1955 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football team

The 1955 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football team represented Illinois State Normal University—now known as Illinois State University—as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1955 college football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Edwin Struck, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 3–4–2 with a mark of 2–3–1 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the IIAC.^[1] Illinois State Normal played home games at McCormick Field in Normal, Illinois.

1955 Illinois State Normal Redbirds football
Conference	Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record	3–4–2 (2–3–1 IIAC)
Head coach	Edwin Struck (11th season)
MVP	Bill Booker
Captain	Bob Riggenbach, Bill Booker
Home stadium	McCormick Field
Seasons ← 1954 1956 →

1955 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Central Michigan +	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	1	–	0
Michigan State Normal +	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
Southern Illinois	4	–	1	–	1			4	–	4	–	2
Western Illinois	2	–	3	–	1			5	–	4	–	1
Illinois State Normal	2	–	3	–	1			3	–	4	–	2
Eastern Illinois	1	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Northern Illinois State	0	–	5	–	1			0	–	8	–	1
+ – Conference co-champions

While the team lost its game against Western Illinois, it was later awarded a win by forfeit due to Western Illinois' use of an ineligible player.^[2]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
September 23	at Bradley*	Peoria, IL	L 7–18	^[3]
October 1	at Northern Illinois State	Glidden Field DeKalb, IL	T 7–7	^[4]
October 8	Eastern Illinois	McCormick Field Normal, IL (rivalry)	W 16–13	^[5]
October 15	at Michigan State Normal	Briggs Field Ypsilanti, MI	L 6–25	^[6]
October 22	Central Michigan	McCormick Field Normal, IL	L 7–35	^[7]
October 29	Lewis*	McCormick Field Normal, IL	T 20–20	^[8]
November 4	at Western Illinois	Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 13–32 (forfeit)	^[9]
November 12	Southern Illinois	McCormick Field Normal, IL	L 14–28	^[10]
November 19	Illinois Wesleyan*	McCormick Field Normal, IL	W 20–13	^[11]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[12]

References

1. "2021 Redbird Football Media Guide" (PDF). Illinois State University Athletics Department. p. 66. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
2. "Western Illinois Forfeits Football Game to Normal". The Rock Island Argus. Associated Press. December 6, 1955. p. 37. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Barnhart, Jim (September 25, 1955). "Bradley 18-7 Victor Over State Normal". The Pantagraph. p. 26. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Cryer, Del (October 2, 1955). "State Normal Gains 7-7 Tie With Northern in IIAC Fray". The Pantagraph. p. 12. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Normal Scores All Points in First Quarter, Defeats Eastern, 16-13". Herald and Review. October 9, 1955. p. 19. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Powerful Michigan Normal Takes 25-6 Win From ISNU". The Pantagraph. October 16, 1955. p. 14. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Central Michigan in Easy Victory, 35 to 7". Lansing State Journal. Associated Press. October 23, 1955. p. 71. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. Barnhart, Jim (October 30, 1955). "Last Half State Normal Rally Enables Birds To Tie Lewis". The Pantagraph. p. 13. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Young, Fred (November 5, 1955). "Western Defeats State Normal, 32-13". The Pantagraph. p. 9. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Barnhart, Jim (November 13, 1955). "Southern's Running Attack Raps State Normal, 28-14". The Pantagraph. p. 12. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Illinois State Normal Bests Illinois Wesleyan". The Terre Haute Tribune. Associated Press. November 20, 1955. p. 54. Retrieved October 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 13, 2022.