Illinois State Adds 2026 Week Zero Game Against St. Francis

NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State football program has announced that it will host in-state foe St. Francis (Ill.) to open the 2026 football season on Saturday, August 29, at 6 p.m. on Jay and Lori Bergman Field at Hancock Stadium. With the game, the Redbirds now have a full 12-game slate for the 2026 season. The meeting will be the fourth in program history between the two schools, with the Redbirds holding a 3-0 advantage in the series. All three previous meetings were held in Normal, with the ISU winning the initial game in 1991 by a 19-17 margin.…