1940 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football team

The 1940 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football team represented Illinois State Normal University—now known as Illinois State University—as a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1940 college football season. Led by tenth-year head coach Howard Hancock, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 5–3–1 with a mark of 4–0 in conference play, winning the IIAC title.[1]

1940 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football
IIAC champion
ConferenceIllinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record5–3–1 (4–0 IIAC)
Head coach
MVPHarold Gaffney
CaptainJack Secord
Home stadiumMcCormick Field
Seasons
← 1939
1941 →
1940 Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Illinois State Normal $ 4 0 0 5 3 1
Carthage 2 0 0 5 2 1
Eastern Illinois 4 1 0 6 1 1
Northern Illinois State 2 2 0 6 3 0
Elmhurst 1 2 0 2 5 1
Western Illinois 0 3 1 1 6 1
Southern Illinois 0 3 1 2 5 1
Eureka 0 2 0 2 5 1

Illinois State Normal was ranked at No. 266 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[2]

Illinois State Normal played home games at McCormick Field in Normal, Illinois.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 21Eastern Kentucky*
L 0–20[3]
September 28Platteville State*
  • McCormick Field
  • Normal, IL
W 27–0[4]
October 4at Michigan State Normal*
T 0–0[5][6]
October 12at Indiana State*Terre Haute, INL 0–6[7]
October 19Eastern Illinois 
  • McCormick Field
  • Normal, IL (rivalry)
W 30–12[8]
October 26at Southern IllinoisW 25–6[9]
November 1at Western IllinoisMacomb, ILW 36–0[10]
November 9Northern Illinois State
  • McCormick Field
  • Normal, IL
W 26–14[11]
November 20Illinois Wesleyan*
  • McCormick Field
  • Normal, IL
L 6–32[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

References

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  1. ^ "2021 Redbird Football Media Guide" (PDF). Illinois State University Athletics Department. p. 64. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  2. ^ Dr. E. E. Litkenhous (December 19, 1940). "Final 1940 Litkenhous Ratings". The Boston Globe. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Maroons Beat Normal 20 to 0". Lexington Herald-Leader. Associated Press. September 22, 1940. p. 11. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Young, Fred (September 29, 1940). "Normal Comes Right Back With 27-0 Win". The Pantagraph. p. 9. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Hurons Play 0-0 Tie With Illinois Normal in Opener". The Ypsilanti Daily Press. October 5, 1940. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "State Normal Duels Ypsilanti to 0-0 Tie". The Pantagraph. October 5, 1940. p. 9. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Indiana State Wins Over Illinois Team". Palladium-Item. Associated Press. October 13, 1940. p. 2:7. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "E. I. Teachers Lose to Normal". Herald and Review. October 20, 1940. p. 11. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "State Normal Vanquishes Southern Teachers, 25-6". The Pantagraph. October 27, 1940. p. 10. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "I. S. N. U. Finds Macomb Easy 36-0 Victim". The Pantagraph. November 2, 1940. p. 10. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Young, Fred (November 10, 1940). "Red Birds Win I. I. A. C. Title In Victory Over DeKalb". The Pantagraph. p. 10. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wesleyan Rolls Over Normal, 32-6". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Associated Press. November 21, 1940. p. 3F. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.