1986 Illinois State Redbirds football team

1986 Illinois State Redbirds football
ConferenceGateway Collegiate Athletic Conference
Record5–5 (3–3 GCAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumHancock Stadium
1986 Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Eastern Illinois $^ 5 1 011 2 0
No. 17 Southern Illinois 4 2 07 4 0
Northern Iowa 4 2 07 3 1
Illinois State 3 3 05 5 0
Western Illinois 2 4 06 5 0
SW Missouri State 1 5 03 7 0
Indiana State 1 5 03 8 0
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1986 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their sixth year under head coach Bob Otolski, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 5–5, with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, and placed fourth in the GCAC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.