2014 — The Ten-Win Year

Illinois State's 2014 season (13-2) is a middle chapter: table-stakes progress, no crown in the ledger, the program still writing the book.

Record 13-2
Final Result 13-win season
AP Final — post-bowls
SP+ -3.8 last-week
Era —
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
W vs Miss Sta 62-0 W vs East Ill 34-15 W vs Aust Pea 55-6 W vs Sout Sta 45-10 W @ Indi Sta 20-18 W @ West Ill 37-34 W vs Miss Sta 21-7 L @ Nort Iow 28-42 W vs Youn Sta 35-21 W @ Sout Dak 45-26 W vs Sout Ill 44-29 W vs Nort Iow 41-21 W @ East Was 59-46 W @ New Ham 21-18 CFP L vs Nort Sta 27-29 CFP
Defining Moments
The Statement

The 2014 season's largest margin: Illinois State 62, Mississippi Valley State 0. A 62-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The Setback

The season's deepest loss: Illinois State 28, Northern Iowa 42. A 14-point margin the season is remembered by.

The Postseason

The season's last act: Illinois State fell to North Dakota State 27-29 in the postseason.

"Go Redbirds"
— Illinois State fanbase voice · 2014· synthesized
What It Meant

2014 is a middle chapter for Illinois State — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.