American college football season
The 2012 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season . Led by fourth-year head coach Brock Spack , the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 9–4 with a mark of 5–3 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the MVFC. Illinois State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs. After a first-round bye, the Redbirds defeated Appalachian State in the second round before falling to Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals. The team played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois .
Illinois State averaged 6,511 fans per home game in 2012 while the East Side of Hancock Stadium was being renovated. Two games were sold out, against Eastern Illinois and Southern Illinois .
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 1 12:00 pm Dayton * No. 19 W 56–144,840 September 8 1:00 pm at Eastern Michigan * No. 18 CSNC W 31–147,654 September 15 1:00 pm Eastern Illinois * No. 15 W 54–51 2OT 7,700 September 22 3:00 pm at Western Illinois No. 15 CSNC W 23–316,033 September 29 2:00 pm at South Dakota No. 13 W 34–317,863 October 6 1:00 pm Southern Illinois No. 9 Hancock Stadium Normal, IL CSNC L 0–178,000 October 13 1:00 pm No. 8 Youngstown State No. 14 Hancock Stadium Normal, IL CSNC W 35–285,557 October 20 1:00 pm Missouri State No. 11 Hancock Stadium Normal, IL L 17–246,180 October 27 4:00 pm at Northern Iowa No. 17 CSNC W 33–219,946 November 3 1:00 pm at No. 14 Indiana State No. 17 CSNC W 17–106,008 November 17 1:00 pm No. 1 North Dakota State No. 11 Hancock Stadium Normal, IL ESPN3 L 20–386,793 [ 1] December 1 1:00 pm at No. 7 Appalachian State * No. 16 ESPN3 W 38–37 OT 16,719 December 8 5:00 pm at No. 4 Eastern Washington * No. 16 ESPN3 L 35–517,512
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Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Final Sports Network 19 18 15 15 13 9 14 11 17 17 15 11 16 8 Coaches 20 19 17 15 12 11 16 13 17 15 15 11 15 9
Players drafted in the NFL [ edit ] Draft year Player Position Round Overall NFL team 2013 Nate Palmer LB 6 193 Green Bay Packers
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
Champion – North Dakota State