2021 Illinois State Redbirds football team

2021 Illinois State Redbirds football
ConferenceMissouri Valley Football Conference
Record4–7 (2–6 MVFC)
Head coach
Co-offensive coordinators
  • C. J. Irvin (2nd season)
  • Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorTravis Niekamp (4th season)
MVPs
  • Cole Mueller
  • Jacob Powell
Captains
  • Bryce Jefferson
  • Zeke Vandenburgh
  • JT Bohlken
Home stadiumHancock Stadium
2021 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 1 North Dakota State $^  7 1   14 1  
No. 14 Missouri State ^  6 2   8 4  
No. 16 Southern Illinois ^  5 3   8 5  
No. 18 South Dakota ^  5 3   7 5  
No. 4 South Dakota State ^  5 3   11 4  
No. 23 Northern Iowa ^  4 4   6 6  
Indiana State  3 5   5 6  
North Dakota  3 5   5 6  
Western Illinois  2 6   2 9  
Illinois State  2 6   4 7  
Youngstown State  2 6   3 7  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ FCS playoff participant
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2021 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by 13th-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 2–6 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for ninth in the MVFC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.