TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hits the road once again in conference play this weekend as the Sycamores make the trip to Springfield, Mo. and Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Saturday, October 16, to take on #23/20 Missouri State. Kickoff between the Sycamores and Bears is set for 3 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Notes
Building on the Winning Streak
Indiana State is coming off a win for the third time in the 2021 season as the Sycamores look to string two together in this week's road trip to Missouri State. The Sycamores picked up wins in the season opener against Eastern Illinois and two games later on the road at Eastern Kentucky, but have been unable to put together a streak thus far into the year. The last time Indiana State started off 0-2 in MVFC play, the Sycamores turned it around in the 2018 season winning five of six down the stretch to finish among the conference leaders.
MVFC Play Continues
The Missouri Valley Football Conference continues to dominate the FCS landscape as we near the midway point of the 2021 regular season. The MVFC has featured at least three teams in the top-10 in both major polls for a majority of the season, while seven different teams have been listed among the top-25 or receiving votes over the last three weeks.
400 PROGRAM WINS
Based on current Indiana State record books, the Sycamores football program hit a major milestone this past weekend as ISU recorded its 400th win on the field in program history. The Sycamores first started playing football back in the 1896 season, but the first few seasons saw several years go without a team on the field. Indiana State has consistently fielded a team since the 1923 season.
The Sycamores have had multiple milestone wins over program history. Here's a list of the markers met as Indiana State will look to move closer to the next one in this week's contest at Missouri State.
Milestone Wins in Indiana State Football History
1st Win – 1898 - at Sullivan HS – W, 22-0
50th Win - gm. 4 1933 - v. Evansville – W, 13-12
100th Win - gm. 2 1948 - at Valparaiso, W, 13-0
150th Win – Sept. 18, 1965 - v. Eastern Illinois - W, 17-0
200th Win - Nov. 17, 1973 - v. Southern Illinois – W, 36-17
250th Win - Nov. 5, 1983 - at West Texas A&M – W, 31-20
300th Win - Nov. 20, 1993 - v. Western Illinois – W, 16-6
350th Win - Oct. 9, 2010 - v. Illinois State – W, 59-24
400th Win – Oct. 9, 2021 – vs. Western Illinois, W, 37-27
Series Matchup
Missouri State leads the all-time matchup between the two teams, 20-14, dating back to their first game in the 1986 season. The Sycamores have won six of the last 10 contests, including a three-game winning streak spanning the 2010-12 seasons, while adding a 51-24 victory their last time out against the Bears in Springfield.
First Three
September 13, 1986 – vs. Missouri State – W, 14-10
October 3, 1987 – vs. Missouri State – L, 42-0
October 8, 1988 – vs. Missouri State – W, 27-24
Last Three
October 28, 2017 – at Missouri State – L, 59-20
October 13, 2018 – vs. Missouri State – L, 29-26
November 23, 2019 – at Missouri State – W, 51-24
On This Date
Indiana State has lined up in eight games on October 16 in program history and has posted a 3-5 overall record on the date. The Sycamores and Bears have competed twice on October 16 in their respective program histories in both 2004 and 2010. Both contests came at home in Terre Haute with the teams splitting the contests. ISU won the last matchup, 38-35, in overtime back in 2010.
On This Date
1954 – Ball State – W, 14-13
1971 – Illinois State – L, 23-19
1976 – at Central Michigan – L, 16-13
1982 – vs. Eastern Illinois – L, 16-12
1993 – at Illinois State – L, 17-3
1999 – SE Missouri State – W, 34-13
2004 – Missouri State – L, 31-28
2010 – Missouri State – W, 38-35 (OT)
Opponent Information
Missouri State was selected sixth overall in the 2021 fall season after a 5-5 combined season that spanned both the fall and spring seasons due to COVID. The Bears went 0-3 in the fall season with losses to Oklahoma and Central Arkansas, but bounced back to go 5-2 in the spring season with an appearance in the FCS Playoffs.
The Bears posted a 5-1 mark in conference play in the spring to finish tied for the conference regular season title with North Dakota and South Dakota State. Included in the season were wins over Western Illinois, South Dakota, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Youngstown State.
Missouri State enters the weekend as one of seven Missouri Valley Football Conference teams recognized in both major FCS polls. The Bears clock in at No. 23 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the STATS Perform FCS Top 25. MSU enters the weekend with a 3-2 record and 2-1 mark in MVFC play. The Bears' losses have come to FBS Oklahoma State and Youngstown State, while topping Central Arkansas, South Dakota, and Illinois State.
Missouri State sits second overall in the MVFC in passing offense at 287.4 yards per game over their five contests. The Bears have been paced by Jason Shelley's 1,438 yards with a 10-touchdown, three-interception season on the season. The redshirt junior quarterback has posted back-to-back 300-plus yard passing efforts and had a four-touchdown game this past weekend against Youngstown State. Shelley has also been the team's leading rusher by volume with 66 carries for 231 yards and three touchdowns.
Tyrone Scott and Xavier Lane have been the top two receiving targets for the Bears this season with Scott hauling in 24 passes for 371 yards with four touchdowns, while Lane has a team-leading 30 catches for 362 yards and a score. Lane has a pair of 100-yard games this season, including last week's eight-catch, 121 yard contest with a pair of scores in the win over the Penguins.
Titus Wall is the team's leading tackler with 43 stops on the season, while Kevin Ellis paces the Bears' defense with 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Montrae Braswell (three interceptions) and Lemondre Joe (two interceptions) are the team's leading turnover makers with the Bears posting 11 turnovers on the year.
Kerlegrand Breaks Loose
Peterson Kerlegrand turned in one of the best performances in his Indiana State career this past weekend as the senior running back recorded 178 yards on 17 carries and added two touchdowns in the Sycamores' 37-27 win over Western Illinois. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native broke loose with a 59-yard touchdown run in the first half and added carries of 32 yards and 28 yards in the second half on the way to his top rushing performance in 2021. Kerlegrand has posted four career 100-yard rushing efforts, including a single-game high 194 yards against Dayton back in the 2019 season. Kerlegrand has been responsible for five plays over 20 yards in the 2021 season and has three games with at least 70 rushing yards to help the Sycamores offense on the year. Expect him to once again be the dominant ball-carrier in the Indiana State offense sitting fourth in the MVFC in total carries (89) and tied for third in rushing touchdowns (6).
McClurge Down the Sideline
It took just one block to spring Indiana State graduate transfer wide receiver
Phazione McClurge for the longest offensive play from scrimmage in the 2021 season. The Chicago, Ill. native went on the crossing pattern over the middle and hauled in the pass in the right flat from
Anthony Thompson. A block from
Daijon Collins sprung him down the right sideline and it was off to the races for McClurge's third touchdown reception of the year. McClurge has three of the Sycamores' longest receptions of the 2021 season and currently leads Indiana State with 266 receiving yards over 19 receptions. He has posted at least three catches in each of the last five games and will look to continue his recent stretch against the Bears' defense that currently sits ninth overall in the MVFC standings allowing over 259 passing yards per game.
Larkin, Better Each Week
Zach Larkin made it 13 consecutive games with a reception as the redshirt senior tight end hauled in four catches for a career-high 72 yards against Western Illinois. The Hamilton, Ohio native is currently second on the Sycamores with 20 catches and has run his consecutive catch streak to 13 games running back to the early part of the 2019 season. Larkin has continued to improve as the season continued setting new single-game marks in receiving yards in each of the last three games. Larkin posted three consecutive 40-plus yard games prior nearly equaling the mark with a single catch in the third quarter against the Leathernecks. His 39-yard reception in the first quarter marked the third-longest Indiana State catch of the season, while he was back in the mix in the running game with three carries for eight yards in the win.
Morgan Catches Everything
Rontrez Morgan has made his mark as the top receiving target for the Sycamores offense this season as the Jacksonville, Fla. native sits tied for third overall in the conference in total receptions (32), while adding four games with at least 30 receiving yards on the year. Morgan has caught multiple passes in 11 consecutive games dating back to the 2019 season and has snagged at least three catches in every game in the 2021 season. The senior wide receiver hauled in six catches for 54 yards in the Indiana State win over the Leathernecks to run his season total to 237 receiving yards on the season. Morgan is averaging 5.3 receptions per game while also serving as one of the Sycamores top receiving and return threats.
Thompson's Big Day
Anthony Thompson has settled into the Sycamores offense as the redshirt senior quarterback is coming off one of his best performances in the 2021 season. The lefty quarterback was 15-of-21 for a season-high 226 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Leathernecks and has been a part of a passing offense with 13 different receivers hauling in passes on the year. Thompson has reached double-digit completions in four different games in the 2021 season and has completed 61.79% of his attempts this year. He is currently eighth in the MVFC in total passing yards (741) and touchdowns in four of the six games in 2021 to led the Sycamores offense. He currently sits second on the team in total rushing attempts and added his first reception two weeks ago against South Dakota to highlight his efforts on the team this year.
Return of Hendrix
Indiana State redshirt junior wide receiver
Dante Hendrix is likely in the mix to be back in action this weekend against the Bears. The Florence, Ky. native has been one of the elite receivers in the MVFC when he's been on the field and carries a school-record 22-game catch streak into the weekend dating back to the 2018 season. Hendrix has been out with injury since the season-opener against Eastern Illinois and had paced the Sycamores with five catches for 52 yards against the Panthers before coming out the contest. He looks to join a receiving corps that has been bolstered over the last few weeks by standout performances from
Phazione McClurge,
Rontrez Morgan, and
Zach Larkin.
Inoke, The Sack Man
Inoka Moala put together one of the top defensive performances in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this past weekend as the redshirt senior erupted in the first half with 3.5 sacks against Western Illinois. The Mishawaka, Ind. native was consistently in the backfield throughout the contest and tied his career-high with 3.5 tackles for loss against the Leathernecks. Moala added six tackles, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hurry on his way to moving up the rankings in the MVFC individual statistical rankings. Moala enters the week leading the conference in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (10.0), while adding three QB hurries and a forced fumble to his totals. He's recorded tackles for loss in five of the Sycamores six games on the year and has multiple sacks against both Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois this year. He continues to move up the Indiana State individual rankings in both major defensive categories.
Geoffrey Brown – Tackling Machine
Geoffrey Brown has been one of Indiana State's top defensive weapons this season and he continues to make his mark on the roster through the midway point of the 2021 season. The Fishers, Ind. native is currently second on the team with 26 total tackles and is second on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss on the year. The true freshman linebacker recorded tackles for loss in five of the six games on the year, while adding four starts in the 2021 season. The 6-1, 230-pound athlete has recorded at least seven tackles in two different games on the year. He is currently tied for third overall in the MVFC in tackles for loss on the year.
Sack Party
Indiana State has posted two of the highest single-game sack totals in the
Curt Mallory coaching era this season and brings it's Missouri Valley Football Conference-leading defense to the field this weekend against the Missouri State Bears. The Sycamores opened the season with five sacks against Eastern Illinois with four different players recording QB takedowns in the win against the Panthers.
Inoke Moala posted two of the Sycamores' five sacks with
Heath Stephen II,
Geoffrey Brown, and
Kaleb Brewer all recording sacks in the 26-21 win over EIU. This past week against Western Illinois, the Sycamores took the game to the next level with six sacks in the win over the Leathernecks. Moala (3.5) was again the team leader, while
Kris Reid Jr.,
Dwayne Thompson II, and
Lucas Hunter also recorded takedowns in the win. Indiana State currently leads the MVFC with 19 sacks and will look to add to the totals on the season against a Missouri State offense that sits 10th in the conference surrendering 19 sacks in 2021.
Newman Can Fly
Redshirt senior defensive back
Kaelub Newman made a play to remember this past weekend against Western Illinois as the Oswego, Ill. native hauled in an interception at midfield to stop a potential Leathernecks' scoring drive. Newman went up and over the wide receiver to give Indiana State possession at the start of the fourth quarter. The 6-1 athlete has lined up in over 20 games over his Indiana State career and made his mark in the 2018 season with three forced fumbles and eight pass breakups. This season he battled his way back into the playing mix over the last few weeks and recorded a season-high three tackles against Western Illinois, while adding the aforementioned interception, a QB hurry, and a pass breakup.
Michael Thomas Finds the Ball
Redshirt junior safety
Michael Thomas continues to display a knack for the ball as we near the midway point of the 2021 season. The Corona, Calif. native has posted double-digit tackles in three of the Sycamores six games on the season, including 10-tackle games against Eastern Illinois, South Dakota State, and South Dakota. Thomas has been one of the top tackling players in the Missouri Valley Football Conference on the season averaging 7.2 stops per game with 43 total tackles on the year. He also sits among the conference's individual leaders with four pass breakups and two interceptions. Thomas is coming off a quiet two-tackle game against Western Illinois and will look to get back on track this upcoming weekend with a key conference matchup against Missouri State.
Dwayne Thompson All Over the Place
All junior defensive back
Dwayne Thompson II does is make plays as the junior defensive back took the spotlight once again this past weekend against Western Illinois. Thompson recorded a sack, forced a fumble, and deflected a punt to highlight his weekend against the Leathernecks. The Farmington Hills, Mich. native has been one of the key playmakers for the Sycamores this season with game-changing plays against both Eastern Kentucky and Western Illinois. Thompson forced his way into the punt backfield against EKU and forced a key fumble for a touchdown in the Sycamores' 23-21 win over the Colonels. This past weekend against Western Illinois, Thompson started his game in the second quarter with a 17-yard strip sack that eventually led to a missed ISU field goal attempt. On the next possession, Thompson fought through the WIU punt formation and got a hand on the attempt forcing an eight-yard punt and setting up the Sycamores in prime position on the WIU 19. In the fourth quarter, Thompson went into the backfield untouched and forced an incompletion on fourth down deep in ISU territory to end a WIU drive.
Selzer – For Three!!
Redshirt senior
Alan Selzer was busy on the field this past weekend against Western Illinois as the Dallas, Texas native recorded career-highs in field goals made, field goals attempted, and extra points. Selzer was good from 35, 28, and 24 throughout the game while converting all four PATs to set a new career-high with 13 points in the contest. Selzer is currently 6-of-9 on field goal attempts this season with a season-long 48-yard conversion coming in the opening weekend against Eastern Illinois.
Reiner Connects Again
Redshirt senior punter
Travis Reiner continues to get better as the Canyon, Calif. native set a new season-high with a 43.5 punt average this past weekend against Western Illinois. Reiner connected on a 53-yard punt in the game for his sixth punt of at least 50 yards, while he pinned two more punts inside the opponents 20-yard line. He is currently tied for second in the MVFC in punts downed inside the 20 this season with 11 and is fifth in the conference with 15 punts fair caught.
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