GAME DAY LINKS -- McKendree vs. Northwood (Mich.) -- Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 -- Leemon Field, Lebanon, Ill.
WATCH LIVE (Bearcat Sports Network)
LIVE STATS

McKENDREE/NORTHWOOD VIDEO PREVIEW WITH COACH BABCOCK
McKENDREE SEASON STATISTICS
McKENDREE GAME NOTES
NORTHWOOD SEASON STATISTICS
NORTHWOOD GAME NOTES

(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 18)--The McKendree University football team returns to Leemon Field Saturday for its final non-conference game of the 2015 season against Northwood University. Kickoff for the match-up between the Bearcats and Timberwolves is set for 1 p.m. The contest can been seen live on the Bearcat Sports Network (www.mckbearcats.com/watch) with the pre-game show beginning at 12:45 p.m.

McKendree will look to continue its high-flying ways on both sides of the football that were exhibited in last week's 50-27 victory at West Liberty University in West Virginia. The Bearcats piled up 582 yards of total offense on 88 plays, while the defensive unit forced four turnovers that were turned into 20 points on the day. Senior quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) and junior linebacker A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) both enjoyed record-setting performances against the Hilltoppers. Fisher threw a school-record six touchdown passes last week while putting up 478 yards of total offense by himself (353 passing yards, 125 rushing yards). Wentland also netted a school mark by posting 22 tackles on the day, including 12 solos. Both Fisher and Wentland earned Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week honors for their efforts at West Liberty. 

Sophomore wide receiver Dustin Walls (Champaign, IL/Centennial) had a team-high six receptions for 93 yards at West Liberty. Both Walls and junior wide receiver Sean Dowling (Chatham, IL/Glenwood) caught two touchdown passes in the contest. Senior running back Treye Williams (Mattoon, IL/Mattoon) gained 45 of his 67 rushing yards in the fourth quarter as the Bearcats were able to pull away from the Hilltoppers over the final 15 minutes. Senior linebacker George Hill (Chicago Heights, IL/Rich Central) helped out defensively with eight tackles while breaking up a pair of passes on the day.

Northwood brings a 1-1 record to Lebanon. This will be the lone non-conference game of the 2015 season for the Timberwolves, who dropped a 40-3 decision last Saturday at the hands of Ferris State University, then the sixth-ranked team in NCAA Division II. The lone points of the day for Northwood came on a 30-yard field goal by David Knudsen in the second quarter. Shane Barron picked up a team-leading 27 yards rushing against the Bulldogs, while Mark Morris was 12-of-25 through the air for 156 yards. Jared Briguglio is the Timberwolves' leading rusher entering the game with McKendree, posting 135 yards through the team's first two outings. Morris has thrown for 322 yards with a touchdown. His favorite target has been Dan Richmond, who has grabbed six passes for 102 yards. Defensively, Northwood is paced by linebacker Michael Fisher, who has 22 tackles on the year. Mike Keith has contributed 16 stops so far for the Timberwolves.

McKendree and Northwood met last year on the gridiron for the first time, with the host Timberwolves outlasting the Bearcats 32-27. McKendree had a chance to pull out the victory in the final two minutes, but a late turnover helped Northwood hang on for the win. Fisher was 31-of-51 in the game for 326 yards. Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) set a team record -- that lasted for one week -- as he caught 12 passes in the contest. Ryan Herring (Fairview Heights, IL/Belleville East) rushed for a team-leading 72 yards at Northwood. A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem), who tied Bryce Colvin (East Peoria, IL/East Peoria) with a team-best 10 tackles at Northwood, got the Bearcats on the scoreboard late in the first quarter with a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown. For Northwood, Morris was 8-for-10 in the passing department for 163 yards while Briguglio rushed for a game-high 138 yards on 23 carries. Fisher paced the Northwood defense with a game-high 13 tackles.

Next Saturday, McKendree will head to Liberty, Mo., to open GLVC play at William Jewell College. Kickoff is slated for noon between the Bearcats and Cardinals.

INSIDE THE McKENDREE/NORTHWOOD GAME
THE HEAD COACHES
McKENDREE: Mike Babcock is in his third season as the head coach of the McKendree Bearcats (10-12 at McKendree and overall). Babcock came to McKendree from Colorado State University-Pueblo, where he spent the five years as an offensive assistant coach. From 2009-12, Babcock served as the ThunderWolves' quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. 
NORTHWOOD; Leonard Haynes is serving as the interim head coach of the Northwood Timberwolves (1-1 at Northwood and overall). 

THE SERIES (Since 1996)
Northwood won the only previous meeting between the two programs, which came in a 32-27 decision last year in Midland, Mich.:
2014 -- Northwood 32, McKENDREE 27 (at Midland, Mich.)

McKENDREE -- LAST TIME OUT...
The Bearcats flexed their muscles on both sides of the football Saturday in posting a 50-27 win at West Liberty University. Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) and A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) each had record-setting performances in leading McKendree to its first victory in a road opener since a 55-3 triumph at Olivet Nazarene University in 2009. Fisher set a new career-high -- and McKendree team record that he established last season -- by throwing six touchdown passes against the Hilltoppers. Fisher was 27-of-36 for 353 yards in the outing and added a game-high 125 rushing yards in the process. Wentland eclipsed the Bearcats' 12-year old mark for tackles in a game as he registered 22 stops versus West Liberty. Wentland broke the previous mark of 21 set by the late Cory Wilson in a 2003 contest at Saint Xavier University. McKendree rolled up 582 yards of total offense while playing error-free football. On the defensive side, the Bearcats forced four turnovers, three of which came on interceptions. Dustin Walls (Champaign, IL/Centennial) had a team-high six receptions for 93 yards with a pair of TDs. Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) added five catches to tie the Bearcats' career record with 104 receptions, which was set by Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) in his two-year career at McKendree. James also surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards during the contest. Sean Dowling (Chatham, IL/Glenwood) caught three passes and had the Bearcats' first two TD receptions of 2015. Tyler Brewer (Arnold, MO/Fox) added four receptions for 120 yards. Treye Williams (Mattoon, IL/Mattoon) posted 45 of his 67 rushing yards in the fourth quarter as McKendree put the game away in the closing minutes. George Hill (Chicago Heights, IL/Rich Central) added eight tackles while Cruz Navarro (Escondido, CA/Escondido), Chris Wolfe (Columbus, MS/Columbus) and Josh Lovings (Alton, IL/Alton) each chipped in with six stops. Tyler House (Los Angeles, CA/Glenelg) registered the lone sack of the day for the Bearcats. 

NORTHWOOD -- LAST TIME OUT...
The Timberwolves played their first road contest of 2015 last Saturday at Ferris State University and dropped a 40-3 decision to the host Bulldogs. Northwood collected its only points of the evening on a 30-yard field goal by David Knudsen midway through the second quarter. Quarterback Mark Morris completed 12-of-25 pass attempts for 156 yards in the effort. Andre Carter hauled in a team-high four receptions for 49 yards, while Vashon Nutt had three catches at Ferris State. Michael Fisher posted a game-high 13 tackles to lead the Timberwolves' defense. Mike Keith helped out with eight stops while Nick Tripp notched six tackles, including two for loss. Ralph Canty had the lone interception of the evening for Northwood. 

THE LAST MEETING, McKENDREE vs. NORTHWOOD
On Sept. 20, 2014 in Midland, Mich., McKendree held a fourth-quarter lead, but host Northwood scored the game-winning touchdown midway through the final period to grab a 32-27 victory in non-conference action. The Bearcats had a chance in the closing minutes to rally on the Timberwolves, but a pass by Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) was intercepted in the end zone by Northwood's Jerry Taylor with just over 90 seconds to play to end the threat. Fisher was 31-of-51 in the passing department for 326 yards. Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) set a team record -- which lasted for one week -- as he caught 12 passes on the day. Gatti also had 117 receiving yards. Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) added seven receptions for 40 yards, while Ryan Herring (Fairview Heights, IL/Belleville East) rushed for a team-leading 72 yards on the day for McKendree. A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) notched 10 tackles and added a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. For Northwood, Mark Morris was 8-of-10 for 163 yards with a touchdown pass. Jared Briguglio rushed for a game-high 138 yards on 23 carries, while Michael Fisher led all players with 13 tackles for the Timberwolves. 

BEARCAT TRACKS --
FISHER, WENTLAND GRAB GLVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Senior quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Offensive) and junior linebacker A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) (Defensive) have earned Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week honors for Sept. 14. Both Fisher and Wentland grabbed the award based on their performance in the Bearcats' 50-27 win at West Liberty University. Fisher threw for 353 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in the contest while adding a game-high 125 rushing yards. Wentland set a new school record as well with 22 tackles in the contest and was the only McKendree player to finish in double figures in tackles. 

DEJA VU FOR FISHER, WENTLAND: This is the second time that both Fisher and Wentland have collected GLVC Player of the Week accolades. Ironically, the other time each won the honor came on the same date as well -- Nov. 10, 2014. The pair were honored for their efforts in McKendree's 56-36 triumph at Lincoln University. 

FOR (HOME) OPENERS...: McKendree has posted a record of 12-7 (.632) in the first home game of each season since the Bearcats' program was revived in 1996. 

20 SEASONS OF FOOTBALL: Today, in our ceremonial game ball presentation prior to kickoff, we will commemorate 20 seasons of football at McKendree since the program was revived in 1996. 

200 AND COUNTING: Saturday's contest at West Liberty marked the 200th football game played by McKendree since bringing back its football program in 1996. The Bearcats grabbed win No. 127 during that span. 

DOUBLING UP: McKendree has scored at least 10 points in a game in 169 of its last 181 outings. 

21 AND OVER: McKendree sports a 111-22 record when scoring at least 21 points in a game. The Bearcats are 87-18 in their last 105 contests when reaching the 21-point mark.    

WIN STREAK HITS SIX: Dating back to the midway point of the 2014 season, McKendree has won its last six regular-season contests. That marks the Bearcats' longest win streak since a nine-game tear to close out the 2009 regular season.  

PILING ON THE POINTS (AND YARDS): Over the Bearcats' current six-game win streak, McKendree has averaged 42.5 points per game, along with 523.8 yards of total offense per outing. The Bearcats have gained at least 500 yards in total offense in four of those six contests, while McKendree has reached the 50-point mark three times over that same span. 

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Saturday's win at West Liberty marked the first time in the Mike Babcock era that the Bearcats posted three interceptions in the same contest. It fact, it was the most interceptions in a game for McKendree since a four-INT effort at Leemon Field against Central State University late in the 2012 campaign. 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, THE GLVC: McKendree currently leads the Great Lakes Valley Conference or shares the lead in 11 different statistical categories, including all four major offensive categories (scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and passing offense). On the individual side of the GLVC ledger, the Bearcats are at the top -- or tied at the top -- in 11 categories as well. Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) tops the player list in the GLVC by pacing the league in four stat columns, and is currently the league's top passer (353 YPG) and rusher (125 YPG). 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, NCAA DIVISION II: In the latest NCAA Division II released on Monday, McKendree is ranked in the top 25 of nine different significant categories. That includes top 10 figures in turnover margin (No. 2), team passing efficiency (No. 3), completion percentage (No. 4), scoring offense (No. 5) and total offense (No. 6). Individually, A.J. Wentland (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) leads all Division II players in tackles (22 TPG), while Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) is tied for the Division II lead in total offense (478 YPG). Fisher is also the top-rated passer in the division (206.6 passer rating) while he sits seventh in completion percentage (.750) and eighth in completions per contest (27 P/G). 

FISHER FACTS: The 353 yards through the air by Fisher at West Liberty marked his fourth career 300-yard passing game. Also, his 125-yard rushing effort is the third time that Fisher has topped the century mark on the ground. With his 125 rushing yards, Fisher also became the 19th player since 1996 to collect 1,000 career yards on the ground. Fisher now has 1,071 rushing yards with the Bearcats, which is good for 16th on the all-time list. 

YARD(AGE) WORK: In addition to his record for passing touchdowns in a game against West Liberty, Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) also established a new McKendree record for total offense in a game, piling up 478 yards versus the Hilltoppers. 

JAMES TIED ATOP CAREER RECEPTIONS LIST: With his five catches at West Liberty, senior wide receiver Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) has tied former teammate Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) on the Bearcats' career list for receptions with 104. In addition, James became the fourth player in program history to crack the 1,000-yard receiving mark as he now sits at 1,007. 

SIGN OF THINGS TO COME?: The triumph at West Liberty marked the first win for McKendree in a road opener since the 2009 season. Since the revival of the football program in 1996, the Bearcats have won their road opener eight different times. In each of those seasons, McKendree closed the year with a winning record. In fact, the Bearcats averaged better than eight wins per season in those instances. 

THIS DATE McKENDREE FOOTBALL HISTORY
Sept. 19, 2009
McKendree opened Mid-States Football Association-Midwest League play with a convincing 40-0 victory at Iowa Wesleyan College. The Bearcats used a balanced attack to down the host Tigers, rushing for 301 yards while quarterback Austin Fisher completed 10-of-17 pass attempts for 156 yards and a score. Defensively, McKendree forced five Iowa Wesleyan turnovers, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Antonio Greer. With the win, McKendree football coach Carl Poelker moved into sole possession of 10th place on the NAIA's all-time wins list at 185. Poelker moved past Bob Shoup into the organization's top 10.