The scoreboard at Saluki Stadium this week during football practice has displayed the score of last year’s homecoming loss — Indiana State 41, SIU 26. 

The Salukis (2-3, 1-1) have a chance to pick up their first road win of the season and spoil the Sycamores’ (3-2, 1-1) homecoming on Saturday. 

Indiana State uses a balanced offensive attack featuring a dual-threat quarterback, sophomore Matt Adam. 

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Adam is fourth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in total offense with 248.4 yards per game, 214.6 of which has come through the air. He has gained 335 yards on the ground, the highest total on the team.

The offensive line is tied for most sacks allowed per game in the Football Championship Subdivision, losing the team 166 yards.

Junior running backs Lemonte Booker and Roland Genesy have combined for 125.5 yards per game on the ground. 

Senior wide receiver Gary Owens is fourth in the Valley with an average of 69 receiving yards per game.

The Salukis’ defense is second-worst in the conference in total and scoring defense and they are coming off a game it allowed a season-low 301 yards. SIU’s run defense is sixth in the Valley at 181.2 yards per game.

Indiana State will return two, possibly three, of its defensive starters for its homecoming game, according to Todd Golden of the Terre Haute tribune-Star.

Senior outside linebacker Connor Underwood and senior cornerback Alex Stowers are slated to return after missing the last two games. Underwood, a two-time First Team All-MVFC selection, suffered a hamstring injury.

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Junior defensive end Alec Lyons, who has played in two games this year, may also play Saturday.

The Sycamores’ three wins this year were against Butler and Missouri State by a combined 63 points and a one-point victory against Southeast Missouri State. 

SIU is coming off a 73-26 win against Missouri State. The Salukis lost 27-24 to SEMO on Sept. 19, on a last-minute field goal. 

Thomas Donley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @TdonleyDE