By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – On Saturday we took an in-depth look at what happened with the Sycamores in 2015. Today, let's turn our gaze to what lies ahead for Indiana State in 2016.
As with all Valley Football schools, Indiana State has a tough slate ahead of them this season. Nine of the 10 MVFC schools are either ranked or receiving votes in the newly-released STATS FCS Preseason Top-25 poll, including the Sycamores. That total also includes three preseason top-10 teams: No. 10 Illinois State, No. 5 UNI and five-time defending national champions, No. 1 North Dakota State. The Sycamores fortunately do not have to play a fourth, as No. 8 South Dakota State is not on ISU's schedule for 2016.
Take a look at last year's stats, our key returnees and a game-by-game preview of the 2016 season below.
2015 Record: 5-6, 3-5 MVFC
All-Time Record: 382-510-23
First Year of Football: 1896 (112th season)
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 380.6 YPG (60th FCS, 8th MVFC)
Total Defense: 406.3 YPG (81st FCS, 8th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 176.0 YPG (45th FCS, 6th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 198.5 YPG (90th FCS, 8th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 204.6 YPG (59th FCS, 4th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 207.8 YPG (52nd FCS, 6th MVFC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 60/29
Returning Starters, Offense: 5/11
Returning Starters, Defense: 6/11
Key Returnees:
Joshua Appel – Senior, LS
Conlan Cassidy – Senior, DL
Preston Collier – Senior, RT
Roland Genesy – Senior, RB
Sampson Levingston – Senior, WR
Tsali Lough – Senior, S
Katrell Moss – Sophomore, LB
James Officer – Junior, C
Jameer Thurman – Senior, LB
Robert Tonyan Jr. – Senior, WR
Dakota Vermillion – Senior, LT
Phil Wilson – Senior, S
Game 1: Indiana State (5-6, 3-5 MVFC) vs. Butler (6-5, 4-4 Pioneer) – Sept. 3, 2016, 3 p.m. – Memorial Stadium – ESPN3
All-Time Series: Butler leads, 25-9-2
Last Meeting: 2015 (W, 52-17, in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 1904 (L, 47-0, at Butler)
Current Streak: 5, Indiana State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 408.2 YPG (44th FCS, 4th Pioneer)
Total Defense: 351.5 YPG (36th FCS, 5th Pioneer)
Rushing Offense: 147.8 YPG (67th FCS, 4th Pioneer)
Rushing Defense: 116.1 YPG (15th FCS, 4th Pioneer)
Passing Offense: 260.4 YPG (28th FCS, 3rd Pioneer)
Passing Defense: 235.4 YPG (94th FCS, 5th Pioneer)
Game 2: Indiana State at Minnesota (6-7, 2-6 Big Ten) – Sept. 10, 2016, 12 p.m. – TCF Bank Stadium - ESPNews
Quick Lane Bowl
W, 21-14, vs. Central Michigan
All-Time Series: Minnesota leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: 1993 (L, 27-10, at Minnesota)
First Meeting: 1989 (L, 34-14, at Minnesota)
Current Streak: 2, Minnesota
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 358.9 YPG (103rd FBS, 12th Big Ten)
Total Defense: 345.9 YPG (24th FBS, 7th Big Ten)
Rushing Offense: 144.1 YPG (100th FBS, 11th Big Ten)
Rushing Defense: 166.4 YPG (61st FBS, 10th Big Ten)
Passing Offense: 214.8 YPG (73rd FBS, 8th Big Ten)
Passing Defense: 179.5 YPG (11th FBS, 4th Big Ten)
Game 3: Indiana State at Southeast Missouri (4-7, 3-4 Ohio Valley) – Sept. 17, 2016, 7 p.m. – Houck Stadium – OVC Digital Network
All-Time Series: Series tied, 4-4
Last Meeting: 2015 (W, 29-28, in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 1935 (L, 14-0, at SEMO)
Current Streak: 1, Indiana State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 355.5 YPG (77th FCS, 5th OVC)
Total Defense: 431.3 YPG (97th FCS, 6th OVC)
Rushing Offense: 182.9 YPG (38th FCS, 2nd OVC)
Rushing Defense: 189.2 YPG (78th FCS, 6th OVC)
Passing Offense: 172.5 YPG (88th FCS, 7th OVC)
Passing Defense: 242.1 YPG (101st FCS, 7th OVC)
Game 4: Indiana State vs. No. 10 Illinois State (10-3, 7-1 MVFC) – Sept. 24, 2016, 3 p.m. – Memorial Stadium – ESPN3
FCS Playofs, Round of 8
First Round: BYE
Round of 16: vs. Western Illinois (W, 36-19)
Round of 8: vs. Richmond (L, 39-27)
All-Time Series: Illinois State leads, 36-29-2
Last Meeting: 2015 (L, 27-24, at Normal)
First Meeting: 1924 (W, 47-0, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 5, Illinois State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 425.6 YPG (26th FCS, 2nd MVFC)
Total Defense: 374.8 YPG (53rd FCS, 6th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 234.2 YPG (14th FCS, 2nd MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 146.4 YPG (37th FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Passing Offense: 191.5 YPG (69th FCS, 6th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 228.5 YPG (85th FCS, 9th MVFC)
Game 5: Indiana State vs. Missouri State (1-10, 0-8 MVFC) – Oct. 1, 2016, 3 p.m. – Memorial Stadium – ESPN3 - Homecoming
All-Time Series: Missouri State leads, 17-13
Last Meeting: 2015 (W, 56-28, at Springfield)
First Meeting: 1986 (W, 14-10, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 2, Indiana State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 232.2 YPG (120th FCS, 10th MVFC)
Total Defense: 548.9 YPG (123rd FCS, 10th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 127.7 YPG (93rd FCS, 10th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 301.2 YPG (123rd FCS, 10th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 105.5 YPG (117th FCS, 10th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 247.7 YPG (105th FCS, 10th MVFC)
Game 6: Indiana State at No. 20 Western Illinois (7-6, 5-3 MVFC) – Oct. 8, 2016, 4 p.m. – Hanson Field – ESPN3
FCS Playoffs, Round of 16
First Round: vs. Dayton (W, 24-7)
Round of 16: vs. Illinois State (L, 36-19)
All-Time Series: Western Illinois leads, 24-15
Last Meeting: 2015 (L, 37-30 (OT), in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 1967 (L, 26-7, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 3, Western Illinois
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 393.8 YPG (50th FCS, 5th MVFC)
Total Defense: 398.8 YPG (73rd FCS, 7th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 140.8 YPG (74th FCS, 8th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 195.3 YPG (84th FCS, 7th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 252.9 YPG (34th FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Passing Defense: 203.5 YPG (47th FCS, 5th MVFC)
Game 7: Indiana State vs. South Dakota (5-6, 3-5 MVFC) – Oct. 15, 2016, 3 p.m. – Memorial Stadium – ESPN3
All-Time Series: Series tied, 1-1
Last Meeting: 2013 (L, 17-14, at Vermillion)
First Meeting: 2012 (W, 45-14, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 1, South Dakota
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 349.5 YPG (80th FCS, 9th MVFC)
Total Defense: 344.5 YPG (31st FCS, 4th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 165.7 YPG (56th FCS, 7th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 159.8 YPG (57th, 4th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 183.7 YPG (80th FCS, 8th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 184.7 YPG (21st FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Game 8: Indiana State at Southern Illinois (3-8, 2-6 MVFC) – Oct. 22, 2016, 3 p.m. – Saluki Stadium – ESPN3
All-Time Series: Southern Illinois leads, 27-26
Last Meeting: 2015 (W, 39-36, in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 1944 (W, 55-6, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 2, Indiana State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 498.1 YPG (5th FCS, 1st MVFC)
Total Defense: 467.7 YPG (113th FCS, 9th MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 199.6 YPG (25th FCS, 5th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 240.2 YPG (116th FCS, 9th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 298.5 YPG (9th FCS, 1st MVFC)
Passing Defense: 227.5 YPG (82nd FCS, 8th MVFC)
Game 9: Indiana State at Youngstown State (5-6, 3-5 MVFC) – Oct. 29, 2016, 2 p.m. – Stambaugh Stadium – ESPN3
All-Time Series: Youngstown State leads, 21-5
Last Meeting: 2015 (W, 27-24, in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 1987 (L, 19-7, in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 2, Indiana State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 392.3 YPG (51st FCS, 6th MVFC)
Total Defense: 288.7 YPG (7th FCS, 2nd MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 199.8 YPG (24th FCS, 4th MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 172.0 YPG (65th FCS, 5th MVFC)
Passing Offense: 192.5 YPG (68th FCS, 5th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 116.7 YPG (1st FCS, 1st MVFC)
Game 10: Indiana State vs. No. 5 Northern Iowa (9-5, 5-3 MVFC) – Nov. 5, 2016, 1 p.m. – Memorial Stadium – ESPN3 – Senior Day
FCS Playoffs, Round of 8
First Round: vs. Eastern Illinois (W, 53-17)
Round of 16: vs. Portland State (W, 29-17)
Round of 8: vs. North Dakota State (L, 23-13)
All-Time Series: Northern Iowa leads, 25-5
Last Meeting: 2015 (L, 59-13, at Cedar Falls)
First Meeting: 1983 (W, 26-0 in Terre Haute)
Current Streak: 1, Northern Iowa
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 382.1 YPG (59th FCS, 7th MVFC)
Total Defense: 332.1 YPG (26th FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 233.3 YPG (15th FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 124.2 YPG (18th FCS, 2nd MVFC)
Passing Offense: 148.8 YPG (102nd FCS, 9th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 207.9 YPG (53rd FCS, 7th MVFC)
Game 11: Indiana State at No. 1 North Dakota State (13-2, 7-1 MVFC) – Nov. 12, 2016, 3:30 p.m. – Fargodome – ESPN3
FCS National Champions (fifth-straight national title)
First Round: BYE
Round of 16: vs. Montana (W, 37-6)
Round of 8: vs. Northern Iowa (W, 23-13)
Semifinals: vs. Richmond (W, 33-7)
Championship Game: vs. Jacksonville State (W, 37-10)
All-Time Series: North Dakota State leads, 7-1
Last Meeting: 2015 (L, 28-14, in Terre Haute)
First Meeting: 2008 (L, 34-7, in Fargo)
Current Streak: 3, North Dakota State
2015 Stats
Total Offense: 423.1 YPG (27th FCS, 3rd MVFC)
Total Defense: 271.5 YPG (3rd FCS, 1st MVFC)
Rushing Offense: 236.7 YPG (13th FCS, 1st MVFC)
Rushing Defense: 104.5 YPG (10th FCS, 1st MVFC)
Passing Offense: 186.3 YPG (78th FCS, 7th MVFC)
Passing Defense: 167.0 YPG (11th FCS, 2nd MVFC)
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.
