Kelly Lyell

kellylyell@coloradoan.com

CSU added Illinois State to its 2018 football schedule, leaving the Rams with one more date to fill on the slate.

The Redbirds, who have played in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs the past three seasons and reached the title game in 2014, will visit Colorado State University's new on-campus stadium for a Sept. 22, 2018 matchup, school officials announced.

CSU also has non-conference games scheduled in 2018 against the University of Colorado on Sept. 1 in Denver and Sept. 15 at Florida. The Rams have one open date to fill, Sept. 8. The eight-game Mountain West schedule, with four home games and four away games, will be announced the previous spring.

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CSU and Illinois State, the champion of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2014 and 2015, have never before met in football.

The Rams' will play non-conference games in 2017 against CU in Denver on Sept. 1, at home Sept. 8 against Abilene Christian in the new campus opener, at Alabama on Sept. 16 and at home Sept. 23 against Oregon State. The MW schedule has not been announced but will include home games against Air Force, Boise State, Nevada and San Jose State and road games at Hawaii, New Mexico, Utah State and Wyoming.

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