Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com

SETTING THE STAGE
The fifth season of the Trent Miles era continues on Saturday, October 27, as the No. 15/18 Sycamores return home in Missouri Valley Football Conference play against league newcomer South Dakota. Saturday's game is set for a 2:05 p.m. (ET) kickoff at Memorial Stadium (12,764). The game will be broadcast live world-wide on ESPN 3 with Scott Warmann (pbp), Danan Hughes (color) and Erin Bajackson (sidelines) on the call. The game will also air live on WIBQ (98.5 FM), with Brian Fritz and Tom James calling the action for the Nelligan Sports Marketing Radio Network. Action can be heard live worldwide on GoSycamores.com. ESPN 3 is a free web stream service on the ESPN Family Of Networks and details of the broadcast can be found on page 2 of this release.

FORD MILITARY DAY
The Indiana State vs. South Dakota contest is Ford Military Day at Memorial Stadium. Ford will be hosting a pre-game tailgate outside of the stadium which is will feature a large HD Ford Jumbotron broadcasting ESPN College Gameday and other football programming prior to the game. All military members with a valid ID can receive up to four (4) free tickets at the Hulman Center Ticket Office, any local Ford Dealer or at any gate at Memorial Stadium on gameday as a way of saying thank you for your service to our nation from your local Ford Dealers as well as the Indiana State Athletics Department.

THE SOUTH DAKOTA SERIES
Indiana State is meeting South Dakota for the first time ever on the gridiron. South Dakota is in its first season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

THE COACHES
INDIANA STATE: Trent Miles (Indiana State '87)
- Overall: 19-34 (5th Season)
- at Indiana State: 19-34 (5th Season)
- vs. USD: First Meeting
- vs. Missouri Valley Football Conference: 13-24
USD: Joe Glenn (South Dakota, '71)
- Overall: 189-105-1 (25th Season)
- at USD: 1-6 (First Season)
- vs. Indiana State: First Meeting
- vs. Missouri Valley Football Conference: 25-14

QUICK HITS
- Indiana State is on a four-game winning streak for the second consecutive season. The Sycamores have also won each of their last four Missouri Valley Football Conference road games for the first time since joining the league.
- Indiana State senior linebacker Aaron Archie has reached double digit tackles in all eight games so far in 2012 and leads the MVFC with an 11.88 tackles per game average, a number which ranks fourth nationally.
- The Sycamores' No. 15 national ranking is its second-highest since joining the MVFC. It is also the highest ranking for Indiana State in the Trent Miles era.
- Indiana State owns a 4-1 mark in MVFC play for the first time since joining the league and has never won five league games in a season.

An Indiana State Win Over South Dakota Would ...
• Give Indiana State a 5-1 start to MVFC play for the first time ever and also would mark the first time that the Sycamores have ever recorded five MVFC victories in a single-season.
• Give Indiana State a 7-2 record for the first time since 1995.
• Be the Sycamores' first victory over South Dakota in the first all-time meeting between the two schools.
• Give the Sycamores five consecutive victories for the first time since 1996.
• Be head coach Trent Miles' 20th victory at the helm of the Sycamore program.

The Indiana State Head Coach
Indiana State head coach Trent Miles (Indiana State, 1987) is 19-34 (.358) overall in his fifth season as a head coach, all with the Sycamores. He is 13-24 all-time in MVFC games, including a 7-11 mark at home and a 6-13 mark on the road. During his career, he is 12-14 in all home games, 7-20 on the road and 4-3 in games decided by three points or less. Miles is 0-0 all-time against South Dakota, and is 0-0 against the Coyotes at home. With the Trees, Miles is 1-2 in overtime games, and 1-5 in shutouts. Saturday's game is Trent Miles' 54th as Indiana State head coach.

The South Dakota Head Coach
South Dakota is led by veteran head coach Joe Glenn, who is 1-6 in his first season. Glenn is 189-105-1 in his 25th season as a head coach. Glenn is 25-14 all-time against the current membership of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, with most of those decisions coming in the '90s as the head coach of Northern Colorado, where he played South Dakota, South Dakota State and North Dakota State in the NCAA Division II ranks. Glenn also coached Montana to the FCS Championship Game in the early 2000's and has been the head coach at Wyoming.

Scouting The Coyotes
South Dakota is 1-6 on the season, including an 0-4 mark in their initial season of Missouri Valley Football Conference play. The Coyotes defeated Colgate in the second week of the season. USD dropped league games at home to Illinois State and on the road against Missouri State, falling by a field goal in each game. The Coyotes have also dropped a home game against Western Illinois 24-17 as well as neutral site contest in Sioux Falls to North Dakota State, 54-0.

A Little History
This marks the 108th 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 357-476-22 and is competing for the 27th consecutive season as a member of the MVFC.

Television Particulars
The South Dakota contest is being televised world-wide as part of the Missouri Valley Football Conference broadcast package on ESPN 3. Those fans with a current subscription to an internet or television provider who has partnered with ESPN can receive the broadcast free of charge on WATCHESPN.com. The game is also available on smartphones and tablets via the WATCH ESPN app. ESPN 3 is available for free on most college campuses and military bases.

Aaron Archie Makes It Back-To-Back Sycamore Defensive Player Of The Week
Aaron Archie became the second Sycamore in as many weeks to be named the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player Of The Week as he was honored following his performance in the 23-7 road victory over Western Illinois. Archie led a spectacular defensive effort for Indiana State that kept Western Illinois off balance for the entire contest. He posted a team-high 11 tackles, including one for a loss with a quarterback hurry as the Sycamores broke a string of seven road losses at Western Illinois with a 23-7 victory over the Leathernecks. Archie leads the MVFC in tackles per game and has recorded double digit tackles in all eight games this season. Three of Archie's tackles were solos as the Sycamore defense allowed just five first downs to Western Illinois in the contest and held them to just 144 yards of total offense. Archie leads the MVFC with an 11.88 tackles per game average and is fourth nationally.

Indiana State Has Already Secured Third Consecutive Winning Season
The Indiana State Sycamores improved to a 6-2 overall record as well as a 4-1 burst of the gate in Missouri Valley Football Conference play with its 23-7 road victory over Western Illinois. The Sycamores have already secured their third consecutive winning campaign which would is the first time ISU has enjoyed that many winning seasons in a row since the 1967-69 years under Jerry Huntsman when ISU posted six consecutive winning seasons.

Sycamores Off To Best Start Ever In Missouri Valley Football Conference Play
Indiana State improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with a 23-7 road victory over Western Illinois. The last time a Sycamore team was 6-2 came in 1996, and Indiana State is 4-1 in league play for the first time ever. The victory over WIU snapped a seven-game road losing streak against the Leathernecks, dating back to 1996. The Sycamores have also won four games in a row this season and four league games in a row on the road - which is the longest conference road winning streak in the history of the Sycamore football program.

Finishing The Games Strong
The Indiana State Sycamores have put together a total of 31 offensive scoring drives through seven games this season. Of those, 22 have come after an opponent's final score -- good enough for 71.0 percent of all scoring drives. The Sycamores have outscored their opponents by a 89-49 margin in the second half this season, including a 47-15 advantage in the fourth quarter. The Sycamores improved to a perfect 6-0 this season when leading heading into the fourth quarter as they made a 13-7 lead standup with the victory in Macomb.

Sycamores Reaching New Heights In The National Polls
Indiana State is ranked No. 15 in this week's The Sports Network FCS Top 25 and are tied with Eastern Kentucky for No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The No. 15 national ranking is the highest for the Sycamore football program in the Trent Miles area and the second highest since joining the MVFC. ISU was ranked No. 14 in both 1989 & 1995. The Sycamores have been ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation in 1984 prior to MVFC membership.

Johnny Towalid Has Historic Outing Against North Dakota State
Towalid was named the Co-National Defensive Player Of The Week By The Sports Network and was The National Defensive Performer Of The Week & National Defensive Back Of The Week as announced the College Football Performance Awards. He also was named a College Sporting News National All-Star. Towalid set an Indiana State school record with two interception returns for a touchdown as the Sycamores took down No. 1 North Dakota State on the road in ISU's first-ever victory over a nationally top-ranked program. His pair of pick 6's tied the league and FCS record for a single-game. He is one of just 24 players all-time to record two interception returns for a touchdown in one game in the history of FCS football. He scored both of the Sycamores' touchdowns at NDSU, including one in the second quarter of 27 yards to give ISU a 10-3 lead and then added another in the third quarter of 31 yards to stake the Sycamores to a 17-6 advantage. His first interception broke a string of 140 passes off the arm of Bison quarterback Brock Jensen without a pick. His two touchdown returns gave him a tie for both the Indiana State school record of two in a season and combined with his 78-yard touchdown off an interception at South Dakota State last season gives him three for his career which ties that record as well. He is tied with John Karazsia for both of those records set from 1970-72.

Shakir Bell Becomes Quickest To 1,000 Rushing Yards At Indiana State (Again!)
Indiana State junior Shakir Bell went over the 1,000 rushing yard mark for the season in just the seventh game as he put up 96 yards on the ground as the Sycamores downed No. 1 North Dakota State in front of a near capacity crowd at the Fargodome 17-14. Bell rushed 26 times in the game for 96 yards as he broke his own school record set last year for being the fastest Sycamore to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season. Bell added two pass receptions for 15 yards in the contest, including a 19-yard reception in the game's first quarter which set up a 48-yard field goal for Tanner Fritschle. Bell also broke off a 28-yard rush in the fourth quarter against the Bison which allowed the Sycamores to eat up clock after NDSU had narrowed the Sycamore lead down to just 17-14 early in the stanza. Bell now has 3,475 yards for his career which is third on ISU's all-time list. Bell is averaging 144.5 rushing yards per game which is second in the MVFC and fifth nationally. Bell has reached 100 yards rushing in 17 of his 30 career games. Vincent Allen (4,335 yards from 1973-77) and David Wright (4,181 yards from 1992-95) are the only two players to sit ahead of Bell on the ISU all-time career rushing list.

Why The Win Over North Dakota State Is High On The Indiana State List Of Program Achievements
Indiana State's 17-14 road victory over No. 1 North Dakota State was monumental in several ways for the Sycamores. It was the first-ever victory by an Indiana State football team over a program that was ranked first in the nation at the time of the contest in eight tries. It also marked the first victory for the Sycamores against a team ranked in the Top 5 nationally at the time of the game in 20 attempts. It was also the third consecutive road victory in MVFC play which is the longest such streak of success away from Memorial Stadium in conference action ever by the Sycamore program. The victory also broke a string of 10 consecutive wins for the Bison, who captured the FCS National Championship in 2011.

Special Forces Unit Making Their Mark Nationally
The Sycamores are averaging 38.64 yards per net punt, which is tops in the league and eighth nationally. Special Forces also ranks sixth nationally and third in the league in kickoff return average, boasting a 26.53 tally per opportunity. Hileman is averaging a league-best 43.87 yards per punt, a total which is eighth best nationally.

Sycamores All-Time Against Nationally Ranked Programs
Indiana State downed No. 1 North Dakota State on the road on October 13 to mark the last time the Sycamores have won against a nationally-ranked team. The Sycamores are 11-73 all-time against FCS nationally-ranked opponents, including a mark of 8-54 against league members that are nationally ranked. ISU stopped a skid of two losses against a nationally-ranked opponent (@No. 2 Northern Iowa on October 8, 2011 & vs. No. 1 North Dakota State on November 5, 2011) with the victory over the Bison.

Defense Ranks High Nationally In Points Allowed Per Game
The Sycamore defense has been outstanding so far this season, allowing just 99 points over the first eight games, including the program's first shutout since 1996 with the 44-0 victory over Quincy on September 8. ISU has allowed just six offensive touchdowns to the opposition in the last 30 quarters of action. ISU's defense is allowing an average of 12.38 points per game which ranks second in the MVFC and nationally. The Sycamores rank in the national Top 10 in four different defensive categories.

Calvin Burnett With Two Interceptions In A Game For Second Time In As Many Weeks
Calvin Burnett recorded a pair of interceptions in back-to-back games against Southern Illinois and Missouri State and now has four on the season. It marked the third time in Burnett's career that he has picked off two passes in a game and the first time at Memorial Stadium when he did it on Homecoming versus the Bears. Burnett tied a career-high with two pass interceptions with his other double interception performances coming on the road at Youngstown State in November of 2010 and at Southern Illinois on September 29, 2012.

Tanner Riley Garners National Honors Following 93-Yard Kickoff Return Versus Missouri State
Indiana State junior Tanner Riley was named the National Kickoff Returner Of The Week by the College Football Performance Awards for his efforts as part of the Homecoming victory over Missouri State on October 6. Riley answered a Missouri State first quarter touchdown with a 93-yard kickoff return for a score to even the game at 7-7 en route to the 31-17 triumph over the Bears. His kickoff return was the first for a TD since Leonard Riston did it last season against Butler and was the longest by a Sycamore since 2005. The return was the first in Riley's career for a touchdown and the second score of his career (caught a nine-yard pass last week against Southern Illinois). The touchdown proved to be Riley's only kickoff return opportunity of the game. Riley added one catch for seven yards against the Bears.

Fritschle Honored By The Fred Mitchell Award Committee For September Performance
Indiana State sophomore kicker Tanner Fritschle has been very effective at the kicking position this year, hitting 9-of-10 field goal attempts and is a perfect 18-of-18 on PAT's so far through six contests. For his efforts, he has been honored by The Fred Mitchell Award Committee for one of the best national performances by a kicker in the month of September. He is one of 31 kickers to earn the distinction. The Washington, Ind., native made a field goal as the clock reached 0:00 heading into halftime in each of the first four games this season.

Bell Sets MVFC & ISU Rushing Records In Victory Over Drake
Indiana State junior running back Shakir Bell etched his name in both the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Indiana State record books yet again on September 15 when he gained 349 yards on the ground to set both the school and conference single-game rushing record against Drake. For his efforts, Bell was named both the MVFC Offensive Player Of The Week and The Sports Network National Offensive Player Of The Week. His 349-yard rushing effort is the highest single-game total so far this season for both FBS and FCS and is the eighth-highest total ever in FCS history. Evan Borchers Was Named The MVFC Offensive Lineman Of The Week following Bell's performance against Drake.

Shakir Bell Named To Walter Payton Award Watch List
Indiana State junior running back Shakir Bell is among 20 student-athletes selected by The Sports Network for the publication's 2012 Walter Payton Award Watch List. The Walter Payton Award is presented following the season to the nation's most outstanding player at the Football Championship Subdivision level. Bell tied for second for the prestigious award following his standout sophomore season, a year that saw the Indianapolis, Ind., native led the nation with 1,670 rushing yards. The Warren Central High School product was named to the FCS Preseason All-America First Team by The Sports Network earlier this week. Bell averaged 151.8 yards per game on the ground and broke the school record for single-game rushing yards last season when he racked up 256 yards and four touchdowns in Indiana State's 37-35 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 24, 2011. The 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year tallied 14 touchdowns in 2011, breaking the school record for single-season rushing yards (1,670) and posted the eighth-best total in MVFC history.

Ben Obaseki Named To Buck Buchanan Award Watch List
Indiana State senior defensive lineman Ben Obaseki is one of 20 players nationally to be named to the 2012 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List as announced by The Sports Network. The Buck Buchanan Award is awarded annually at the FCS Awards Banquet during NCAA FCS Championship weekend to the nation's top FCS defensive player. Earlier this month, Shakir Bell was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List, which goes to the top offensive player in FCS. Bell finished tied for second in last season's voting as a sophomore. Last season, Obaseki was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press and was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference performer. He finished third in the league's Defensive Player of the Year voting after leading the Sycamores with 7.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss, which tied for second and third in the MVFC, respectively, in those categories. He posted 22 total tackles against Western Illinois on October 15 which is the most by a defensive lineman in the history of the MVFC. Obaseki also plays fullback in goal line situations as he scored five touchdowns last season on five rushing attempts. Obaseki was also a First Team All-MVFC performer as sophomore in 2010.

Bringing Back Memories Of "The Fridge"
The Sycamores' senior defensive end Ben Obaseki found the end zone for the seventh time of his career on the offensive side of the football when he plunged in from one yard out in the 2012 home opener against Quincy. Obaseki has seven career rushes to his credit - all leading to Sycamore touchdowns.

Sycamores Against The Missouri Valley Football Conference
Indiana State is in its 27th 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 50-116 in MVFC contests and have won 11 of their last 19 league matchups, marking the first time since the 2002 season that an ISU team has won multiple league contests over a similar stretch.

FN Lutz Nominated For 2012 All-State AFCA Good Works Team
Indiana State senior offensive lineman FN Lutz is one of 117 nominees nationwide for the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team as announced today by the national coaches' organization. In 2011, Lutz was named both First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference as well as First Team MVFC All-Academic following a season that saw him start all 11 games at center. He spearheaded an Indiana State rushing attack that averaging 181.9 yards per game as well as a league-leading 5.3 yards per carry. He was an Honorable Mention All-MVFC pick in 2010 as a sophomore. Lutz is joined by Colton Underwood of Illinois State, Billy Turner of North Dakota State, Bo Helm of South Dakota State and Kyle Bernard of Northern Iowa as representatives of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. As one of college football's most prestigious off-the-field honors, the award recognizes a select group of college football players committed to making a difference in their communities. Since 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has shown a spotlight on the countless "good works" and remarkable stories of service by student-athletes at all levels of college football competition. Award recipients represent the sport's finest in terms of character and leadership in the community.

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 contest came in the form of a 38-35 victory against Missouri State in the sixth game of the 2010 season.

Up Next
The Sycamores conclude the regular season portion of the home schedule when they host Illinois State on Saturday, November 3. Kick-off is set for 2:05 p.m. (ET) and will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.