Indiana State Wins Football Championship

Sycamores Defeat North Dakota 27-17 to Claim MVFC Title

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The Indiana State Sycamores are the 2023 Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) champions after defeating the North Dakota Fighting Hawks 27-17 in a thrilling championship game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The Sycamores, who entered the game as the No. 2 seed, took an early lead and never looked back. Quarterback Cade Chambers threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Titus McCoy rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown.

The Fighting Hawks, who were the No. 1 seed, fought back valiantly in the second half, but the Sycamores' defense held strong. North Dakota quarterback Tommy Schuster threw for 230 yards and a touchdown, but he was also intercepted twice.

The victory is Indiana State's first MVFC championship since 2014. The Sycamores will now represent the conference in the NCAA FCS playoffs.

Key Stats

• Indiana State: 250 passing yards, 125 rushing yards, 27 points
• North Dakota: 230 passing yards, 100 rushing yards, 17 points

Key Plays

• Chambers threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to McCoy in the first quarter to give Indiana State an early lead.
• Schuster threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Bo Belquist in the third quarter to cut Indiana State's lead to 17-10.
• Chambers threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dante Hendrix in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for Indiana State.

What's Next?

Indiana State will learn its NCAA FCS playoff destination on Sunday. The Sycamores are expected to be a high seed in the tournament.