By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Sycamore football will be looking to become the latest FCS team to upset an FBS school this Saturday when it hits the road to play in-state rival Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium. Saturday's contest will air live on both ESPNews and WatchESPN.
QUICK HITS
• The Sycamores will look to keep the FCS magic rolling while also looking for its first-ever win over in-state rival Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium this Saturday, Sept. 12, at noon.
• Saturday's game at Purdue will air on both ESPNews and WatchESPN. Shawn Kenney and Pete Najarian will be on the call for ESPN. Those following along on social media should use the hastags Sycamores FearTheFCS and #INSTvsPUR.
• Indiana State is ranked in the top-25 for a school-record 12th-straight week. The Sycamores rank No. 21 in both the FCS Coaches Poll and STATS FCS Top-25. ISU is one of six Valley teams to be ranked in each poll.
• Indiana State is coming off a big 52-17 home opener victory over in-state rival Butler. The Sycamores put up 496 yards of total offense, highlighted by junior running back LeMonte Booker's 161 total yards and four touchdowns.
• 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 375-500-22 and is competing for the 30th consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
ABOUT PURDUE
SCOUTING THE BOILERMAKERS
Purdue stands at 0-1 after a season opening 41-31 loss this past Sunday at Marshall. Just looking at the stats sheet would indicate that the Boilermakers won the game, as they led in total offense (454-397), rushing offense (184-163), passing offense (270-234) and owned a wide margin in time of possession (34:47-25:13). However, even though Purdue forced and recovered two fumbles, Boilermaker quarterback Austin Appleby threw four costly interceptions -- two of which were returned for a touchdown by the same defensive back, the first of which was the very first offensive play of the game for Purdue. The Boilermakers are coming off a 3-9 campaign in 2014 and are led by third-year head coach Darrell Hazell.
SERIES HISTORY - PURDUE LEADS 4-0
The Sycamores and Boilermakers have met four times in their histories in a series that stretches all the way back to 1926, but ISU has never come away from West Lafayette with a win. Indiana State has fallen 38-0 (1926), 41-13 (1990) and -- most recently -- 20-14 in ISU head coach Mike Sanford's second game at the helm of Sycamore Football.
LAST MEETING: PURDUE 20, INDIANA STATE 14 - SEPT. 7, 2013
In just his second game as Indiana State's head coach, Mike Sanford almost snapped the near-century long drought against Purdue. The Sycamores staged a valiant comeback but it was too little too late, falling 20-14 after Purdue intercepted a Mike Perish pass just as the Sycamores were gaining momentum with under one minute to play. Indiana State outgained Purdue 295-284 in total offense and held a 256-150 advantage through the air, led by a 29-of-45 performance by Perish.
INDIANA STATE NOTES
#FearTheFCS
The FCS is off to another great start in slaying Goliath, with Washington State, Kansas, Wyoming and Army falling to FCS schools (Kansas to MVFC foe South Dakota State). Both Southern Illinois and Youngstown State also had hard-fought battles against Indiana and Pittsburgh, respectively, with the Salukis coming up short in heartbreaking fashion following a gutsy two-point conversion attempt for the win.
As for the Sycamores, tt hasn't even been a full year since Indiana State last beat an FBS team. ISU was in on the #FearTheFCS fun at in-state rival Ball State last year, bringing home the Victory Bell for the first time since 1987.
All-time, ISU is 58-136-3 against schools currently at the FBS level – which includes a handful of teams that ISU used to meet in either conference play or non-conference Division I-AA/FCS competition, like New Mexico State and Western Kentucky. ISU has even or winning records with Arkansas State (1-1), Central Florida (1-0), Florida International (1-0), Marshall (1-1), New Mexico State (4-1), UL-Monroe (2-2), Northern Illinois (5-5) and Oklahoma State (1-0). Against the current Big Ten, ISU is 0-14 against Indiana (0-6), Maryland (0-1), Minnesota (0-2), Penn State (0-1) and Purdue (0-4).
#21 INDIANA STATE
For a school-record 12th-straight week, Indiana State is ranked in the national top-25. Following their Week One victory over Butler (52-17), the Sycamores were ranked No. 21 in both the FCS Coaches Poll and STATS FCS Top-25, falling one spot in the coaches poll and staying put in the STATS 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.
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.
CONNOR UNDERWOOD, PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Senior linebacker Connor Underwood is looking to end his stellar Sycamore career on a good note, and the people at STATS have him pegged to do so, naming him to their Preseason All-American squad. Underwood was named a First-Team All-American by The Sports Network at the end of 2014, as well as a Second-Team honoree by the Associated Press. Underwood finished second in MVFC Defensive Player of the Year voting, as well as ninth in the national Buck Buchanan Award voting. In 2014 alone, Underwood broke both the single-season (13.5) and all-time (28.5) sacks record at Indiana State, as well as the school record in tackles for loss with 25 for a whopping 84 yards.
SIX SYCAMORES NAMED PRESEASON ALL-MVFC
Coming off a historic 2014 season, Indiana State was honored with six Preseason All-MVFC honorees heading into the 2015 season: senior All-American linebacker Connor Underwood; 2015 second-team honorees Travis Starks (senior, cornerback) and Mark Sewall (senior, safety); junior long-snapper Joshua Appel; and honorable mentions LeMonte Booker (junior, running back/return specialist) and Jamar Brown (junior, tight end). Underwood was also named to the STATS FCS Preseason All-American team, following a superb 2014 campaign that saw him named to both the First-Team All-America team by The Sports Network and the Second-Team by the Associated Press.
RETURNING DEPTH FOR 2015
Indiana State returns much of its stellar 2014 team with 15 total starters returning – including an incredible nine starters from ISU's tough defense. The Sycamores actually have ten starters returning to the defense this season when counting linebacker Jordan Jackson, who saw considerable starting action his freshman season in 2013 before missing 2014 due to an injury. In addition to Jackson, the Sycamores have an incredible second level with All-American linebacker Connor Underwood, 2014 ISU tackle leader Kendall Walker and outside backer Jameer Thurman. The secondary also looks strong with Preseason All-MVFC honorees Mark Sewall and Travis Starks, as well as other veterans in Alex Stowers, Tsali Lough and Phil Wilson. ISU also returns 56.5 percent of its receiving production from 2014's explosive offense, including its top two receivers in Gary Owens (815 yards) and Robert Tonyan, Jr. (747 yards).
Indiana State Offensive Notes
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. Booker's 137 yards on the ground ranks 11th nationally, his three rushing TD's ranks tied for second and his 161 all-purpose yards ranks 29th. 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. His three rushing touchdowns were also the first occurance since he did so last season against Tennessee Tech.
UNDER CENTER
Following much speculation during training camp, ISU head coach Mike Sanford named sophomore Matt Adam as his starting quarterback. Adam did not disappoint, as he marshalled the Sycamore offense on an explosive day to a 52-17 win over Butler and flashed big-play potential through the air and on the ground in the process.
Adam finished 9-of-16 for 164 yards, two touchdowns and one interception (which was picked off on a freakishly athletic tipped pass at the line of scrimmage). Adam was able to connect with senior wide receiver Gary Owens five times for 133 yards and a touchdown – two of which were 47 yards or longer and one of which was a 53 yard TD bomb on a play-action rollout to his left to find a wide-open Owens following a devastating stop-and-go route. On the ground, Adam ended up with 46 yards and one touchdown on five carries – which included a 37-yard TD scamper and a 28-yard run in which he was pushed out-of-bounds mid-air at the two-yard-line diving for the pylon.
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. Owens was newly-appointed quarterback Matt Adam's favorite target, hauling in five catches of Adam's nine completeions and 133 of his 164 passing yards. Owens was lethal in the deep passing game, catching passes of 47 yards and a wide-open touchdown of 53 yards in the win. Owens currently ranks 14th in the FCS in receiving yards.
DEEP BACKFIELD
LeMonte Booker wasn't the only Sycamore to have success on the ground against Butler. Booker ran for an impressive 137 yards, but ISU as a whole racked up 303 rushing yards against the Bulldog defense -- 10th-most in the FCS last week. Starting QB Matt Adam joined in on the fun with 46 yards and a TD, ripping off a run of 28 yards in which he was shoved out at the two-yard-line and a 37-yard touchdown run right up the gut. Junior transfer Roland Genesy also saw time, getting nine touches for 53 yards without ever losing a yard. Backup quarterback Zach Kline was also able to get a run of 17 yards in to total 23 on the day, and running back Marlon Fleming (18 yards) scored ISU's final touchdown of the day from two yards out.
IT ALL STARTS UP FRONT
The Sycamore offense was going to go nowhere without its offensive line, though, and ISU's showed up in full against Butler. The Sycamore front line led the charge to 303 rushing yards and 496 yards of total offense, highlighted by junior left tackle and Terre Haute native Dakota Vermillion (92 percent grade, two knckdowns, zero sacks allowed) and right tackle Preston Collier (89 percent grade, eight knockdowns) in his first game as a Sycamore.
Indiana State Defensive Notes
STOUT DEFENSE VS. BUTLER
The Indiana State defense, which returns nine starters from 2014, got off to a great start against Butler last week. ISU yielded only 294 total yards to the Bulldogs -- the best total defense numbers in the MVFC through last week -- including only 22 yards by the end of the first quarter. ISU also forced two turnovers on back-to-back possessions and were able to force the Bulldogs into a three-and-out on half of its drives (8-of-16).
RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
Junior linebacker Jameer Thurman had a career day against Butler last week, 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.
A FITTING BEGINNING
All-time ISU sack leader Connor Underwood began his senior season in the most fitting way in contrast to his outstanding Sycamore career. On third down during Butler's first drive of the game, Underwood sacked quarterback Matt Shiltz for a loss of five yards to force the first of eight three-and-outs on the day. Underwood also added a half-tackle for loss later in the game, pushing him within one half-tackle for loss away from ISU's all-time record of 54.5 TFL's.
WREAKING HAVOC
Butler had a hard time keeping the Sycamores out of the backfield last week, as they allowed ISU to record three sakcs for a loss of 14 yards and 11 tackles for loss at a deficit of 32 yards. Indiana State ranks tied for sixth in all of the FCS in team tackles for loss and tied for 19th in team sacks after one week of play.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Lonnell Brown, Jr. got the start as the fifth defensive back in defensive coordinator Brian Cabral's nickel package (rather than a third down-lineman), and did not waste the opportunity. Brown was ISU's leading tackler with nine total stops (4 solo, 5 assisted) -- which included thre behind the line of scrimmage for five yards.
DYNAMIC DUO
The Sycamore secondary is anchored by senior Preseason All-MVFC defensive backs Mark Sewall (safety) and Travis Starks (cornerback). The pair are coming off an incredible 2014 season, in which they combined for 191 tackles (122 solo, 69 assisted), 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, eight interceptions (133 yards returned), 31 pass breakups (39 total passes defended) and three fumble recoveries. Individually, they both ranked second in the MVFC in INTs with four apiece, and Starks' 21 total passes defended led the conference.
TACKLING MACHINE
Senior linebacker Kendall Walker may not have gotten as many awards this preseason as his colleagues, but he has the numbers from 2014 to prove his worth. Walker was a one-man wrecking crew, leading ISU with 123 total tackles (50 solo, 73 assisted) and three forced fumbles. His 8.8 tackles per game was the second-best in the entire MVFC and his three forced fumbles ranked third in the conference as well. Walker hasn't gone unnoticed, though; he was a 2014 Honorable Mention selection, as well as a MVFC All-Academic Team member and a FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star.
NINE STARTERS RETURNING
Indiana State returns nine starters to its defense from 2014: defensive linemen Conlan Cassidy and Alec Lyons; linebackers Jameer Thurman, Connor Underwood and Kendall Walker; and all four defensive backs in Mark Sewall, Travis Starks, Alex Stowers and Phil Wilson.These nine Sycamores made up 58.5 of all ISU tackles in 2014 (656 of 1,121).
Indiana State Coaching Staff
HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD
Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1978) is 26-60 (.302) overall in his eighth season as a head coach and is 10-17 (.370) 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 19-24 in all home games, 7-36 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 28th as the Indiana State head coach and his 88th as a collegiate head coach.
2014 In-Review
HISTORIC 2014
The Sycamores are coming off of one of the most memorable seasons in school history in 2014, in which ISU went 8-6 and clinched its first FCS playoff berth since 1984 as the last of five MVFC teams to get in. Indiana State then proceeded to win its first playoff game since 1983 after a 36-16 victory over No. 16 Eastern Kentucky. ISU also took down in-state FBS opponent Ball State to bring home the Victory Bell for the first time since 1987. The turnaround was swift and spectacular for head coach Mike Sanford, who took the Sycamores to the playoffs in his second season after finishing 1-11 his first season in Terre Haute in 2013.
Indiana State Counted Among The Most Improved In FCS Football
The Sycamores owned the biggest turnaround in FCS Football in 2014. Indiana State improved its 1-11 record in 2013 to an 8-6 mark in 2014. That equates to a +6.0 differential (take difference in number of wins, add difference in number of defeats and divide by 2) which was tops in the nation. Plus-six is the MVFC record, achieved twice in league history by Southern Illinois (2003) and Western Illinois (2010).
Connor Underwood Highlights Eight Sycamores Who Picked Up All-MVFC Honors
Indiana State junior linebacker Connor Underwood was a repeat selection on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team. He finished second in the MVFC Defensive Player of the Voting. Senior quarterback Mike Perish, junior defensive back Mark Sewall, junior defensive back Travis Starks and senior offensive lineman Aaron Jelovic were named to the All-MVFC Second Team. Junior linebacker Kendall Walker, junior wide receiver Gary Owens and sophomore deep snapper Josh Appel were each named honorable mention selections. Perish finished fifth in voting for the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year while head coach Mike Sanford was a close second in the MVFC Coach Of The Year balloting.
Sycamore Trio Named To MVFC All-Newcomer; All-Academic Teams
Indiana State junior wide receiver Gary Owens, junior punter Osborn Umeh and freshman defensive back Rondell Green were all named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team. Additionally, junior defensive back Mark Sewall (3.51 Business) as well as junior linebacker Kendall Walker (3.51 Sports Management) and sophomore linebacker Jameer Thurman (3.69, Civil Engineering) placed on the MVFC All-Academic Team.
Sycamores With Eight Wins For The First Time Since Joining MVFC
The Indiana State Sycamores finished 2014 at 8-6 with a 4-4 record in Missouri Valley Football Conference play, giving ISU eight victories in a season for the first time in 29 seasons of MVFC play.
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.
