TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State welcomes No. 16/6 South Dakota to Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores host the Coyotes on Saturday, October 21. Kickoff between the Sycamores and the Yotes is set for 1 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Game Day Information and Activities
Homecoming Game
Homecoming is back! We look forward to seeing alumni, friends, students, and community members on campus as we celebrate our beloved campus tradition. Homecoming week is Monday, October 16 – Sunday, October 22.
This year, ISU registered student organizations can reserve a tent for Homecoming Tailgating in the general tailgating area on the west side of Memorial Stadium. Click here for more information.
Game Sponsor: Toyota
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Breast Cancer Awareness
Indiana State football will be wearing special pregame pink t-shirts in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Car Decal Giveaway
Indiana State football will be giving away 100 ISU Football Car Decals at the gates on Saturday.
Tailgating and Clear Bag Policies
Indiana State Athletics announced updated tailgating and clear bag policies for the 2023-24 athletic year. The policies are consistent with other members in both the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Weekly Notes
Quick Hits
Indiana State trails the all-time series, 5-2, against South Dakota dating back to the inaugural contest in 2012. ISU won the opening contest in the series at Memorial Stadium, 45-14, with both Sycamore wins coming at home against the Coyotes. ISU last won a triple overtime contest against USD back in 2018, 51-48.
The Sycamores enter the season with an 0-6 record, 0-3 in Valley play. It marks just the seventh time Indiana State has started off the season falling in their first six games since the 2000 season. Indiana State faces one of the toughest schedules in the nation this season including four ranked in the top-25 in FCS over their final five games of the season.
Dakota Caton is closing in on 1,000 career receiving yards during his time with the Sycamores. The redshirt senior enters the weekend with 84 receptions for 964 yards. Maddix Blackwell has posted three double-digit tackling efforts in the 2023 season including 10 this past weekend at Illinois State.
About South Dakota
South Dakota enters the weekend with a 5-1 record, 3-0 in Missouri Valley Football play. The Coyotes sit ranked in both the major FCS polls moving as high as No. 6 in the STATS PERFORM list, while moving to No. 16 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. South Dakota has posted two wins against ranked opponents this season including topping then-No. 2 North Dakota State in Fargo, 24-19, while topping then-No. 23-20 Youngstown State this past weekend in Vermillion, 34-31.
The Coyotes were picked ninth overall in the MVFC Preseason poll as voted on by the league's head coaches, media members, and SIDs. South Dakota running back Travis Theis leads the MVFC in total rushing attempts with 95 carries for 462 yards, while averaging 77.0 yards per game. Quarterback Aidan Bouman has not been afraid to throw the ball downfield this season sitting second in the MVFC in pass yards per attempt at 9.36, while sitting third in completion percentage (70.6%). Linebacker Brock Mogensen is back among the Valley leaders this season in tackles (49) and tackles per game (7.5).
On This Date
Indiana State is back home on October 21 for Homecoming as the Sycamores host South Dakota at Memorial Stadium. It marks the fifth time all-time ISU has hosted a Homecoming Game on the date and first since 2017 when the Sycamores fell to Southern Illinois, 45-24. ISU is 3-2 all-time on Homecoming Games on October 21 and 6-4 all-time on the date dating back to 1950.
- 1950 – vs. Indiana Central (HC) – W, 27-7
- 1961 – at Ball State – W, 41-0
- 1967 – at Evansville – W, 15-14
- 1972 – vs. Butler – W, 49-21
- 1978 – vs. West Texas A&M – L, 36-7
- 1989 – at Illinois State – L, 15-13
- 1995 – vs. Western Kentucky (HC) – W, 27-6
- 2000 – vs. Northern Iowa (HC) – L, 49-17
- 2006 – vs. Missouri State (HC) – W, 28-22
- 2017 – vs. Southern Illinois (HC) – L, 45-24
Tough Slate Ahead
The Missouri Valley Football Conference features eight teams currently either ranked or receiving votes to date so far in the 2023 season. Six of those teams remain on Indiana State's schedule this season including this weekend's opponent in South Dakota.
- No. 1/1 South Dakota State - Do not play
- No. 12/12 at Southern Illinois - Nov. 18, 2023
- No. 15/14 North Dakota State - Do not play
- No. 9/11 at North Dakota - Oct. 28, 2023
- No. 16/6 South Dakota - Oct. 21, 2023
- No. 25/RV at Illinois State - L, 44-7
- RV/RV Northern Iowa - L, 27-20
- RV/25 Youngstown State - Nov. 4, 2023
The six ranked/receiving votes teams on the conference slate mark the most on the Indiana State schedule since the 2017 season when ISU took on six ranked FCS opponents on the year.
Last Time at South Dakota
Indiana State was unable to keep pace with a strong South Dakota second quarter as the Sycamores fell to the host Coyotes 38-10 inside the DakotaDome.
Indiana State surrendered a trio of Coyote touchdowns in the second quarter to give host South Dakota a 21-point halftime lead. The Sycamores battled back in the third quarter, but the comeback fell short as Indiana State was unable to fight all the way back in the conference loss.
The Sycamores were paced by Anthony Thompson's 16-of-24 performance through the air for 135 yards and a touchdown. Thompson added a 30-yard reception, while five different Indiana State receivers hauled in multiple catches on the day paced by Zach Larkin's five catches for a career-high 48 yards
Defensively, Michael Thomas led the Sycamores efforts with nine tackles and his first sack of the 2021 season. Geoffrey Brown and Gavin Dineen finished with seven tackles apiece, while four different Sycamores recorded sacks in the loss.
ISU's Last Win in the Series
Facing 3rd-and-3 on the 3-yard line, Ryan Boyle threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Dante Hendrix in the third overtime period as the Sycamores claimed their third-straight win with a 51-48 victory over South Dakota Saturday afternoon in front of 5,816 fans at Memorial Stadium.
Boyle accounted for a school record seven touchdowns in the game while tying the single game record for touchdown passes with five that was set in 1985 by Jeff Miller.
It marked the fourth ever triple overtime game in program history and just the second triple overtime win after Indiana State defeated Western Illinois (Oct. 23) in 1999. The victory also marked the first overtime win for the Sycamores since 2014 when ISU defeated Youngstown State.
The game-winning touchdown, a pass to a wide-open Hendrix who was running to the left, came from across the field as Boyle was bootlegging right to avoid a sack. It was one of five touchdown passes for Boyle, who was 20-for-27 for 193 yards while also rushing for a career-high 187 yards on 18 carries and scoring twice himself.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Football, visit
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