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(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 24)--The McKendree University football team will look to stay on the winning track Saturday when the Bearcats play host to Missouri S & T in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Leemon Field in Lebanon. The game will be broadcast live on the Bearcat Sports Network (www.mckbearcats.com/watch) with the pre-game show set to begin at 12:40 p.m. Joe Zydlo will have the play-by-play call of the live video feed.

Saturday's game will also mark the 19th Homecoming game since the revival of the McKendree football program prior to the 1996 season. In that time, the Bearcats have a 17-1 record when the McKendree alumni return to campus. 

McKendree broke into the win column for the first time in 2014 with a 53-43 win last Saturday at Southwest Baptist University. In the Battle of the Bearcats at Plaster Stadium in Bolivar, Mo., McKendree established season highs in offensive plays (93), total yards (571) and points (53) as it rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half. The Bearcats reeled off 29 unanswered points spanning the third and fourth quarters to improve to 1-6 overall and 1-3 in the GLVC. Junior quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) led the way for the Bearcats' offense as he rushed for a career-high 126 yards on 20 carries while throwing for 243 yards on 24-of-41 passing. Fisher accounted for four touchdowns against Southwest Baptist -- two on the ground and two through the air -- as McKendree posted its highest point total in a road game since 2010. 

Defensively, sophomore lineman Lucky Baar (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) provided the headlines for McKendree as he set new team and GLVC reocrds with 5 1/2 quarterback sacks against Southwest Baptist. Baar led the way as the Bearcats registered eight sacks on the day of SBU quarterback Willie Tindal. For his efforts Baar was named on Monday as the GLVC Defensive Player of the Week. In addition, Baar picked up NCAA Division II National Player of the Week accolades from both the Beyond Sports Network and d2football.com. 

Missouri S & T enters Saturday's game with a 3-4 season record and a 2-2 mark in the GLVC. Last Saturday, the Miners hosted GLVC co-leader William Jewell College for Homecoming. Missouri S & T rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to pull even with the Cardinals, only to see William Jewell score late in the contest to pull out a 34-27 victory. Quarterback Lamar Wilkes threw for 221 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the loss. He connected with Leon Moody nine times for 115 yards, while Nick Taylor caught eight passes for 63 yards against William Jewell. 

Wilkes has thrown for 780 yards and a team-high six touchdowns so far in 2014. Melvin Stovall leads Missouri S & T with 37 catches for 675 yards and six receiving TDs. Scott Hendricks leads a balanced rushing attack for the Miners with 310 yards on 75 carries. 

Defensively, Zach Melber has been in on a team-leading 47 tackles for Missouri S & T, including a team-best 15 for loss. Dale Davey leads the squad with seven quarterback sacks, while Will Brown has intercepted four passes to pace the Miners. Earlier this season in a game against Southwest Baptist, Missouri S & T tied the NCAA Division II record and set a new GLVC mark with 14 quarterback sacks. 

Missouri S & T has won both meetings with McKendree since the Bearcats joined the GLVC in 2012. The Miners were the Bearcats' first-ever opponent in a league game back in September 2012 at Leemon FIeld. Missouri S & T posted a 31-0 victory in that contest, then followed up with a 31-21 triumph in the 2013 match-up at Allgood-Bailey Stadium in Rolla, Mo. 

Next Saturday, McKendree will host William Jewell for Senior Day at Leemon Field. Prior to kickoff of the Nov. 1 game, the Bearcats will honor their senior players in a special ceremony. 

INSIDE THE McKENDREE/MISSOURI S & T GAME
THE HEAD COACHES
McKENDREE: Mike Babcock is in his second season as the head coach of the McKendree Bearcats (5-12 at McKendree and overall). Babcock came to McKendree from Colorado State University-Pueblo, where he spet the five years as an offensive assistant coach. From 2009-12, Babcock served as the ThunderWolves' quarterbacks coach and pasisng game coordinator. Babcock helped CSU-Pueblo to consecutive undefeated regular seasons in 2011 and 2012 along with a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships.

MISSOURI S & T: Tyler Fenwick is in his second season as the head coach of the Missouri S & T Miners (9-9 at Missouri S & T and overall). 

THE SERIES (Since 1996)
Missouri S & T has won both meetings against McKendree since the Bearcats joined the Great Lakes Valley Conference in 2012, including last year's contest in Rolla, Mo.:
2012 -- Missouri S & T 31, McKENDREE 0 (at Leemon Field)
2013 -- Missouri S & T 31, McKENDREE 21 (at Rolla, Mo.)

McKENDREE -- LAST TIME OUT
The Bearcats rallied in the second half to post a 53-43 victory last Saturday at Southwest Baptist University. McKendree won its first game of the year by piling up 571 yards of total offense while sacking SBU quarterback Willie Tindal eight times on the day. Lucky Baar (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) set a McKendree and GLVC record with 5 1/2 quarterback sacks in the win, including four in the first half. Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) rushed for a career-best 103 yards on 21 carries. Fisher also completed 24-of-41 pass attempts for 243 yards in the Battle of the Bearcats. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for a pair of scores as well. Treye Williams (Mattoon, IL/Mattoon) gained a career-high 83 yards on just five carries, while Kevin Witcik (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) rushed for 66 yards and two TDs. A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) paced the Bearcats with 10 tackles, while Baar added nine total stops. 

MISSOURI S & T -- LAST TIME OUT
The Miners hosted GLVC co-leader William Jewell College last Saturday for Homecoming, and the visiting Cardinals came away with a 34-27 triumph. Missouri S & T rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to tie the game with just over six minutes to play, but a William Jewell touchdown with 2:59 on the clock proved to be the difference. Lamar Wilkes completed 21-of-40 pass attempts for 221 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Leon Moody had a team-best nine receptions for 115 yards, while Nick Taylor caught eight passts for 63 yards. Chris Kennard the rushing attack for the Miners with 44 yards. Zach Melber, Dillon Bowman and Dale Davey had five tackles each to pace the Missouri S & T defense. Davey had a pair of sacks in the contest. 

LAST MEETING -- McKENDREE vs. MISSOURI S & T
On Nov. 9, 2013 in Rolla, Mo., a run of 31 unanswered points lifted Missouri S & T past the Bearcats in a 31-21 decision at Allgood-Bailey Stadium. McKendree battled back from a 31-7 deficit in the later stages of the third quarter to pull within 10 points, but the Miners were able to hold on for the win. Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) was 23-of-38 for 242 yards with three touchdowns in the contest, and moved past older brother Austin as the Bearcats' single-season leader in passing yards during the contest. Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) had seven catchers for 73 yards in the effort. Defensively, Michael Romshek (Gibson City, IL/Gibson City-Melvin Sibley) paced McKendree with 11 tackles, while Bryce Colvin (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) added eight stops. Jabaree Winston (Chicago, IL/Simeon) posted seven tackles and had the Bearcats' lone interceptions against Missouri S & T. 

BEARCAT TRACKS
BEARCATS vs. THE SHOW-ME STATE: McKendree has a record of 6-8 all-time against teams from the state of Missouri since the Bearcats' program was revived in 1996. McKendree is 3-4 at home all-time in contests against Missouri institutions. 

HAPPY HOMECOMINGS: Since the revival of the football program prior to the 1996 season, McKendree has posted a record of 17-1 in Homecoming games at Leemon Field. 

FINE WITH 50: The 53 points scored by the Bearcats in their win at Southwest Baptist marks the first time since 2010 that McKendree topped the 50-point mark on the road. In 2010, the Bearcats had a 33-point second quarter on their way to a 50-21 triumph at Quincy University. It is also the third time since joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference that McKendree has scored at least 50 points in a game. 

LUCK-Y OF THE BEARCATS: Sophomore defensive lineman Lucky Baar (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) set new McKendree and Great Lakes Valley Conference records with his 5 1/2 quarterback sacks in the Southwest Baptist contest. Baar surpassed the old Bearcats' record of 4 1/2 set by Oku Satcher in a 2001 game against Iowa Wesleyan College. He also topped the previous GLVC mark of four sacks, which was set by former McKendree standout Tim Weidenbacher in a 2012 game at Kentucky Wesleyan College. 

BAAR COLLECTS WEEKLY ACCOLADES: For his record-setting performance with 5 1/2 quarterback sacks at Southwest Baptist University, Lucky Baar (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) was selected as the Great Lakes Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week. He is the first McKendree player honored by the league since Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) was named the GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week after the final contest of the 2013 season. In addition to the conference honor, Baar was named as the Beyond Sports Network Division II National Defensive Player of the Week. 

CATCHING UP WITH THE BEARCATS' RECEPTIONS LEADER: Senior wide receiver Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) has surpassed Myron Hicks as the Bearcats' career receptions leader. Gatti has 92 catches at McKendree, eclipsing the old mark of 80 that Hicks set from 2008-11. Gatti had 12 catches at Northwood University when he surpassed Hicks' career total, which also broke the single-game record he set for the Bearcats in the 2013 season opener at home against Tiffin University. The single-game mark lasted just one week, however.

CATCHING ON QUICKLY: Sophomore wide receiver Tyler Brewer (Arnold, MO/Fox) entered the Saint Joseph's game with two receptions on the season. Against the Pumas, Brewer surpassed Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita)'s single-game receptions record set just one week earlier. Brewer hauled in 13 passes to top Gatti's mark of 12 and also posted another career-best with 116 receiving yards. 

FISHER'S FLEET FEET: Junior quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) rushed for a career-high 103 yards in the Bearcats' win at Southwest Baptist. In addition to being the team's top passer, Fisher has taken over the team lead in rushing with 365 yards and is tied for the team lead with four rushing TDs. 

FISHER'S CAREER RECORDS: Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) continues to add to his McKendree career records in several offensive categories. He enters today's game as the Bearcats' all-time leader in total offense (5,218 yards), pass attempts (746), pass completions (438) and passing yards (4,671 yards). 

HERRING SITS 13th ON BEARCATS' CAREER RUSHING LIST: Senior running back Ryan Herring (Fairview Heights, IL/Belleville East) is the 18th player at McKendree to rush for 1,000 yards in a career. Herring now has 1,302 yards with the Bearcats and has moved into 13th place on the all-time list. The next three players on the Bearcats' career rushing list are:
10) Marlone Chenault -- 1,448 yards
11) Lamont Benn -- 1,436 yards
12) Dominique Jones -- 1,344 yards

WENTLAND TACKLING McKENDREE HISTORY: Sophomore linebacker A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) has become the first player in McKendree football history to record 10 or more tackles in the first seven games of a season. Wentland is currently tied for eighth on the Bearcats' single-season list for tackles with 82. Brandon Nigro set the McKendree team record with 108 tackles back in 2011.  

THIS DATE IN BEARCAT FOOTBALL HISTORY
Oct. 25, 2008
McKendree led 14-7 at the half, but visiting William Penn University rallied for a 17-14 win over the Bearcats at Leemon Field. Fumbles helped spell defeat as McKendree turned the ball over five times on the day. Steve Moravec led a balanced rushing attack for the Bearcats with 86 yards and a touchdown. 

Oct. 25, 2003
Six different players scored a touchdown as McKendree collected a 42-23 road win at William Penn. The Bearcats trailed 16-14 early in the second half before scoring on three straight possessions to take the lead for good. Drew Cofty gained a team-high 75 yards on the ground and added a 19-yard TD run to help McKendree improve to 6-1 on the season. 

Oct. 25, 1997
McKendree collected its sixth consecutive victory with a 28-13 win at Eureka College. All 28 Bearcat points were scored in the first half, including a pair of Louis Harden TD bursts in the second quarter. Harden rushed for a game-high 153 yards while McKendree held the ball for more than 38 minutes on the day. Ryan Jimison paced the Bearcats' defense with eight tackles, including four for loss and 2 1/2 quarterback sacks against the Red Devils.