Indiana State Sycamores football The Indiana State Sycamores football team is the NCAA Division I men ' s football program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute , Indiana . They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference . The team last played in the NCAA Playoffs in the 1984 NCAA Division I Football Championship . Their first season was 1896 . The Sycamores boast of 8 Conference Player ( s ) of the Year ; 14 First Team All - Americans , and 90 + First Team All - Conference players . The Sycamore ' s greatest season was 1983 , when coach Dennis Raetz led them to the 2nd round of the 1983 NCAA Division I Football Championship versus the Southern Illinois Salukis and ended the season with a record of 9 – 4 . The Sycamores also appeared in 1984 NCAA Division I Football Championship . Past coaches include Dennis Raetz ; Jerry Huntsman , George Ashworth and Wally Marks . The Indiana State Sycamores play their home games at Memorial Stadium , which seats 12 , 764 . A search to find a new head coach is underway . There have been recent discussions on replacing venerable Memorial Stadium ; according to the new ISU Master Plan , a new football - only stadium in downtown Terre Haute , could be realized in the next 10 years . Bowl Games . Bowl Games Div I NCAA Playoffs . The Sycamores have appeared in 2 NCAA Division I Football Championship s . Their combined record is 1 – 2 . Conference championships . The Sycamores shared the 1964 Heartland Collegiate Conference title with 4 schools { Ball St . ( IN ) , Butler ( IN ) , Evansville ( IN ) , Valparaiso ( IN ) } ; they finished with a 4 - 2 conference record and were 6 - 2 overall . At the time , the Heartland Collegiate Conference was known by its more recognizable name , the Indiana Collegiate Conference . 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 Kennesaw 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 . Career Leaders . Scoring . Career leaders in bold Coaching Leaders ( by wins ) . The current coach is Trent Miles Career leaders in bold Notable alumni . Sycamores in Professional Leagues ( 50 ) . Fifty former Sycamores have played in professional football leagues . The leagues include the NFL , CFL , AFL . and the UFL . The most notable players are : Rivalries . Illinois State . The Sycamores have met Illinois State annually since 1969 and 48 times in the past 50 seasons . The first game in the series was in 1936 , which ended in an 0 – 0 tie . The Redbirds hold a slight edge ( 29 – 32 – 2 ) over the Sycamores ; the schools also are frequent Homecoming opponents . Indiana State leads in Homecoming games ( 5 – 2 ) in Terre Haute ; while in Bloomington - Normal , the series is tied 2 – 2 . The largest crowd in Illinois State football history is the 1970 match - up with Indiana State , 21 , 500 fans attended saw the Jerry Huntsman - led Sycamores win 28 – 7 . The schools have been conference rivals since 1981 as members of the Missouri Valley Conference ; that rivalry continues in the Missouri Valley Football Conference . Southern Illinois . The burgeoning rivalry with Southern Illinois ( SIU ) has tilted to SIU ' s advantage in recent seasons , though the Salukis lead the overall series record , 24 – 23 . SIU also own a victory in the only playoff meeting between the schools ( a SIU 23 – 7 win in the 1983 NCAA Div I - AA playoffs ) . Following the 1949 season , the Sycamores were invited to the 1949 Shrine Bowl versus the Salukis . The Salukis , who earlier in the season had lost to Indiana State , 41 – 14 . Eastern Illinois . From 1901 – 2009 , the Sycamores played Eastern Illinois 83 times ; the series stands at 37 – 42 – 4 in favor of Eastern Illinois ; the 2009 game was the last for the foreseeable future . As of 2010 , it is unknown when the series will resume as Indiana State ' s schedules are complete for the next 4 seasons ( 2013 ) . Ball State . From 1924 – 2003 , the Sycamores played Ball State ( Ind . ) University 62 times ; the series stands at 23 – 38 – 1 in favor of Ball State ( née ' Indiana State University - Eastern Division ) . 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 . Traditions . Homecoming . The term Homecoming was first used in print announcements for the Alumni - Varsity Basketball Game on Dec . 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 tremoundous victory ( 59 - 24 ) the Sycamores now own a 5 - 2 mark vs . Illinois State in Homecoming games . As of 2010 ; Indiana State owns a 48 - 36 - 2 record in Homecoming games ; the outcomes of the remaining 5 games are unknown . Victory Bell . Victory Bell - A symbol of the traditional athletic 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 17 - 34 in favor of Ball State .