TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns home following its two game swing at Northwestern and at Eastern Kentucky as the Sycamores prepare to start Missouri Valley Football Conference play on Saturday, September 25, against No. 2/3 South Dakota State. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Jackrabbits is set for 1:05 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+ and WZJK 105.5 FM.
Game Day Information and Activities
Game Day Sponsor: Bob Bowen Ford
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Student Giveaway: The Forest will be providing a game-day giveaway at Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon during the second half. If the student body fills out the first 24 rows of Section H by halftime, they will be eligible to enter a raffle for a chance to win a free Amazon Fire Stick. The winner will be announced early in the fourth quarter.
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 Season Tickets Still on Sale/Mobile Ticketing
Indiana State football season ticket membership renewals and new season ticket memberships are now on sale for the 2021 season. Season tickets start at just $50 for adults and $20 for youth. Faculty, staff, seniors and members of the I-Club can purchase tickets for just $45 while Family Packs are available for just $140. Chairback rentals are available for $20. To find out more,
click here.
Weekly Notes
Finishing Nonconference on a High Note
Indiana State made sure to finish the 2021 nonconference season on a high note as the Sycamores went 2-1 outside of Missouri Valley Football play this fall. The Sycamores went 2-0 against FCS competition with wins over Eastern Illinois and at Eastern Kentucky, while their lone loss came against FBS Northwestern to wrap up the schedule. Overall, the Sycamores had three players receive conference player of the week recognition over the first three games, including two (
Phazione McClurge – Newcomer,
Hunter Lunsford – Special Teams) in this past weekend's 23-21 thriller at Eastern Kentucky. It marked the first time since the 2018 season that Indiana State finished nonconference play with a winning record.
Starting the Gauntlet
The Missouri Valley Football Conference traditionally has dominated the FCS landscape and this season is no exception. The MVFC featured three teams in the top-10 in both major polls last weekend, while seven different teams overall were listed in either the top-25 or receiving votes heading into the start of conference play. The first opponent for the 2021 conference schedule is the defending national runner-ups in South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits sit in the top-3 in both FCS national polls and jumpstart the Sycamores' gauntlet of conference competition with multiple teams looking to make their mark and earn a berth into the postseason.
Sycamores claim two MVFC Weekly Honors
Phazione McClurge and
Hunter Lunsford added to the Indiana State conference honors this week as the Sycamores duo took home the Newcomer and the Special Teams Player of the Week as announced by the conference office. McClurge hauled in a pair of touchdowns, including the game-winning 24-yard TD catch as time expired in the 23-21 win over EKU. Lunsford put the first points on the board for Indiana State as he hopped on a loose ball in the end zone following a muffed snap on an EKU punt to stake the Sycamores to the early lead. The duo join
Michael Thomas (Week 1 – Defense) in earning MVFC weekly recognition in the 2021 season.
Series Matchup
South Dakota State leads the all-time matchup between the two teams dating back to the inaugural contest in the 2008 season. The Sycamores won back-to-back contests in 2010 and 2011, but South Dakota State has won each of the last six games, including the last matchup between the two teams in the 2019 season, 42-23.
First Three
October 25, 2008 - vs South Dakota State - L, 49-9
September 19, 2009 - at South Dakota State - L, 41-0
October 30, 2010 - vs South Dakota State - W, 41-30
Last Three
October 10, 2015 - at South Dakota State - L, 24-7
October 6, 2018 - at South Dakota State - L, 54-51
October 19, 2019 - vs South Dakota State - L, 42-23
On This Date
Indiana State has played in nine games on September 25 in program history and has posted a 4-5 overall record on the date with the last time coming in the 2010 season at Western Illinois
On This Date
1937 – Valparaiso – L, 13-0
1943 – Bowman Field – L, 12-0
1948 – Eastern Illinois, W, 21-20
1954 – Valparaiso – L, 20-13
1965 – Valparaiso – W, 24-21
1971 – Evansville – W, 21-13
1976 – Dayton – L, 20-14
1982 – Ball State – W, 17-0
1993 – Missouri State – L, 31-21
2010 – at Western Illinois – L, 40-7
Scouting the Opponent
South Dakota State has been one of the Missouri Valley's premier teams over the last decade with the Jackrabbits winning at least eight games every season dating back to 2011. South Dakota State parlayed that success into a strong postseason run in the 2020-21 season with the Jackrabbits making it all the way to the FCS National Championship Game before falling to Sam Houston State in Frisco, Texas.
The Jackrabbits were expected to continue their recent strong surge this season with South Dakota State picked to finish atop the league standings in the preseason poll. SDSU received 454 total points and 24 first-place votes as voted on in the poll by the league's head coaches, media, and sports information directors. SDSU returned 10 offensive starters and 10 defensive starters to the roster after this past spring's postseason run.
South Dakota State placed 12 players on the MVFC Preseason All-Conference team finishing just behind Southern Illinois (13) in players earning recognition. Running back Pierre Strong Jr. highlights the Jackrabbits' offensive returners and was a preseason Walter Payton Award Watch List honoree, while linebacker Logan Backhaus is among the top defensive players returning and was selected to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List.
Through two games this season, the Jackrabbits have lived up to their billing with a 42-33 win over FBS Colorado State in the opener, while topping Lindenwood 52-7 two weeks ago in the SDSU home opener. South Dakota State has an additional nonconference matchup on October 2 against Dixie State in the game labeled as the "Beef Bowl" that will be played at Dykhouse Stadium.
Strong once again headlines the offensive unit and is averaging 124.0 yards and 12.4 yards per carry through the first two games of the season. He's picked up three touchdowns on the ground and helms a rushing attack averaging 285.0 yards over the first two games of the season. Quarterback Chris Oladokun has thrown six touchdown passes and averages 197.5 yards per game through the air with Jadon Janke (133 yards, two touchdowns) and Tucker Kraft (nine catches, 91 yards, two touchdowns) his top two receivers on the year.
Backhaus has continued to wreak havoc through two games with nine tackles and two quarterback hurries, while Adam Bock has been the tackling leader with 11 stops and two tackles for loss on the year. Seven different players have chipped in on sacks, while the Jackrabbits have recorded 16.0 tackles for loss.
McClurge's Big Day
The Indiana State wide receiver room has showcased a "next man up" mentality in the 2021 season and
Phazione McClurge has taken advantage over the last two weeks to post nine catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns. His six-catch, 75-yard evening at Eastern Kentucky featured two touchdown catches, including the game-winning 24-yard catch in traffic as time expired at Roy Kidd Stadium. McClurge has taken over one of the top receiving roles on the season with
Rontrez Morgan and provides a potent 1-2 punch in the Indiana State passing game.
Morgan Catches Everything
Rontrez Morgan continues to be a vacuum for the football this season as the senior wide receiver has already surpassed his previous season-high for catches through just three games in the 2021 season. After opening up the year with a six-catch game against Eastern Illinois, he added nine more receptions at Northwestern two weekends ago. He added four more catches for a season-high 75-yards in the win against Eastern Kentucky and continues to sit among the Missouri Valley receiving leaders heading into conference play.
Thompson Goes Deep
After focusing more on the short passing game over the first two contests of the 2021 season,
Anthony Thompson connected with
Rontrez Morgan on the longest offensive play for the Sycamores this year as the duo completed a 52-yard catch on Indiana State's first drive of the second quarter. Morgan made a double move on the outside corner and was all alone behind the Colonels defenders and Thompson threw the strike that set up the Sycamores' first passing touchdown of the day. The Thompson-Morgan connection has been one of the conference's most prolific duos this year with the pair combining for 17 receptions over the first three games.
Wilderman Ready To Go
Kurtis Wilderman made the most of his first extended opportunity of the 2021 season as the redshirt junior quarterback led the game-winning touchdown drive in the Sycamores' 23-21 win over the Colonels. Coming in relief after the halftime break, Wilderman went 11-of-17 through the air for 111 yards and the game-winning 24-yard touchdown strike to
Phazione McClurge as time expired at Roy Kidd Stadium. Wilderman draws the starting nod at the quarterback position for the weekend's game following his role in the Eastern Kentucky comeback. Accuracy has been Wilderman's calling card over his time at Indiana State as he sits two seasons removed from finishing second in the FCS in completion percentage (68.7%) and his ability to find the open receiver is something that Coach Mallory and the coaching staff have come to rely on when he's on the field.
Kerlegrand Continues to Pound the Rock
Peterson Kerlegrand continues to be the workhorse in the backfield for the 2021 season as the senior running back enters this weekend's contest sitting second overall in the MVFC in rushing attempts (40), while averaging 42.67 yards per game. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native opened the season with an impressive 19-carry, 73-yard game with a touchdown in the opening win over Eastern Illinois. After leading the Sycamores with eight carries in the loss at Northwestern, Kerlegrand was back at it again at the point of attack with 13 carries for 45 hard-fought yards in the win over Eastern Kentucky. Only one other player on the Indiana State roster has reached double-digit carries on the season (
Anthony Thompson, 13) besides Kerlegrand and the Sycamores will be looking toward the strength of their running game to help make a key push in MVFC play this season.
Paving the Way
Indiana State's offensive line has been among the nation's best as keeping the quarterback upright and not allowing opponents to get into the backfield through the first four weeks of the 2021 season. The Sycamores bring a battle-tested group to the trenches paced by
Isaiah Edwards, but the entire group has been a cohesive unit allowing just four sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss through the first three Indiana State games this season. The Sycamores have stood strong at the line and currently sit 11th in FCS allowing just 4.00 TFL per game, while also sitting 34th overall in sacks allowed at 1.33 per game. Look for a tough test this upcoming weekend as South Dakota State enters 17th in team sacks (3.0 per game) and 20th in tackles for loss (7.5 per game).
There Goes That Man Again
Inoke Moala continues to terrorize opponent backfields through the first three games of the season as the Sycamores head into conference play. The redshirt senior defensive lineman has recorded multiple tackles for loss in each of the three games this season and paces the Missouri Valley with 5.5 TFLs after his 1.5 tackle-for-loss game against Eastern Kentucky. His 2.5 sacks are second in the Valley on the year with teammate
Heath Stephen II (2.0) also in the top-eight in the conference in QB takedowns this season. For his career, Moala has 9.5 career sacks and 28.0 tackles for loss over his five seasons with the Sycamores.
Another Game, Another Top Tackler
A different player has led Indiana State in tackles in each of the three games in the 2021 season and this past weekend was no exception as freshman linebacker
Geoffrey Brown paced the way in the Sycamores win over Eastern Kentucky. Brown led Indiana State with seven tackles in the contest and added a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup in his first collegiate start. He was key to the Indiana State defense limiting EKU to just 82 rushing yards and a 3.3 yard per carry average on the day. Brown became the third Indiana State player to lead the team in tackles joining
Michael Thomas (10 vs. Eastern Illinois) and
Matt Thompson (11 at Northwestern) to sit atop the category this year.
Thomas Continues to Excel
Michael Thomas continues to stand out among the Missouri Valley defensive players through the first three games of the 2021 season. After earning MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in his first outing against Eastern Illinois thanks to his 10-tackle, 2-interception, 1-touchdown game, Thomas finished second on the Sycamores in tackles against both Northwestern and Eastern Kentucky to continue to pace the programs' tackling efforts. Thomas currently sits 14th in the MVFC in tackles per game (6.7) while also sitting fifth overall in passes defended per game (1.33). Thomas made the transition from wide receiver to safety in the 2019 season and his ability to read the play and be in the right position at the right time continues to pay dividends for the Sycamores defense this season.
Be-Ware, Keep Your Eye on Mekhi
As the calendar turns to Missouri Valley Football play, quarterbacks around the conference will be making sure they know where Indiana State's #3 is on the field at all times.
Mekhi Ware broke back onto the scene in a major way this past weekend against Eastern Kentucky as the Sycamores redshirt junior cornerback recorded a team-high four pass breakups in the Indiana State win over EKU. His four breakups were the most by a MVFC player this season and vaulted him to the top in the conference in breakups per game. Overall, the Sycamores have recorded 15 pass breakups on the season to go with three interceptions, but they face a tough test as South Dakota State brings a potent passing attack to Memorial Stadium this week. Ware will be ready to lead the unit against the Jackrabbits No.2-ranked passing efficiency offense (198.41) on the season and sixth-ranked scoring offense (47.0 ppg).
Thompson, Stephen II Attacking the Middle
The Sycamores' linebackers will be one of the keys to this weekend's game against South Dakota State with the duo of
Matt Thompson and
Heath Stephen II looking to join
Geoffrey Brown in making an impact on the field against the Jackrabbits. Thompson (13) and Stephen (12) sit second and third in the team in overall tackles on the season, while the duo have combined for 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks through the first three games. Both have shown the ability to come down on the football in the 2021 season and they also bring pass-rushing ability to the position with Stephen sitting among the team leaders with two quarterback hurries on the year. The two will be looked on to provide veteran leadership against the Jackrabbits.
Battle of Strengths
It'll be a battle of strengths in the trenches this weekend as Indiana State brings one of the MVFC's best defensive line units against South Dakota State's top-ranked offensive line on Saturday afternoon. The Sycamores currently sit second overall in the Missouri Valley with nine sacks through the first three games of the season. Overall, seven different players have been involved in a quarterback takedown this season with
Inoke Moala (2.5),
Heath Stephen II (2.0), and
Kaleb Brewer (1.5) all among the team leaders in the category. The Sycamores are also among the league leaders in tackles for loss with 25.0 through the first three games of the year. They will face their toughest test of the season in the South Dakota State offense as the Jackrabbits have yet to allow a sack this year and have surrendered just 4.0 tackles for loss through two games. Whoever can control the line of scrimmage will have a key advantage in Saturday's conference opener between the two teams.
Thompson, Lunsford Touchdown Party
It only took three games for Indiana State's special teams to find the end zone as the combination of
Dwayne Thompson II and
Hunter Lunsford put the Sycamores on the scoreboard this past Saturday against Eastern Kentucky. The Sycamores' punt defense came at the EKU punter and he muffed the snap midway through the first quarter. Before he could recover to kick the ball away, Thompson flew up the middle and knocked him down with the ball bouncing toward the end zone. Lunsford out-raced the rest of the defense and carried the ball over the goal line for the touchdown and put the Sycamores ahead 7-0. The play marked Indiana State's first special teams touchdown since the 2019 season and the Sycamores' first fumble scoop-and-score from the same season. It also resulted in Lunsford earning MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors to cap the weekend.
Travis Reiner – Nothing More to Say
Travis Reiner continues to be a weapon for the Indiana State special teams as the senior punter sits among the league leaders in punts, punts downed inside the 20, and 50+-yard punts. Reiner enters the weekend averaging 40.1 yards per attempt, but his ability to spot the ball has made him essential to Indiana State's success this season. Reiner has a MVFC league-high seven punts downed inside the 20-yard line. When he's been able to showcase his leg, he also has put together a trio of 50-yard punts to sit tied for third in the conference in the category. He will look to continually swap the field this weekend in the key matchup against the Jackrabbits.
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