Episode #220
Honorary Captain of the Week | Illinois State Wide Receiver Dylan Lord
Illinois State wide receiver Dylan Lord and Ryan Kramer, Managing Partner at Northwestern Mutual’s Chicagoland office , join FCS Nation Radio for a conversation that goes well beyond football. https://www.alexslemonade.org/2026/illinois-state-x-kramer-network-office/donate Lord talks about what it means to use his platform as a college football player for something bigger than the game, why the fight against childhood cancer resonated with him and what he hopes comes from being part of the initiative. We also discuss the responsibility that comes with representing Illinois State away from the field and how football has helped shape his perspective on leadership, adversity and making an impact in his community. Ryan Kramer explains why Northwestern Mutual has made the fight against childhood cancer such an important part of its mission, how the partnership with FCS Nation and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has grown over the years and why getting student-athletes like Dylan involved can make such a difference. We also discuss the impact the players have made through the campaign and what Ryan has learned from watching athletes across the FCS embrace the cause. Then, we get into football. Lord is coming off a breakout 2025 season in which he caught 74 passes for 734 yards and five touchdowns, saving his biggest performance for the FCS National Championship Game against Montana State with career highs of 13 receptions and 161 yards to go along with two touchdowns. We talk about that championship run, what he learned from playing on the biggest stage in the FCS, his development as a receiver and the expectations surrounding Illinois State after coming within one point of a national championship last season. Lord also takes us inside the Redbirds’ 2026 offense, his chemistry with quarterback Gage Roy, the mentality of the receiving room and what makes the Missouri Valley Football Conference such a grind week after week. Through five games, Lord has 34 catches for 368 yards and five touchdowns. And there’s no shortage of football to discuss heading into this weekend. Illinois State enters Saturday at 4-1 and looking to respond after its first loss of the season, a 28-21 road defeat at Northern Iowa in which Lord caught a first-quarter touchdown. Waiting for the Redbirds is No. 2 South Dakota State , also 4-1, in one of the biggest FCS matchups of the weekend. The Jackrabbits and Redbirds kick off Saturday at 6 p.m. CT from Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois, on ESPN+ . We talk with Dylan about bouncing back from a loss, preparing for one of the premier programs in the country, what a matchup like South Dakota State demands from an offense and what Illinois State needs to do to get back on track in the MVFC. It’s a conversation about football, leadership and using the platform that comes with being a college athlete to make a difference as Dylan Lord represents Illinois State in the fight against childhood cancer.
