By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – No. 21/24 Indiana State opens the Missouri Valley Football Conference on the road this Saturday (Oct. 3) at Missouri State. Kickoff is set for 3:04 ET at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Mo.
QUICK HITS
• Indiana State is ranked in the top-25 for a school-record 15th-straight week. The Sycamores rank No. 21 in the STATS FCS Top-25 and No. 24 in the FCS Coaches Poll. ISU is one of six Valley teams to be ranked in both polls.
• ISU is coming off an exciting 29-28 victory over Southeast Missouri State at home on Sept. 19, in which 22 total points were score in the final two minutes of action. The game ended on a failed SEMO two-point conversion attempt with no time remaining.
• The Sycamores are 9-20 all-time in MVFC openers (dating to ISU's first season in 1986).
• All-time vs. the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Indiana State is 56-137 (.290).
• Senior WR Gary Owens is on pace to break both the single-season (8) and ISU career (15) records in receiving touchdowns. Owens currently ranks tied for 23rd nationally with three through three games this season. In two seasons at ISU, Owens has eight.
• Sophomore QB Matt Adam ranks 28th nationally in total offense (255.3 yards/game).
• Senior CB Travis Starks leads all FCS defenders in interception return yards (100), and ranks fifth in all of Division I football. Starks returned an INT 100 yards for a touchdown against SEMO on Sept. 19.
• Indiana State is coming off one of its best seasons in recent memory after going 8-6 in 2014, which included its first trip to the playoffs since 1984 and first playoff win since 1983.
• The Sycamores return 15 total starters from 2014's superb team, including nine on defense.
• 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 377-505-23 and is competing for the 30th consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
ABOUT MISSOURI STATE
QUICK HITS
• Total offense: 291.0 (10th MVFC, 100th FCS)
• Total defense: 508.0 (10th MVFC, 114th FCS)
• Rushing offense: 158.7 (9th MVFC, 50th FCS)
• Rushing defense: 291.7 (10th MVFC, 118th FCS)
• Passing offense: 132.3 (10th MVFC, 103rd FCS)
• Passing defense: 216.3 (7th MVFC, 60th FCS)
KEY PLAYERS
#31 LB Dylan Cole | 6-1, 236 | Jr. | Rogersville, Mo.
• 2015 Season Stats: 30 tackles (17 solo), 3.5 TFL for 9 yards, 2 pass breakups
• 10.0 tackles per game ranks 25th nationally
#28 RB Calan Crowder | 6-1, 205 | So. | Bartlesville, Okla.
• 2015 Season Stats: 39 rushes, 211 yards, 70.3 yards/game
• Eighth-best rusher in the MVFC currently
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Missouri State currently sits as one of three teams tied for seventh in the MVFC at 1-2 overall. The Bears are now three games into the Dave Steckel era, who was hired this past offseason after spending the previous 14 years as an associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Missouri. MSU has taken a pounding in its two FBS games against Memphis (63-7) and Arkansas State (70-7), and narrowly beat Division II Chadron State in a sellout at home on Sept. 12 (21-13).
However, MSU does boast the eighth-best rusher in the conference in sophomore running back Calan Crowder (211 yards, 70.3/game). MSU also owns the fourth-best tackler in the MVFC in Dylan Cole, whose 10.0 tackles per game (30 total tackles, 17 solo) ranks tied for 25th in the FCS this season.
MISSOURI STATE: REVISITED
Last season's tilt between the Sycamores and Bears in Terre Haute was one for the ages. After Missouri State took the lead with 42 seconds remaining on a 41-yard field goal by MSU kicker Marcelo Bonani, Indiana State unleashed one of the more peculiar trick plays in recent college football memory: the “Circle of Death.” Bonani squibbed the ball down to the ISU 28 and was fielded by running back Dimitri Taylor. The Sycamore kick return unit then huddled around Taylor for ISU's take on the hidden-ball trick, with defensive back Aaron Killebrew bursting out from the circle with the ball for a 32-yard return to put the Sycamores in field goal position. ISU kicker Eric Heidorn nailed the game-winning 38-yarder for the 20-18 victory, which became crucial in ISU's first playoff run in 30 years. The play was ranked No. 3 in SportsCenter's Top-10 and the YouTube video currently has more than two million views.
INDIANA STATE NOTES
#21/24 INDIANA STATE
For a school-record 15th-straight week, Indiana State is ranked in the national top-25 -- No. 21 in the STATS FCS Top-25 and No. 24 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The Sycamores are one of six Missouri Valley Football Conference schools ranked in both top-25 polls, coming off a season that saw all five Valley playoff teams win in the first round and saw No. 2 North Dakota State and No. 4/5 Illinois State meet up in the national title game.
These past two weeks the Valley has made even more conference history in the national polls. Last week (Sept. 21), four MVFC schools were ranked in the top-seven for the first time in Valley history, which was then one-upped this week when half of the conference (5 of 10 schools) made it into the top-10 in both top-25 polls.
This preseason, the Sycamores were rewarded for last season's playoff run with a No. 20 ranking in the FCS Coaches Poll and a No. 21 ranking in the STATS FCS Preseason Poll.
HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD
Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1978) is 27-61 (.307) overall in his eighth season as a head coach and is 11-18 (.379) in his third season with Indiana State. He is 4-12 all-time in MVFC games, including a 2-6 mark at home and an 2-6 mark on the road. During his career, he is 20-24 in all home games, 7-37 on the road and 8-8 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 30th as the Indiana State head coach and his 90th as a collegiate head coach.
SYCAMORES AGAINST THE MVFC
Indiana State (2-1) enters Missouri Valley Football Conference play for its 30th consecutive season this Saturday at Missouri State. All-time, the Sycamores are 56-137 (.290) against MVFC schools. ISU's best conference record and finish came in 2012, when it finished 5-3 overall and tied for third with Illinois State and Southern Illinois. In the Mike Sanford era, the Sycamores are 4-12 in conference play. Following a rough 0-8 campaign his first season in 2013, Sanford and the Sycamores rebounded in 2014 with a 4-4 MVFC mark and their first trip to the FCS playoffs since 1984.
WILD FINISH VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
A total of 22 points were scored over the final two-and-a-half minutes in Indiana State's dramatic 29-28 victory over Southeast Missouri at home on Sept. 19, which ended on a failed SEMO two-point conversion with no time remaining. The winning touchdown came on a gutsy 4th and 3 call on the SEMO 33 with 41 seconds remaining, in which QB Matt Adam hit an improvising Gary Owens for a 33-yard strike and the lead. The play of the game, though, was a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior defensive back Travis Starks that energized the Sycamore bench into the game.
For more, see GAME RECAPS on pages 42-44.
INJURY UPDATE
The Sycamores were hit relatively hard by the injury bug during the first few weeks of the season, but have bounced back nicely. ISU is still without All-MVFC safety Mark Sewall for the forseeable future, but senior Marcus Gray filled in immediately to lead the Sycamores in tackles vs. SEMO on Sept. 19. Junior transfer Roland Genesy and freshman Marlon Fleming played a similar roles in the place of Honorable Mention All-MVFC running back LeMonte Booker.
Returning this week: LeMonte Booker, Preston Collier, Kendall Walker
Gametime decisions: Alec Lyons, Connor Underwood
Out: Mark Sewall
Out for the Season: Dimitri Taylor, Jordan Jackson, Trevon Claybourne
INDIANA STATE OFFENSIVE NOTES
QUICK HITS
• ISU's offense ranks fourth in the MVFC in total offense (414.0 yards/game)
• QB Matt Adam ranks 4th in the MVFC and 28th nationally in total offense (255.3 yards/game)
• In the second half this season, QB Matt Adam has 379 passing yards and three touchdowns.
• ISU ranks fourth in the Valley in rushing offense (201.0 yards/game) via four main rushers: LeMonte Booker (157 yards, 3 TD), Matt Adam (156 yards, 1 TD), Roland Genesy (152 yards) and Marlon Fleming (80 yards, 2 TD).
• ISU has two receivers in the top-10 in the MVFC: Gary Owens (79.0 yards/game) and Robert Tonyan Jr. (53.0 yards/game)
• The Sycamore offense has three plays this season of 50 yards or more
SECOND-HALF HERO
Sophomore starting quarterback Matt Adam has had a strong start to his first season as the main man under center for the Sycamores, and much of that has to do with his ability to regain composure and play in the second half. On the year, Adam is 47-of-82 for 610 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. Of that, 379 yards have come in the second half, as have three of his TD passes. In the last two weeks alone following rough first halves against Purdue and Southeast Missouri, Adam is 23-of-38 for 332 yards and two touchdowns in the back half.
GETTING IT DONE ON THE GROUND
Sophomore starting quarterback Matt Adam has also been an adept rusher. Adam is the FCS's 20th-best rushing QB in 2015 at 156 total yards (52.0/game), second by one yard on ISU's roster to LeMonte Booker (157).
OWENS ON-PACE
Senior wide receiver Gary Owens just recently eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards, and he is on pace for even more accolades this season. Owens, the No. 5 receiver in the Valley at 79 yards per game (T-34th in the FCS), is on pace to break both ISU's single-season receiving touchdown record of 8 (set by Steve Schmi, 1968) and the all-time career receiving touchdowns record of 15 (set by Joe Downing, 1985). Owens currently stands at eight career touchdown receptions -- three coming this season in each of ISU's first three games – meaning at this pace he should hit 11 TDs this season and 16 total career TDs by season's end.
DOWNFIELD THREAT
Senior Gary Owens proved that he hasn't missed a beat from his spectacular 2014 season, opening the year with a 133-yard performance against Butler, a 40-yard performance at Purdue with one touchdown and a clutch three catch, 64 yard outing with the game-winning touchdown over Southeast Missouri. Owens has been newly-appointed quarterback Matt Adam's favorite target, hauling in 12 catches of Adam's 47 completeions this season for 237 of his 610 yards. Owens was lethal in the deep passing game against Butler, catching passes of 47 yards and a wide-open touchdown of 53 yards in the win.
LARGE TARGET
Junior Sycamore wide receiver Robert Tonyan Jr. did not see a ball thrown at him against Butler, but looked right at home against Big Ten defensive backs Sept. 12 at Purdue. Tonyan led all ISU receivers with 74 yards on four catches, including a 27-yard touchdown up the seam and a 20-yard reception up the right sideline. At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Tonyan -- a former quarterback -- provided a big target for Matt Adam to find amid a swarm of Boilermaker defenders.
Tonyan followed that up with a strong performance at home against Southeast Missouri, leading all Sycamore receivers with five catches for 85 yards -- including a long 57-yard reception.
ON THE BOARD
Preseason Honorable Mention All-MVFC tight end Jamar Brown was strangely quiet during his first two games against Butler and Purdue, with only one total target on the first play of the Purdue game. However, Brown found his way back into the passing game with a three catch, 33 yard performance against Southeast Missouri on Sept. 19. Brown is the top-returning receiving tight end in the MVFC from the 2014 season after recording 29 receptions for 255 yards and three touchdowns.
DEEP BACKFIELD
The Sycamores have a good problem in the backfield this year, as they have too many solid ball rushers on the two-deep this season. ISU ranks fourth in the MVFC in rushing offense at 201.0 yards per game, most of which has come from four individuals. Starting running back LeMonte Booker started the year off right with a 137 yard , three touchdown outing against Butler, but following an injury at Purdue is only at 157 total yards on the year. QB Matt Adam is ISU's second-leading rusher at 156 yards and 1 TD, following an 80-yard performance at Purdue. And in relief of the injured Booker, Roland Genesy (152 yards) and Marlon Fleming (80 yards, 2 TDs) have helped pitch in.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Indiana State exploded for 496 yards of total offense and 52 points against Butler during Week One -- the second-most points scored in the Sanford era (70, vs. Quincy, 2013). The Sycamores put up seven plays of 20 or more yards, three of which were for 45 yards or more. In fact, ISU's final four plays more than 20 yards were all touchdowns: Matt Adam's 37-yard run, LeMonte Booker's 76-yard run, Gary Owens' 53-yard reception and another Booker run, this time of 25 yards. Of those 496 yards, 303 came on the ground -- 137 alone from Booker.
BOOKER TO THE HOUSE
Junior LeMonte Booker took advantage of his first game as Indiana State's starting running back and turned it into the best of his Sycamore career thus far. Booker exploded for a career-high 137 yards rushing on 11 carries (12.5 YPC) for three touchdowns on the ground. Booker also caught a screen pass and ran it in 24 yards to the house to give him four total touchdowns out of seven total the Sycamores scored against Butler in a 52-17 rout. This was Booker's second-career 100 yard game after rushing for 116 against Missouri State in 2014.
Booker's performance was the first four-touchdown game since Shakir Bell scored four in the first half vs. Youngstown State in 2011. Booker's three rushing touchdowns were also the first occurance since he did so last season against Tennessee Tech.
INDIANA STATE DEFENSIVE NOTES
QUICK HITS
• Travis Starks ranks 1st in the FCS and 5th in all of Division I in interception return yards (100).
• Lonnell Brown Jr. (13th, 22, 7.3/game) and Jameer Thurman (14th, 20, 6.7/game) both rank in the top-15 in the MVFC in tackles.
• Connor Underwood broke ISU's all-time tackles for loss record at Purdue
• Underwood ranks tied for second in the Valley with 2.0 sacks
• Jameer Thurman ranks T-14th nationally with two interceptions.
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 on Saturday and had the job of trying to shut down pro-talent caliber wide receiver Paul McRoberts.
STEPPING UP
Indiana State suffered a devastating injury at Purdue last week when it lost starting All-MVFC safety Mark Sewall for what looks like most of the season. Senior safety Marcus Gray was thrust into the starting role and has not disappointed. In his first career start against SEMO, Gray proceeded to lead all ISU tacklers with 11 total tackles (seven solo), 1.0 tackle for a loss of four yards, and one of two Sycamore interceptions in the endzone during the third quarter. Gray also proved exceptional at Purdue following Sewall's injury, tallying five solo tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
LEAVING A LEGACY
Senior Connor Underwood cemented himself yet again as one of the greatest Sycamore defenders in Indiana State history on Saturday at Purdue, this time by breaking yet another school record. Entering Saturday's contest at 54.0 career tackles for loss, Underwood was .5 TFL shy of Kyle Mitchell's all-time record of 54.5. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Underwood bust into the backfield from the weak side to track down Purdue RB D.J. Knox for a two-yard loss and the all-time record. Underwood ended with five total tackles.
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
Junior linebacker Jameer Thurman had a career day against Butler, but not in the way he was probably expecting to. Thurman had a solid day with four total tackles (two solo, two assisted) -- fourth-best for ISU that day -- but his crowning moment was being in the right place at the right time on consecutive drives for his first and second career interceptions. Thurman returned his interceptions a total of 23 yards, including his second one 19 yards, which helped set up a 25-yard TD scamper by LeMonte Booker.
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