Illinois State running back James Robinson breaks away from a pair of Southern Illinois defenders during the Redbirds' 51-3 Missouri Valley Football Conference victory over the Salukis last week at Hancock Stadium. Robinson and the No. 7 Redbirds play at top-ranked North Dakota State on Saturday.
LEWIS MARIEN, THE PANTAGRAPH"I think I was in there for five minutes. They are not in third down very often," Spack said. "It's kind of scary. They're very good on first and second down."
Couple that with a Bison defense Spack rates "maybe a tick better" than during a national championship run last season and the gravity of the Redbirds' challenge Saturday snaps into focus.