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HR0689 - 104th General Assembly

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HR0689
LRB104 20942 LAW 34742 r
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

2

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3
Representatives wish to congratulate the members and coaching
4
staff of the Illinois State University football team, the
5
Redbirds, for their historic and remarkable performance during
6
the 2025-2026 season, culminating in an appearance in the NCAA
7
Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National
8
Championship game; and

9

WHEREAS, Under the visionary leadership of Head Coach
10
Brock Spack, the winningest coach in program history and a
11
proud native of Rockford, the Redbirds demonstrated
12
unparalleled resilience and determination; and

13

WHEREAS, Following a challenging mid-season stretch, the
14
Redbirds players galvanized their efforts to win four
15
consecutive road playoff games, a feat never before
16
accomplished in the history of the FCS, earning them the
17
well-deserved title of "Road Warriors"; and

18

WHEREAS, This unprecedented playoff run included a
19
stunning 29-28 upset of the top-seeded North Dakota State
20
University football team, the Bison, secured by a two-point
21
conversion catch by fullback Scotty Presson Jr. from
22
quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse; and

HR0689
- 2 -
LRB104 20942 LAW 34742 r
1

WHEREAS, On January 5, 2026, at FirstBank Stadium in
2
Nashville, Tennessee, the Redbirds overcame a 14-point
3
fourth-quarter deficit against the Montana State University
4
football team, the Bobcats, sending the FCS championship game
5
to overtime for the first time in FCS history; and

6

WHEREAS, Several individual Redbirds achieved historic
7
milestones this season, including senior quarterback Tommy
8
Rittenhouse, who set single-season program records for passing
9
yards (3,568), completions (334), and touchdowns (40); and

10

WHEREAS, Wide receiver Daniel Sobkowicz solidified his
11
legacy as one of the program's greatest players with 40 career
12
touchdown receptions, while freshman Dylan Lord emerged on the
13
national stage with a career-high 13 catches and 161 yards in
14
the title game; and

15

WHEREAS, Running back Victor Dawson proved his dominance
16
with four consecutive 100-yard rushing performances during the
17
playoffs, and linebacker Tye Niekamp provided First-Team
18
All-American leadership for a defense that personified the
19
"family mentality"; and

20

WHEREAS, The Redbirds excelled not only on the gridiron
21
but also in the classroom, setting an in-season team GPA

HR0689
- 3 -
LRB104 20942 LAW 34742 r
1
record during this historic run, proving themselves to be true
2
student-athletes and exceptional representatives of Illinois
3
State University and the Bloomington-Normal community; and

4

WHEREAS, The unwavering support of the "Redbird Nation",
5
including the Big Red Marching Machine and thousands of fans
6
who traveled to Nashville, provided a vibrant and boisterous
7
atmosphere that showcased the spirit of the State of Illinois
8
to a national audience of millions; therefore, be it

9

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10
HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11
we congratulate the players and coaching staff of the Illinois
12
State University football team, the Redbirds, and the entire
13
Illinois State University Athletics Department on their
14
historic 2025-2026 season and the team's status as NCAA
15
Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National
16
Runner-Up; and be it further

17

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
18
presented to Illinois State University President Dr. Aondover
19
Tarhule, Head Coach Brock Spack, and the members of the
20
Redbirds football team as an expression of our esteem and
21
respect.

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