GAME NOTES

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(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 15)--The McKendree University football team will hit the road for the first time in the 2011 season on Saturday when it heads to Fort Wayne, Ind., for a matchup against the University of Saint Francis. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CDT (Noon EDT) at Bishop D'Arcy Stadium.

The Bearcats opened the regular season last Saturday by dropping a 30-27 decision to Malone University at Leemon Field. Malone's Nick Allison kicked a 35-yard field goal with no time on the clock to snap McKendree's 11-game home losing streak.

Senior quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) set five different McKendree game records in the contest as he completed 27-of-49 pass attempts for 299 yards. Fisher threw three touchdown passes, including a pair to senior tight end Jacob Strausbaugh (Belleville, IL/Belleville East). Defensively, senior linebacker Brandon Nigro (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central) registered a career-high 15 tackles for McKendree.

Saint Francis, the No. 2-ranked team in the latest NAIA coaches' poll, kicked off its 2011 season last Saturday with a come-from-behind, 34-33 win at Saint Ambrose University.

Saturday's game will mark the first meeting in six years between the two schools. Saint Francis holds a slight 3-2 edge in the series, and the Cougars have won the last three matchups. The contest also pits the two winningest coaches in the Mid-States Football Association. McKendree coach Carl Poelker is second with 200 career wins, while Saint Francis' Kevin Donley enters the game with 247 career victories.

The game can be heard live on the Bearcat Sports Network at www.mckbearcats.com. Join Scott Cummings for the play-by-play action of Saturday's contest, beginning with the pre-game show at 10:45 a.m. CDT.