| Year: | 2018 |
| Team: | Illinois State Redbirds |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
| Short Conf: | MVFC |
| Record: | 6–5 |
| Conf Record: | 3–5 |
| Head Coach: | Brock Spack |
| Hc Year: | 10th |
| Off Coach: | Kurt Beathard |
| Oc Year: | 3rd |
| Def Coach: | Travis Niekamp |
| Dc Year: | 1st |
| Mvp: | Zackary Mathews, Spencer Schnell |
| Captain: | Luther Kirk, Spencer Schnell, Nick Kielbasa |
| Stadium: | Hancock Stadium |
The 2018 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 6–5 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for sixth in the MVFC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
The MVFC released their preseason poll on July 29, 2018, with the Redbirds predicted to finish in fifth place.[1]
| 1 | North Dakota State | 390 (39) | |
| 2 | South Dakota State | 270 | |
| 3 | Northern Iowa | 258 | |
| 4 | Youngstown State | 248 | |
| 5 | Illinois State | 248 | |
| 6 | South Dakota | 206 | |
| 7 | Western Illinois | 163 | |
| 8 | Southern Illinois | 139 | |
| 9 | Missouri State | 90 | |
| 10 | Indiana State | 41 |
The Redbirds placed five players on the preseason all-MVFC teams.[2]
Offense
1st team
James Robinson – RB
Spencer Schnell – WR
Drew Himmelman – OL
2nd team
Tylor Petkovich – TEDefense
2nd team
Mitchell Brees – DB
See also: 2018 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team and Mid-America Classic.
See also: 2018 Colorado State Rams football team.
See also: 2018 Missouri State Bears football team.
See also: 2018 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team.
See also: 2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football team.
See also: 2018 North Dakota State Bison football team.
See also: 2018 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team.
See also: 2018 Northern Iowa Panthers football team.
See also: 2018 Indiana State Sycamores football team.
See also: 2018 Youngstown State Penguins football team.