By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State held a 17-point lead in the opening minutes of the first half, but an explosive Western Illinois offense charged back, forced the Sycamores into overtime and came away with the victory as ISU fell 37-30 in heartbreaking fashion to the Leathernecks at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Indiana State (4-6, 2-5 MVFC) was again clicking on all cylinders early in the game, jumping out to both a 20-3 and a 27-10 lead over WIU (5-5, 4-3 MVFC) in the first half. However, Western outscored the Sycamores 27-3 down the stretch.

The production was there for the Sycamore offense (416 total yards; 275 passing, 141 rushing), but ISU couldn't capitalize when it needed to and it couldn't slow down the three-headed Leatherneck assault of QB Sean McGuire (29-of-44, 332 yards, 1 TD; 28 rushing yards, 1 TD), RB Nikko Watson (153 yards, 3 TD) and WR Joey Borsellino (10 rec., 187 yards, 1 TD).

“We had too many penalties and too many mistakes at critical times, and we didn't make the plays that we needed to make in critical situations,” said ISU head coach Mike Sanford.

Everything was coming up Sycamores in the first half, though. ISU jumped out to a 6-3 lead on a QB keeper from backup Isaac Harker, before TD runs by Roland Genesy (64 yards, 1 TD) and QB Matt Adam made it a 20-3 ISU advantage at the 8:30 mark of the second quarter.

Western responded at 5:31 with a nine-yard run by first-time QB Sean McGuire at the 5:31 mark to cut ISU's lead to 20-10, which held until halftime.

Sycamore freshman WR Kelvin Cook hauled in his first career touchdown at the 10:31 mark of the third quarter, ISU's last touchdown of the day and last points before an Eric Heidorn 30-yard field goal at 1:56. What followed were a 78-yard bomb to Borsellino (ISU opponent season-long), and then two Nikko Watson rushing touchdowns down the stretch to force the game into overtime at 30-30.

In OT, Western had the ball first and scored on a one-yard Watson TD run. The Sycamores, meanwhile, were able to get to 4th-and-3 but couldn't convert.

For Indiana State, the loss assures a losing season for the first time since 2013 – a heart-wrenching finish following a historic 2014 season that saw ISU's first trip to the FCS playoffs since 1984. The Sycamores have been decimated by injuries to many on their team – chief among them All-American linebacker Connor Underwood and All-MVFC safety Mark Sewall.

“I do feel (that injuries have affected ISU) somewhat,” Sanford said. “My deal is to never make excuses or blame that. But we had two of the best players in the Missouri Valley Football Conference basically not play this year.”

Of the Sycamores that did play on Saturday, quarterback Matt Adam (25-of-44, 261 yards, 1 TD; 1 rushing TD) was again among the top performers. He posted his third-straight 200-yard game (sixth career) and continued his streak of at least one passing touchdown – which he has done in all 11 of his career starts (10 this year, one last year).

Also having a superb day was senior linebacker Kendall Walker, who ended with an incredible ISU season-high 18 tackles – 15 of which came in the second half.

Walker is just one of several seniors who will be honored next week in ISU's season finale against Youngstown State. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

“We've got to send these seniors out on an awesome note,” Sanford said.

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