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Indiana State University Athletics

SIU Final
9
Indiana St. INS 1-10 , 1-7
38
Winner Southern Ill. SIU 7-4 , 4-4
Indiana St. INS
1-10 , 1-7
9
Final
38
Southern Ill. SIU
7-4 , 4-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
INS Indiana St. 3 0 0 6 9
SIU Southern Ill. 14 17 0 7 38

Game Recap: Football | | Seth Montgomery | GoSycamores.com

Sycamores fall in regular season finale at Southern Illinois, 38-9

CARBONDALE, ILL. – Indiana State's 2023 season came to an end in Saluki Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores fell to the host No. 20/16 Southern Illinois Salukis, 38-9.
 
The Sycamores (1-10, 1-7) took the early lead on Jake Andjelic's 39-yard field goal on ISU's opening possession, but Southern Illinois (7-4, 4-4) took advantage of a pair of Indiana State miscues on their way to scoring 38 consecutive points in seizing control of the game. Maddix Blackwell scored on a late 15-yard fumble recovery to provide the final margin in the contest.
 
Blackwell became the first ISU player to post 100 tackles in a single season since Jonas Griffith (106, 2019) following his 12-tackle effort on Saturday. The sophomore safety finished with 107 total tackles on the season, while adding his second defensive touchdown of 2023 on the year.
 
The Sycamores marched down the field on 15 plays covering 55 yards spanning nearly eight minutes in scoring on their opening possession. ISU converted three third downs over the possession including a 10-yard connection from Cade Chambers to Harry Van Dyne on 3rd-and-9 that moved the ball down to the SIU 28. Jake Andjelic capped the drive with a 39-yard field goal to put ISU ahead early.
 
The Salukis responded with Ro Elliott's nine-yard touchdown run to put SIU ahead 7-3. SIU took advantage of a pair of ISU miscues over the following two possessions to build a 21-3 lead and the Salukis continued to press their advantage the rest of the way in taking the win.
 
Chambers finished the game 14-of-28 through the air for 138 yards, while Gavin Screws went 2-for-4 for 15 yards in relief in the fourth quarter. Dinka (38) and Lawrence (32) combined for 70 rushing yards on the day, while Van Dyne posted a team-high five catches for 53 yards.
 
Blackwell (12), Ethan Hoover (12), Geoffrey Brown (11), and Garret Ollendieck (10) all posted double-digit tackling efforts on the day. Zane Boozer added a team-high 3.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks, while Brown added an interception in the loss.
 
SIU quarterback Nic Baker finished 22-of-27 through the air for 282 yards and three touchdowns. Izaiah Hartrup finished with eight catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns, while six Salukis combined for 50 rushing yards in the win.
 
PJ Jules led SIU with 12 tackles in the game, while Tim Varga posted eight stops, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, and a sack.
 
How They Scored
  • Indiana State scored on its opening possession as the Sycamores marched down the field on 15 plays covering 55 yards before Jake Andjelic connected on a 39-yard field goal to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
  • Southern Illinois responded with Ro Elliott's nine-yard touchdown run with 2:42 remaining in the first quarter to cap a nine-play, 80-yard drive and put the Salukis ahead 7-3.
  • The Salukis added to their lead following a botched ISU kickoff return that led to SIU taking possession at the ISU 22. The ensuing play from scrimmage saw Nic Baker connecting on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Izaiah Hartrup to put SIU ahead 14-3 with 2:36 remaining in the first quarter.
  • SIU added to the lead with 14:20 left in the second quarter as Justin Strong hauled in a three-yard reception from Nic Baker following an ISU fumble to put the Salukis ahead 21-3.
  • Jake Baumgarte put SIU ahead 24-3 with 6:49 remaining in the second quarter connecting on a 25-yard field goal to cap a 10-play, 61-yard drive.
  • The Salukis added a late score just before the end of the first half as Baker connected on a 60-yard touchdown pass to Hartrup to put the margin at 31-3.
  • Southern Illinois made it a 38-3 game with 14:03 remaining in the fourth quarter as Devin Cowan scooped up an ISU fumble and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown.
  • The Sycamores defense provided the final score of the game as Zane Boozer forced a fumble behind the line of scrimmage and Maddix Blackwell picked it up and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown with 10:56 remaining to provide the final 38-9 score. 
News & Notes
  • Maddix Blackwell became the first Indiana State football player to post 100 tackles in a single season since Jonas Griffith (106) achieved the feat in 2019. Blackwell finished the regular season with 107 total stops including seven games with double-digit tackles including Saturday's 12 against Southern Illinois.
  • Garret Ollendieck nearly joined his teammate at the century mark as the junior linebacker recorded his fourth consecutive double-digit tackling effort (10) on his way to finishing the year with 97 stops.
  • Geoffrey Brown (11) and Ethan Hoover (12) also finished with double-digit tackles on Saturday afternoon.
  • Zane Boozer posted a career-high 3.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks on Saturday afternoon, while adding a forced fumble and a pass breakup that led to an ISU interception in the fourth quarter.
  • Geoffrey Brown posted his first collegiate interception on Saturday afternoon in the fourth quarter.
  • Maddix Blackwell scored his second defensive touchdown of the season following his 15-yard fumble return. He became the first Sycamore to post multiple defensive touchdowns in the same season since Johnny Towalid scored twice on a pair of pick-sixes in the 2012 season.
  • ISU posted their second consecutive 5.0-sack game with Boozer (1.5), Antoineo Harris Jr. (1.0), Joey Shew (1.0), Lucas Hunter (1.0), and Geoffrey Brown (0.5) all contributing quarterback takedowns.
  • Harry Van Dyne posted a team-high five catches for 53 yards on his way to finishing with a team-high 43 catches for 619 yards and two scores for the 2023 season.
  • Both Justin Dinka (518) and Plez Lawrence (502) both finished with more than 500 rushing yards in 2023 marking the first time two backs hit the mark in the same season since Ja'Quan Keys (948), Ryan Boyle (610), and Titus McCoy (565) all achieved the feat in 2018. 
Postgame Media presented by Team Green Law


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