TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hits the road for the final time in 2023 as the Sycamores wrap up the regular season this weekend at No. 20/16 Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon inside Saluki Stadium. Kickoff between the Sycamores and SIU is set for 2 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Weekly Notes
Quick Hits
Indiana State closes out the 2023 season on the road this weekend as the Sycamores make the trip to Saluki Stadium. The Sycamores boast one of the nation's toughest schedules in the 2023 season, even without playing either of the Dakota States. Seven teams on the schedule have either been ranked or are currently ranked, while ISU also took on two FBS programs.
Indiana State snapped their 10-game losing streak this past weekend as the Sycamores topped Western Illinois on Saturday afternoon. ISU's last three conference-opening wins have come against the Leathernecks. ISU makes its first trip to Carbondale since 2018 when the Sycamores topped the Salukis, 24-21. Indiana State has won each of its last four games at SIU dating back to the 2012 season.
Linebacker Garret Ollendieck is the reigning MVFC Defensive Player of the Week following an 11-tackle, 3.0 sack game against WIU. Both Ollendieck (87) and Maddix Blackwell (95) are within striking distance of 100 tackles in the 2023 season, becoming the first ISU players to achieve the mark since Jonas Griffith (106) in 2019.
Southern Illinois At A Glance
Southern Illinois enters the weekend with a 6-4 overall record, 3-4 in Missouri Valley play. The Salukis enter the game sitting eighth in the MVFC heading into the final weekend with conference wins against Western Illinois, Murray State, and Missouri State. SIU's four conference losses have come at the hands of Youngstown State, South Dakota State, South Dakota, and North Dakota State. SIU was picked fifth in the conference's preseason poll after receiving 337 points as voted on by the league's head coaches, SIDs, and media members.
The Salukis feature a balanced offensive attack with 119.2 rushing yards and 223.4 passing yards per game. Quarterback Nic Baker leads the offense passing at least 200 yards in five of the 10 games played on the year, including a 462-yard, 3-touchdown game earlier this season against SEMO. Safety PJ Jules is among the conference leaders with 88 tackles, while adding 11.5 tackles-for-loss and nine pass breakups on the year. SIU is top-10 in the NCAA in TFL (8th) and sacks (8th).
On This Date
Indiana State has played five games all-time on November 18 dating back to their first contest vs. Butler back in 1950. The Sycamores are 2-3 overall on the date according to current records on hand with their wins coming in 1972 and 1978.
ISU has lined up once against Southern Illinois on the date, winning on the road in 1972. The Sycamores have lined up against one ranked team on the date in the 2017 season falling to No. 24 Northern Iowa
- 1950 – vs. Butler - L, 32-0
- 1972 - at Southern Illinois - W, 31-3
- 1978 – vs. Wichita State - W, 42-18
- 1995 – vs. Eastern Illinois - L, 27-6
- 2017 – at #24 Northern Iowa - L, 41-3
Last Time Against Southern Illinois
Indiana State was unable to slow down a high-powered Southern Illinois offensive attack as the Sycamores fell to the visiting #16/15 Salukis in Memorial Stadium, 47-21. Southern Illinois scored on each of their first three offensive possessions and added four touchdown drives midway through the game in securing the conference win. The Sycamores battled through 12 penalties in the contest as Indiana State was unable to sustain momentum through the contest despite another standout performance from Dante Hendrix in the loss.
Hendrix continued to pace the Indiana State offensive efforts with his second double-digit catch performance of the season. The redshirt junior wide receiver hauled in 10 catches for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Indiana State's final home game of the 2021 season. Anthony Thompson went 21-of-33 through the air for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Kurtis Wilderman added a fourth-quarter touchdown pass late in the contest. Phazione McClurge added six catches for 51 yards, while Rontrez Morgan added a three-catch, 32-yard game with his first touchdown catch of the season. Peterson Kerlegrand paced the ISU rushing efforts with 56 yards on 18 carries.
Geoffrey Brown led the Sycamores defense with a team-high nine tackles, while Mekhi Ware and JJ Henderson combined for four pass breakups on the defensive side. Brown also paced the Sycamores efforts with 1.5 tackles for loss, while Rylan Cole and Ethan Hoover added seven tackles apiece.
Trends in ISU's Road Wins At Southern Illinois
Indiana State has won four consecutive road games at Southern Illinois dating back to the 2012 season. Key to the Sycamores' success during the stretch against the Salukis includes a standout offensive performance, as well as defensive pressure along the line.
Sept. 29, 2012 - W, 24-3
Shakir Bell - 160 yards, 2 TD; Calvin Burnett - 2 INTs
Oct. 25, 2014 - W, 41-26
Mike Perish - 353 yards, 4 TD; Connor Underwood - 2.5 sacks
Oct. 22, 2016 - W, 22-14
Isaac Harker - 336 yards, 3 TD; Justin Hornsby - 4.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks
Oct. 20, 2018 - W, 24-21
Ja'Quan Keys - 156 yards, 2 TDs; Katrell Moss - 16 tackles
Reigning MVFC Defensive Player of the Week
Garret Ollendieck had another monster game on the defensive side of the ball for Indiana State as the Sycamore junior linebacker posted his first career 3.0-sack game. The Cresco, Iowa native finished the contest with 11 tackles including three sacks against Western Illinois. He also added two quarterback hurries as ISU consistently harried the Leathernecks' passing game on Saturday afternoon.
Ollendieck was disruptive early with his first sack of the game ending Western Illinois' second drive in the first quarter. He added four tackles on a drive in the second quarter that led to an ISU interception to end another WIU drive inside Sycamore territory.
The junior linebacker came up big in the fourth quarter with his sack setting up a 4th-and-14 inside Western territory. The next play, he went back through the middle for a quarterback hurry on a play that resulted in an incompletion and turnover on downs. Justin Dinka scored three plays later for the game-clinching touchdown.
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