By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Indiana State is looking to keep its recent success against Youngstown State rolling, as the Sycamores travel east to take on the 14th-ranked Penguins this Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:04 p.m. ET at Stambaugh Stadium.

QUICK HITS

• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and is the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Game of the Week. On the call will be Mick Shaffer (play-by-play), Danan Hughes (color) and Jim Powers (sideline).

• Sycamore fans can also listen locally on WDKE 95.9 FM “The Duke” to Brian Fritz (PBP) and Tom James (color).

• This marks the 112th 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 384-514-23 (.417) and is competing for the 31st consecutive season as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

• All-time, the Sycamores are 61-145 in MVFC play. Indiana State was 3-5 in conference play in 2015.

• Youngstown State holds a commanding 21-5 lead in the all-time series that dates back to 1987, but the Sycamores have taken over as of late. After going 1-19 vs. the Penguins in their first 20 matchups from 1987-2009, the Sycamores have gone 4-2 since 2010, including a 2-1 mark on the road.

• Youngstown State ranks in the national top-10 in sacks (2nd, 26), scoring defense (4th, 16.3 PPG), time of possession (5th, 34:05) and total defense (7th, 283.1 YPG). Conversely, they will be trying to stop the 13th-best passing offense in the nation, as the Sycamores are putting up 293.4 passing YPG.

• Indiana State is coming off a 22-14 win at Southern Illinois on Oct. 22, the third straight trip to Carbondale on SIU's Homecoming that has yielded a win for the Sycamores. Saturday's win snapped a three-game losing skid by the Sycamores after dropping games vs. Missouri State (45-24), at No. 13 Western Illinois (36-35) and vs. South Dakota (33-30, 2OT).

• Last week's game vs. the Salukis marked the first time in school history that two Indiana State receivers passed the 100-yard plateau: Miles Thompson (147 yards, 1 TD) and Robert Tonyan Jr. (131 yards, 2 TD).

• The previous week against South Dakota, the Sycamores recorded their first game with a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois: QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards, RB Roland Genesy rushed for 106 yards and WR Miles Thompson hauled in 152 yards receiving. At Southern in 2014, current WR coach Mike Perish threw for 353 yards and four TDs, RB Buck Logan rushed for 142 yards and one TD and WR Kyani Harris had 129 yards receiving and two TDs.

• Miles Thompson's 152-yard day vs. South Dakota and 147-yard day at SIU are the first back-to-back 100-yard games by a Sycamore receiver since Gary Owens did so in 2014 (199 vs. Tenn. Tech; 107 at Ball State). Thompson's performances are also the first back-to-back 100-yard games by any combination of ISU receivers since Owens (102) and Tonyan (172) did so at Youngstown State and Western Illinois in 2014.

• At Southern Illinois, Robert Tonyan Jr. hauled in his eighth and ninth TD receptions of the season, tying and then breaking the single-season school record of eight set by Steve Schmid (1968) and Gary Owens (2015). Tonyan also broke the all-time career TD record of 15 earlier this year, currently sitting at 19 career scores.

• Tonyan also moved up several different lists at Southern Illinois: at 141 career receptions, Tonyan moved from fourth to second all-time behind Sam Logan's 196 catches. With 1,986 career receiving yards, Tonyan is third all-time and within striking distance of Logan's 2,385 yards and Terry Bell's 2,048 yards ahead of him.

• QB Isaac Harker threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns at Southern Illinois, his second consecutive 300-yard performance. After not having a single 300-yard passer in 2015, Harker has led ISU to four 300-yard games in eight chances this season.

• At 2,337 yards this season, Harker leads the MVFC in passing yards and ranks fourth in the FCS. Harker also ranks in the national top-10 in passing touchdowns (7th, 18 TD), points responsible for (7th, 122), yards per game (8th, 292.1 YPG) and completions per game (9th, 23.25/game).

• Against South Dakota, senior LB Jameer Thurman became the 16th Sycamore to ever join the 300-tackle club. At 318 career stops, Thurman sits 13th all-time in total tackles -- which is led by LB coach Aaron Archie's 428 career tackles.

• Thurman is ISU's active career leader in: tackles (318), solo tackles (158), assisted tackles (160), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).

SYCAMORES IN THE NATIONAL POLLS/VS. RANKED TEAMS

• Indiana State briefly jumped into the national top-25 following an upset over No. 9 Illinois State at home on Sept. 24. The Sycamores fell out the previous week after a 45-24 loss to Missouri State.

• This week the Sycamores square off against No. 14 Youngstown State, ISU's third ranked opponent this season after a win vs. No. 9 Illinois State (34-31) and a loss at No. 13 Western Illinois (36-35).

• ISU's last trip to Youngstown State was against the 15th-ranked Penguins and results in a 27-24 Sycamore win in OT.

• Indiana State has ranked in any variation of the national polls 52 times since joining the Valley in 1986.

• Since joining the Valley, the Sycamores have reached a high ranking of No. 14 three times: 1989 (Preseason), 1995 (Nov. 6) and 2012 (Oct. 29).

• Prior to joining the MVFC, the Sycamores reached an all-time high ranking of No. 1 in the nation during the 1984 Playoff season.

• The Sycamores have faced the No. 1 team in the nation 10 times since joining the Valley, going 1-9 in such games. ISU's one victory came at No. 1 North Dakota State on Oct. 13, 2012, winning 17-14 in the Fargodome.

• The Sycamores own a 16-87 all-time record against Top-25 teams, which includes a 12-67 mark against ranked MVFC schools.

• Since joining the Valley, Indiana State is 20-25 as a ranked team.

• While ranked, Indiana State is 3-10 all-time vs. other ranked MVFC schools, all wins coming in 2014 vs. No. 10 Northern Iowa on Oct. 4 (20-19), at No. 19 Southern Illinois on Oct. 25 (41-26) and at No. 15 Youngstown State on Nov. 15 (27-24, OT).

1989 (1-0)

Preseason, #14

1995 (1-3)

Oct. 9, #23; Oct. 23, #22; Nov. 6, #14; Nov. 13, #19; Nov. 20, #24; Final, #24

1996 (2-3)

Preseason, #24; Sept. 2, #25; Oct. 14, #23; Oct. 21, #21; Oct. 28, #23; Nov. 4, #21

2011 (3-4)

Sept. 26, #23; Oct. 3, #17; Oct. 10, #21; Oct. 17, #16; Oct. 24, #18; Oct. 31, #16; Nov. 7, #23; Nov. 14, #23

2012 (4-4)

Preseason, #23; Sept. 3, #23; Sept. 10, #22; Sept. 17, #22; Oct. 15, #21; Oct. 22, #15; Oct. 29, #14; Nov. 5, #18; Nov. 12, #18; Nov. 19, #23

2014 (5-5)

Sept. 29, #25; Oct. 6, #20; Oct. 13, #22; Oct. 20, #22; Oct. 27, #19; Nov. 3, #17; Nov. 10, #23; Nov. 17, #18; Nov. 24, #21; Final, #19

2015 (4-5)

Preseason, #20; Sept. 7, #21; Sept. 14, #23; Sept. 21, #22; Sept. 28, #21; Oct. 5, #19; Oct. 12., #21; Oct. 19, #18; Oct. 26, #21; Nov. 2, #23

2016 (0-1)

Sept. 26, #24

INDIANA STATE HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD

HEAD COACH MIKE SANFORD

Indiana State head coach Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1978) is 34-70 (.327) overall in his ninth season as a head coach and is 18-27 (.400) in his fourth season with Indiana State. He is 9-20 all-time in MVFC games, including a 5-10 mark at home and an 4-10 mark on the road. During his career, he is 24-28 in all home games, 10-42 on the road and 12-11 in games decided by three points or less. With the Sycamores, Sanford is 1-2 in overtime games and 0-1 in shutouts. Saturday's game is Sanford's 46th as the Indiana State head coach and his 105th as a collegiate head coach.

INDIANA STATE OFFENSIVE NOTES

QUICK HITS

• Total offense: 421.0 (3rd MVFC, 29th FCS)

• Rushing offense: 127.6 (10th MVFC, 90th FCS)

• Passing offense: 293.4 (3rd MVFC, 13th FCS)

• Last week's game vs. the Salukis marked the first time in school history that two Indiana State receivers passed the 100-yard plateau: Miles Thompson (147 yards, 1 TD) and Robert Tonyan Jr. (131 yards, 2 TD).

• The previous week against South Dakota, the Sycamores recorded their first game with a 300-yard passer, 100-yard rusher and 100-yard receiver since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois: QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards, RB Roland Genesy rushed for 106 yards and WR Miles Thompson hauled in 152 yards receiving. At Southern in 2014, current WR coach Mike Perish threw for 353 yards and four TDs, RB Buck Logan rushed for 142 yards and one TD and WR Kyani Harris had 129 yards receiving and two TDs.

• Miles Thompson's 152-yard day vs. South Dakota and 147-yard day at SIU are the first back-to-back 100-yard games by a Sycamore receiver since Gary Owens did so in 2014 (199 vs. Tenn. Tech; 107 at Ball State). Thompson's performances are also the first back-to-back 100-yard games by any combination of ISU receivers since Owens (102) and Tonyan (172) did so at Youngstown State and Western Illinois in 2014.

• At Southern Illinois, Robert Tonyan Jr. hauled in his eighth and ninth TD receptions of the season, tying and then breaking the single-season school record of eight set by Steve Schmid (1968) and Gary Owens (2015). Tonyan also broke the all-time career TD record of 15 earlier this year, currently sitting at 19 career scores.

• Tonyan also moved up several different lists at Southern Illinois: at 141 career receptions, Tonyan moved from fourth to second all-time behind Sam Logan's 196 catches. With 1,986 career receiving yards, Tonyan is third all-time and within striking distance of Logan's 2,385 yards and Terry Bell's 2,048 yards ahead of him.

• QB Isaac Harker threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns at Southern Illinois, his second consecutive 300-yard performance. After not having a single 300-yard passer in 2015, Harker has led ISU to four 300-yard games in eight chances this season. In all eight career starts this season, Harker has at least 237 yards and one TD.

• Harker's 336-yard day at SIU and 325-yard day vs. South Dakota are the first back-to-back 300-yard games since Mike Perish had two separate streaks of three games in 2014.

• At 2,337 yards this season, Harker leads the MVFC in passing yards and ranks fourth in the FCS. Harker also ranks in the national top-10 in passing touchdowns (7th, 18 TD), points responsible for (7th, 122), yards per game (8th, 292.1 YPG) and completions per game (9th, 23.25/game).

• On the season, Harker stands 186-of-313 for 2,337 yards, 18 TD and 5 INT. Currently, Harker is on pace for a 3,213-yard, 25 TD season. The ISU single season record for TD passes is 21, set by Mike Perish in 2014.

• Harker did not throw an interception in his first 146 career pass attempts (142 coming this season), his first coming late against No. 9 Illinois State on Sept. 24.

• Harker opened the game vs. Missouri State with a 38-yard TD strike to WR Miles Thompson on the first offensive play of the game. This was the second time in three weeks Harker led the Sycamores to a score on the first play of the game after a 75-yard play-action wheel-route TD to RB Dimitri Taylor at SEMO.

• Harker has 33 passing plays of 20 yards or longer this season, including 14 that are 30 yards or longer and five plays of 50 yards or longer -- a 56-yard TD to WR Bob Pugh vs. Butler, a 58-yard gain on a tipped pass to WR Clayton Smith at Minnesota, a 75-yard wheel-route TD to RB Dimitri Taylor at SEMO, a 65-yard TD pass to WR Robert Tonyan Jr. on a tipped pass (which broke the all-time receiving TD record at ISU for Tonyan) and an 85-yard TD pass to WR Miles Thompson at SIU. In 2015, the Sycamore offense only had two passing plays of 50 yards or longer, neither for a TD.

• That 85-yard pass from Harker to Thompson is the longest offensive play by the Sycamores since Nov. 1, 2014, when LeMonte Booker broke off a run of 87 yards vs. Missouri State.

• Thompson's 85-yard reception at SIU is the second-longest in school history (88: Nov. 16, 1974, Greg Washington to Rick Carr, at WIU; Oct. 4, 1975, Greg Washington to Dennis Wilkerson, vs. Ball State), and just the fifth 80-yard pass play since ISU joined the MVFC in 1986. Other 80-yard passes since include plays of 84 (Sept. 14, 2002, at Ball State, Julian Reese to Jake Sheilds), 80 (Oct. 15, 2011, vs. WIU, Ronnie Fouch to Alex Jones), 80 (Oct. 24, 1998, at SIU, Sheraton Fox to Matt Nelson) and 80 (Oct. 18, 1986, vs. Illinois State, Kyle Frondorf to Chris Johnson).

HISTORY AT SALUKI STADIUM

The final score only ended up 22-14 in Indiana State's third-straight road win over Southern Illinois on SIU's Homecoming, but the Sycamores did something in Carbondale on Saturday they had never done in 112 years of football. Wide receivers Miles Thompson and Robert Tonyan Jr. both recorded 100-yard games receiving, marking the first time in Indiana State history that multiple receivers had ever eclipsed the century mark. Thompson, who has been on a tear lately with two consecutive 100-yard games, tallied 147 yards receiving – 85 of which coming on a long TD pass. Tonyan, meanwhile, recorded 131 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. Combined this season the duo have caught 78 passes for 1,186 yards and 15 TDs and rank fourth (Tonyan, 79.8 YPG) and fifth (Thompson, 78.3 YPG) in the Valley in receiving.

MILES AHEAD

Redshirt junior WR Miles Thompson has been on a torrid pace lately, quickly becoming QB Isaac Harker's favorite checkdown option and deep field threat opposite Robert Tonyan Jr. After missing the season opener, Thompson has gone on to put forth a 548-yard season with six scores, ranking fifth in the Valley at 78.3 YPG. The last two weeks have been especially explosive for Thompson, who has become the first Sycamore receiver to record consecutive 100-yard games since Gary Owens did so in 2014. Two weeks ago vs. South Dakota, Thompson exploded for 152 yards and two touchdowns in ISU's double OT loss to the Coyotes – the biggest receiver output since Tonyan recorded 172 vs. Western Illinois in 2014. This past week at Southern Illinois, Thompson had a similar day with 147 yards and an 85-yard touchdown reception – the longest play from scrimmage by the Sycamores since LeMonte Booker's 87-yard run vs. Missouri State in 2014 and the longest pass reception since ISU joined the MVFC in 1986.

FIRST TO 2,000

Sophomore QB Isaac Harker has had a stellar year as ISU's starting QB, becoming the first Valley signal caller to cross the 2,000-yard mark passing this season after another 300-yard game vs. South Dakota on Oct. 15. Harker threw for 300 yet again at Southern Illinois this past week, throwing for 336 yards and three scores in ISU's 22-14 victory over the Salukis – marking the first consecutive 300-yard games by a Sycamore QB since current WR coach Mike Perish threw for 300 or more in three straight games twice during the 2014 playoff season. On the season, Harker stands at 2,337 yards passing – fourth-most in the FCS. Harker's 18 passing touchdowns also rank seventh in the FCS, and he sits just three shy of tying Perish's single-season record of 21 set in 2014.

300-100-100

Although the Sycamores lost in double overtime to South Dakota, the ISU offense did something it hadn't done since the 2014 FCS Playoff season. QB Isaac Harker threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns, RB Roland Genesy rumbled for 106 yards rushing, and WR Miles Thompson had a career day with 152 yards and three touchdowns – the first 300-100-100 game for the Sycamores since Oct. 25, 2014, at Southern Illinois. That game, the Sycamore offense led the way to a 41-26 victory on SIU's Homecoming that featured 353 passing yards and four touchdowns from current WR coach Mike Perish, 142 yards and one touchdown rushing by RB Buck Logan, and 129 yards and two touchdowns receiving by WR Kyani Harris.

ALL-TIME LEADER (AND STILL CLIMBING)

Senior WR Robert Tonyan Jr. became Indiana State's all-time leader in receiving touchdowns at No. 13 Western Illinois on Oct. 8, and did so in truly entertaining fashion. Following a Western score to briefly take back the lead early in the second quarter, Tonyan was in the right place at the right time to haul in an errant Isaac Harker pass intended for WR Clayton Smith, which hit off two different people before Tonyan snagged it out of the air behind the secondary with 65 yards of daylight for his 16th career score. With the touchdown, Tonyan broke Joe Downing's all-time record of 15 set in 1985. Since, Tonyan has also went on to break Steve Schmid's (1968) and Gary Owens' (2015) single-season TD record of eight, hauling in his eighth and nineth TDs of the season at Southern Illinois on Oct. 22. Tonyan is also quickly rising up other all-time lists, ranking second in carer receptions with 141 behind all-time leader Sam Logan (196) and third all-time in yards with 1,986 behind Logan (2,385) and Terry Bell (2,048).

THRICE AS NICE, PART DEUX

Most receivers would be lucky to receive three touchdowns in one game during their career, but most receivers aren't Robert Tonyan Jr. The 6-5, 230-pound senior tore up yet another Big Ten secondary for a monster eight-catch, 90-yard day and three touchdowns at Minnesota on Sept. 12 to prove on a national stage that he is an upper-echelon receiver at any level of NCAA college football. This came on the heels of a very impressive three touchdown performance at No. 3 Illinois State in the rain in 2015, which included a superb one-handed snare that ended up as the No. 4 play of the day on SportsCenter's Top-10. Tonyan is the only Sycamore to ever have two separate three touchdown games and and now stands as ISU's all-time career leader in receiving touchdowns after breaking Joe Downing's record of 15 three weeks ago at No. 13 Western Illinois – an impressive feat for someone who came to Indiana State as a QB. In his career as a WR, Tonyan has 16 receptions for 211 yards and four TDs against three Big Ten teams (Indiana in 2014, Purdue in 2015 and Minnesota in 2016), and he has 19 catches for 243 yards and four scores against all FBS schools when ISU's upset at Ball State in 2014 is included.

INDIANA STATE DEFENSIVE/SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

QUICK HITS

• Total defense: 427.3 YPG (7th MVFC, 93rd FCS)

• Rushing defense: 163.5 YPG (8th MVFC, 62nd FCS)

• Passing defense: 263.8 YPG (8th MVFC, 105th FCS)

• Indiana State held Southern Illinois to just 90 yards rushing, the lowest output by an opposing offense since holding Southern Illinois to 27 yards rushing at SIU on Oct. 25, 2014.

• Against South Dakota, senior LB Jameer Thurman became the 16th Sycamore to ever join the 300-tackle club. Now at 318 career stops, Thurman sits 13th all-time in total tackles -- which is led by LB coach Aaron Archie's 428 career tackles.

• Thurman is ISU's active career leader in: tackles (318), solo tackles (158), assisted tackles (160), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).

• Thurman is coming off a 13-tackle game at Southern Illinois on Oct. 22, his fourth double-digit tackle game this season.

• Thurman ranks in the top-10 in the Valley in: tackles for loss (3rd, 9.0 (1.12/game), forced fumbles (3rd, 3), fumble recoveries (4th, 2) and total tackles (6th, 70 (8.8/game). Thurman's 8.8 tackles per game also ranks 47th in the FCS.

• Thurman was the catalyst for the Sycamores at Western Illinois, recovering a muffed punt that sparked a 21-0 run and returning his fourth-career interception for his first-career score during said run.

• Thurman had a monster day vs. Missouri State on Oct. 1 with 14 tackles (seven solo), 4.0 TFL for a loss of 12 yards, and a forced fumble on a sack of MSU QB Brodie Lambert that briefly turned the tide for the Sycamores in the second quarter.

• JUCO transfer LB Justin Hornsby had a career day against the Salukis last week, recording 4.0 TFL for a loss of 22 yards and 2.5 sacks for a loss of 18. Hornsby accounted for half of ISU's 8.0 TFL vs. SIU, with his 4.0 tying for the 13th-highest single-game total in the FCS this season.

• Indiana State has recorded at least 5.0 TFL in seven of eight games this season with 8.0 or more in four of ISU's last five games.

• Five different Sycamores currently sit with 5.0 TFL or more on the season: LB Jameer Thurman (9.0, 27 yards), DL Kenyota Rollins (7.5, 23 yards), DL Conlan Cassidy (6.0, 23 yards) and LB Cedric Doxy (5.5, 15 yards) and LB Justin Hornsby (5.5, 25 yards). Combined, these five own 33.5 of ISU's 55.0 TFL for 113 yards lost.

• Nine different Sycamores have had their hands in a turnover this season, as ISU has forced 10 fumbles (and recovered nine) while also picking off three passes. ISU has also scored two TDs on defense: a 100-yard fumble return TD by DB Tsali Lough and a 32-yard INT return TD by LB Jameer Thurman.

• Senior DL Conlan Cassidy had a career game against South Dakota, leading ISU in tackles with 11, 3.0 TFL for a loss of 10 yards, one sack for a loss of eight yards and a fumble recovery returned six yards. Cassidy leads Indiana State with 3.5 sacks, and is now ISU's active career leader in sacks with 7.5.

• Senior safety Tsali Lough returned a fumble 100 yards for a TD in the season opener vs. Butler, the fourth 100-yard play in Indiana State history, but the first fumble return. The other three were interception returns: Marty Murray (Sept. 17, 1977, vs. Southern Illinois), Vencie Glenn (Sept. 1, 1984, vs. Wayne State) and Travis Starks (Sept. 19, 2015, vs. Southeast Missouri).

• Under head coach Mike Sanford and defensive coordinator Brian Cabral, only four FCS schools have ever broken the 500-yard plateau against the Sycamores: Western Illinois (524; Nov. 14, 2015), Southern Illinois (554; Oct. 17, 2015), Chattanooga (503; Dec. 6, 2014, Second Round of FCS Playoffs) and South Dakota State (510; Nov. 8, 2014).

• The only other schools to break 500 yards have all been FBS Big Ten opponents: Minnesota (593; Sept. 10, 2016), Purdue (540; Sept. 12, 2015) and Indiana (566, Aug. 30, 2014; 632, Aug. 29, 2013).

• Under Sanford and Cabral, the Sycamore defense has held opponents to under 400 yards of total offense in 29 of 45 games played. (nine each in 2013 and 2014, six in 2015, five in 2016). In those games, Indiana State is 16-13.

300 TACKLE CLUB

Senior LB Jameer Thurman recorded eight total tackles in ISU's 33-30 loss to South Dakota in 2OT two weeks ago, pushing him over the career 300-tackle milestone. Thurman is the 16th Sycamore to ever pass the threshold, currently sitting 13th all-time with 318 career stops after a 13-tackle game at Southern Illinois on Oct. 22. At his current pace, Thurman would end his career as the 11th-best tackler in school history with 340 stops.

1. LB Aaron Archie (2009-12) - 428

2. LB Richard Moss (1993-96) - 426

3. LB Dietrick Lapsley (1999-2002) - 415

4. LB Marty Murray (1975-77) - 414

5. LB Craig Shaffer (1978-81) - 413

6. S Robert High (1994-97) - 393

7. LB Jacolby Washington (2009-12) - 388

8. S Alex Sewall (2008-11) - 358

9. LB Eric Christensen (1988-91) - 352

10. DB Terrance Miles (2000-03) - 342

11. S John Allman (1978-80) - 336

12. LB Tony Albrinck (1998-2001) - 323

13. LB Jameer Thurman (2013-16) - 318

JAMEER THURMAN: #20 IN YOUR PROGRAMS...

...but No. 1 as the active leader in several statistical categories among Sycamore defenders. Thurman has been a consistent force for the Sycamores during the last four years, and he ranks as the active leader in: total tackles (318), solo tackles (158), assisted tackles (160), tackles for loss (28.0), forced fumbles (6), fumble recoveries (5) and interceptions (4).

DEFENSE WINS

The Sycamore defense has given up a handful of large offensive outputs under head coach Mike Sanford and defensive coordinator Brian Cabral, but a closer look at the numbers reveals that the Sycamores have been fairly consistent at keeping their own offense in the game. In 45 games coached at Indiana State, the duo have kept opponents to under 400 yards of total offense 29 times, going 16-13 in such games. In the last four years under their leadership, the Sycamores have only given up 500 yards or more eight times -- only four such occurrences coming from fellow FCS schools, the other four coming from FBS Big Ten Opponents Minnesota (593; Sept. 10, 2016), Purdue (540; Sept. 12, 2015) and Indiana (566, Aug. 30, 2014; 632, Aug. 29, 2013).

CHAOS IS A LADDER...

...and the Sycamores have climbed it to their advantage in the backfield this season. A key component to defensive coordinator Brian Cabral's shifting scheme, the Sycamores have tallied up 45.0 TFL for a loss of 197 yards. The Sycamores have recorded 14.0 sacks for a loss of 96 yards this season as well. In eight games, the Sycamore defense has recorded at least 5.0 TFL in seven contests -- averaging 27.7 yards lost in those contests.  ISU has also recorded at least 5.0 in each of the last six games, and 8.0 or higher in four of eight games. A total of 20 different Sycamores have had their hands in the TFL fun, with seven recording 3.0 or more and five with 5.5 or more.

JOSHUA APPEL: ALL-AMERICAN

Sycamore fans may not want to see the punter in action, but they had best pay close attention to who is snapping him the ball, as Indiana State may have the best long snapper in college football in 2016. Senior Joshua Appel continues to dazzle at camps around the country, and this past summer he was rewarded with a spot on the First-Team on the STATS FCS Preseason All-American team.

Appel was also a Preseason honoree in 2015 as a Second-Team member, and was named a First-Team All-American at the end of the season. Appel, a senior finance major from Normal, Ill., is a two-time winner of the well-known long snapping camp hosted by Chris Rubio. This summer, Appel bested 37 of the best long-snappers in the United States to take the overall title at the Rubio camp.

ONE-MAN WRECKING CREW

Butler was knocking on the door and about to strike a decisive blow to Indiana State's momentum early-on in the first quarter on Sept. 3, and then senior Terre Haute native Tsali Lough took matters into his own hands. The safety kept fighting for the ball even after it seemed the play was over, but the whistle never blew and before Butler knew it, Lough was fifty yards down the sideline on his way to a 100-yard touchdown on the goal line fumble recovery forced by Antonio Broadus. Lough immediately entered himself into the Indiana State record books with that play, the fourth 100-yard play in school history – and the first of which that was on a fumble return (the other three were on interception returns). As if that wasn't enough, Lough went on to seal the momentum shift on Butler's very next play with an interception to setup a Sycamore offensive score. On the day, Lough ended as ISU's leading tackler with 8 total stops (seven solo), 1.0 sacks for 10 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery for a 100-yard touchdown and one interception.

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