TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State remains on the road this weekend as the Sycamores head to Brookings, S.D. and No. 4/5 South Dakota state to continue Missouri Valley Football play. Kickoff inside Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium is set for 3 p.m. ET and will be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
Notes
About the Matchup
South Dakota State leads the all-time series with the 10-2 advantage over the Sycamores dating back to the teams' inaugural matchup in the 2008 season. The Jackrabbits have won eight consecutive games in the series dating back to the 2012 season, following the programs' last contest in 2022.
Indiana State is 1-5 all-time in Brookings, S.D. following the last trip in the 2022 season. The Sycamores fell to the Jackrabbits at Dana J. Dykehouse Stadium, 49-7, as SDSU scored in each of their first seven offensive drives in securing the Valley win. Harry Van Dyne recorded an acrobatic 25-yard touchdown reception, while
Geoffrey Brown went 29 yards on a fake punt to highlight the Indiana State offensive efforts on the day.
The Sycamores feature just two players who recorded statistics against South Dakota State while wearing an Indiana State uniform with
Lance Rees (one catch, four yards) and
Harry Traum (two punts, 34.5 avg) in the 2022 matchup.
Last Time Against South Dakota State
South Dakota State scored on their first seven offensive drives in claiming the Missouri Valley Football win over the Sycamores back on October 29, 2022. Indiana State was unable to limit the Jackrabbits balanced offensive attack on the day as SDSU posted 409 total offensive yards (247 passing, 162 rushing) in the game.
Cade Chambers went 11-of-24 through the air for 114 yards and a touchdown to lead the Sycamore offense before a targeting call took the Sycamore quarterback out of the game in the third quarter. Gavin Screws closed out the game going 2-of-8 for 40 yards as the Sycamores targeted eight different receivers in the loss. Dante Hendrix led ISU's receiving efforts in the game with a team-high four receptions for 41 yards. Harry Van Dyne made it back-to-back games with a receiving score on his way to finishing with three catches for 39 yards in the loss. Justin Dinka was ISU's leader in the backfield with 16 carries for 52 yards
Rylan Cole led the Sycamores' defensive efforts with a team-high seven tackles (five solo), while Michael Lufile added six stops (four solo) on the afternoon. Casey Miller and
Tony Roberts both added tackles for loss.
Sycamores Against Ranked Opponents
Indiana State football is no stranger to facing ranked opponents as members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Sycamores are currently slated to face eight teams currently ranked or receiving votes in both major FCS national polls, including the current No. 1 overall North Dakota State Bison, No. 4/5 South Dakota State, and No. 8/10 North Dakota, as well as Top 25 opponents Southern Illinois, Illinois State, Montana, and Youngstown State.
The Sycamores are 1-9 in their last 10 games against ranked opponents dating back to the 2022 season. Indiana State recorded their last win against a ranked opponent last season at home when the Sycamores topped then-No. 15 North Dakota on November 2, 2024, 35-31.
Scouting South Dakota State
South Dakota State heads into the weekend sitting No. 5/T-4 in the STATS FCS and AFCA Coaches polls as announced by the organization on Monday morning. The Jackrabbits sit 7-1, 3-1 in MVFC play following their 38-7 loss this past weekend to No. 1 North Dakota State in Brookings, S.D.
The Jackrabbits picked up Valley wins this fall against Youngstown State (35-30), Northern Iowa (31-3), and Murray State (35-14). SDSU has posted a 4-1 record at home with wins over Sacramento State (20-3), Drake (37-21), and Mercyhurst (51-7), as well as picking up the conference win over Northern Iowa on October 11.
South Dakota State features a balanced team approach on the field sitting in the top 30 in scoring offense (30.8, 30th) and scoring defense (17.5, 14th). The Jackrabbits are second in the FCS in turnovers gained (19) and turnover margin (+1.63). SDSU is ninth overall in FCS in time of possession (32:51).
Defense has been key to South Dakota State's success on the season with the Jackrabbits sitting sixth in the country in red zone defense (68.4%), 13th in team sacks (2.75), and 15th in third-down conversion percentage defense (32.0%).
Quarterback Chase Mason runs the South Dakota State offense with the senior sitting among the national leaders in passing efficiency (156.5), yards per completion (12.78), yards per game (202.7), and points per game (12.9). Running back Julius Loughridge is the team's rushing leader averaging 94.0 yards per game with six touchdowns, while wide receiver Alex Bullock has a team-high 42 catches for 527 yards and two scores.
Defensively, Cullen McShane has a team-high 62 tackles to go with 6.5 tackles-for-loss,1.0 sacks, and a forced fumble. Joe Ollman is among the national leaders with three forced fumbles to go with 47 tackles, while Dawson Ripperda and Chase Van Tol both have a team-high 4.0 sacks.
Sycamores On the Road (2025 edition)
Indiana State football closes out a nearly 4,000-mile road trip that encompassed three states as the Sycamores travel to Carbondale, Ill. this upcoming weekend. The Sycamores' 2025 schedule is slightly unique with Indiana State traveling to six different states on the year without any repeat ventures heading to Indiana, Montana, Southern Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota State, and Youngstown State. Overall, Indiana State will make three flights in the 2025 season and will span 8,118 total miles over the course of the year.
2025 Road Trips (Miles Traveled)
Sept. 12 – Indiana State at Indiana (113 miles)
Sept. 20 - Indiana State at Montana (3,420 miles)
Oct. 4 – Indiana State at Southern Illinois (386 miles)
Oct. 25 – Indiana State at North Dakota (1,828 miles)
Nov. 2 – Indiana State at South Dakota State (1,529 miles)
Nov. 16 – Indiana State at Youngstown State (842 miles)
2025 Indiana State Single Game On Sale Now
Indiana State single game tickets went on sale in mid-July starting at $15 for adults, $5 for kids, and group rates of $5 for 15+ attendees. Single game rates are higher for the 2025 Homecoming Game against South Dakota on October 11 with prices rising to $18 for adults, $8 for kids, and a group rate of $8.
Indiana State will employ mobile ticketing as the default option for all home games during the 2024 football season, enabling contactless entry into athletics venues. Offering greater convenience and safety, fans can access their ticket online and transfer to family and friends. Fans will also have the option to get their tickets printed for an additional $5 charge.
For more information on season tickets, fans can call 812-237-8972 or email
ISU-Tickets@indstate.edu. Fans have the opportunity to also buy or renew season tickets online by clicking
HERE.
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on Sycamore Football, visit
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including
Twitter,
Facebook,
Instagram and
YouTube. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the
App Store and the
Google Play Store.
