Nation's Longest College Football Losing Streak
Indiana State Tries to End 26-Game Skid
The Sycamores, after all, are the not-so-proud owners of a 26-game losing streak, which dates back to 2006. It's the longest in the nation.
They’ll try to end that slide when they play host to Quincy University on Thursday, Aug. 27. The game, at Terre Haute, Ind., is the first contest this season involving an NCAA Division I team.
The Sycamores and Hawks will be meeting for the first time, and they’ll play the first game on Indiana State’s new artificial turf. Most college football kicks off the following week.
Sycamores Have Fine Sporting Tradition
The dubious losing streak does not tell the whole story of Indiana State sports. The Sycamores actually have a rich athletic tradition.
Basketball great Larry Bird starred for Indiana State, and led the Sycamores to the 1979 NCAA finals.
Fewer people know that basketball’s John Wooden coached at Indiana State for three seasons before moving on to his legendary career at UCLA.
Other well-known Indiana State products include world champion gymnast Kurt Thomas, Olympic wrestling gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner and former major league pitching star Tommy John.
But the Sycamores’ football history is less glamorous – especially in recent years.
Indiana State has not won a game since defeating Missouri State 26-22 in 2006. And that homecoming victory broke a 24-game losing streak.
That means the Sycamores are 1-50 over their last 51 games. And they haven’t had a winning season since 1996. They were out scored by an average of 34 points per game last season.
New Sycamores QB Played at Wyoming
Indiana State is part of the Missouri Valley Conference, and a member of the NCAA Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision, previously known as Division IAA. For their opener, the Sycamores will be stepping down to play an NAIA school.
Quincy, from Quincy, Ill., went 6-5 last season. The Hawks are a member of the Mid-State Football Association’s Midwest League.
Indiana State also has experience on its side, even if many of the players have had their share of bad experiences. Second-year Sycamores coach Trent Miles brings back 19 starters from last year. That group nearly ended the losing streak in the season finale, losing to Missouri State 27-24.
Indiana State standouts include defensive backs Donye McCleskey and Alex Sewall, who recently gained honorable mention in MVC preseason all-conference selections.
New QB Transfers to Sycamores
The program should also receive a boost from quarterback Chris Stutzriem, who transferred to Indiana State from Wyoming. Stutzriem played in eight games as freshman for the Cowboys last season , starting six.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound Oklahoma native completed 55 of 98 passes for 660 yards and fivetouchdowns, and helped lead his team to a victory over Tennessee. He and running back Antoine Brown were standouts in a recent Indiana State scrimmage.
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