Led by 12th-year head coach Brock Spack, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 1–3 with an identical in conference play, tying for seventh place in the MVFC.

On March 21, 2021, Illinois State announced that it would opt out of the remainder of the 2021 spring season due to safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

[1] Illinois State released their full schedule on July 15, 2019.

[2] The Redbirds football team had non-conference games scheduled at Illinois on September 4, versus Eastern Illinois on September 12, and versus Dixie State on November 21.

[3][4][5] On January 21, 2021, the Missouri Valley Football Conference office released an altered spring season schedule based on the participation of ten league schools.