TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State football hits the road for the first time in the 2025 season this weekend as the Sycamores make the trek to Bloomington, Ind. and Memorial Stadium for a Friday night kickoff at Indiana University. Kickoff time is set for 6:30 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on Big Ten Network and 105.5 The Legend.
Notes
About the Matchup
Indiana State has traveled to Bloomington to take on Indiana University seven times over their respective program histories dating back to the inaugural contest in 1925. Six of the seven contests have come since 2003, games played in three consecutive seasons in 2012, 2013, and 2014.
The Sycamores have fallen in all seven matchups to the Hoosiers including the 2023 contest at IU, 41-7. Indiana State and IU are scheduled to conclude their current scheduling contract in the 2027 season.
Scouting Indiana
Indiana is 2-0 in the early season with back-to-back home wins over Old Dominion (27-14) and Kennesaw State (56-9) to open the 2025 season. With Friday's home game against Indiana State, the Hoosiers continue a four-game home stand inside the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium, wrapping up with a September 20 contest in their Big Ten opener against Illinois.
Indiana is ranked in both major NCAA FBS polls heading into the Friday matchup. The Hoosiers come in at No. 19 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 22 in the Associated Press Top 25. Indiana is coming off an 11-1 season that featured a berth in the FBS College Football Playoff.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza heads into his first season at Hoosiers' helm and has completed 36 of 56 passes for 438 yards and four touchdowns through the first two games. Roman Hemby leads the rushing efforts with 175 yards on 32 carries, while Lee Beebe Jr. (22 carries, 163 yards, 1 TD) and Kaelon Black (27 carries, 149 yards, 1 TD) have both eclipsed the 100-yard rushing march on the year. Elijah Sarratt is the primary receiving target for the Hoosiers with 12 catches for 141 yards and three touchdowns, while E.J. Williams Jr. has eight catches for 72 yards on the year.
Defensively, Louis Moore paces IU's early efforts with 14 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, and two interceptions over the season. Aiden Fisher (12 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sacks), and Kellan Wyatt (12 tackles, 2.5 TFL) have also breached the double-digit tackling mark, while D'Angelo Ponds and Amare Ferrell have both recorded interceptions on the season.
The Hoosiers have shown a prolific ground game over the first two games of the season racking up 300-plus rushing yards in each of the two games with IU posting at least 500 yards of total offense against both ODU and Kennesaw State. Old Dominion was able to rush for 218 yards and two scores against the IU defense, while Kennesaw State threw for 182 yards. The Hoosiers defense has yet to allow a passing touchdown on the season.
Recapping the Last Matchup
Indiana scored touchdowns on its first three offensive possessions to take control of the game early in the 2023 matchup as Indiana State fell to the host Hoosiers in Memorial Stadium, 41-7. The game was played on Friday night between the two programs, marking the second consecutive Friday matchup between the two programs.
Maddix Blackwell scored his first collegiate touchdown with a 75-yard scoop-and-score on an IU fumble late in the first half to cap another solid effort from the Indiana State safety. The Bloomington native led all players on the field with nine tackles, including six solo stops to pace the Sycamore defense.
Indiana State struggled to move the ball offensively in the game, but the Sycamores showed flashes of life throughout the contest with big plays coming from Harry Van Dyne and
Korbin Allen. Van Dyne finished the contest with a team-high 15 receiving yards, while Allen picked up three carries for 21 yards, most of those coming on a Sycamore 12-play, 67-yard drive in the second quarter that stalled in the IU red zone.
Jaylin Lucas carried the ball 10 times for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Indiana offense as the Hoosiers utilized 41 carries for 215 yards in the game. Overall, IU held the 36:49-23:11 edge in time of possession and picked up 33 first downs on their way to posting 559 total offensive yards in the game. IU quarterbacks Tayven Jackson (18-of-21, 236 yards) and Brendan Sorsby (9-of-16, 108 yards) guided the Hoosiers through the air with Omar Cooper Jr. the primary target hauling in seven catches for 101 yards.
Blackwell led ISU's defense in the game with a team-high nine tackles, while
Geoffrey Brown finished one back with eight in the game.
Blake Surface forced a fumble and Jarin Johnson picked up his first sack of the season to highlight the defensive efforts.
Indiana State against the Big Ten
Indiana State is 0-20 against the current iteration of the Big Ten Conference with matchups against Indiana (0-7), Purdue (0-7), Maryland (0-1), Minnesota (0-3), Northwestern (0-1), and Penn State (0-1). The Sycamores have yet to pick up a win against a Big Ten institution in program history.
Sycamores against Power Four Opponents
Indiana State heads into the weekend contest against Indiana seeking their first win against a current Power Four Conference (ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, SEC) institution since topping Cincinnati back in the 1987 season. The Sycamores hosted the Bearcats that season, winning 40-18, in Terre Haute.
The Sycamores are 3-2 all-time against Cincinnati, 0-2 against Florida, 0-1 against Georgia Tech, 0-7 against Indiana, 0-2 against Iowa State, 0-3 against Kansas, 0-3 against Kansas State, 3-7-1 against Louisville, 0-1 against Maryland, 0-3 against Minnesota, 0-1 against Mississippi, 0-1 against Northwestern, 0-1 against Oklahoma, 0-1 against Oklahoma State, 0-1 against Penn State, 0-7 against Purdue, 0-1 against Tennessee, and 0-1 against Texas Tech.
FBS Road Openers Under Mallory
Indiana State is 0-7 in road openers in the
Curt Mallory era dating back to his installment at the helm of the Sycamore football program in 2017. All seven road opening contests in the Mallory era have come at Power Four opponents, including No. 21 Tennessee back on September 9, 2017.
2017 – at No. 21 Tennessee (L, 42-7)
2018 – at Louisville (L, 31-7)
2019 – at Kansas (L, 24-17)
2021 – at Northwestern (L, 24-6)
2022 – at Purdue (L, 56-0)
2023 – at Indiana (L, 41-7)
2024 – at Purdue (L, 49-0)
MVFC Players of the Week (Take Two)
Indiana State's
Logan Wilson (Defensive) and
Larry Stephens III (Newcomer) received the conference's weekly honors as announced by the MVFC on Monday afternoon for their efforts against Eastern Illinois. It marked the second consecutive week Indiana State claimed two of the conference's five weekly awards.
Wilson recorded nine tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks, and added a batted down pass at the line of scrimmage to highlight his afternoon against the Panthers. Stephens hauled in a game-high five passes for 67 yards and his first touchdown in the Sycamores' win.
Wilson and Stephens III join
Plez Lawrence (Week 1 – Offensive) and
Sebastian Lopez (Week 1 – Special Teams) who received Valley honors following their season-opening win over McKendree. Wilson becomes the first Sycamore to earn MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors since
Joey Shew claimed recognition on November 4, 2024, against North Dakota. Stephens III is the first Sycamore to claim Newcomer of the Week honors since
Elijah Owens received the honors on October 14, 2024, after the Murray State game.
Indiana State 2025 MVFC Players of the Week
September 1 –
Plez Lawrence (Offensive),
Sebastian Lopez (Special Teams)
September 8 –
Logan Wilson (Defensive),
Larry Stephens III (Newcomer)
On This Date
Indiana State is 2-5 all-time on the September 12 date in program history according to current records on hand. The Sycamores are 0-1 against FBS opponents on the date after falling to Purdue back in the 2015 season.
1970 – at Eastern Illinois (W, 28-18)
1981 – at Drake (L, 14-7)
1987 – Boston University (L, 34-0)
1992 – at Western Kentucky (L, 34-13)
1998 – at SEMO (W, 21-14)
2009 – Eastern Illinois (L, 31-0)
2015 – at Purdue (L, 38-14)
2025 Indiana State Single Game, Season Tickets On Sale Now
Season ticket membership renewals and new season ticket memberships remain on sale online for the upcoming 2025 season. Season tickets for the six ISU home football games will start at $60 for adults and $30 for youth. Faculty, staff, seniors, and members of the I-Club can purchase tickets for $55.
Additionally, anyone who renews or buys a reserved seat in Section F will have the option to rent a seat chairback for the season. Chairback rentals are available for $20. Access to Touchdown Corner is available with Varsity Club status starting at just $125. Contact the Sycamore Athletic Fund at 812-237-6134 for more information.
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 contact Assistant Manager of Athletic Ticketing
Grant Manning by phone at 812-237-8972 or via email at Grant.Manning@indstate.edu. Fans can also call 877-ISU-TIXS 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.
