Indiana State Sycamores football

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

Conference membership

• 1896–1933: Independent
• 1934–1949: Indiana Intercollegiate Conference
• 1950–1967: Indiana Collegiate Conference
• 1968–1972: Independent
• 1973–1975: Division II Independent
• 1976–1977: Missouri Valley Conference (Division I)
• 1978–1981: Missouri Valley Conference (Division I-A)
• 1982–1985: Missouri Valley Conference (Division I-AA)
• 1986–present: Gateway Football Conference / Missouri Valley Football Conference

Conference championships

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

Bowls and playoffs

Bowl games

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

Division I NCAA Playoffs

The Sycamores have appeared in the NCAA Division I Football Championship three times. Their combined record is 2–3.

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 Sycamores were ranked for nine weeks of the 2014 season and an additional four weeks during the 2015 season. The 2018 Sycamores finished #25 in the final FCS coaches poll.

Head coaches

All Indiana State Coaching Records are available at:

Rivalries

Ball State

Main article: Blue Key Victory Bell

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 45**–**7 loss for the Sycamores

Traditions

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. 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 () 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. The Victory Bell series is 34–19–1 in favor of Ball State, though the Sycamores won their last meeting in 2014.

Stadiums

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.

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)

Conference

• Edgar Freese – 1965 Indiana Collegiate Conference DT (Lineman)
• Reggie Allen – 1979 Missouri Valley Conference QB (offense)
• Gerry Gluscic – 1979 Missouri Valley Conference DE (defense)
• Craig Shaffer – 1981 Missouri Valley Conference LB (defense)
• Jeff Miller – 1984 Missouri Valley Conference QB (offense)
• Wayne Davis – 1984 Missouri Valley Conference DB (defense)
• Jeff Miller – 1985 Missouri Valley Conference QB (offense)
• Vencie Glenn – 1985 Missouri Valley Conference DB (defense)
• Derrick Franklin – 1991 Missouri Valley Football Conference RB (offense)
• Julian Reese - 2001 Missouri Valley Football Conference QB (Newcomer of the Year)
• Shakir Bell – 2011 Missouri Valley Football Conference RB (offense)
• Ryan Boyle - 2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference QB (Newcomer of the Year)
• Cade Chambers - 2022 Missouri Valley Football Conference QB (Freshman of the Year)

Retired numbers

Main article: List of NCAA football retired numbers

One Sycamore player has had his number retired by the school. Vincent Allen is the first, with his number 26 retired by the school on September 6, 2025.

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, The Sports Network
• Ben Obaseki, DL – 2011 Associated Press
• Joshua Appel, LS – 2015 STATS All-American
• Elijah Owns, QB – 2024 Phil Steele All-American

Academic All-American

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

NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship

• Jeffrey Miller, QB – 1986

All-Conference

All-Indiana Collegiate Conference

All-Missouri Valley Conference

All-Missouri Valley Football Conference

Career leaders

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

Scoring

Career leaders in bold

Coach of the Year

National (1)

• Curt Mallory – 2019 Phil Steele FCS Coach of the Year

District / Region (5)

• Jerry Huntsman – 1966 NCAA District #1
• Jerry Huntsman – 1968 NCAA District #2
• Trent Miles – 2010 AFCA Region #4
• Trent Miles – 2012 AFCA Region #4
• Mike Sanford – 2014 AFCA Region #4

Conference (8)

• Mark Dean – 1952 Indiana Collegiate Conference
• Bill Jones – 1959 Indiana Collegiate Conference
• Bill Jones – 1960 Indiana Collegiate Conference
• Bill Jones – 1963 Indiana Collegiate Conference
• Jerry Huntsman – 1966 Indiana Collegiate Conference
• Dennis Raetz – 1984 Missouri Valley Conference
• Trent Miles – 2010 Missouri Valley Football Conference
• Curt Mallory – 2018 Missouri Valley Football Conference

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Indiana State Sycamores in the NFL draft

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:

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

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of January 20, 2026.

References

References

1. (12 June 2024). "Indiana State University Appoints Nathan Christensen as New Director of Athletics".
2. "2022 Indiana State Football Quick Facts (PDF)".
3. "Facilities".
4. "Historical Indiana State Football Media Guides".
5. . (November 16, 1964). ["Indiana College Football Records"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/38897459/the_kokomo_tribune/). *[[Kokomo Tribune]]*.
6. Kelley, Kevin. (2019-01-07). "Final 2018 FCS Coaches Poll released".
7. "Historical Indiana State Football Media Guides".
8. [http://www.indstate.edu/whyisu/history_trad.htm Indiana State University: About ISU: History and Traditions] {{webarchive. link. (2012-07-08)
9. "Indiana State University Archives Home".
10. (9 January 2013). "ISU's Towalid named top FCS defensive back". Terre Haute Tribune Star.
11. (tm), e-yearbook.com. "E-Yearbook.com - Search and browse yearbooks online!".
12. "Mark Bennett: Vincent Allen's impact like 'turning on a light switch,' ISU coach recalls".
13. (7 December 2011). "Shakir Bell Named To AFCA FCS Coaches' All-America Team".
14. (15 December 2011). "Shakir Bell And Ben Obaseki Named First Team Associated Press All-America".
15. (15 December 2015). "FCS football: STATS releases its 2015 All-America Team".
16. (December 20, 2024). "Owens garners Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-American honors; Eight Sycamores honored on All-MVFC Team".
17. (9 December 2011). "Alex Sewall Named First Team Academic All-American".
18. "The Daily Banner 19 November 1965 — Hoosier State Chronicles: Indiana's Digital Historic Newspaper Program".
19. "Indiana State at Terre Haute".
20. (August 2015). "Ohio Logistics Honors Veteran".
21. (4 January 2019). "Mallory earns Phil Steele FCS Coach of the Year award".
22. "HUNTSMAN, JERRY – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
23. (6 December 2010). "Trent Miles Earns 2010 AFCA Regional Coach Of The Year Honors".
24. "Trent Miles Bio - Georgia State Athletics".
25. (8 December 2014). "Mike Sanford Named AFCA Regional Coach Of The Year".
26. "JONES, WILLIAM | Indiana Football Hall of Fame".
27. "HUNTSMAN, JERRY | Indiana Football Hall of Fame".
28. "Honors - Missouri Valley".
29. [[1983 USFL season#Special teams]]
30. "ALLEN, VINCENT – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
31. "ANDRESS, MAX – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
32. "ASHWORTH, GEORGE – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
33. "BALASH, STEVE – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
34. "BECK, PAUL – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
35. "Journal and Courier Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts".
36. "BROWN, PHIL – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
37. "BUSH, CHARLES "COCKY" – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
38. "CLAYTON, BOB – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
39. "CONOVER, JAMES "JIM" – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
40. "FAUGHT, STEWART "RED" – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
41. "JONES, WILLIAM – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
42. "KARAZSIA, CHARLIE – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
43. "PURICHIA, STEVE – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
44. "ROTH, TIM – Indiana Football Hall of Fame". indiana-football.org.
45. "Indiana State Sycamores Football Schedules and Future Schedules".