Box Score (URBANA, Ohio., Oct. 20)—The McKendree University football team nearly overcame a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a 31-23 loss Saturday at Urbana University.
 
Freshman quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) completed 15-of-30 pass attempts for 187 yards with two touchdowns. Fisher threw for 92 yards during the fourth quarter, when the Bearcats attempted to rally from a 31-16 deficit.
 
McKendree slips to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Bearcats will enjoy an open date next week before hosting Central State University on Nov. 3 at Leemon Field. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
“We used a quick tempo offense and we were really pleased with the way it was executed,” said McKendree football coach Carl Poelker. “We actually just installed it last week. That fits Isaac and his abilities perfectly. But I'm so proud of all our guys, the way they fought back and never quit. They left it all out on the field today.”
 
Fisher left the game on the Bearcats' final drive following an injury to his right leg with 1:55 to play. McKendree inserted freshman quarterback Zane Schmudlach (Carthage, IL/Illini West) in Fisher's place, but the Bearcats could not convert on third and fourth down near midfield as Urbana escaped with the Homecoming victory.
 
Freshman running back Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville), who rushed for a team-high 79 yards on 17 carries, set up McKendree's first score of the day thanks to a 60-yard punt return down to the Blue Knights' one-yard line. After a penalty, James finished off the short drive with a seven-yard TD run, and the extra point by senior kicker Matt Kendall (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) gave the Bearcats a 7-0 advantage with 4:06 left in the first quarter.
 
Urbana (6-2, 4-1 GLVC) responded with a field goal on its next drive, and later a one-yard scoring run from Jeffvon Gill to grab a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. McKendree regained the lead at 13-10 on its next possession less than two minutes later as Fisher connected with junior tight end Joe Santiago (Elmhurst, IL/York) on a 38-yard scoring strike.
 
With 2:20 left until halftime, Urbana quarterback D.J. Mendenhall hit Marc Johnson over the middle for a 70-yard TD pass, pushing the Blue Knights back in front at 17-13. Employing the hurry-up offense for the first time on the day, McKendree answered back with one final drive of the half, marching to the Urbana 18-yard line. Kendall then drilled a 35-yard field goal with just 2.6 seconds on the clock to trim the Bearcats' deficit to 17-16 at the intermission.
 
Urbana appeared to take control with two third-quarter touchdowns to extend its lead to 31-16. McKendree's offensive unit went exclusively to the shotgun offense in the fourth quarter, and the move paid off on the Bearcats' first full drive of the period. Fisher helped march McKendree 94 yards in 10 plays and needed just 1:58 on the clock. Fisher – who was 8-of-9 for 72 yards on the drive – avoided a sack and found sophomore wide receiver Pat Doty (Springfield, IL/Springfield) in the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown pass, and Kendall's point after brought McKendree within 31-23.
 
After McKendree's defense forced an Urbana punt with 2:08 left, the Bearcats started their final drive on their own 43-yard line. Following an incomplete pass, Fisher was forced to scramble for two yards on the next play. But Fisher hobbled off the field and – following the Bearcats' last timeout – was replaced by Schmudlach. He was just off the mark on his two pass attempts, including a fourth-down effort to senior wide receiver Nick Lutker (Dupo, IL/Dupo) with 1:46 on the clock.

Doty and Lutker each had four receptions to share team-high honors for McKendree. With his four catches, Doty set a McKendree team record for pass receptions in a season. Doty now has 34 catches on the year, surpassing the mark previously shared by Byron Gettis (2009) and Myron Hicks (Sauk Village, IL/Bloom Trail) (2010).
 
Junior defensive backs Jamison Wilson (Country Club Hills, IL/Hillcrest) and Michael Romshek (Gibson City, IL/Gibson City-Melvin Sibley) each had 11 tackles against Urbana to lead the Bearcats' defensive attack. Wilson also blocked a Blue Knights' field goal attempt in the third quarter. Sophomore linebacker Bryce Colvin (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) helped out with eight tackles in the contest.