| Year: | 2016 |
| Team: | Illinois State Redbirds |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Missouri Valley Football Conference |
| Short Conf: | MVFC |
| Record: | 6–6 |
| Conf Record: | 4–4 |
| Head Coach: | Brock Spack |
| Hc Year: | 8th |
| Cooff Coach1: | Dan Clark |
| Cooc1 Year: | 1st |
| Cooff Coach2: | Billy Dicken |
| Cooc2 Year: | 1st |
| Def Coach: | Spence Nowinsky |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Mvp: | Mark Spelman, Alejandro Rivera, Dalton Keene |
| Captain: | Mark Spelman, Alec Kocour, Cole Bumpus |
| Stadium: | Hancock Stadium |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I First Round |
| Bowl Result: | L 24–31 vs. Central Arkansas |
The 2016 Illinois State Redbirds football team represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by eighth-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 6–6 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for fourth place the MVFC. For the third straight season, Illinois State received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Redbirds lost in the first round to Central Arkansas. The team played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.
See also: 2016 Valparaiso Crusaders football team.
See also: 2016 Northwestern Wildcats football team. The Redbirds beat the Wildcats 9–7. The win came on an Illinois State field goal as time expired. This was ISU's first-ever victory over a Big Ten team.[3] [4]
See also: 2016 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team and Mid-America Classic.
See also: 2016 Indiana State Sycamores football team.
See also: 2016 North Dakota State Bison football team.
See also: 2016 Youngstown State Penguins football team.
See also: 2016 Southern Illinois Salukis football team.
See also: 2016 South Dakota Coyotes football team.
See also: 2016 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team.
See also: 2016 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team.
See also: 2016 Missouri State Bears football team.
See also: 2016 Central Arkansas Bears football team.