By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home for its final two games of the 2015 season this weekend, first hosting the Western Illinois Leathernecks this Saturday (Nov. 14). Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium, and fans can watch live on ESPN3.

QUICK HITS

• The Sycamores are receiving votes in both the STATS FCS Top-25 and the FCS Coaches Poll, but are not ranked in either poll for the first time since Sept. 22, 2014. This week's absence snaps an ISU school-record 20 straight weeks in the polls, which ranged from Sept. 29, 2014 to Nov. 2, 2015.

• With ISU's drop from the polls, this is the first week that the Missouri Valley Football Conference has had less than six teams ranked this season. Five Valley schools remain, though: No. 2/3 North Dakota State, No. 5 South Dakota State, No. 6 Illinois State, No. 17/19 Northern Iowa and No. 20/21 Youngstown State.

• The Sycamores are 58-141 (.291) all-time in MVFC play (dating back to ISU's first Valley season in 1986).

• Indiana State is 15-86 all-time against top-25 schools, which includes an 11-66 mark against ranked MVFC teams. However, ISU is coming off a season in which it went 5-4 against ranked schools in 2014.

• The Sycamores are currently in the middle of a three-game losing streak -- all vs. ranked conference opponents: No. 8 North Dakota State (L, 28-14), No. 3 Illinois State (L, 27-24) and No. 17/20 Northern Iowa (L, 59-13).

• After committing four turnovers in their first two games, the Sycamores only committed three total turnovers from Sept. 19 to Oct. 31 before turning the ball over five times at UNI on Nov. 7.

• Indiana State held a 15-point lead over No. 3 Illinois State heading into the fourth quarter on Oct. 31. However, the Redbirds mounted an 18-point comeback to win 27-24.

• The Sycamores were also neck-and-neck with North Dakota State on Oct. 24, tied 14-14 in the third quarter following an ISU season-long offensive play by QB Matt Adam, who rushed 81 yards for a touchdown.

• Adam's 81-yard TD run against the Bison is the third-longest rush in the MVFC this season, 11th-longest nationally.

• Matt Adam ranks second in the MVFC in total offense at 2,169 yards (241.0 per game), trailing only FCS No. 3 offensive producer Mark Iannotti of Southern Illinois (3,164, 351.6/game).

• Of Adam's 1,794 passing yards and 18 touchdowns this season, 983 yards and 14 scores have gone to either WRs Robert Tonyan Jr. or Gary Owens.

• In the last two weeks alone, Robert Tonyan Jr. has caught 12 passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns. On the year he has 32 receptions for 493 yards and six scores.

• WR Robert Tonyan Jr. caught three touchdowns in the second quarter against the Redbirds, tying a single-game school record for receiving touchdowns. Tonyan is the sixth Sycamore to ever catch three in a game, and the second this season after Gary Owens did so vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 17.

• Tonyan's second TD catch of the day was featured as the No. 4 play on SportsCenter's Top-10 that night.

• Tonyan and Owens are two of 31 receivers in the FCS to have caught three touchdowns in a single game this season, which ties them for fourth nationally in single-game TDs.

• Counting Tonyan's big second quarter against the Redbirds, the Sycamores have now scored 21 points or more in a single quarter on five different occassions this season.

• Gary Owens missed last week's game at UNI due to a concussion and is a gametime decision vs. WIU.

• ISU has recorded at least one turnover in seven of nine games played this season (UNI and SDSU being the exceptions).

• Only three opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 200 yards or more on the Sycamore defense: Purdue's Austin Appleby (289), SDSU's Taryn Christion (221) and Southern Illinois' Mark Iannotti (427).

• ISU set season-highs in total offense (561) and rushing offense (329) against Southern Illinois on Oct. 17.

• This marks the 111th 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 379-509-23 and is competing for the 30th consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

ABOUT WESTERN ILLINOIS

QUICK HITS

• Total offense: 366.7 (7th MVFC, 65th FCS)

• Total defense: 398.8 (7th MVFC, 70th FCS)

• Rushing offense: 127.8 (10th MVFC, 85th FCS)

• Rushing defense: 191.1 (7th MVFC, 85th FCS)

• Passing offense: 238.9 (3rd MVFC, 37th FCS)

• Passing defense: 207.7 (6th MVFC, 55th FCS)

KEY PLAYERS

#14 QB Trenton Norvell | 6-5, 220 | Jr. | Daytona Beach, Fla.

• 2015 Season Stats (passing): 168-of-304 (55.3%), 2,110 yards, 13 TDs, 8 INTs, 234.4 YPG, Long of 61

• Ranks in national top-50 in: passing yards (26th, 2,110), passing yards per game (28th, 234.4 YPG), completions per game (30th, 18.67), yards per completion (35th, 12.56), passing touchdowns (36th, 13) and total offense (43rd, 231.2 YPG).

• Ranks second in the MVFC in passing, third in total offense and 10th in passing efficiency (122.4).

#41 RB Nikko Watson | 6-0, 250 | Sr. | Rock Island, Ill.

• 2015 Season Stats (rushing): 152 rushes, 687 yards, 9 TDs, 98.1 YPG, 4.5 YPC, Long of 39

• Ranks in the national top-50 in: rushing yards per game (19th, 98.1 YPG), rushing touchdowns (23rd, 9 TDs), scoring (39th, 7.7 PPG) and rushing yards (45th, 687).

• Ranks second in the MVFC in rushing at 98.1 yards per game -- nearly 35 yards per game behind FCS No. 3 rusher Marshaun Coprich of Illinois State (133.9 YPG).

#7 WR Lance Lenoir | 6-0, 200 | Jr. | Crete, Ill.

• 2015 Season Stats (receiving): 56 receptions, 842 yards, 5 TDs, 93.6 YPG, 15.0 YPC, Long of 56

• 2015 Season Stats (kick returns): 13 returns, 310 yards, 23.9 YPR, Long of 71

• 2015 Season Stats (punt returns): 10 returns, 72 yards, 7.2 YPR, Long of 42

• Ranks in the national top-50 in: receiving yards (15th, 842), receiving yards per game (19th, 93.6 YPG), all-purpose yardage (21st, 136.0 YPG), receptions per game (23rd, 6.2/game), kickoff returns (44th, 23.8/return), and receiving touchdowns (48th, 5 TDs).

• Leads the MVFC in receptions per game (6.2), also ranks third in receiving yards (93.6/game) and all-purpose yards (136.0/game).

#44 LB Brett Taylor | 6-2, 230 | So. | Macomb, Ill.

• 2015 Season Stats: 104 total tackles (53 solo), 4.5 TFL (5 yards), 1 INT (42 yards), 3 Fumble Recoveries (21 yards), 2 Forced Fumbles

• Ranks second nationally in fumble recoveries (3), eighth in total tackles (104) and 12th in solo tackles (53).

SCOUTING THE LEATHERNECKS

Western Illinois comes into Terre Haute with the exact same overall record as Indiana State (4-5), but one win ahead of the Sycamores in the conference standings at 3-3. The Leathernecks own two top-25 wins over No. 25 Eastern Illinois (33-5, Sept. 3) and No. 12 Northern Iowa (24-19, Oct. 17), and also went toe-to-toe with then-No. 1 Coastal Carolina (L, 34-27, Sept. 19.

However, WIU is also similar to Indiana State in that it is currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak at No. 3 Illinois State (48-28, Oct. 24), No. 24 North Dakota State (23-21, Oct. 31) and No. 5/6 North Dakota State (59-7, Nov. 7).

Western possesses a lethal three-headed attack on offense from QB Trenton Norvell, RB Nikko Watson and WR Lance Lenoir. Norvell is the Valley's second-best passer and third-best in total offense behind SIU's Mark Iannotti and ISU's Matt Adam. Watson is the second-best rusher in the conference thus far in 2015 at 98.1 YPG, which also ranks 19th-best nationally. Lenoir, meanwhile, is a top-15 receiver nationally himself, as well as the Valley's leader in receptions per game (6.2) and its third-best all-purpose yardage holder at 136.0 YPG. WIU also owns one of the top linebackers in the nation in Brett Taylor, who ranks eighth nationally in total tackles (104).

INDIANA STATE HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD

HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD

Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1978) is 29-65 (.309) overall in his eighth season as a head coach and is 13-22 (.371) in his third season with Indiana State. He is 6-16 all-time in MVFC games, including a 3-7 mark at home and an 3-9 mark on the road. During his career, he is 21-25 in all home games, 8-40 on the road and 9-9 in games decided by three points or less. With the Trees, Sanford is 1-0 in overtime games and 0-1 in shutouts. Saturday's game is Sanford's 36th as the Indiana State head coach and his 96th as a collegiate head coach.

INDIANA STATE OFFENSIVE NOTES

QUICK HITS

• Total offense: 384.1 (6th MVFC, 59th FCS)

• Rushing offense: 171.3 (6th MVFC, 48th FCS)

• Passing offense: 212.8 (T-5th MVFC, 57th FCS)

• Matt Adam ranks in the national top-50 in: passing touchdowns (16th, 18 TDs), points responsible for (17th, 130), points responsible for per game (18th, 14.7 PPG), passing efficiency (33rd, 133.0), total offense (35th, 241.0), passing yards (40th, 1,794), completions per game (46th, 16.56) and passing yards per game (47th, 199.3/game).

• Matt Adam ranks second in the MVFC in total offense at 2,169 yards (241.0 per game), trailing only FCS No. 3 offensive producer Mark Iannotti of Southern Illinois (3,164, 351.6/game).

• Prior to last week's game at UNI, Matt Adam had not thrown an interception since Oct. 10 (SDSU).

• QB Matt Adam has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all 10 of his career starts (9 this year, one in 2014 ).

• Adam's 81-yard TD run against the Bison is the third-longest in the MVFC this season, 11th-longest nationally.

• Matt Adam recorded his first-career 100-yard rushing game against SIU with 123 yards and one TD.

• Matt Adam and LeMonte Booker's 100-yard games against SIU made them the first ISU duo to rush for 100 yards in the same game since 2010 (Shakir Bell and Darrius Gates, vs. Quincy).

• Of Adam's 1,794 passing yards and 18 touchdowns this season, 983 yards and 14 scores have gone to either WRs Robert Tonyan Jr. or Gary Owens.

• In the last two weeks alone, Robert Tonyan Jr. has caught 12 passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns. On the year he has 32 receptions for 493 yards and six scores.

• WR Robert Tonyan Jr. caught three touchdowns in the second quarter against the Redbirds, tying a single-game school record for receiving touchdowns. Tonyan is the sixth Sycamore to ever catch three in a game, and the second this season after Gary Owens did so vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 17.

• Tonyan's second TD catch of the day was featured as the No. 4 play on SportsCenter's Top-10 that night.

• Tonyan and Owens are two of 31 receivers in the FCS to have caught three touchdowns in a single game this season, which ties them for fourth nationally in single-game TDs.

• Tonyan and Owens rank in the top-30 nationally in receiving TDs; Owens 11th with eight, Tonyan 27th with six.

• Counting Tonyan's big second quarter against the Redbirds, the Sycamores have now scored 21 points or more in a single quarter on five different occasions this season.

• Tonyan threw a 42-yard pass to Gary Owens against Southern Illinois on Oct. 17. Tonyan is a former Sycamore QB before transitioning to WR in 2014.

• Senior WR Gary Owens is curently tied for the ISU single-season receiving touchdowns record with eight total TD catches in 2015. Owens is also on pace to break ISU's all-time career record of 15 TDs; Owens has 13 TD catches and 1,305 yards in less than two seasons at Indiana State.

• Gary Owens missed last week's game at UNI due to a concussion and is a gametime decision vs. WIU.

• Tonyan owns Matt Adam's longest pass of the year, a 57-yard reception against Southeast Missouri.

• Tonyan broke the career 1,000-yard mark vs. NDSU on Oct. 24, joining Gary Owens as the second active Sycamore to break 1,000 this season. The duo has combined for 2,465 yards and 22 TDs in two seasons together. Tonyan currently has 1,160 yards and nine TDs, Owens has 1,305 yards and 13 TDs.

• Gary Owens has 10 total TDs this season: eight receiving, one rushing and one passing. He ranks 11th nationally in receiving touchdowns.

• RB LeMonte Booker had a 55-yard reception against Illinois State, his seventh play this season 20 yards or longer. Booker also has two that are 55 or longer -- his longest being a 76-yard TD run against Butler.

• WR Sampson Levingston has had a reception of 20 yards or more in four of the last five games.

SYCAMORES OWN TWO TOP-30 RECEIVERS

Senior WR Gary Owens and junior WR Robert Tonyan Jr. have combined for 14 touchdowns and 983 yards this season, and both rank in the top-30 individually in receiving touchdowns. Owens, who missed last week's game at UNI due to a concussion, ranks 17th nationally with eight receiving touchdowns – which ties ISU's all-time single-season record set in 1968 by Steve Schmid. Tonyan, meanwhile, ranks 27th with six scores – four of which have come in the last two weeks and three of which came at No. 3 Illinois State on Oct. 31. Both receivers have tied ISU's single-game record of three receiving touchdowns once this season; Owens on Homecoming vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 17, and Tonyan at Illinois State. Both receivers also rank in the top-10 in the MVFC in receiving yards; Owens with 61.2 per game (fifth), Tonyan with 54.8 (seventh).

DEEP THREAT DUO

WRs Gary Owens and Robert Tonyan Jr. have been a lethal passing combination for first-time starting QB Matt Adam this year, and have been trouble for defenses all season long. In two years together at ISU (Tonyan converted to WR from QB in 2014; Owens was a JUCO transfer), they have combined for 2,545 yards and 23 touchdowns through the air. They are also the first duo in school history to tie the school record for touchdown receptions in a single game in the same season; Owens hauled in three vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 17 and Tonyan did so last week at Illinois State.

The duo have also been explosive down the field for Adam and the Sycamores, combining for 16 of ISU's 47 plays that are 20 yards or longer this season. Tonyan himself owns Adam's longest pass of the year (57 yards), and Owens owns Adam's longest touchdown pass of the year at 53 yards. Tonyan also has a 42-yard pass to his credit to Gary Owens.

TONYAN'S BIG DAY

Junior WR Robert Tonyan Jr. had a career day at Illinois State, as he single-handedly led a Sycamore offensive revolution in the second quarter to put the third-ranked Redbirds on their heels. In the second quarter alone, Tonyan hauled in three touchdowns passes – the second of which was an amazing one-handed leaping grab while he was held by his defender in the corner of the endzone, which was featured as the No. 4 play in SportsCenter's Top-10 that night. On the day, Tonyan ended with nine catches for 117 yards – his three touchdowns tying an all-time ISU single-game record, making him the sixth Sycamore to ever do so and the second to just this season (Gary Owens, vs. Southern Illinois). Tonyan's 117 yards also constituted his second-career 100-yard game, the third by a Sycamore receiver this season.

CONSISTENCY UNDER CENTER

Despite snapping his streak of games without an interception last week at UNI, Indiana State QB Matt Adam has been a consistent producer under center for the Sycamores this season. Adam threw for 214 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers – his 10th game in as many starts in his career with a touchdown pass, and his fourth 200-yard game this season. Adam ranks second in the MVFC in total offense at 2,169 total yards of offense (241.0/game), trailing only the FCS No. 3 offensive producer in SIU's Mark Iannotti (3,164, 351.6/game).

OWENS' LEGACY

It's been an incredible season for senior WR Gary Owens thus far. The second-year transfer from Trinity Valley CC has eight touchdown receptions this season, which ties the single-season school record set all the way back in 1968 by Steve Schmid. Owens got to that point by hauling in three TDs against the Salukis on Oct. 17, which tied ISU's single-game record – making him the fifth Sycamore to ever do so in one game. In less than two seasons in Terre Haute, Owens has 1,305 yards and 13 TDs – the latter of which is only two shy of ISU's all-time career receiving TD record. Nationally, Owens' eight TDs ranks tied for 11th in the FCS. Owens also has a passing and rushing touchdown to his credit this season.

GETTING TRICKY

Following a season in which ISU made the SportsCenter Top-10 for its “Circle of Death” trick play, Indiana State has scored on four different trick plays this season. First up was a Gary Owens nine-yard rushing touchdown vs. Southeast Missouri on a double-option reverse end-around. The following game at Missouri State, Owens got in on the fun again with a 22-yard passing touchdown to tight end Jamar Brown. In that same game, sophomore WR Tyler Denton scored on a fake-out punt return touchdown. And then this past week at UNI, freshman WR Kelvin Cook (a former triple-option QB in high school) took a handoff from QB Matt Adam, popped back and lobbed a 12-yard TD pass to WR Robert Tonyan Jr. Three different Sycamore position players have completed a pass this year; two for a TD and the other being a 42-yard gain from Tonyan to Owens vs. Southern Illinois.

CONSISTENTLY EXPLOSIVE

He may sit behind such big names as Robert Tonyan Jr. and Gary Owens, but junior wide receiver Sampson Levingston has had a nice season in a supporting role in the slot for the Sycamores. Levingston has 280 yards and two touchdowns on 22 receptions, which accounts for nearly half of his career totals in yards (587) and catches (50). Levingston has also been a big play threat in open space from his position in the slot, accounting for at least one play of 20 yards or longer in four of the last five games -- which most recently includes a career-long 42-yard reception for a touchdown at UNI on Nov. 7.

INDIANA STATE DEFENSIVE/SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

QUICK HITS

• Total defense: 413.2 (8th MVFC, 86th FCS)

• Rushing defense: 204.3 (8th MVFC, 97th FCS)

• Passing defense: 208.9 (7th MVFC, 56th FCS)

• ISU tied a single-season game-high for sacks with 3.0 vs. UNI.

• ISU has recorded at least one turnover in seven of nine games played this season (UNI and SDSU being the exceptions). The Sycamore defense has also recorded multiple turnovers in five of eight games this season.

• Only three opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 200 yards or more on the Sycamore defense: Purdue's Austin Appleby (289), SDSU's Taryn Christion (221) and Southern Illinois' Mark Iannotti (427).

• ISU has only given up 300 yards passing to one team: Southern Illinois (427).

• ISU has only allowed two 100-yard receivers this season: SIU's Darrell James (114) and SEMO's Paul McRoberts (100).

• Junior safety Marcus Gray has done a fine job filling in for injured All-MVFC safety Mark Sewall, as Gray is ISU's current leading tackler at 65 total stops (40 solo). Gray also owns 5.0 TFL for a loss of 15 yards, two interceptions for 24 yards, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

• Safety Marcus Gray, LB Jameer Thurman and CB Travis Starks each have two interceptions on the season and have returned those INTs for a combined 147 yards and one touchdown (Starks, 100 yards).

• Senior CB Travis Starks owns the longest INT return in the FCS this season at 100 yards. Starks did so against Southeast Missouri on Sept. 19 to help spark a Sycamore comeback.

• LB Jameer Thurman is ISU's third-leading tackler with 60 total tackles (34 solo). He also owns 2.0 TFL and four total passes defended (two INTs, two pass breakups).

• Jameer Thurman recorded his 200th career tackle at South Dakota State on Oct. 10. He currently has 233 (119 solo), and is one of four active Sycamores with 200 or more career tackles: Kendall Walker (255), Connor Underwood (241) and Mark Sewall (235).

• After missing two games due to a concussion, senior LB Kendall Walker led ISU in tackles in each of his next two games at Missouri State (13 total, six solo, 10 in the first quarter) and at South Dakota State (15 total, 10 solo) -- both of which were individual season highs for ISU at the time. Despite missing two games, Walker is second on ISU's roster with 64 total tackles (35 solo).

• Kendall Walker ranks seventh in the MVFC and 43rd nationally in tackles per game at 9.1.

• LB Kendall Walker recorded his first career interception against Illinois State.

• Safety Tsali Lough is ISU's fourth-leading tackler with 59 stops (36 solo). Lough is one of four Sycamores with a forced fumble this season, his coming at Purdue on Sept. 12. Lough recorded an ISU season-high 16 total tackles against Southern Illinois on Oct. 17.

• Nickel defensive back Lonnell Brown Jr. leads ISU in tackles for loss with 7.0 TFL. Brown had 3.0 alone vs. Butler in the season opener. Brown is also third on ISU's roster with 2.0 sacks.

• Despite missing several games due to a hamstring injury, senior All-American linebacker Connor Underwood leads ISU in sacks with 3.0 and is second overall in TFL with 5.5. Underwood, a preseason STATS Defensive Player of the Year Award Watch List nominee, is ISU's all-time sack leader with 31.5 career sacks. Earlier this year he also broke the all-time Indiana State record for TFL, currently at 58.0 career TFL.

• ISU freshman Adrian Butler blocked two punts against Southern Illinois on Oct. 17.

• Punter Osborn Umeh ranks 44th nationally in punting at 40.3 yards per attempt. He has a long this year of 65, fourth-longest in the MVFC.

• Kickoff specialist Andrew Lunsford has the second-most touchbacks in the MVFC this year at 23, out of 45 total kickoff attempts. He also has an average of 60.2 yards per kickoff.

• Sophomore WR Tyler Denton is one of 47 players in the FCS to return a punt for a touchdown in 2015. Denton took one back 42 yards on a trick play at Missouri State on Oct. 3, ISU's first punt return touchdown since 1996.

BACKFIELD RUCKUS

Five Sycamores currently own 5.0 tackles for loss or more: Lonnell Brown Jr. (7.0), Connor Underwood (5.5), Marcus Gray (5.0), Antonio Broadus (5.0) and Conrrad Nicholls (5.0). ISU also has three with at least two sacks this year: Connor Underwood (3.0), Antonio Broadus (2.5) and Lonnell Brown (2.0).

SUPER SECONDARY

ISU may be missing All-MVFC safety Mark Sewall, but the Sycamores have not been lacking at the safety or defensive back positions. Three of ISU's five starting defensive backs currently rank in the top-five in tackles on the team: Marcus Gray (first, 65), Tsali Lough (fourth, 59) and Lonnell Brown Jr. (fifth, 51). ISU's DBs also own five of the team's nine INTs this year -- lead by Travis Starks two picks for 100 yards and one touchdown.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

The Sycamores may rank seventh in the Valley in pass defense at 208.9 yards allowed per game, but a closer look at the numbers reveals that the ISU secondary has done a fairly solid job against opposing passing attacks this season. ISU has only allowed three 200-yard passers all year -- Purdue's Austin Appleby (289), SDSU's Taryn Christion (221) and Southern Illinois' Mark Iannotti (427) -- and only Southern has thrown for 300 or more against ISU. The Sycamores have also only allowed only two 100-yard receivers this season: SIU's Darrell James (114) and SEMO's Paul McRoberts (100).

Nine of ISU's 14 total turnovers this season have been interceptions, with three different Sycamores recording two interceptions themselves: DB Marcus Gray, DB Travis Starks and LB Jameer Thurman.

LEAVING A LEGACY

Senior Connor Underwood returned from a hamstring injury last week at Illinois State in prime fashion with a signature quarterback sack. Underwood, an All-American and Defensive Player of the Year Watch List member, is ISU's all-time leader in sacks at 31.5 sacks. Underwood also became ISU's all-time TFL leader earlier this year at Purdue; he currently has 58.0 TFL.

Underwood only played on third downs and in other situations at Illinois State, but saw another setback at UNI last week. He first suffered the injury vs. SEMO on Sept. 19. He missed the following two games, but returned vs. Southern Illinois on Oct. 17, only to get hurt again during the game.

BOOMING KICKOFFS

ISU kickoff specialist Andrew Lunsford comes from solid kicking stock, and has proven his worth thus far in 2015. Lunsford, brother of NFL prospect John Lunsford of Liberty, is tied for the conference lead with 23 touchbacks this season out of 45 total kickoffs. Lunsford currently has a kickoff average of 60.2 yards per kickoff attempt.

TACKLING MACHINE

Senior linebacker Kendall Walker has had an impressive return from injury. Walker suffered a concussion against Butler on Sept. 5 and missed ISU's games at Purdue and against Southeast Missouri. Since, Walker has lit up opposing offenses for 61 total tackles (34 solo) – posting ISU season highs in both games at Missouri State (13 total, six solo) and at South Dakota State (15 total, 10 solo). Walker was ISU's leading tackler in 2014 with 123 total tackles (50 solo), and currently ranks second on ISU's roster with 64 total tackles. He also ranks seventh in the MVFC in tackles per game (9.1).

FIELD POSITION

Senior punter Osborn Umeh has had a handful of setbacks during this season, but on the whole he has been an effective punter in the field position battle for the Sycamores. Umeh ranks 44th nationally in punting at 40.3 yards per attempt, and he owns the fourth-longest punt in the Valley this year at 65 yards.

TO THE HOUSE

Senior defensive back Travis Starks provided the most exciting and important play of the day for the Sycamores in their exciting 29-28 win over Southeast Missouri. After being held scoreless in the first half since Nov. 16, 2013, Starks turned the tide of the game with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, which sparked a Sycamore revival in the third quarter that saw 21 ISU points to zero from the Redhawks. Southeast was putting together another solid drive and about to enter the redzone when Starks read SEMO QB Tay Bender perfectly and picked off his out-route two yards deep into the endzone. Starks then burst forward and found a seam on the right sideline, leaving Southeast's offensive pursuers in the dust at the 30-yard line before strolling the final 70 yards into the endzone. The pick-six is the third of Starks' career at ISU. Starks also tallied three total tackles that game and had the job of trying to shut down pro-talent caliber wide receiver Paul McRoberts.

For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.