Bound for championship game, ISU Redbirds get warm send-off

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - Fans endured the bitter cold to give a warm send-off to Illinois State University's football team as players left for the national championship game in Texas against North Dakota State.

The NCAA Division I FCS championship game is Saturday.

Redbirds supporter Michelle Schulz of Normal acknowledged standing outside to cheer the team "may be the craziest thing I've done all day."

Players dressed in suits and ties left the Kaufman Football Building and boarded buses for the airport Wednesday.

The (Bloomington) Pantagraph reports (http://bit.ly/1DpztkV ) that the applause was muffled by gloves, but the chants and cheers were loud and clear, and players responded with smiles.

In the crowd with her two sons was Deb Kennamann, whose said husband once played at ISU. She called the championship shot "a big deal."

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Information from: The Pantagraph, http://www.pantagraph.com