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ISU finalizes deal to play game at Marshall in 2008
By Randy Reinhardt
rreinhardt@pantagraph.com
NORMAL — Departing from its recent trend of facing Big Ten and Big 12 Conference teams for its annual “money” game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, Illinois State will face Marshall University of Conference USA to open the 2008 season.
ISU and Marshall will meet on Aug. 30, 2008, at 38,016-seat Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, W.Va.
The Redbird athletic department will receive $275,000 in exchange for providing the opposition to the Thundering Herd.
“I’m excited to get them on the schedule,” ISU coach Denver Johnson said. “It’s a place we haven’t gone in my tenure here. You like to schedule opponents the kids get excited about playing. It’s a chance to see a different part of the country.”
Marshall had a 5-7 record in 2006. The Herd is picked fourth in the Conference USA East Division preseason poll. . . .
ISU’s 2008 schedule, which is finalized with the Marshall game, has the Redbirds playing on the road in four of their first five games. ISU also travels to Murray State on Sept. 13 and is home to face Eastern Illinois Sept. 20 before opening its Gateway season with games at Indiana State (Oct. 4) and Northern Iowa (Oct. 11).
The Redbirds then will have three consecutive home games against Missouri State (Oct. 18), North Dakota State (Oct. 25) and Youngstown State (Nov. 1).
A schedule that features an unusual two bye weeks concludes with contests at South Dakota State on Nov. 8, at Western Illinois on Nov. 15 and a home game against Southern Illinois on Nov. 22.
The 2008 season is the first year of North Dakota State and South Dakota State as Gateway members.
“Both are great additions to the league,” said Johnson. “We welcome them to the league and we are certainly not afraid of the competition. If we were, we wouldn’t be in this business and certainly wouldn’t be in the Gateway to begin with.” . . . (read more)
Go State!
ISU finalizes deal to play game at Marshall in 2008
By Randy Reinhardt
rreinhardt@pantagraph.com
NORMAL — Departing from its recent trend of facing Big Ten and Big 12 Conference teams for its annual “money” game against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent, Illinois State will face Marshall University of Conference USA to open the 2008 season.
ISU and Marshall will meet on Aug. 30, 2008, at 38,016-seat Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, W.Va.
The Redbird athletic department will receive $275,000 in exchange for providing the opposition to the Thundering Herd.
“I’m excited to get them on the schedule,” ISU coach Denver Johnson said. “It’s a place we haven’t gone in my tenure here. You like to schedule opponents the kids get excited about playing. It’s a chance to see a different part of the country.”
Marshall had a 5-7 record in 2006. The Herd is picked fourth in the Conference USA East Division preseason poll. . . .
ISU’s 2008 schedule, which is finalized with the Marshall game, has the Redbirds playing on the road in four of their first five games. ISU also travels to Murray State on Sept. 13 and is home to face Eastern Illinois Sept. 20 before opening its Gateway season with games at Indiana State (Oct. 4) and Northern Iowa (Oct. 11).
The Redbirds then will have three consecutive home games against Missouri State (Oct. 18), North Dakota State (Oct. 25) and Youngstown State (Nov. 1).
A schedule that features an unusual two bye weeks concludes with contests at South Dakota State on Nov. 8, at Western Illinois on Nov. 15 and a home game against Southern Illinois on Nov. 22.
The 2008 season is the first year of North Dakota State and South Dakota State as Gateway members.
“Both are great additions to the league,” said Johnson. “We welcome them to the league and we are certainly not afraid of the competition. If we were, we wouldn’t be in this business and certainly wouldn’t be in the Gateway to begin with.” . . . (read more)
Go State!