TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hits the road for the final game of the 2021 regular season as the Sycamores make the trek to Normal, Ill. and Hancock Stadium to take on Illinois State on Saturday, November 20. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Redbirds is set for 1 p.m. with the game slated to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Weekly Notes
Final Road Trip
Indiana State is back on the road this weekend looking for their second win away from Terre Haute this season as the Sycamores make the trip to Normal, Ill. The Sycamores picked up their lone win away from the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium back on September 18 in handing Eastern Kentucky the 23-21 loss. Since then, Indiana State has lost three road games falling to South Dakota, Missouri State, and North Dakota State. The Sycamores will also be looking for their first conference road win of the season in one of the toughest FCS conferences in the nation with at least four teams expected to make it to the FCS postseason this year.
Sending Out the Senior Class
Indiana State heads to the field for the final time in the 2021 season this weekend and 28 Sycamores will be wearing the Blue & White for the last time in their collegiate careers in the matchup against the Redbirds. The Sycamores recognized the senior class this past weekend for Indiana State's Senior Day with 24 players receiving recognition in a pregame ceremony at Memorial Stadium.
Tough Conference Competition
The Missouri Valley Football Conference traditionally has dominated the FCS landscape and this season is no exception. The MVFC featured five teams in the top-16 in both major polls this week, while six different teams overall were listed in either the top-25 or receiving votes heading into the final week of the regular season.
Series Matchup
Illinois State leads the all-time matchup between the two teams dating back to the inaugural contest in 1936 which ended in a 0-0 tie. The Sycamores won three of the first five contests in the matchup, but trail the overall series, 31-38-2. More recently, the Redbirds have held the advantage winning 12 of the last 15, but two teams have split the last four matchups in the series.
First Three
1936 – vs. Illinois State, T, 0-0
1937 – at Illinois State, L, 21-0
1940 – vs. Illinois State, W, 6-0
Last Three
September 30, 2017 – at Illinois State, L, 24-13
November 10, 2018 – vs. Illinois State, W, 28-23
October 26, 2019 – at Illinois State, L, 24-7
On This Date
Indiana State has played in five games on November 20 in program history. The Sycamores are 1-4 all-time against their opponents on the date with four of the five games coming on the road – last in 2010 as the Sycamores fell at Southern Illinois, 49-21. The Sycamores and Redbirds have never faced off against each other on November 20.
On This Date
1976 – at VMI – L, 26-14
1977 – at Louisville – L, 27-16
1993 – vs. Western Illinois – W, 16-6
1999 – at Missouri State – L, 31-14
2010 – at Southern Illinois – L, 49-21
Scouting the Opponent
Illinois State was selected seventh overall in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's preseason poll as announced by the conference office and voted on by the league's head coaches, media, and sports information directors. The Redbirds received 196 total points in the poll following a spring season where the team went 1-3 overall with a win over Western Illinois before canceling the remainder of the year.
Illinois State had one player named to the preseason All-Conference squad with fullback Tim McCloyn the lone Redbird to be honored on the squad. The senior was named to the squad and continues to play a role on the Illinois State offense in a major blocking role, while his lone carry of the 2021 season came against Western Michigan.
Two of Illinois State's wins this season have come in an upset fashion with the Redbirds topping South Dakota (20-14) and Northern Iowa (17-10) over the last month. Other wins for Illinois State include victories over Butler (49-7) and Eastern Illinois (31-24) in nonconference play.
The Redbirds have posted a balanced offense on the season with Illinois State posting 131.7 rushing yards and 116.9 passing yards per contest. Illinois State has posted five games with at least 150 rushing yards and four games with 100 passing yards, including a 318 yard passing game against Missouri State earlier this year.
Cole Mueller has been Illinois State's primary ball-carrier on the year with a team-high 169 carries for 878 yards and six touchdowns on the year. The redshirt freshman has four 100-yard games and has eclipsed 25 carries in each of the last four contests. Highlighting his season includes a 27-carry, 159-yard, 3-touchdown game against Western Illinois.
Austin Nagel, Bryson Deming, and Jabari Khepera all lead the Redbirds passing attack with the trio the lone Illinois State players to record double-digit receptions on the year. Nagel leads the way with 16 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns, while Deming and Khepera have also found the end zone twice on the season.
Defensively, Shanon Reid is the team leader with 75 tackles on the season. Zeke Vandenburgh is the team leader with 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, while Clayton Isbell leads the team with three interceptions.
Kerlegrand Among Leaders
Senior running back
Peterson Kerlegrand heads into his final game in the 2021 regular season as the Fort Wayne, Ind. native continues to sit among the Missouri Valley Football Conference leaders in the major rushing categories. Kerlegrand enters the weekend sitting third overall in the MVFC in total carries (166) and fourth in rushing yards (769) while sitting fifth in averaging 76.9 yards per game. Kerlegrand has posted at least 50 rushing yards in each of the last five games and seven of the 10 in the regular season, including a pair of 150-plus rushing efforts. He has also been an asset in the Sycamores' passing game with eight receptions for 106 yards on the year with a trio of two catch games. Kerlegrand has also been among the conference's leaders with nine double-digit carry efforts, including a 25-carry, 151-yard, 2-touchdown game against Youngstown State.
Hendrix – Missouri Valley Elite
It's hard to argue there's been a wide receiver more active in a passing game than Indiana State's
Dante Hendrix over the last four games. Since coming off the injured reserve over a month ago, Hendrix has taken the Missouri Valley Football Conference by storm with 32 catches for 340 yards and three touchdowns in games against Missouri State, Youngstown State, North Dakota State, and Southern Illinois. Although he has not lined up in enough games to qualify for the MVFC statistical categories, Hendrix would sit 12th in total receptions (37), 18th in receiving yards (392), 14th in touchdowns (3), sixth in receiving yards per game (78.4) and second in receptions per game (7.4). Hendrix has posted a pair of 10-catch games on the year, including a 10-catch, 83-yard game this past weekend against Southern Illinois.
Morgan Catch Streak Continues
Rontrez Morgan continues to make his case for one of the top possession receivers in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season as the Jacksonville, Fla. native is fully back from an injury suffered against Missouri State. Morgan has posted catches in 13 consecutive games dating back to the 2019 season and he's posted at least three catches in seven of the eight games he's lined up in this season. Morgan is coming off a 3-catch, 32-yard game that included his first touchdown of the season as the senior wide receiver was wide open on the corner route in leading to a 23-yard score in the third quarter. He posted a season-high 75 receiving yards earlier in the season against Eastern Kentucky and will help provide the Sycamores with an added threat in the final game of the year.
Thompson – Twice
Anthony Thompson put together one of his top statistical performances this past weekend as the redshirt senior quarterback recorded his second two-touchdown game of the season and added a 192-yard effort through the air against the Salukis. Thompson tied his season-high with 21 completions in 33 attempts and added 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns to
Dante Hendrix and
Rontrez Morgan in the loss to Southern Illinois. Thompson enters the final game of the regular season with 100-yard passing efforts in seven of the 10 games this season and is second on the team with 53 carries on the season as well. Thompson has completed at least 10 passes in seven of the 10 games on the year and at least 15 completions in six of the 10 contests. Thompson is also three games removed from a two-touchdown run game against Youngstown State as he prepares for the final game of the year.
Final ride for Clemons, Edwards
Saturday marks the final time on the field for offensive line stalwarts
Alvin Clemons and
Isaiah Edwards as the duo are expected to be on the field this weekend against Illinois State. It marks a long stretch for the duo as Clemons took on the starting center role this season after earning two starts at the end of 2019. Edwards is also making his last appearance in the Sycamore Blue & White after lining up at both left guard and left tackle in the 2021 season. The duo have started all 10 games on the offensive line this season and join right guard
Jose Vazquez IV in helping the Sycamores pave the way in averaging 286.1 yards of total offense on the season.
Nokes Closing It Out
Redshirt senior defensive end
Inoke Moala heads into the final game of the 2021 regular season looking to claim the Missouri Valley Football regular season statistical titles in both sacks and tackles for loss. The Mishawaka, Ind. native has posted 8.0 sacks on the season and leads North Dakota State's Eli Mostaert (6.5) in the statistical category on the year. His 13.0 tackles for loss also put him a full two tackles for loss ahead of Northern Iowa's Jared Brinkman (11.0) in the category. Moala opened the season with tackles for loss in seven of the first eight games, while he's posted at least two sacks in three games on the year. He's looking to get back in the backfield again this weekend after posting three consecutive games with a quarterback hurry.
Getting After the Quarterback
It's been three games since Indiana State has posted a quarterback sack, but the Sycamores have been fighting their way to the quarterback with hurries in all 10 games on the year. The Sycamores have posted 10 quarterback hurries over the last three games with seven coming in Indiana State's last win over Youngstown State. The Sycamores currently sit tied for sixth overall in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with 24 sacks on the season with 12 different players recording a quarterback takedown on the year. Indiana State's defense will take on an Illinois State offensive line that sits ninth in the Valley allowing 30 sacks overall on the season over 10 games. The Redbirds have surrendered 10.0 sacks over the last three games and 19 over the last five heading into the final game of the season.
Shutting Them Down
The Indiana State defensive backfield has gotten better each week and played some of their best football from a statistical standpoint this past weekend against Southern Illinois. The Sycamores combined for five pass breakups this past weekend against Southern Illinois with the duo of
Mekhi Ware and
JJ Henderson leading the way with two apiece. The Sycamore duo are two of the best in the MVFC this season in the category with Henderson boasting nine breakups on the year, while Ware has recorded six in limited action. Henderson is currently tied for the conference lead in the category with Youngstown State's Keyon Martin, while Ware's six breakups put him tied for 10th overall in the category.
Johnathan Edwards also is among the league leaders as the Sycamores can field a trio of corners on the field with excellent coverage skills that will look to shut down an already limited Illinois State passing attack.
See Brown Hit The Ball
Freshman linebacker
Geoffrey Brown continues to make a name for himself heading into the final game of his inaugural campaign with the Sycamores. The Fishers, Ind. native is coming off one of his best games in the 2021 season with nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against Southern Illinois. Brown has been at his best attacking the football and he currently sits behind just
Inoke Moala in the team tackle for loss category with 8.5 stops, while sitting in the top-12 in the category in the conference. Brown has posted at least five tackles in five games this year and added a season-best three quarterback hurries against Youngstown State. He recorded his lone sack of the season in the opener against Eastern Illinois and could overtake
Michael Thomas as the team tackling leader with a good game on Saturday afternoon against the Redbirds.
Hoover/Cole Continue to Lead
The freshmen safety duo of
Ethan Hoover and
Rylan Cole are both ready to lace up and head back to the field this weekend in their final performance of the 2021 season. Hoover has taken over the secondary after picking up his first start of the year against South Dakota State and the Fort Wayne, Ind. native sits third on the Sycamores with 46 tackles on the season, while adding one interception and a pass breakup. Cole has also made strides over the last six games and has recorded at least five tackles in each of the last four games. He posted his first tackle for loss and sack against Missouri State to start off his five-tackle streak. Both will be expected to provide key run support this weekend against Illinois State and Redbirds ground game.
Reiner Punts
Redshirt senior
Travis Reiner looks to continue one of the top seasons in Indiana State history as the Canyon Country, Calif. native is back on the field for his final game in the Sycamore Blue & White. Reiner currently sits second in the MVFC in punts downed inside the 20 with 20 punts, while adding nine punts of at least 50 yards. Reiner's 62 punts on the season lead the MVFC, but only four punts have gone into the end zone for touchbacks which gives him one of the best rates in the conference. Reiner currently is averaging 40.5 yards per punt on the season and also doubles as the Sycamores holder on the year.
Tierney's Debut
Indiana State welcomed back the return of placekicker
Connor Tierney to the field this past weekend as the DeKalb, Ill. native lined up on the special teams unit for the first time in 2021. Tierney successfully converted both extra point attempts in the loss against Southern Illinois and is expected to be the team's placekicker in the final game of the season as the Sycamores make the trek to Normal, Ill.
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