The Indiana State football team defeated the Missouri State Bears 28-20 on the road this weekend.  Sophomore running back Shakir Bell set a new ISU record.

The victory improved the Sycamores overall record for the season to 6-4 overall, 4-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).  The Bears fell to 1-9 overall, 1-6 in the MVFC.

Bell rushed for 206 yards on 39 carries and 2 touchdowns.  The Sycamore player's performance earned him the ISU single-season rushing record of 1,533 yards.  The previous record holder was Derrick Franklin, who recorded 1,505 yards rushing in 1991.

In the passing game, senior quarterback Ronnie Fouch completed 8 of 18 attempts for 90 yards.  Sophomore wide receiver Donald Spencer received 3 catches for 52 yards and one touchdown.

Junior linebacker Jacolby Washington with 12 tackles, followed by teammate junior defensive lineman Ben Obaseki with nine tackles, led the Sycamore defense.  The Sycamores held the Bears at crucial moments, allowing three of fourteen third-down conversions by the Bears.

"As a defense, we came on the field with bad field position a couple times, but our mindset was that we had to force them to a field goal and not give up touchdowns," said senior defensive back Alex Sewall.

The Sycamore defense was in control in the first quarter of the game.  Sophomore Calvin Burnett intercepted Missouri State quarterback Trevor Wooden's pass in the first possession of the game.   Burnett intercepted the ball on ISU's 46-yard line and returned it for eight yards.  

The next time the defense was on the field, junior defensive line Ben Obaseki came away with a sack for a loss of nine yards on the MSU 33-yard line.

Following the three and out, the Sycamores began a 12 play, 73- yard scoring drive and were first on the scoreboard.  Bell rushed for 23 yards with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.

Bell scored again for the Sycamores at the beginning of the second quarter, capping an 11- play, 64-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.  The score was 14-0, ISU.

Defense continued to run the Bears offense for most of the second quarter as they held Missouri State to two field goals.

At halftime the Sycamores led 14-6.

Momentum shifted in favor of the Bears at the start of the third quarter as a fumble at the Indiana State University 10-yard line was recovered by Missouri player Nate Davis.  It set up a scoring drive for the Bears and brought them within one point.

With 6:02 remaining in the third quarter, Fouch completed a 36-yard touchdown pass to Spencer and extended the Sycamores' lead.

In the fourth quarter, another fumble at the ISU 14-yard line had the potential to be costly for the Sycamores, but the defense made a stop on third and one with the ball sitting on the ISU 5-yard line.  The 23-yard field goal attempt by the Bears went wide left.

Both teams scored one more touchdown before the end of the game.  Obaseki rushed for a one-yard touchdown, and Missouri State's Wooden found a MSU receiver for a 12-yard touchdown pass.  An onside kick attempt by the Bears failed as senior defensive back Alex Sewall recovered it, thus ending the game 28-20, ISU.  

"We are obviously happy with the outcome of the game, but there are definitely some things we have to continue to work on in all phases of the game," Sewall said.

The Sycamores return to Memorial Stadium on Saturday when they host Southern Illinois University in the final game of the regular season.  Kick off is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.