TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State is back home this weekend as the Sycamores host Illinois State at Memorial Stadium for the 2022 Homecoming game. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Redbirds is set for 1 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Day Information and Activities
Game Day Sponsor: Refreshment Services Pepsi
In 2020 and beyond, we 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 al departments so that we can better serve our customers.
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Homecoming Week
Indiana State will be celebrating Homecoming Week all week leading up to Saturday's contest against Illinois State.
Click the link here for the full Homecoming Week Schedule of Events.
Click the link here for all Homecoming Game Day Information.
Tailgating and Clear Bag Policies
Indiana State Athletics announced updated tailgating and clear bag policies for the 2022-23 athletic year. The policies are consistent with other members in both the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Tailgating Policies |
Clear Bag Policy
Weekly Game Notes
Illinois State at a Glance
Illinois State was selected eighth overall in the Missouri Valley Football Conference preseason poll as voted on by the league's coaches, media, and SIDs. The Redbirds received 178 total points in the poll.
Linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh was the Redbirds' lone representative on the MVFC All-Conference First Team after a strong 2021 season which saw him finish with 73 total tackles and 8.5 tackles-for-loss. Vandenburgh has lived up to the billing so far in 2022 sitting second in the MVFC in tackles per game (9.5), while leading the Valley in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (12.0).
The Redbirds are receiving votes in both major FCS national polls heading into the week. Illinois State's 2022 wins have come against Valparaiso, Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, and South Dakota. The Redbirds' last three games have been decided by one possession.
Indiana State on this Date
Indiana State has played 10 games all-time on October 22 in program history. The Sycamores have hosted Homecoming games on five separate occasions on this date with the latest coming in 2005 against Southern Illinois.
ISU and Illinois State have met three times on this date with the Sycamores winning two of the three contests. ISU is 2-3 in Homecoming games on October 22.
- 1949 – at Oklahoma City – L, 55-0
- 1955 – Hanover – L, 20-6
- 1966 – Evansville – W, 20-18
- 1977 – Illinois State (HC) – W, 20-10
- 1983 – Southern Illinois (HC) – L, 34-21
- 1988 – Illinois State (HC) – W, 26-18
- 1994 – Missouri State (HC) – L, 10-7
- 2005 – Southern Illinois (HC) – L, 42-20
- 2011 – at Illinois State – L, 17-14
- 2016 – at Southern Illinois – W, 22-14
Sycamores Last Game
Youngstown State held off Indiana State in an offensive shootout at Stambaugh Stadium as the Sycamores fell to the host Penguins, 48-42. In a game that featured six plays that traveled 50-plus yards in the first half and just three drives that covered at least five minutes, it came down to the defense in the fourth quarter. The Penguins forced a pair of Indiana State punts in the fourth quarter and held onto the ball for 21:44 in the second half to secure the win.
ISU fought their way back into the contest in the second half trailing 45-28 midway through the third quarter. Justin Dinka scored on an 18-yard touchdown reception to cut the YSU lead down to 45-35 with 4:18 to play. Following a Sycamore onside kick, Cade Chambers capped a four-play drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to narrow the gap down to 45-42 late in the third quarter. That's as close as ISU was able to get the rest of the way as the Penguins limited the Sycamore offense to secure the MVFC win.
Chambers named MVFC Freshman of the Week
Redshirt freshman quarterback Cade Chambers recorded five total touchdowns on Saturday afternoon in the Sycamores shootout loss at Youngstown State. The redshirt freshman went 15-of-29 through the air for a career-high 311 yards with a trio of touchdown passes, while adding two more on the ground in the 48-42 loss. Chambers was particularly effective in the Sycamores comeback late in the third quarter. With the Sycamores trailing 45-28 late in the third quarter, Chambers connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Justin Dinka to cut the lead down to 45-35. Following a successful onside kick, Chambers called his own number for an 11-yard option keeper to cut the deficit down to 45-42. His 300-yard game marked ISU's first 300-yard passing game since the 2018 season as the Sycamores rolled to a season-best 498 total offensive yards.
Dinka Does It Again
Redshirt sophomore running back Justin Dinka turned in his third touchdown run of 50-plus yards in the 2022 season and wasted little time achieving the mark as his first touch of the game resulted in a 75-yard score. He broke two tackles near the line of scrimmage and showed off his speed on the way to another long TD run. He's already posted a 54-yard touchdown against Montana and 82-yard touchdown against North Dakota State this year.
Dinka also became the first Indiana State back to record back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Titus McCoy posted 123 against South Dakota (Nov. 3) and 132 against Illinois State (Nov. 10) in the 2018 season. He currently third in the MVFC in rushing yards per game (92.3) and second in yards per carry (7.3).
Hendrix Moves Up
Redshirt senior wide receiver Dante Hendrix continues to move up the Indiana State record books as the Florence, Ky. sits second all-time in the ISU annals in both career receptions (167) and receiving yards (2,223). Hendrix became the fourth ISU player to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards joining Sam Logan (2,385), Terry Bell (2,048), and Robert Tonyan Jr. (2,047) to achieve the mark in his career.
Hendrix currently trails just Logan in the ISU all-time record book in both receptions (196) and yards (2,385) sitting 29 receptions and 166 yards away from Logan in each respective category. Hendrix is currently climbing the MVFC all-time record book in career receptions sitting one behind Youngstown State's Dominique Barnes (168, 2007-10) and two behind Western Illinois' Dennis Houston (169, 2019-21).
Hendrix leads the Sycamores with eight catches of 20-plus yards on the season, including six that have gone 30-plus yards. He has posted six 100-yard receiving efforts throughout his career including back-to-back weekends against both North Dakota State (109) and Youngstown State (117). His career-high in receiving yards (178) came against Youngstown State back in the 2018 season.
Ollendieck with the Stop
Indiana State linebacker
Garret Ollendieck set a new career-high with nine tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss this past weekend against Youngstown State. The sophomore surpassed his previous high of three tackles set against both Purdue and Montana earlier in the 2022 season.
Ollendieck was active throughout the contest making his first tackle in the opening quarter and finished the first half with three stops against the Penguins offense. The Iowa Central Community College transfer recorded his first tackle for loss came early in the third quarter, but he made his biggest contribution to the game in the fourth quarter with a trio of stops against the Youngstown State rushing game. He currently is tied for third on the Sycamores with 4.0 tackles for loss on the year while adding 18 tackles.
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