooper Predictor covers. Some rosters do not list a high school, so a player may be missing.
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NCAA Division I FCS power rankings · Every division · Weekly predictions & matchup predictor