2026 Indiana State Sycamores football team

2026 Indiana State Sycamores football
2026 Indiana State Sycamores football
Conference	Missouri Valley Football Conference
Record	0–1 (0–0 MVFC)
Head coach	Curt Mallory (9th season);
Offensive coordinator	John Bear (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator	Steve Morrison (1st season)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium

2026 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings

Team	W		L	W		L
No. 4 Illinois State	0	–	0	1	–	0
No. 10 North Dakota	0	–	0	1	–	0
No. 12 South Dakota	0	–	0	1	–	0
No. 3 South Dakota State	0	–	0	1	–	0
No. 9 Youngstown State	0	–	0	1	–	0
Northern Iowa	0	–	0	0	–	0
Indiana State	0	–	0	0	–	1
Murray State	0	–	0	0	–	1
No. 16 Southern Illinois	0	–	0	0	–	1

As of August 30, 2026 Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2026 Indiana State Sycamores football team will represent Indiana State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2026 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Sycamores will be led by ninth-year head coach Curt Mallory, and play home games at Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Preseason

MVFC poll

The Missouri Valley Football Conference release its preseason poll on July 14, 2026, voted on by league athletic directors, coaches, and media members. The Sycamores were predicted to finish eighth in the conference.^[1]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result
August 29	6:00 p.m.	Southeast Missouri State*	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	ESPN+	L 21–23
September 4	7:00 p.m.	at Purdue*	Ross-Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN	BTN
September 12	7:00 p.m.	at Eastern Illinois*	O'Brien Field Charleston, IL	ESPN+
September 19	1:00 p.m.	Valparaiso*	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	TBD
September 26	1:00 p.m.	North Dakota	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	ESPN+
October 3	2:00 p.m.	at South Dakota	DakotaDome Vermillion, SD	ESPN+
October 10	1:00 p.m.	Youngstown State	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	ESPN+
October 24	2:00 p.m.	at Illinois State	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	ESPN+
October 31	1:00 p.m.	at Northern Iowa	UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA	ESPN+
November 7	6:00 p.m.	Southern Illinois	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	ESPN+
November 14	1:00 p.m.	Murray State	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	ESPN+
November 21	3:00 p.m.	at South Dakota State	Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium Brookings, SD	ESPN+
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Central time

^[2]^[3]^[4]

Game summaries

Southeast Missouri State

Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Redhawks	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: August 29
Game time: 6:00 p.m.
TV announcers (ESPN+): Brian Jennings and Austin Osborn

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	SEMO	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Southeast Missouri State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Purdue (FBS)

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at Purdue Boilermakers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Boilermakers (FBS)	0	0	0	0	0

at Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, Indiana

Date: September 4
Game time: 7:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	PUR
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Purdue	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Eastern Illinois

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at Eastern Illinois Panthers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Panthers	0	0	0	0	0

at O'Brien Field • Charleston, Illinois

Date: September 12
Game time: 6:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	EIU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Eastern Illinois	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Valparaiso

Valparaiso Beacons (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Beacons	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: September 19
Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	VAL	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Valparaiso	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

North Dakota

North Dakota Fighting Hawks (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Fighting Hawks	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: September 26
Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	UND	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
North Dakota	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at South Dakota

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at South Dakota Coyotes (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Coyotes	0	0	0	0	0

at DakotaDome • Vermillion, South Dakota

Date: October 3
Game time: 2:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	SDAK
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
South Dakota	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Youngstown State

Youngstown State Penguins (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Penguins	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: October 10
Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	YSU	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Youngstown State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Illinois State

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at Illinois State Redbirds (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Redbirds	0	0	0	0	0

at Hancock Stadium • Normal, Illinois

Date: October 24
Game time: 2:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	ILST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Illinois State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at Northern Iowa

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at Northern Iowa Panthers (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Panthers	0	0	0	0	0

at UNI-Dome • Cedar Falls, Iowa

Date: October 31
Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	UNI
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Northern Iowa	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Southern Illinois

Southern Illinois Salukis (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Salukis	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: November 7
Game time: 6:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	SIU	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Southern Illinois	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

Murray State

Murray State Racers (0–0) at Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Racers	0	0	0	0	0
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium • Terre Haute, Indiana

Date: November 14
Game time: 1:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	MUR	INST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Murray State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

at South Dakota State

Indiana State Sycamores (0–0) at South Dakota State Jackrabbits (0–0) – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Sycamores	0	0	0	0	0
Jackrabbits	0	0	0	0	0

at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium • Brookings, South Dakota

Date: November 21
Game time: 3:00 p.m.

Game information
First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter

Statistics	INST	SDST
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Indiana State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving
South Dakota State	Passing
	Rushing
	Receiving

References

↑ "Missouri Valley Football Conference Announces Preseason Picks". valley-football.org. Missouri Valley Football Conference. July 14, 2026. Retrieved July 14, 2026.
↑ "2026 Indiana State Football Schedule". fbschedules.com. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
↑ "2026 Football Schedule". gosycamores.com. Retrieved April 26, 2026.
↑ "Indiana State Sycamores Schedule 2026". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved April 26, 2026.

[1] "Missouri Valley Football Conference Announces Preseason Picks". valley-football.org. Missouri Valley Football Conference. July 14, 2026. Retrieved July 14, 2026.

[2] "2026 Indiana State Football Schedule". fbschedules.com. Retrieved April 26, 2026.

[3] "2026 Football Schedule". gosycamores.com. Retrieved April 26, 2026.

[4] "Indiana State Sycamores Schedule 2026". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved April 26, 2026.

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Indiana State Sycamores football
Venues	Memorial Stadium (1949–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Ball State: Blue Key Victory Bell
Culture & lore	Sycamore Sam "March On! (You Fighting Sycamores)" Pride of Indiana
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1896 1897 1898 1899–1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910–1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026