Indiana State Athletics
Indiana State’s lone September home game brings a familiar foe to Terre Haute as the Sycamores host Eastern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. It’s the 91st meeting between two programs separated by just 65 miles, and while the all-time series leans EIU’s way at 46-40-4, the recent history has been competitive. The Panthers have taken the last two matchups, including last year’s 27-20 win in Charleston, but Indiana State has claimed three of the past five since 2018.
Scouting the Panthers
Eastern Illinois comes in 1-0 after grinding out a 24-14 win over Dayton to open the season. The Panthers rode their ground game to victory, piling up 336 rushing yards. Quarterback Cole LaCrue stole the show, breaking the school’s single-game rushing record for a QB with 193 yards while adding a touchdown through the air. That performance earned him national recognition as a Stats Perform FCS Offensive Player of the Week Honorable Mention, and he currently leads all of Division I in rushing yards.
EIU also brings back one of the top playmakers in the OVC/Big South in wideout and return specialist Cooper Willman. The preseason All-American and league preseason Offensive Player of the Year piled up nearly 1,000 receiving yards last fall and remains the focal point in the passing attack. Defensively, the Panthers forced a key turnover against Dayton and were led by linebacker Saipeti Maiava Jr. with six tackles.
Recapping 2024’s Matchup
Last year’s battle at O’Brien Field was a tight one. Redshirt freshman quarterback Elijah Owens nearly guided the Sycamores to a late rally, hitting Zavion Taylor for a touchdown with less than a minute to go to pull within one score. Indiana State even recovered the onside kick, but EIU fell on the loose ball to close out the 27-20 win. Owens showed flashes of his potential that night, converting multiple third-and-longs and spreading the ball around on a 17-play drive.
Sycamores Coming In
Indiana State is 1-0 after an impressive 41-24 win over McKendree to kick off the season. The Sycamores had two players earn Missouri Valley Football Conference weekly honors for their efforts: running back/receiver hybrid Plez Lawrence as Offensive Player of the Week and kicker Sebastian Lopez as Special Teams Player of the Week. Lawrence racked up 225 total yards and three touchdowns, while Lopez was perfect on kicks and consistently flipped field position with touchbacks.
Saturday will also be Indiana State’s only chance to play in front of the home crowd this month before road trips to Indiana and Montana. Under Curt Mallory, September has usually been road-heavy, with the Sycamores owning a 4-5 mark in home games during the month.
The Matchup Ahead
For Indiana State, containing LaCrue’s legs will be the top defensive priority. The Panthers lean heavily on their quarterback’s ability to create with his feet, but EIU has also shown they can take shots through the air when defenses sell out against the run. The Sycamores, meanwhile, will look to build on their balanced offensive attack from Week 1 and keep Lawrence heavily involved both on the ground and in the passing game.
This rivalry has swung back and forth in stretches — EIU once rattled off seven straight wins in the late ’90s and again from 2005–17, while Indiana State’s longest streak in the series remains a 14-game run from 1963–81. Both sides know each other well, and given last year’s one-score finish, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another close battle in Terre Haute.
About the Author
Dalton Tinklenberg is the Founder and Media Director of The Scouting Depot, where he leads comprehensive coverage of college and professional football. He is an active member of some of the most respected organizations in sports journalism, including the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), Maxwell Football Club, Online News Association (ONA), National Football Foundation (NFF), and the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).
Before launching The Scouting Depot, Dalton worked with Blue HQ Media, where he covered major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500, the College Football Playoff, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Through his professional affiliations and on-the-ground experience, Dalton combines deep knowledge of the game with recognized standards of storytelling, editorial excellence, and authenticity in sports coverage.
