All of us have seen that movie that is described as "the underdog story." Think any Rocky movie, "Remember the Titans" and "Little Giants." It is Hollywood's go-to storyline when their well of creativity runs dry because it is tried and true, warming viewers' hearts as it reflects that American ideal that, through hard work, commitment and dedication one can overcome the odds and be successful.

Forget the glitz and glamour of the cliché Hollywood feature and tune into the sports sections of any local publication for a true, real-world example of "the underdog story" model at work. The Indiana State University football program is the embodiment of what hard work leading to success.

Cue the flashback to the dark days when ISU football was at its lowest in history. The program struggled to even win, and each game, the team was dominated by its opponents, allowing as much as 62 points to be scored. The team got national recognition because they had the longest losing streak in the nation at 33 games.

The turning point came at the 2009 Homecoming game against the Western Illinois University Leathernecks. In a hard fought victory, the team came from behind, winning 17-14 and breaking the losing streak. For many of the 6,028 people in attendance at that Homecoming game, it was like the team had won the national championship. Students, faculty members and Terre Haute community members stormed the field in elation, encircling the Sycamores and screaming frantically.

Since that Homecoming game, the program has continued to work hard, moving from winning one game to having a winning season to now, as the team enters Homecoming 2011 nationally, ranked and with a 4-2 record.

The team is coming off a loss against the University of Northern Iowa last Saturday, but that game is a thing of the past. Our Sycamores know the sting of defeat better than anyone, and they have a thirst for victory. I believe the team understands how far they have come but are not arrogant enough to say they have made it or that they are the absolute best. Unlike Hollywood, there will be no unrealistic, incredible feat like the team winning the national championship, but it does not diminish for a second the progress they have made these past two years.

Therefore, as students of this institution that these players so proudly represent every time they take to the gridiron, I say we let our team know that we are proud of them and their accomplishments and that we will stand behind them through thick and thin.

As athletes, they feed off our encouragement because they want as badly as we do to have a reputable football program. So, this weekend, as they exit the tunnel and look up to the stands, let them see our royal blue and white, hear our roar of appreciation and feel our excitement. Let them know that we the students of ISU are behind them, because this is our house.