Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- The Indiana State Sycamores remain ranked in both national polls ahead of its trip to top-ranked North Dakota State this Saturday in Fargo.
The Sycamores are No. 22 in The Sports Network Top 25 and check in at No. 23 in the FCS Coaches Poll. Indiana State is ranked for the third consecutive week by The Sports Network and are in the coaches' poll for the second week in a row. Indiana State is one of seven Missouri Valley Football Conference schools to appear in both national polls.
In The Sports Network FCS Top 25, North Dakota State is No. 1, Illinois State is No. 10, Southern Illinois is No. 14, South Dakota State is No. 18, Northern Iowa is No. 20, Youngstown State is No. 21 and Indiana State is No. 22. The FCS Coaches Poll also has North Dakota State at No. 1, Illinois State at No. 9, South Dakota State at No. 16, Southern Illinois at No. 17, Youngstown State at No. 19, Northern Iowa at No. 21 and Indiana State at No. 23.
Indiana State's game at North Dakota State marks the third consecutive week in which the Sycamores are featured in a game pitting two ranked opponents against each other. The Sycamores are 1-1 in those games this season, including a win over No. 10 Northern Iowa on October 4. NDSU is also the Sycamores' fourth consecutive nationally-ranked opponent, and the Sycamores are 2-1 against ranked teams this season. Four of the Sycamores' remaining six opponents currently appear in both national polls.
The Sycamores are currently tied with Albany for the biggest turnaround in FCS football this season. Indiana State has improved its 1-11 record in 2013 to a 4-2 mark so far in 2014. That equates to a +6 differential (take difference in number of wins, add difference in number of defeats and divide by 2) which is tied for national lead. Plus six is the current MVFC record, achieved twice in league history by Southern Illinois (2003) and Western Illinois (2010).
No. 22/23 Indiana State will travel to No. 1 North Dakota State on Saturday, October 18 at 3:30 p.m. (ET). The game will be televised nationally on ESPN3. NDSU rides a 30-game winning streak into the contest, with their last defeat coming at the hands of the Sycamores on October 13, 2012 in Fargo. That game still marks Indiana State's only win over a team ranked No.1 nationally.
NOTES
For the fourth consecutive week, the Sycamores will be taking on a nationally-ranked opponent as they travel to No. 1 North Dakota State on Saturday. ISU is 2-1 this season against ranked opponents, and will be looking for their 14th victory over a nationally-ranked program since joining the MVFC 29 seasons ago. Indiana State is the last team to take down North Dakota State, when they won 17-14 in Fargo on October 13, 2012. The Sycamores are 1-8 all-time time against the nation's top ranked team. The Bison have won 30 consecutive games since the Indiana State victory in 2012.
Indiana State junior Connor Underwood kept his streak of consecutive games with a quarterback sack alive with one against Illinois State this past weekend. Underwood is averaging 7.7 tackles per game to rank tied for sixth in the league. Underwood owns the league lead in quarterback sacks per game with a 1.17 average, a mark which ranks tied for sixth nationally. He has seven total sacks for a loss of 31 yards. He now owns 22.0 for his career and is only 3.5 away from Kyle Mitchell's current school record of 25.5. He also has 12.5 tackles for a loss this year which is tops in the MVFC and ranks seventh in FCS football. Underwood has 40.0 tackles for a loss in his career and needs only 14.5 more to tie Kyle Mitchell's school record of 54.5.
Mike Perish enters week seven of his senior season, and his third season as the Sycamore starting quarterback, ranked fourth all-time in career passing yards with 4,574. For his career he is 523-of-715 for 4,574 yards and 33 touchdowns. He needs 520 more yards to top Reggie Allen's total of 5,094 yards from 1978-81 for third on the Sycamores all-time list. Perish missed the Illinois State game as he was held out due to medical reasons.
In a tight defensive struggle for much of the game against Illinois State, junior punter Osborn Umeh punted nine times for 340 yards to average 37.8 yards per punt. He had a long punt of 52 yards to help keep control of field position early in the game and pinned the Redbirds inside their own 20-yard line a total of three times.
Indiana State junior Gary Owens caught seven passes for 70 yards against Illinois State. Owens' caught an 18-yard pass from Matt Adam on fourth-and-10 to spur a fourth quarter comeback which nearly netted the Sycamores a third consecutive victory over a nationally-ranked program. Owens' touchdown was a spectacular one-handed grab in the back right corner of the end zone over two Redbird defenders. On that drive, Owens made a 16-yard reception and a 10-yard reception to keep the ball moving in the Sycamores' favor.
