TERRE
HAUTE, IN - (9-6-2003) — The Indiana State Sycamore football team (1-1),
led by the rushing of junior Jake Shields and his 213 yards — the fourth-best
single game rushing mark in school history — amassed 366 yards of total
offense against the Florida International Panthers en route to a 13-10 season
home opening win at Memorial Stadium.Shields got off to a slow start gaining just eight yards on seven rushes at the end of the first quarter, but a 51-yard rush that set up a Kyle Hooper 25-yard field goal, and a 63-yard scamper that helped pin FIU deep in their own territory with time winding down put an exclamation point on Shields record breaking day. Shields’ 213 yards are the first 200-yard rushing day by a Sycamore since Julian Reese’s 207-yard day against Southern Illinois in 2001.
The Sycamores began their first scoring drive of the day with seven straight running plays to either Kris Karagory or Shields. Then it was time for freshman Jake Schiff to take over as he completed three straight passes, the third of which was his first collegiate touchdown — a 24-yard pass to the right corner of the endzone to Matt Beste — boosting ISU to a quick 7-0 lead.
FIU came right back in the second stanza to tie up the contest on a quick four-play, 18-yard drive after ISU’s Carl Berman fumbled a punt with just under nine minutes left to go in the half. FIU’s David Tabor pitched a completion to Andre Rollins for 17-yards and Rashod Smith pushed the ball across, to even the score at seven.
ISU then came back on the ensuing possession to put together a 10-play, 56-yard drive to took up 5:13 and was capped by a 32-yard field goal by Hooper with 37 seconds showing on the clock, sending the two teams into the lockerroom with ISU up 10-7.
The Sycamores tacked on three more points with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter on a Hooper 25-yard field goal that was spurred by Shields’ 51-yard rush. After Hooper’s make, ISU stood tall with a 13-7 lead.
Florida International began the fourth stanza threatening to score with a first and goal at the eight-yard line when FIU’s Jaime Burke completed a pass to Cory McKinney who was flipped and leveled by Terrence Miles, who also knocked the ball loose from the Panther defender. ISU’s Larry Thompson was right there to take the ball to end the FIU scoring threat.
After a short drive by ISU, FIU regained possession at the ISU 42-yard line and marched down the 14 before they had to settle for a 31-yard Adam Moss field goal, inching the Panthers closer at 13-10.
ISU gained 42 yards on the ensuing drive, but were forced to punt the ball. The Pat Jordan punt was played perfectly by ISU as the Sycamores pinned the Panthers down at their own three-yard line. FIU was able to take the ball into ISU territory, but the Sycamores stymied the drive with a sack by Tom Brillhart. ISU took over the ball at their own 18 and after four plays, Shields burst through the left side for his second big run of the day, this time a 63-yard scamper down to the FIU seven. ISU was forced to go for a touchdown with a fourth and goal at the one, but Schiff was sacked for a loss.
The ISU defense held with no problem holding FIU for the final 1:02 of the game to seal the 13-10 victory.
In the game, Schiff completed his first nine passes, going 10 for 13 for 102 yards and a touchdown through the air. He went on to gain 11 yards on the ground as well. Matt Beste and Ryan King each brought down three passes each with Beste gaining 40 yards with a touchdown and King going for 30 yards against the Panthers.
The season home opening win was the first for ISU against a Division 1-AA opponent since a 1993 win over Eastern Illinois. ISU has now won six of their last seven games inside Memorial Stadium.