PEORIA — Illinois State University football is unranked, unseeded and still unequaled in the 2025 FCS playoffs.
The Redbirds upset No. 8 UC Davis on the road Saturday in the quarterfinals, 42-31, to keep their stunning postseason run alive.
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Illinois State beat No. 1 North Dakota State last week, and now has ended the Aggies season in the quarterfinal round. The Redbirds (11-4) will continue their road tour with a trip to the FCS semifinals at Philadelphia on Dec. 20.
There, they will face No. 12 Villanova (12-2) in a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff. The game will air on ESPN2.
Morton High School product Seth Glatz on his way to a touchdown run in the third quarter to help Illinois State win its quarterfinal playoff game on the road at UC Davis, 42-31, on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.
Former Morton High School star running back Seth Glatz ran for two second-half touchdowns to help Illinois State stay in control.
His first run was 14 yards to the end zone with 9:48 left in the third quarter for a 28-17 lead.
He put the game out of reach with a 58-yard scoring burst to cap a 10-play, 94-yard drive for a 42-17 lead with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter.
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Glatz had five carries for 85 yards and those two scores. Teammate Victor Dawson ran 29 times for 150 yards, while quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse was 15 of 20 for 266 yards, three TDs and one INT.
FCS quarterfinals: Illinois State 42, UC Davis 31
Redbirds receiver Dan Sobkowicz had seven catches for 150 yards and two TDs, the latter giving him the single-season school record with 16. He also set the school record in single-season catches, now with 251.
Illinois State is making its third trip to the FCS semifinals. The Redbirds won at New Hampshire in 2014 and lost to Georgia Southern in 1999.
The Redbirds have won eight straight road games against FCS opponents.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Redbirds rule: Illinois State football pulls FCS quarterfinals upset to advance
