TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State is back home this weekend as the Sycamores welcome the Youngstown State Penguins to Memorial Stadium for a Homecoming matchup on Saturday, October 23. The MVFC contest between the Sycamores and the Penguins will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend with kickoff set for 1 p.m.
Game Day Information and Activities
Game Day Sponsor: Refreshment Services Pepsi
Today's Game Day Sponsor is Refreshment Services Pepsi. In 2020 and beyond, RSP will "Perform with a Purpose" with each and every one of our partners, communities, and team members while adhering to the following same key principles of the past: We want to exceed our customer's expectations by helping them meet their goals and objectives. We are working to be the best customer service company …. PERIOD. We are working as one team to maximize productivity and efficiency in and between all departments so that we can better serve our customers.
Homecoming Schedule
Homecoming is Indiana State's biggest event of the year and includes great traditions such as the Trike Race, Blue & White Parade and the traditional Homecoming football game. Prior to the football game, please join us as we launch a new campus tradition – Sycamore Village. Sycamore Village is located inside Memorial Stadium on the north side. Sycamore Village will provide alumni and friends a dedicated location to meet prior to the football game. Please join us, Saturday, October 23 at 11:00 am inside Memorial Stadium. Food and beverages are available for purchase inside Sycamore Village. To find out more,
click here.
Updated Tailgating and Clear Bag Policies
Indiana State Athletics announced updated tailgating and clear bag policies for the 2021-22 athletic year in early August. The policies are consistent with other members in both the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference. To find out more,
click here.
Sycamore Athletics Lands New Flagship Radio Home
Indiana State has found a new home radio station. Sycamore Athletics and DLC Media have reached a three-year agreement to bring ISU sports to 105.5 FM. To see more,
click here.
Football Tickets Still on Sale/Mobile Ticketing
Indiana State football single game tickets are still on sale for this weekend's Homecoming Game against Youngstown State. Single game tickets start at just $14 for adults and $8 for youth. To purchase tickets,
click here.
Game Notes
Keeping the Hopes Alive
Indiana State enters the week looking to bounce back after a tough road loss this past weekend at Missouri State. The Sycamores are looking to keep their potential playoff hopes alive as they head into a tough final four game stretch this year. The Sycamores still have contests against top-10 opponents in North Dakota State and Southern Illinois, while also competitive matchups against Youngstown State and Illinois State. The Sycamores can still be in the mix in a conference that features seven teams ranked in the top-25 in both major FCS polls.
Protecting the Turf
Indiana State is 2-1 on the friendly surface of Memorial Stadium this season as the Sycamores head into their final two home contests in 2021. The Sycamores opened the year with a 26-21 thriller over Eastern Illinois that featured a key defensive touchdown late in the contest against the Panthers. Indiana State picked up its second win at Memorial two weeks ago as the offense and defense put together a complete performance in the 37-27 win over Western Illinois.
Inoke Moala recorded 3.5 sacks in the win over the Leathernecks, while
Peterson Kerlegrand racked up 178 rushing yards and a pair of scores.
Missouri Valley Challenging Slate
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. Highlighting the polls have been the emergence of both North Dakota State and Southern Illinois among the top-five teams, while South Dakota State and South Dakota have continued to fight their way up the rankings this year.
Series Matchup
Youngstown State leads the all-time series between the two teams, 23-7, dating back to their first matchup in the 1988 season. The Penguins won 18 of the first 19 games to take control of the series early, but lately it has been more balanced between the two teams on the field. Indiana State has won six of the last 10 contests and has put together a trio of two-game winning streaks. ISU has won the last two contests in both 2018 and 2019.
First Three
November 5, 1988 – at Youngstown State – L, 25-7
October 7, 1989 – vs. Youngstown State – L, 20-19
October 3, 1992 – vs. Youngstown State, L, 30-24
Last Three
November 4, 2017 – vs. Youngstown State – L, 66-24
October 27, 2018 – at Youngstown State – W, 43-17
November 16, 2019 – vs. Youngstown State – W, 24-17
On This Date
Indiana State has played in 11 games on October 9 in program history and has posted a 2-8-1 overall record on the date. The Sycamores have never faced Youngstown State on October 23 in their series. Overall, Indiana State has also held its homecoming game on October 23 with the Sycamores winning both matchups in 1993 and 1999.
On This Date
1937 – Eastern Michigan – L, 33-7
1948 – Ball State – L, 10-7
1954 – at Butler – L, 38-26
1965 – at DePauw – T, 14-14
1971 – at Butler – L, 21-14
1976 – at Illinois State – L, 24-14
1982 – at Southern Illinois – L, 21-9
1993 – vs. Western Kentucky (Homecoming) – W, 41-14
1999 – vs. Western Illinois (Homecoming) – W, 39-36 (OT)
2004 – at Western Kentucky – L, 31-9
2010 – at North Dakota State – L, 27-15
Opponent Information
Youngstown State was selected ninth overall in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's preseason poll as voted on by the league coaches, media, and sports information directors. The Penguis received 126 total points in the poll after a spring season that saw YSU post a 1-6 overall record in the conference.
The Penguins enter the weekend coming off a bye as Youngstown State has posted a 2-3 overall record in 2021 with a 1-2 mark in MVFC play. Youngstown State opened up the 2021 fall season with a 44-41 win over Incarnate Word in the season opener and bounced back from a tough three-game stretch with a 41-33 win over Missouri State back on October 9.
Youngstown State boasts one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS as the Penguins sit fifth overall in the NCAA in rushing offense at 249.0 yards per game. The Penguins have posted at least 250 rushing yards in three separate games and are coming off a 377-yard effort two weeks ago against Missouri State. YSU also put up 351 yards against Incarnate Word in the opener and added 293 rushing yards against Western Illinois.
The Penguins rushing attack is paced by senior tailback Jaleel McLaughlin and redshirt freshman quarterback Demeatric Crenshaw with the duo combining for 1,075 yards in their five contests on the season. McLaughlin leads the way and averages 117.6 yards per game on the ground with a team-high seven touchdowns. Crenshaw has added 97.4 rushing yards per game and six rushing touchdowns on the season.
When YSU takes to the air, the Penguins have spread the ball around with 13 different receivers hauling in passes on the year. Senior tight end Andrew Ogletree is the team leader with 15 catches for 120 yards, while C.J. Charleston has added 10 catches for 55 yards. Jorge Portorreal is the team leader with two of the team's four touchdown receptions.
Defensively, Jordan White is the team leader with 33 tackles on the year and adds a team-high two interceptions. Grant Dixon has added 30 tackles and four tackles for loss on the year. Overall, YSU has posted nine sacks and 22.0 tackles for loss on the year.
Welcome Back Dante
Dante Hendrix is back in the lineup as the standout wide receiver made a splash in his first game since the 2021 opener. Hendrix hauled in a team-high 10 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown this past weekend against Missouri State and put the MVFC on notice the rest of the way. Hendrix finished third in the MVFC in total receiving yards back in 2019 (673 yards) and looks to continue the stretch this week against a Youngstown defense that has struggled to contain the pass. He has hauled in a reception in a school-record 23 consecutive games as well and is one of three players on the roster with an active double-digit receiving streak. Hendrix had a career game back in 2018 against Youngstown State with a seven-catch, 186-yard game with two touchdowns against the Penguins.
Workhorse Ethic
Peterson Kerlegrand continues to be one of the most preeminent workhorse backs in the Missouri Valley Football Conference heading into the final four games of the 2021 regular season. The Sycamores' senior running back has reached double-digit carries in six of Indiana State's seven games this year and has posted at least 60 rushing yards on four separate occasions. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native posted 17 carries for a season-high 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Western Illinois and followed up with a 16-carry, 67-yard effort against Missouri State this past weekend. Kerlegrand is the MVFC leader in carries on the season with 105 and sits among the conference leaders with 4.5 yards per carry on the year. He heads into the game against a YSU defense that is allowing 165.8 rushing yards per game on the season.
Larkin Versatility Shown
Zach Larkin continues to showcase his versatility all over the field this season as the redshirt senior tight end has recorded at least one catch in all seven games on the year, one carry in five different games, and a passing attempt against South Dakota. The Hamilton, Ohio native is tied for the Sycamores' lead with three touchdown receptions and has scores against Northwestern, South Dakota, and Western Illinois on the season. Larkin also set a new career-high with 72 receiving yards against WIU, while his five-catch games against South Dakota State and USD are also career marks. Larkin has also been the team's primary short-yardage ball-carrier with 10 carries for 34 yards on the season. Larkin enters the weekend with a catch in each of the last 14 games he's lined up.
Thompson Continues to Target
Redshirt senior
Anthony Thompson has taken full control of the reins on the quarterback position in the 2021 season heading into the team's eighth game of the year. The left-handed Chicago, Ill. native has seen action in all seven games on the year and has recorded 918 passing yards and six touchdowns on the season. Thompson has averaged 131.14 passing yards per game on the season and has posted at least 100 passing yards in five of the seven games on the year. Thompson is two games removed from his first 200-yard, 2-touchdown passing effort on the season against Western Illinois. The dual-threat quarterback added a season-high 13 rushing yards on four carries against Missouri State this past weekend and sits second on the team with 36 carries on the year.
Haupert Back in the Mix
Michael Haupert was back in action this past weekend after a four-game hiatus due to injury as the multi-purpose threat took the field in the second quarter against Missouri State. Haupert suffered an injury against Northwestern and worked his way back into the mix through rehab to retake the field against Missouri State. The redshirt sophomore has lined up in multiple positions throughout the season including seeing time in the Wildcat formation, at wide receiver, and as one of the Sycamores return specialists. He made his impact felt early in the year with a five-carry, 59-yard game that included a touchdown against Eastern Illinois. He added a five-catch, 33-yard game against Northwestern, while adding several kickoff and punt returns. Indiana State welcomed another weapon back into the mix as they face off against a favorable defense in the Penguins this weekend.
Sack-Master
Inoke Moala can be a cheat code on the field at time as the redshirt senior defensive end has been nigh-unblockable over the last two weekends. Moala has recorded 5.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss over the last two weeks against Western Illinois and Missouri State to take control of both categories in the conference seven games into the 2021 season. Moala leads the league with 8.0 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss and will look to continue adding to his lead over the final weeks of the season as the Sycamores continue conference play. In addition to his QB takedown-prowess, Moala has also forced at least one fumble in each of the last two games and has continued to show a nose for the football on the year.
Back-to-Back Newman
Redshirt senior defensive back
Kaelub Newman continues to standout as the Oswego, Ill. native made it back-to-back games with interceptions this past weekend against Missouri State. Newman tied with
Michael Thomas for the team lead with his second interception of the season as he went up for a pass in the fourth quarter against the Bears. The 6-1 athlete has lined up in over 20 games over his Indiana State career and has a knack for making a big play throughout his career. He posted a trio of forced fumbles in the 2018 season, while his two interceptions this year marked the first two of his ISU career. He is back on the field this weekend, but likely will see limited passing attempts against a Youngstown State offense that likes to run the ball.
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 seven games into the 2021 season. The Fishers, Ind. native is currently second on the team with 33 total tackles and is second on the team with 6.0 tackles for loss on the year. The true freshman linebacker recorded tackles for loss in six of the seven games on the year, while adding five starts in the 2021 season. The 6-1, 230-pound athlete has recorded at least five tackles in three different games on the year. He is currently tied for 11th overall in the MVFC in tackles for loss on the year.
Sack Dancin'
Indiana State has posted three 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 Youngstown State Penguins. The Sycamores opened the season with five sacks against Eastern Illinois with four different players recording QB takedowns in the win against the Panthers. Two weeks ago, Indiana State set a new record in the Mallory coaching era with 6.0 sacks against Western Illinois. The Sycamores were aided by
Inoke Moala's career day with 3.5 sacks in the contest. Last week the Sycamores posted another 5.0 sack effort with Moala again leading the way with two more sacks. Overall, Indiana State leads the conference with 24 sacks on the year with three players sitting among the conference's top-13 in the category on the year.
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 7.3 stops per game with 50 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 seven-tackle game against Missouri State and will look to keep it up this weekend against the run-heavy Youngstown State team on Homecoming.
Selzer – For Three!!
Redshirt senior
Alan Selzer was busy on the field two weeks ago 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 posted his fifth game with an over 40-yard per punt average on the season this past weekend against Missouri State. Reiner connected on a 53-yard punt in the game for his seventh punt of at least 50 yards, while he pinned two more punts inside the opponents 20-yard line. He is currently tied for third in the MVFC in punts downed inside the 20 this season with 13 and is third in the conference with 15 punts fair caught.
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