and live statistics can be found at GoSycamores.com. In addition, the game will be televised live over the internet using the latest web stream technology on GoSycamores.com. Cameras high atop Memorial Stadium will send digital images directly into Sycamore fans' homes while the call of Fritz and Emmert resonate in the background. The cost of this pay-per-view event is $6.95 and can be purchased directly on GoSycamores.com.
A Little History: This is the 103rd season of college football at Indiana State University, dating back to 1896. The university did not field teams from 1899-1900; 1908 or from 1910-1919. ISU owns an all-time record of 338 wins, 439 losses and 22 ties on the gridiron. Indiana State is competing for the 23rd consecutive season as a member of the Gateway Football Conference.
It's Homecoming!: Today is Homecoming on the Indiana State University campus. The contest between Western Kentucky and Indiana State is the 79th Homecoming football game to be played at ISU. All-time, the Sycamores are 43-33-2 in Homecoming games, including a mark of 2-1 against the Hilltoppers. The last time WKU was the Sycamores' Homecoming opponent came in 2003, when the ?Toppers walked away with a 59-14 victory. Indiana State has been victorious versus WKU on Homecoming in both 1993 (W, 41-14) as well as 1995 (W, 27-6). Dennis Raetz coached the Sycamores to both of those Homecoming wins over WKU. ISU won its Homecoming game last season with a 28-22 Gateway Football Conference victory over Missouri State, 28-22. Since WKU dropped out of the Gateway following last season to move to the NCAA FBS level of competition, they are the first non-Gateway team to face Indiana State on Homecoming since these same Hilltoppers did it in 1995. In fact, Western Kentucky's three appearances as the Sycamores' Homecoming opponent in 1993, 1995 & 2007 are the only instances since Indiana State joined the Gateway in 1985 in which the Sycamores have faced a non-conference foe on Homecoming.
The Indiana State Coach: Indiana State is led by interim head coach Dennis Raetz, who is returning to the sidelines for the remainder of the 2007 season. Raetz compiled a career record of 94-105-1 in his 18 seasons at the helm of the program (1980-1997). Raetz last faced Western Kentucky in 1997, when he dropped a 21-14 decision at Memorial Stadium. Overall, Raetz is 5-3 all-time against WKU.
The Western Kentucky Head Coach: Leading the way for Western Kentucky is fifth-year head coach David Elson. Elson has compiled a career record of 33-20, all of which have come at the Bowling Green, Ky., school. Elson is a perfect 4-0 against Indiana State.
The Sycamores Against The Hilltoppers: Indiana State and Western Kentucky meet today for the 19th time on the gridiron with WKU holding a 13-5-1 margin in the all-time series. At Memorial Stadium, ISU is 3-6 against the Hilltoppers while WKU holds a 7-2-1 lead in games played at Bowling Green. ISU has lost each of its last 11 meetings against WKU, dating back to a 27-6 victory over the Hilltoppers on October 21, 1995 in Terre Haute, Ind.
The Scouting Report: Western Kentucky is a member of the NCAA FBS Level and are an Independent this season, although they will soon compete in the Sun Belt Conference. The Hilltoppers play their home contests at L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, Ky. WKU is 3-3 on the season, owning victories over West Virginia Tech, Eastern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State. The Hilltoppers dropped its season opener at defending FBS national champion Florida, and have also since fallen at Bowling Green and Ball State.
What's Transpired: Indiana State opened its season at Indiana and fell by the score of 55-7. ISU's lone touchdown in the game came late in the first quarter when Alex Thomas recovered a loose fumble near the goal line and rolled untouched into the end zone to cut the Hoosier advantage down to 14-7 with just over four minutes remaining. In week two, the Sycamores dropped a hard-fought 32-17 decision to Austin Peay of the Ohio Valley Conference. Last week, the Sycamores nearly erased a 13-3 fourth quarter deficit thanks to a 42-yard punt return by Ryan Patrick and a 34-yard scoring toss from Reilly Murphy to Rafael Price. The Sycamore defense held, and the offense had the ball with a chance to tie for win at Southeast Missouri State, but it was not meant to be as SEMO walked away with a narrow 13-10 non-conference victory. In week four, Eastern Illinois waltzed out to a 20-0 lead in the first quarter against the Sycamores, but a pair of touchdowns engineered by the play of redshirt freshman quarterback Charles Dowdell as well as a defensive score by Mike Woods helped Indiana State crawl back to within a 27-20 margin. EIU finished the game by scoring 27 unanswered points in leaving Memorial Stadium with a 54-20 victory. Under interim head coach Dennis Raetz, the Sycamores dropped a 72-10 decision against Southern Illinois. The Sycamore defense came out strong in its second game of the year under Raetz, but fell 19-7 to No. 22 nationally-ranked Western Illinois. ISU allowed just a pair of field goals in the first half and scored their touchdown on a three-yard pass from Reilly Murphy to Brian Jackson in the game's fourth quarter. The Sycamores took their first lead of the season, 3-0, following their first drive at Illinois State, but the Redbirds came back roaring to secure a 69-17 victory over the Sycamores.
First FBS Level At Home Since 1991: Indiana State hosts first-year FBS level opponent Western Kentucky today. WKU, who just recently upgraded to the FBS level, and was a member of the Gateway Football Conference as recently as one season ago, will be the first FBS opponent to visit Terre Haute since the 1991 season when Ball State eked out a 14-10 victory.
Out In Front: With Corey Varnadore's 19-yard field goal in the first quarter of last week's game at Illinois State, the Sycamores owned a short-lived 3-0 lead over the host Redbirds. That 3-0 advantage marked the first time this season that Indiana State had led a game at any point. The Redbirds took control thereafter in notching a 69-17 victory.
Raetz Back In Charge: Indiana State interim head coach Dennis Raetz returned to the sidelines for the first time since the 1997 season this past week when he led the Sycamores against the No. 6 nationally-ranked Southern Illinois Salukis. Raetz took over the program on an interim basis early this past week, and will lead the program throughout the remainder of the season. Ironically, Raetz's final game in 1997 was at the UNI Dome, a contest which the Sycamores lost in three overtimes, and his final game as interim head coach will once again come at the UNI Dome on November 10.
Working Hard On The Field And In The Classroom: Indiana State has captured the Gateway Football Conference All-Academic Award, as announced by the league office at Media Day on Tuesday, July 24.
The All-Academic Award was established in 2004 to help bring attention to institutional academic excellence. It is based on the average student-athlete grade-point average for the academic year. The GPA calculations are calculated for all student-athletes in the Gateway who compete, practice or receive athletic aid during the academic year. The award for Indiana State is based on accomplishments during the 2006-07 academic year. Southern Illinois and Western Illinois shared the initial award (for the 2004-05 academic season), while SIU earned the honor for the 2005-06 season.
Indiana State placed a league-high five student-athletes on the Gateway Football Conference's Academic All-Conference Team. Among the five honorees for Indiana State was first-team member Kyle Hooper, who makes his second consecutive appearance on the league's top academic squad. Representing the Sycamores on the second team were wide receiver Carl Berman; defensive back Bryan Jackson, quarterback/wide receiver Ben Schmidt and offensive lineman Fred Staugh. In addition, Jackson earned First Team Academic All-District Honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Preseason Selections: The Indiana State Sycamore football team has been picked to finish seventh this fall in the Gateway Football Conference according to a preseason poll of league head coaches, sports information directors and a media panel. In addition, senior Shonda Faulkner was been named an honorable mention selection to the preseason all-conference squad. The preseason poll was released as part of the Gateway Football Media Day activities today (July 24).
Faulkner, a senior this fall for the Sycamores, is a linebacker. Last season, he played in nine games, posting 63 total tackles. He was credited with 27 solo stops, including six tackles for losses as well as a trio of sacks. Faulkner recorded a season-best 13 tackles at Western Illinois, while his three sacks finished the year ranked 11th-best in the Gateway. His 63 total stops were 17th-best in GFC play.
Northern Iowa garnered 11 first place votes in earning the league's preseason championship nod. Right behind the Panthers were Illinois State, Youngstown State and Southern Illinois. Rounding out the poll were Western Illinois, Missouri State and the Sycamores.
Up Next: Indiana State travels to Missouri State for a Gateway Football Conference road contest next Saturday, October 27. Kick-off is set for 2:30 p.m. (EDT) and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 1130 & 1300 AM.
