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September 2,
2006 INDIANA STATE FALLS IN VALIANT EFFORT AT PURDUE WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana State defeated I-A opponent Eastern Michigan by a 21-14 count during the 2001 season, the last time the Sycamores defeated a team from the NCAA’s top tier of Division I. ISU gave Purdue all that they wanted and then some in the season opener Saturday at Rose-Ade Stadium in an attempt to duplicate the feat of that 2001 squad, but the Big Ten Boilers proved too tough in the end prevailing by a final count of 60-35. The Sycamores fall to 0-1, 0-0 on the season, while Purdue is 1-0, 0-0. Offense was not a problem for the Sycamores against the Boilers. ISU amassed 387 yards of total offense, balancing the attack with 152 yards on the ground opposed to 235 yards through the air. Tony West continued his burst onto the scene by going over 100 yards in his first game as a Sycamore. He finished the contest with 125 yards on 18 carries and a pair of touchdown runs. Through the air, the Sycamores were equally successful as Reilly Murphy hit 23-of-36 passes for 235 yards and a score in the contest. On the receiving end, Brian Jackson caught six passes for 104 yards and a TD. Carl Berman caught six passes for 33 yards while Sam Logan hauled in eight passes for 93 yards. Indiana State’s 35 points in the game, where the most for the Sycamores in a season opener since scoring 48 against Mars Hill in the 1996 lid lifter. The 35 points are the most by the Sycamores in a road season opener since a 32-0 road victory over Eastern Illinois in 1966. Ironically, Purdue honored its 1966 Rose Bowl Championship squad at halftime of today’s game. Purdue was able to jet ahead of the Sycamores by a score of 7-0 on their first drive of the game as Kory Sheets scored from five yards out to cap an eight-play, 40-yard drive at the 11:36 mark of the first quarter. After a holding call on the ensuing kickoff went against the Sycamores, ISU was backed up inside their own five. After just two plays, Tony West was stopped inside his own end zone by the Boilermaker defense for a safety and the 9-0 advantage. The Purdue offense continued their early onslaught on its next drive as they marched down the field in seven plays as Curtis Painter scored on the ground from three yards out to take a 16-0 lead with 6:58 showing on the clock in the first period. It was pretty much all Indiana State from then on in the first half, as junior quarterback Reilly Murphy reached the end zone from eight yards out with 3:11 left in the first quarter to make the score 16-7. The big play on that drive was a 36 yard completion from Murphy to Brian Jackson that set up his rushing TD. After a 41-yard scoring strike between Dorien Bryant and Curtis Painter as time wound down on the first period to make the score 23-7, ISU easily won the battle in period two. The Boilers tacked on a Chris Summers 32-yard field goal for the 26-7 lead, but following an ISU defense stop, freshman Donye McCleskey blocked a Purdue punt and recovered in the end zone to get the Sycamores within striking distance at 26-14 with 2:39 showing on the clock before intermission. The Sycamores forced Purdue to punt with just under a minute left in the first half, but a high snap allowed Madison Miller to make a tackle in the offensive backfield to give ISU possession at the Boilermaker 14-yard line. It took just a pair of West rushes to reach the end zone, including a five-yard scoring rush to make it 26-21 at the half. ISU moved the ball to mid-field to start the second half, but opted to punt on a fourth-and-one from their own 45-yard line and gave Purdue its first scoring chance after the break. The Boilers took advantage as they marched down the field 77 yards for a TD and the 33-21 lead when Painter went over left tackle for a three-yard scoring rush. But the never-say-die Sycamores got right back after Purdue on their next offensive possession, and responded with a scoring drive of their own that was capped by a 42-yard scoring run by Tony West. The breakthrough scoring rush by West made it 33-28 with just over six minutes left in the third stanza. Sheets capped off the next Boilermaker drive with a one-yard touchdown of his own to make it 40-28. As time began to tick away in the third period, the Sycamores were driving and faced a fourth-and one in Purdue territory. Murphy fought for needed yardage to keep control of the football and fumbled trying to stretch for the first down. The ball squirted free towards the direction of Robert Barcliff who picked up the ball and raced around right end for an apparent first down. But in the collegiate game, only the fumbler may advance a recovered fumble on fourth down, so the ball went over on downs to the Boilers with the 40-28 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The Boilers tacked on three touchdown scores in the fourth quarter for the 60-28 lead with just over three minutes remaining. ISU marched down the field at the end of the contest, effectively executing its two minute drill to add a final score with two seconds left. Murphy found Jackson in the end zone for a 23-yard strike to end the scoring at 60-35. Defensively, Bryan Jackson paced the Sycamores with eight total stops. Madison Miller showed why he was a Preseason All-Gateway selection by posting five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Senior Michael Roberts broke up three passes in the contest. Indiana State will look to build on the momentum gained from a positive outing at Purdue in week two when they travel to Ohio Valley rival Eastern Illinois next Saturday, September 9. Kickoff in the contest televised by FSN Midwest is slated for 7:00 p.m. (EST). The Panthers open their season this evening at Illinois.
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