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Indiana State Sycamores football

Football program representing Indiana State University From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The Indiana State Sycamores football team is the NCAA Division I football program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Playoffs in the 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship. Their first season was 1896.[3] The Sycamore's greatest season was 1983, when coach Dennis Raetz led them to the 2nd round of the 1983 NCAA Division I Football Championship and ended the season with a record of 9–4. The Sycamores also appeared in the 1984 and 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs. The Indiana State Sycamores play their home games at Memorial Stadium, which seats 12,764.[4]

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History

Classifications

  • 1896–1951: NCAA open classification
  • 1952–1964: NCAA / NAIA (dual membership)
  • 1965–1972: NCAA College Division
  • 1970–1973: NAIA Division I
  • 1973–1975: NCAA Division II
  • 1976–1977: NCAA Division I
  • 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A
  • 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA/FCS

[5]

Conference membership

[5]

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Conference championships

The 1964 Indiana State Sycamores football team shared the Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) title in 1964 with four other teams (Ball State, Butler, Evansville, Valparaiso, with the Sycamores finishing with a 4–2 conference record and a 6–2 overall mark.[6]

Bowls and playoffs

Bowl games

The Sycamores have participated in one bowl game, garnering a record of 0–1.

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Division I NCAA Playoffs

The Sycamores have appeared in 3 NCAA Division I Football Championships. Their combined record is 2–3.

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Rankings

The Sycamores reached the AP and United Press International Top Ten mid-way through the 1974 season; they would not return to the Top Ten until the 1983 season. The 2018 Sycamores finished #25 in the final FCS coaches poll.[7]

Head coaches

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All Indiana State Coaching Records are available at:[8]

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  1. Chief Petty Officer (CPO) LeCroy was member of US Navy's V-12 program staff during World War II
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Rivalries

Ball State

From 1924 to 2023, the Sycamores played Ball State (Ind.) University 66 times; the series stands at 39–24–1 in favor of Ball State.

In 1940, the respective Blue Key chapters sponsored a trophy presentation, the 'Victory Bell' to reward the winner of the annual game between Indiana State and Ball State. The Sycamores lost the last game in Muncie. The game finished with a 457 loss for the Sycamores

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Traditions

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Homecoming

The term Homecoming was first used in print announcements for the Alumni-Varsity Basketball Game on December 9, 1916. By the year 1919, this event became known as Blue and White Day and featured dances and entertainment for alumni of the Normal School. In 1921 the events were organized around a football game scheduled earlier in the autumn. A bonfire and pep rally were added to the festivities in 1922; the Blue-and-White Parade in 1923; and in 1937, Bette Whitmore (Kappa Kappa) was elected ISUs first Homecoming Queen.[9] The 2010 season will mark the 106th season of Sycamore football and the 91st Homecoming; the Sycamores will face conference foe, Illinois State, on October 9. This will mark the 7th time that Illinois State has been the Homecoming opponent; following a tremendous victory (59–24) the Sycamores now own a 5–2 mark vs. Illinois State in Homecoming games.

As of 2012; Indiana State owns a 50–36–2 (.580) record in Homecoming games; the outcomes of the remaining 5 games are unknown.

Victory Bell

A symbol of the traditional rivalry in football between Indiana State and Ball State, the Victory Bell tradition was inaugurated in 1940 when the Blue Key chapters at both schools arranged to donate a bell to be presented to the victor of the football game. The idea was to start a traditional exchange of the bell as a means of improving relationships between the two student bodies.[10] The Victory Bell series is 34–19–1 in favor of Ball State, though the Sycamores won their last meeting in 2014.

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Stadiums

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The Sycamores have played football at venerable Memorial Stadium since the 1949 campaign. Originally constructed in 1922–24, at a cost of $450,000; the 12,764-seat stadium remains a fixture at the intersection of Wabash and Brown Avenues in Terre Haute, IN.

Memorial Stadium's inauguration was on May 5, 1925, as the local minor league baseball team, the Terre Haute Tots, hosted their Three-I League rivals, the Peoria Tractors, before an estimated crowd of 9,000. Among the esteemed visitors were Major League Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Charles Barnard of the Cleveland Indians.

The facility was acquired (via a 99-year lease) by Indiana State University in 1967. The installation of Astroturf made Indiana State the first university to own a football stadium with artificial turf.

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Player of the year

National

  • Shakir Bell – 2011 Walter Payton Award Finalist (Top 2 vote receiver)
  • Johnny Towalid – 2012 Co-National FCS Defensive Back of the Year (by College Football Performance)[11]

Conference

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First-team All-Americans

  • Jeff Keller, DE – 1967 American Football Coaches Association
  • Chris Hicks, OT – 1975 American Football Coaches Association
  • Vincent Allen, RB – 1976 American Football Coaches Association
  • Ed Martin, DE – 1983 American Football Coaches Association
  • Wayne Davis, DB – 1984 American Football Coaches Association
  • Vencie Glenn, DB – 1985 American Football Coaches Association
  • Steve Mckeel DB – 1986 Associated Press
  • Mike Simmonds, OT – 1986 American Football Coaches Association
  • Steve McKeel DB – 1987 Associated Press
  • Derrick Franklin, RB – 1991 Walter Camp, The Sports Network
  • Shawn Moore, OG – 1993 American Football Coaches Association
  • Dan Brandenburg, DT – 1994 American Football Coaches Association
  • Dan Brandenburg, DT – 1995 The Sports Network, American Football Quarterly
  • Tom Allison, PK – 1995 Don Hansen's Football Gazette
  • Troy Lefevra, DE – 1998 Don Hansen's Football Gazette
  • DeJuan Alfonzo, DB/RS – 1999 American Football Coaches Association
  • Shakir Bell, RB – 2011 Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association,[13] The Sports Network
  • Ben Obaseki, DL – 2011 Associated Press[14]
  • Joshua Appel, LS – 2015 STATS All-American[15]
  • Elijah Owns, QB – 2024 Phil Steele All-American[16]

Academic All-American

  • Gary Brown, E – 1971
  • Michael Eads, E – 1972
  • Mark Maley E −1973
  • Daniel Millington, DE – 2009
  • Alex Sewall, DB – 2011[17]

NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship

  • Jeffrey Miller, QB – 1986

All-Conference

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All-Indiana Collegiate Conference

[18][19][20]

  • Bob Masulovich, OL, 1952
  • Jack Griffith, OL, 1953
  • Bob Masulovich, OL, 1953
  • Jack Griffith, End, 1954
  • Bob Masulovich, OL, 1954
  • Bill Griffith, End, 1955
  • Wally Geib, OL, 1962
  • Joe Beach, DL, 1962
  • Wally Geib, OL, 1963
  • John Allen, OL, 1964
  • Rolland Beckham, OL, 1964
  • Arthur Fallon, OT, 1964
  • Willie Smith, End, 1964
  • Emmitt "Tank" Tyler, FB, 1964
  • Edgar Freese, OL, 1965
  • Bernard Heins, OL, 1965
  • John Newbitt, HB, 1965
  • Bob Pychinka, LB, 1965
  • John Truitt, End, 1965
  • John Truitt, End, 1966
  • Joe Fiedler, C, 1966
  • Randy Payne, HB, 1966
  • Bob Pychinka, LB, 1966
  • Timon Kendall, OL, 1967
  • Rich Attonito, DB, 1967
  • Stan Worrall, DL, 1967

All-Missouri Valley Conference

  • Vincent Allen, RB, 1977
  • Don Jackson, DB, 1977
  • Gary Gamen, DT, 1978
  • John Allman, DB, 1978
  • Kirk Wilson, WR, 1979
  • Eddie Ruffin, WR, 1979
  • George DeTella, OT, 1979
  • Reggie Allen, QB, 1979
  • Gerry Gluscic, DE, 1979
  • John Allman, DB, 1979
  • Hubert Moore, TE, 1980
  • Eddie Ruffin, WR, 1980
  • Mark Gradkowski, OG, 1980
  • John Gaunt, DT, 1980
  • Craig Shaffer, LB, 1980
  • John Allman, DB, 1980
  • Hubert Moore, TE 1981
  • Kirk Wilson, WR, 1981
  • Craig Shaffer, LB, 1981
  • Walter Seaphus, NG, 1982
  • Ed Martin, DE, 1982
  • Dan Maher, LB, 1982
  • Bob Koehne, OT, 1983
  • Rich Dawson, C, 1983
  • Jeff Miller, QB, 1983
  • Ed Martin, DE, 1983
  • Quintin Mikell, LB, 1983
  • Kevin Ramsey, DB, 1983
  • Wayne Davis, DB, 1984
  • Steve Buxton, OG, 1984
  • Rich Dawson, C, 1984
  • Jeff Miller, QB, 1984
  • Darrold Clardy, RB, 1984
  • Scott Bridges, PK, 1984
  • Doug Arnold, NG, 1984
  • Brad Verdun, DT, 1984
  • Jeff Miller, QB, 1985
  • Doug Arnold, NG, 1985
  • Terry Bell, WR, 1985
  • Vencie Glenn, DB, 1985
  • Mike Simmonds, OG, 1985
  • Kurt Bell, DE, 1985

All-Missouri Valley Football Conference

  • Mike Simmonds, OT, 1986
  • Steve McKeel, DB, 1986
  • Troy Johnson, LB, 1986
  • Tim Cunningham, LB, 1986
  • Chuck Standiford, P, 1986
  • Pete Endre, OT, 1987
  • Steve McKeel, DB, 1987
  • Gary Cannon, WR, 1987
  • Steve Elmlinger, WR, 1988
  • Tori Vactor, RB, 1988
  • Ken Hopp, LB, 1988
  • Troy Mickens, DB, 1988
  • Rodney Porter, TE, 1989
  • Mark Bertram, DT, 1989
  • Derrick Franklin, RB, 1990
  • Charles Swann, WR, 1990
  • Eric Christensen, LB, 1991
  • Derrick Franklin, RB, 1991
  • Charles Swann, WR, 1991
  • Dyrrah Christon, NG, 1992
  • David Wright, RB, 1992
  • Dan Brandenburg, DT, 1993
  • Von Ganaway, FS, 1993
  • Tim Giebels, OT, 1993
  • Shawn Moore, OG, 1993
  • David Wright, RB, 1993
  • Dan Brandenburg, DT, 1994
  • Dustin Rusch, DT, 1994
  • Dan Brandenburg, DT, 1995
  • Dre Knox, DB, 1996
  • Richard Moss, LB, 1996
  • Robert High, FS, 1997
  • Shannon Jackson, DT, 1997
  • DeJuan Alfonzo, DB, 1998
  • Troy Lefevra, DE, 1998
  • DeJuan Alfonzo, DB, 1999
  • Nathan Al-Ghetta, FB, 1999
  • Shannon Jackson, DE, 1999
  • Troy Lefevra, DE, 1999
  • Richard Harris, DE, 2001
  • Richard Harris, DE, 2002
  • Dietrich Lapsley, LB, 2002
  • Soso Dede, KR, 2002
  • Ryan King, TE, 2003
  • Kyle Mitchell, DE, 2003
  • Kyle Mitchell, DE, 2004
  • Sam Logan, WR, 2005
  • Kyle Mitchell, DE, 2005
  • Jamie Petrowski, TE, 2005
  • Shonda Faulkner, LB, 2007
  • Darrius Gates, RB, 2010
  • Brock Lough, FB, 2010
  • Ben Obaseki, DE, 2010
  • Alex Sewall, DB, 2010
  • Aaron Archie, LB, 2011
  • Shakir Bell, RB, 2011
  • Alex Jones, TE, 2011
  • Brock Lough, FB, 2011
  • FN Lutz, OL, 2011
  • Ben Obaseki, DE, 2011
  • Alex Sewall, DB, 2011
  • Shakir Bell, RB, 2012
  • Aaron Archie, LB, 2012
  • Ben Obaseski, DE, 2012
  • Johnny Towalid, DB, 2012
  • Lucas Hileman, P, 2012
  • Connor Underwood, DL, 2013
  • Connor Underwood, DL, 2014
  • Josh Appel, LS, 2015
  • Josh Appel, LS, 2016
  • Ja'Quan Keys, RB, 2018
  • Jonas Griffith, LB, 2018
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Career leaders

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Passing

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Rushing

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Receiving

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Scoring

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Career leaders in bold

Coach of the Year

National (1)

District / Region (5)

  • Jerry Huntsman – 1966 NCAA District #1
  • Jerry Huntsman – 1968 NCAA District #2[22]
  • Trent Miles – 2010 AFCA Region #4[23]
  • Trent Miles – 2012 AFCA Region #4[24]
  • Mike Sanford – 2014 AFCA Region #4[25]

Conference (8)

Notable alumni

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Sycamores in professional leagues

Fifty former Sycamores have played in professional football leagues. The leagues include the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), Arena Football League (AFL), the United Football League (UFL), and United States Football League (USFL). The most notable players are:

More information Player, Class Year ...

All-Star Game participants

  • 2013 – FN Lutz, OG (FCS Senior Scout Bowl)
  • 2010 – Pat Burke, OG (FCS Senior Scout Bowl)
  • 2010 – Darrius Gates, RB (FCS Senior Scout Bowl)
  • 2006 – Carl Berman, (Magnolia Gridiron Classic)
  • 2006 – Kyle Hooper, PK (East Coast Bowl)
  • 2006 – Madison Miller, DE (East Coast Bowl)
  • 2005 – Blayne Baggett, QB (Magnolia Gridiron Classic)
  • 2005 – LaDrelle Bryant, LB (Magnolia Gridiron Classic)
  • 1999 – DeJuan Alfonzo, DB (All-Star Gridiron Classic)
  • 1995 – Dan Brandenburg, DT (Blue-Gray)
  • 1992 – Charles Swann, WR (Senior Bowl)
  • 1992 – Charles Swann, WR (Japan Bowl)
  • 1990 – Steve Elmlinger, WR (Senior Bowl)
  • 1985 – Vencie Glenn, DB (Blue-Gray)
  • 1986 – Vencie Glenn, DB (Senior Bowl)
  • 1982 – Kirk Wilson, WR (Senior Bowl)
  • 1981 – Craig Shaffer, LB (Blue-Gray)

Indiana Football Hall of Fame

  • Vincent Allen – 2000[30]
  • Max Andress – 1976[31]
  • George Ashworth (ISU Head Coach) – 1979[32]
  • Steve Balash – 2009[33]
  • Paul Beck – 1979[34]
  • Dan Brandenburg - 1995[35]
  • Phil Brown (ISU Head Coach) – 1985[36]
  • Charles "Cocky" Bush – 1976[37]
  • Bob Clayton – 2012[38]
  • Robert Clements – 1988
  • Jim Conover – 1976[39]
  • Rich Dodson – 2003
  • Stewart "Red" Faught – 1981[40]
  • Wayne Fuson – 1974
  • Joe Goodman – 1998
  • Delby Humphrey – 1974
  • Jerry Huntsman (ISU Head Coach) – 1985[22]
  • Bill Jones (ISU Head Coach) – 1981[41]
  • Charlie Karazsia – 2006[42]
  • Wally Marks (ISU Head Coach) – 1974
  • Dick Martin – 1976
  • Bob Nesbit – 1976
  • Steve Purichia – 2014[43]
  • R. Douglas Reeser – 2006
  • Ed Robertson – 1996
  • Tim Roth – 2014[44]
  • Van "Rusty" Rutherford – 1976
  • Thomas Stirling – 1988
  • Kenneth "Zip" Sypult – 1987
  • Phil Teegarden – 2001
  • N.E. "Gene" Wernz – 1977
  • Mark Wildman – 2007
  • Roy Lee Williams – 1976
  • Ernie Zeller – 1979
  • Maurey Zlotnik – 2003

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of August 19, 2025.[45]

2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030
McKendree at Purdue at UT Martin at Ball State Eastern Illinois at Indiana
Eastern Illinois at Eastern Illinois at Indiana at Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois Western Illinois
at Indiana Valparaiso at Purdue UT Martin
at Montana

References

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