TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State football will look to snap a two-game losing streak Saturday as Eastern Kentucky comes to town. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. ET from Memorial Stadium.
The game will air on ESPN Plus with Baylee Chamberlain delivering the play-by-play and Amere Dozier on color. Sycamore fans can also listen live on the radio on WIBQ 97.9 FM (1230 AM) locally or online at
GoSycamores.com/Watch free-of-charge with
Luke Martin (play-by-play) and
Brian Fritz (color) calling the action.
MARKETING, PROMOTIONS AND TICKETS
Saturday will mark Youth Sports Day at Memorial Stadium with any Youth Teams in uniform will receive free admission to the game while accompanying adults will be able to purchase a ticket for $5.
Young Sycamore fans can also take advantage of the Kids Zone in front of Memorial Stadium from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. thanks to DIY Rentals.
Fans are able to pick up free programs as they enter the stadium all season long thank to the Tribune Star, Saturday's game sponsor.
For ticket information call 812-237-3737, visit the Hulman Center Ticket Office inside Tirey Hall during normal business hours or click
HERE. General admission tickets are available for purchase on game day at Memorial Stadium.
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE COLONELS
Saturday's matchup against Eastern Kentucky will mark the 10th game in the series. Indiana State took the first meeting back in 1926, 10-7 before dropping the next seven meetings with the Colonels. The last meeting in the series came in 2014 when the Sycamores defeated EKU, 36-16 in the FCS Playoffs in Richmond, Kentucky.
RUSHING ATTACK ON POINT
Indiana State rushed for 358 yards Saturday against Dayton. The Sycamores were led by junior running back
Peterson Kerlegrand who went for a career high 194 yards on the ground and two touchdowns in his first career start. His rushing total was the 22nd-best performance in program history and the best since 2003. Quarterback
Ryan Boyle added 103 yards rushing on 17 attempts, marking the first time since October 5, 2018 that ISU had two 100-yard rushers in the same game.
Chris Childers added 52 yards and a pair of scores on just six carries while
Nick Sims rushed the ball three times for nine yards.
DOMINATING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE ON OFFENSE
Indiana State leads the nation in tackles for loss allowed with two per game. Against Dayton, the Sycamores had just one rushing play that produced negative yards on 43 attempts -- a minus two-yard rush from
Nick Sims.
Ryan Boyle was hit for three sacks against Kansas, netting -18 yards while Dayton was able to get one stop in the backfield.
GRIFFITH NAMED TO BUCK BUCHANAN WATCH LIST
Redshirt senior
Jonas Griffith was named to the Buck Buchanan Watch List this preseason. Griffith is one of 25 nominees, including four in the MVFC to earn the recognition, presented by STATS to the most outstanding defensive player in the nation. The Louisville, Kentucky native was named a Preseason All-American by HERO Sports and STATS FCS after earning All-American status from three different publications as well as All-MVFC honors following the conclusion of the 2018 campaign. Griffith led the Sycamores and ranked fifth nationally in tackles. Over his career, Griffith has seen action in 4 games, recording 292 tackles. He has made 23 tackles-for-loss and recorded 11 sacks, three interceptions and three forced fumbles.
A WIN AGAINST EKU WOULD ...
Give the Sycamores the first win of 2019
Be the second consecutive win over EKU
Give ISU a two-game winning streak in the series
Be
Curt Mallory's eighth win at the helm of the Sycamores
PRESEASON HONORS FOR GRIFFITH
Redshirt senior
Jonas Griffith earned Preseason All-American honors from both HERO Sports and STATS FCS. Griffith started in 11 games in 2018 at linebacker, leading the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 132 tackles, including 81 unassisted stops. He was tops in the nation with 7.4 solo tackles per game and fifth with 12 tackles per game. In total, the Louisville, Kentucky native recorded 9.5 tackles-for-loss for 27 yards including 3.5 sacks. He recorded double-digit stops in eight games while making a season high 18 stops in back-to-back games against South Dakota State and Missouri State.
GRIFFITH CLOSE TO JOINING 300-TACKLE CLUB; CRACKS TOP-10 IN SINGLE SEASON TACKLES
Griffith sits just eight tackles away from 300-career tackles with a year of eligibility remaining. Griffith recorded 37 tackles in 2016, 107 tackles in 2017 and 132 tackles in 2018. He is looking to become just the third player in program history to record three-straight seasons of 100 or more tackles. He would be the 18th player in program history to reach 300 career tackles. Griffith finished tied for 7th in program history in single season tackles after recording 132 a year ago.
NUNEZ BREAKS CAREER PAT RECORD
Jerry Nunez etched his name in the Sycamore record book Saturday, passing Scott Bridges for most career PAT's. Bridges finished his career with 87 PAT's and held the record since 1985. Nunez tied the mark on the Sycamores' first drive against Dayton and broke the record in the second quarter. The senior kicker is also nearing program records for field goals made and points scored.
NUNEZ ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY
Sycamore kicker
Jerry Nunez has made his mark on the program over the last three seasons with clutch kicks and game winners. The senior now sits within reach of two more program records. Nunez finished 2018 40-of-41 on PAT attempts and 15-of-19 on field goals. He accounted for a team-best 85 points scored and was 10-of-11 on field goals within 29 yards. Nunez finished the season with a long field goal of 48 yards against Missouri State.
MOST POINTS SCORED - 211 (221 Kyle Hooper 42 FG/86 PAT, 2003-06)
MOST FGs MADE - 40 (42 Kyle Hooper, 59 att. 2003-06)
SYCAMORES ON SEPTEMBER 14
Indiana State has played eight games in program history on September 14, with a 5-3 record on the date. The most recent matchup on the date came in 2013 when the Sycamores defeated Quincy, 70-7. The most common opponent on the date is regional rival Eastern Illinois which ISU has faced five times on the date with a 3-2 record.
September 14, 1966 at Eastern Illinois W, 32-0
September 14, 1968 at Eastern Illinois W, 23-0
September 14, 1974 vs Eastern Illinois W, 21-6
September 14, 1985 at Eastern Illinois L, 39-7
September 14, 1991 vs Central Missouri State W, 35-6
September 14, 1996 at Eastern Illinois L, 35-16
September 14, 2002 at Ball State L, 23-21
September 14, 2013 vs Quincy W, 70-7
IT STARTS UP FRONT
After filling in the pieces on the offensive line a year ago, the Sycamores have found consistency up front with five players.
Tate Leavitt,
Isaiah Edwards,
Wyatt Wozniak,
James Lang and
Kevin Kcehowski started all 11 games up front and have been key parts to the Sycamore rushing attack. ISU has rushed for 2,511 yards after just 1,185 yards in 2017. In 2019, the Sycamores return five fifth-year seniors to the offensive line, including four starters from a year ago. The average weight of our offensive line in 2018 was 302.6 pounds. In just one year, that number has jumped to 332.
A MAINSTAY AT CENTER
Redshirt senior
Wyatt Wozniak has been the steady hand on the Sycamore offensive line, starting 26-straight games. Wozniak is one of the most experience interior lineman on the roster after seeing game action in five contests in 2016 including three starts. Wozniak is the lone Sycamore on offense that started every game at the center position in 2017. Wozniak, a Cypress, Texas product, led the charge from his center position, as the Sycamores racked up 569 total yards of offense Saturday at No. 3 South Dakota State -- the most yards since the Sycamores put up 671 yards against Quincy in 2013.
A DECADE OF POSTSEASON DOMINANCE FOR THE VALLEY
In the current decade, MVFC teams are 59-25 in the playoffs, and only one other conference (the CAA at 40-36) has a winning record. Since 2004, league teams have combined for a 73-38 record in playoff games, with seven titles – both tops in the FCS. Notably, only the MVFC (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018), CAA Football (2016) and Big Sky Conference (2010) have an FCS title this decade. Valley Football is celebrating its 35th season in 2019. In its first 34 seasons the league owns nine national crowns.
MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
The 2019 season is an anniversary for the Missouri Valley Football Conference as it celebrates its 35th birthday this year (founded in 1985 as the Gateway Conference). The 2019 season also is an anniversary season for college football as its celebrates its 150th birthday. League schools will be donning a CFB150 patch on uniforms this year.
ESPN PLUS
• The ESPN App is the home to MVFC and curates all of ESPN's incredible content into a personalized experience unique to each fan's tastes. All MVFC home games will be available through the App via "TV Everywhere" (airing on ESPN3 or ESPN+). Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and cancel at any time. For questions about the new ESPN App or ESPN+, please contact the ESPN customer care team at support.espn.com or 1-888-549-ESPN.
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
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