Ace Hunt
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State Sycamores won their fifth straight home opener at Memorial Stadium Saturday as the Sycamores dominated the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles for a 49-14 victory. It was Indiana State's first win over an Ohio Valley Conference school since 2004.
Indiana State (1-1) will be on the road next weekend as they visit the Ball State Cardinals in a 3 p.m. (ET) kickoff. The game will be aired on ESPN3. Tennessee Tech fell to 1-1 on the season.
Senior quarterback Mike Perish led Indiana State to seven touchdowns on the day as he was 26-of-34 passing for 383 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran twice for two yards and scored a touchdown. Perish's 383 yards are tied for fourth-most in a single-game in the history of the program and proved to be just nine yards shy of his career-best 392 set last year against Youngstown State.
Junior Gary Owens was the favorite target of Perish with six catches for 199 yards and a touchdown. Owens had the most receiving yards by a Sycamore since 1986 in the contest and is the third-most receiving yards in a single-game in program history. Junior Jamar Brown caught five passes including two for touchdowns.
The ground game was led by sophomore Lemonte Booker who had 77 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries. Booker's three rushing touchdowns are the most by a Sycamore since Shakir Bell had four against Youngstown State in 2011. Senior Buck Logan had 51 yards on 13 carries.
The Sycamore defense did not allow the Golden Eagles to score but the Indiana State special teams did give up two touchdowns in the third quarter. Sophomore defensive back Tsali Lough had eight tackles (five solo) to lead the Indiana State defense while sophomore linebacker Jordan Wallace had seven tackles (five solo) including a sack and two tackles for loss. Connor Underwood had three tackles and all were for a loss, including a first quarter sack of the Tennessee Tech quarterback.
Indiana State's offense was efficient on the day as they put points on the board on seven of their first 12 possessions of the game.
The Sycamores scored on three of their first six possessions in the first half as they took advantage of three Golden Eagle turnovers in taking a 21-0 halftime lead. Indiana State took the lead in the first period on their second drive of the game which was helped by a roughing the passer penalty, hindered by three 15-yard penalties on the same play, and culminated in the Sycamores first touchdown of the game.
The drive started at Indiana State's 17-yard line and it looked like the Sycamores would have their second three-and-out of the game. However, the Golden Eagles were called for roughing the passer and the Sycamores kept the ball. Indiana State moved into the Tennessee Tech half of the field for the first time on the day and had a first down at the Golden Eagles 34. Unfortunately, Indiana State was called for three penalties on the next play which moved the ball all the way back to the Sycamores 22 yard line.
It took the Sycamores just three plays to gain all that yardage back and more. Perish connected with Levingston for seven yards and then caught Owens in stride at the Tech 40. Owens broke a tackle at the 35 before finally being pushed out of bounds just short of the goal line. Booker took over from there and busted into the end zone for the first score of the game as the first quarter came to an end. Eric Heidorn booted the point after for a 7-0 Indiana State lead.
The Sycamore defense provided Indiana State with three scoring opportunities in the second quarter and the Sycamores capitalized on two of them.
Junior defensive back Travis Starks intercepted a pass by Tennessee Tech's quarterback Jared Davis at the Golden Eagles 37 with 11:31 left in the half. The Sycamores were unable to capitalize as Heidorn just missed to the left on a 41-yard field goal attempt.
On the Golden Eagles next drive, sophomore defensive lineman Conlan Cassidy recovered a Tennessee Tech fumble at the Golden Eagles 27 yard line. Perish dove through the middle on a quarterback keeper from a yard out with 5:16 left and Heidorn booted the point after to put Indiana State up 14-0.
The lead continued to grow as the Sycamores took advantage of another Golden Eagle turnover on their next possession. Cassidy forced Tech's Willie Davis to cough up the ball and Indiana State's Donavan Layne recovered at the Tech 43. Perish needed just four plays to extend Indiana State's lead including a 28-yard strike to senior Kyanni Harris and then connected with junior tight end Jamar Brown for the touchdown with 2:26 left in the first half.
The Sycamores added to their lead with their first possession of the second half. Perish led the Indiana State team on an eight play, 80 yard drive that culminated in Booker breaking free for a 37 yard touchdown run with 11:30 left in the third quarter. The point after gave Indiana State a 28-0 lead.
The Golden Eagles picked up a little life on Indiana State's next possession after Tennessee Tech punter Jonathan King put the Sycamores with their backs to the end zone with a punt that was downed at the Indiana State one yard line. The Sycamores could not move the ball and were forced to punt which was blocked and recovered by Jordan Patrick with 7:04 left in the third.
Sycamore special teams gave up a touchdown to the Golden Eagles after Tennessee Tech had stopped Indiana State on their next possession. Ladari Vanlier took the punt and outraced the Sycamores for a 72 yard return for a touchdown with 6:12 left. The point after was good as the Golden Eagles cut the Indiana State lead to 28-14.
It took Indiana State just three plays to regain the momentum and started with a 33 yard kickoff return by Booker. Logan rushed for five yards and Perish hit Sam Levingston for 17 yards before the senior signal caller connected with Gary Owens for a 31 yard touchdown pass and a 35-14 Indiana State lead with 4:54 left in the third.
Perish threw two passes on Indiana State's next possession which included a 79 yard catch and run by Gary Owens that gave the Sycamores a first down at the Tennessee Tech nine yard line. Two plays later, Perish connected with Jamar Brown for the touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Indiana State upped their lead to 42-14 after Heidorn booted the point after.
Booker added his third touchdown of the game on Indiana State's next possession as he capped a five play, 80 yard drive with a 20 yard touchdown run with 10:14 left in the game. Heidorn booted the point after as Indiana State increased their lead to 49-14.
