SETTING THE STAGE
Indiana State concludes year three of the Trent Miles Era on Saturday, Nov. 20, as they stay on the road to take on Southern Illinois. Saturday's game is set for a 2:00 p.m. (ET) kickoff at Saluki Stadium (15,000). The game will air live world-wide on Saluki Gameday Central on a pay-per-view basis. The game will also be carried live on ESPN Radio (92.7 FM & 1300 AM), with Vaso Michels and Ace Hunt calling the action for the Nelligan Sports Marketing Radio Network. Action can be heard live worldwide on GoSycamores.com. Fans interested in watching the contest on Saluki Gameday Central must buy a pay-per-view subscription @ http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/siu.portal

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SERIES
Southern Illinois owns a 24-23 lead in the all-time series with¬¬ the Sycamores, including winning the last seven matchups. Prior to SIU's seven-game winning streak over ISU, the Trees won every matchup from 1994 until 2002, a span of nine seasons. ISU last won in Carbondale on November 9, 2002 - a 21-14 Sycamore victory. Saturday's game will be the first for Indiana State in the brand new Saluki Stadium. ISU is 8-13 all-time on the road against the Salukis.

THE COACHES
INDIANA STATE: Trent Miles (Indiana State '87)
- Overall: 7-26 (3rd Season)
- at Indiana State: 7-26 (3rd Season)
- vs. Southern Illinois: 0-2
- vs. Missouri Valley Football Conference: 5-18
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Dale Lennon (North Dakota, '83)
- Overall: 126-44 (14th Season)
- at Southern Illinois: 24-11 (Third Season)
- vs. Indiana State: 2-0
- vs. Missouri Valley Football Conference: 27-7

QUICK HITS
- Since joining the Missouri Valley Football Conference prior to the 1986 campaign, no Indiana State team has ever won five games in league play. Two teams have won four games - this year's squad as well as the 1988 team that went 4-2.
- Sycamore quarterback Ronnie Fouch has set a school record by passing for over 200 yards in seven consecutive contests and will be looking to continue that streak as well as pass Blayne Baggett (2005) for the school record for number of 200-yard passing performances in a season with seven.
- The Sycamores have not won at SIU since 2002 and are making their first appearance on Saturday at Saluki Stadium, which debuted this year.

An Indiana State Win Over Southern Illinois Would ...
• Give Indiana State its first victory over the Penguins since 2002 (which came on the road in Carbondale).
• Give Indiana State a total of five conference victories in 2010, a total which now Sycamore team has reached since joining the league in 1986.
• Give Trent Miles victories over six different league members during his three-year tenure at ISU.
• Give Indiana State back-to-back road victories for the first time since 2001 when the Sycamores downed Eastern Michigan and Missouri State consecutively. ISU has not won back-to-back road conference contests since 1996 when they took down Western Illinois & Southern Illinois on consecutive Saturdays.

The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Trent Miles (Indiana State, 1987) is 7-26 (.212) overall in his third season as a head coach, all with the Sycamores. He is 5-18 all-time in MVFC games, including a 4-8 mark at home and a 1-10 mark on the road. During his career, he is 6-11 in all home games, 1-15 on the road and 2-2 in games decided by three points or less. Miles is 0-2 all-time against Southern Illinois, including a 0-1 record in Carbondale. With the Trees, Miles is 1-2 in overtime games, and 0-5 in shutouts. Saturday's game is Trent Miles' 34th game as Indiana State head coach.

The Southern Illinois Head Coach
Southern Illinois is led by third-year head coach Dale Lennon, who is 126-44 in his 14th season as a collegiate coach, including a mark of 24-11 at Southern Illinois. Lennon is 2-0 against Indiana State, including a 1-0 mark in Carbondale.

Scouting The Salukis
Southern Illinois stands at 4-6, 3-4 MVFC heading into their regular season finale on Saturday against Indiana State. The Salukis started 2-1 in league play with a road loss at Youngstown State and then a road victory over Illinois State, following by an overtime home victory over league champion Northern Iowa. SIU then dropped consecutive conference games against South Dakota State, Missouri State and North Dakota State before rebounding last week to down Western Illinois, 20-10 at home.

A Little History
This marks the 106th season of football at Indiana State, dating back to 1896. The University did not field teams from 1899 to 1900, 1908 or from 1910 to 1919. ISU owns an all-time record of 345-469-22 and is competing for the 25th consecutive season as a member of the MVFC.

What's Transpired
Indiana State won its season opener with a 57-7 decision over St. Joseph's (Ind.) on Sept. 4. The Sycamores scored the game's first 23 points against the Pumas en route to the 50 point victory. ISU was led by senior Darrius Gates who finished with 160 rushing yards while freshman Shakir Bell burst onto the scene with 133 yards on the ground in his Sycamore debut. ISU trailed just 12-7 at halftime at two-time defending BIG EAST Champion Cincinnati en route to falling 40-7. Ronnie Fouch found 11 different receivers as he finished 23-of-38 passing for 161 yards and a touchdown pass to Alex Jones. Indiana State dropped its Missouri Valley Football Conference opener at Western Illinois by the score of 40-7 on a sloppy track in Macomb, Ill. ISU was led by Brock Lough who compiled 38 muddy yards on the ground and scored the lone ISU touchdown of the contest with his 1-yard run in the third quarter. The Sycamores improved to 2-2 on the season with a convincing 56-22 victory over Quincy. Bell and Gates both eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark and Ronnie Fouch became the first Sycamore quarterback to go over the 200-yard passing mark and throw four touchdowns in a single-game since the 2006 season. The Sycamores kept up their winning ways and improved to 3-2 on the season with a convincing 59-24 Homecoming victory over Illinois State. The Sycamores were led by Ronnie Fouch, who completed 16-of-22 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns while Shakir Bell ran the ball 14 times for 146 yards with a touchdown. Bryant Kent paced the Trees with seven receptions for 118 yards and a pair of receptions. ISU won its fourth game of the season and third in a row with a thrilling 38-35 overtime victory over Missouri State. Ronnie Fouch threw for 311 yards in the victory while the Sycamore defense racked up four quarterback sacks. The Trees came back from a 14-point fourth quarter deficit to knot the game at 35-all and Cory Little kicked a 32-yard field goal in overtime to earn the win. The Sycamores winning streak ended at North Dakota State, dropping a 27-15 decision to the Bison despite jumping out to a 12-0 first half advantage. ISU was led by Ronnie Fouch who threw for 330 yards and touchdown. Darrius Gates set a new school record by scoring five touchdowns as the Sycamores improved to a perfect 5-0 at home with a 41-30 victory over South Dakota State. Gates rushed for 143 yards while Ronnie Fouch completed 17-of-24 passes for 284 yards and two touchdown passes. Indiana State had the ball down just three points against league-leading Northern Iowa but were unable to convert a fourth down attempt en route to falling 30-20. Fouch had 200 yards passing while Gates owned a pair of touchdowns in the contest. Jacolby Washington led the team with 17 total tackles versus the Panthers. ISU broke a 36-game road losing streak and won on the road in the MVFC for the first time since the 2002 campaign with a 30-24 victory at Youngstown State. ISU led 23-17 at the half on the strength of three first half TD passes by Ronnie Fouch. ISU hit tight end Alex Jones on scoring plays of 68 and 8 yards while also tossing a 50-yarder and an 11-yard TD pass to Bryant Kent. Fouch finished the game with 290 yards passing as the Sycamores earned the hard fought road victory.

Keeping Up With Jones
Indiana State junior tight end was named the MVFC Offensive Player Of The Week following his efforts in the 30-24 victory over Youngstown State. Jones caught five passes for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Sycamores broke a 36-game road losing streak with its 30-24 victory at Youngstown State. Jones scored on a reception of 68 yards (a career long) in the game's first quarter to give ISU its first lead at 8-7 and then hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass in the game's third quarter to give the Sycamores a 30-17 lead which they never relinquished. Jones' 147 receiving yards is the most of his career in a single-game as are his two touchdowns.

Ronnie Fouch Continues Record Breaking Campaign At Youngstown State
Indiana State junior quarterback Ronnie Fouch extended his streak of 200-yard passing performances to a school record seven in a row with a 16-of-23 effort for 290 yards as well as four touchdowns at Youngstown State en route to being named the MVFC Newcomer Of The Week for the second time this season. Fouch's 290 yards was his most in a Sycamore uniform on the road as ISU downed a league opponent away from Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2002. His four touchdowns at YSU is the third time this season in which he has passed for a quartet of touchdowns in a game and gives him 20 total passing touchdowns for the season which is also a new school record. Fouch now has 20 touchdown passes on the season which has broken Jeff Miller's former school record of 17 set in 1985. Fouch currently is third in the league with a 143.46 pass efficiency rating, which is 16th best in the nation.

Tied For The Best Valley Football Season In School History
Indiana State's 4-3 record through the seven games of league play ranks as one of the best starts for the program. Only the 1988 team as well as this year's squad has ever achieved a mark of four league wins since the 1986 campaign when ISU joined what is now known as the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Washington Leads The Sycamores In Tackle For The Second Consecutive Week
Sophomore Jacolby Washington followed up a 17 tackle performance against league champion Northern Iowa last week with a team-high 14 stops as part of the 30-24 road victory over Youngstown State this week. Washington tallied nine solo tackles as well as five assists. He added 1.5 sacks in the contest for four yards of loss and was credited with 2.5 tackles for loss in the contest. Washington also continually harassed the Penguin quarterback throughout the game and helped apply the pressure needed to give the Sycamore defense a chance to tally four interceptions, just one shy of the school record.

Road Trip!
With the Indiana State Sycamores thrilling 30-24 road victory over Youngstown State, the Trees broke a 36-game road losing streak, which was the longest in any division of college football. ISU downed Youngstown State for just the second time in 20 all-time tries, with both coming at the "Ice Castle". The road win over the Penguins was the first for an Indiana State football team since downing Eastern Illinois in overtime in the second game of the 2004 campaign and its first victory in league play away from Memorial Stadium since taking down Southern Illinois in 2002. With a road victory over Southern Illinois, ISU will win back-to-back road games for the first time since 2001 and consecutive league road contests for the first time since 1996.

Sycamore Offense In 2010 Is The Best In School History
IWith its 30 points scored against Youngstown State - which were the most an Indiana State team has ever scored versus the Penguins -- the Sycamores have now amassed 330 total points this season which is a new school record. This year's team beat out the 1992 squad who previously held the record with 319 points. Additionally, the Sycamores have reached the end zone a total of 45 times this season which tops the 1992 team's 43. The offensive turnaround for Indiana State has been remarkable as the Sycamores scored a program-low 99 points last season and have improved to the point of setting the school record for most points in 2010 with 319.

This Is Our House!
Indiana State finished the regular season with a record of 5-1 for the 2010 season at Memorial Stadium with its victory over South Dakota State, giving the Sycamores five home victories for the first time since 1995. The Sycamores posted a winning record at home for the first time since going 3-2 during 2004.
Ben Obaseki Leading The League
Ben Obaseki's 1.60 tackles for loss average is tops in the league and is tied for 13th nationally. Obaseki is second in the league with his .75 quarterback sacks per game average, a number which is tied for 17th in the nation

Gates Leading The Scoring Charge & Nearing Top 10 Rushing At ISU
Indiana State senior Darrius Gates has reached the end zone a total of 17 times this season and leads the team in scoring with 102 points, which are both new school records. The school records were Willie Lee's 13 touchdowns in 1972 and 82 points, set by Scott Bridges in 1984. Gates 10.4 ppg average ranks first in the league and is second in the nation. Gates has also amassed 1,730 career rushing yards, which is seventh-best in school history and is 268 yards behind Jim Brumfield's 1,998 yards for sixth place. He has 878 rushing yards this season and needs 122 yards against Southern Illinois to become the first 1,000 yard rusher for ISU since 1999.

Hilton's 7 TDs Are Heaven; Eight Would Be Great
Indiana State junior wide receiver Justin Hilton has amassed seven touchdown receptions this season and needs one more for eight on the year which would tie Steve Schmid's record from the 1968 season.

Sycamores Against The Missouri Valley Football Conference
Indiana State is in its 25th season as a member of the MVFC. ISU's first season as a league member came in 1986 when it went 1-5 through a six-game league schedule. The Sycamores are 44-115 in MVFC contests and have won five of their last 11 league matchups, marking the first time since the 2002 season that an ISU team has won multiple league contests over a similar stretch.

The National Eye
Indiana State junior kicker Brett Sheldon, who was born with a physical handicap, was featured this summer on an episode of The Dr. Phil Show titled "Driven To Succeed." Sheldon walked on to the team in the spring and is listed on the team's depth chart out of preseason camp. During the Dr. Phil Show he was featured along with New Orleans Saints head coach -- and former Sycamore assistant -- Sean Peyton. The Dr. Phil film crew was inside Memorial Stadium during the Spring Game and footage of the Sycamores' spring scrimmage was featured on the national television program. Sheldon made his collegiate debut against South Dakota State, connecting on an extra point in the second quarter of that 41-30 Sycamore victory.

Sycamores Have Doubled Up On The Ground Twice This Season
Shakir Bell paced Indiana State with 156 yards rushing to led the Sycamores' ground attack against Quincy. He was joined over the 100-yard mark by Darrius Gates who rushed for 139 yards. It marked the second time this season that the Sycamore duo have both reached the century mark on the ground in the same game as both also did it in the season opener against St. Joseph's. Gates also scored three touchdowns versus the Hawks, marking the second time this season he has reached the end zone three times in a game (the other coming against the Pumas in the opener). Gates and Bell became the first Sycamore duo since the 2004 campaign to each reach the 100-yard rushing mark in the same game when they accomplished that feat against St. Joseph's (Ind.). Gates had 160 yards on the ground while Bell posted 133 matching the double 100-yard rushing efforts of Sidney Montfort and Jake Shields in 2004 against UT-Martin.

Sycamores In The Pros
Two former Sycamores played in NFL Preseason contests this fall. Donye McCleskey played in one preseason contest for the Indianapolis Colts where he made a trio of tackles while Jamie Petrowski played in a pair of preseason contests with the Carolina Panthers. Former Sycamore DeJuan Alfonzo plays for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League and was named the 2010 Ironman Of The Year.

Few Seniors
Indiana State has just eight players on its roster who are seniors. Of those, Darrius Gates and Pat Burke are fifth-year seniors, while Matt Seliger, Bryant Kent, Josh Jellison and Nate Brown are in their fourth year. Jordan Scott and Larry Lacotti transferred into the Sycamore program and are in their final season as well.

In Overtime
The Sycamores have played in 12 overtime contests since the rule was established for regular season games in the NCAA FCS Subdivision in 1996. The Sycamores are 7-5 in games that have used an extra period. ISU's last overtime victory came in the form of a 38-35 victory against Missouri State in the sixth game of the 2010 season.