POST-GAME VIDEO WITH COACH MIKE BABCOCK

(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 5)—The McKendree University football team battled Lindenwood University down to the wire Saturday afternoon at Leemon Field before the visiting Lions held off a last-minute comeback bid by the Bearcats, 45-37.
 
The two teams combined for 82 points and 1,114 yards of total offense in Saturday's slugfest, which was the first meeting on the gridiron between the two programs since 1997. McKendree had the ball in the closing minutes down by eight and eventually drove into Lindenwood territory before the Lions snuffed out the Bearcats' final fourth-down attempt with just 1:21 remaining.
 
McKendree, now 1-4 overall and 0-2 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play, will step out of league play for the final time in 2019 for a trip east to face Wheeling Jesuit University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
 
"We're a feisty group, and I think we showed that today," said McKendree head football coach Mike Babcock. "We came out with a lead early in the game and I give credit to our guys for battling on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately we had some opportunities that we missed late in the game and left us just a little short."
 
For the second consecutive game, senior wide receiver Matt Cole (Chicago, IL/Curie) had a huge game on offense and on special teams for McKendree. Cole grabbed seven passes for 155 yards, including touchdown receptions of 46 and 54 yards. Early in the third quarter, he broke loose for a 100-yard kickoff return for a score, matching the school record for longest kick return. Cole broke the Bearcats' single-game mark for all-purpose, registering 284 against the Lions on Saturday.
 
In last week's 42-35 McKendree victory over Chowan University, Cole caught just three passes, but all went for touchdowns of 68, 45 and 63 yards. Cole also fell just shy of the all-purpose yardage record he eclipsed today with 259 yards against the Hawks.
 
Freshman quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, IL/Shelbyville) completed 23 of 35 pass attempts for 298 yards with four touchdowns. Pullen has now thrown for nine touchdowns in the Bearcats' last two outings. Junior running back Jace Franklin IV (Sprinfield, IL/Williamsville) rushed for a career-high 136 yards on 27 carries in the effort against Lindenwood.
 
McKendree took the opening kickoff and marched 73 yards in just five plays. Cole raced behind the Lindenwood secondary and caught a pass in-stride from Pullen for a 46-yard TD connect that staked the Bearcats to a 7-0 lead. Lindenwood (2-3, 2-0 GLVC) grabbed a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter before the Bearcats pulled even. Freshman wide receiver Caleb Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) made a spectacular diving grab of a Pullen pass for an eight-yard score that knotted the contest at 14-14. The Lions regained the lead on the following possession before junior kicker Josh Lazaro (Bradley, IL/Bradley-Bourbonnais) booted a 29-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to bring McKendree within 21-17 at the intermission.
 
The two teams exploded for three touchdowns each in the third quarter as the scoring pace picked up. Lindenwood took the second-half kickoff and used a 56-yard touchdown pass from Cody Brister to Nash Sutherlin to push its lead to 28-17.
 
Cole took the ensuing kickoff, stepped through a would-be tackler at the 10-yard line and raced past the Lions' special teams unit for his 100-yard kickoff return to bring the Bearcats back within 28-24. After another Lindenwood score, Cole caught a pass on a crossing pattern and flew down the left sideline for a 54-yard score with 9:44 remaining in the third quarter.
 
McKendree took its only lead of the second half with 3:11 to play in the third period when junior tight end Steven Leadlove (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) caught a seven-yard TD pass from Pullen to push the Bearcats out to a 37-35 advantage. Lindenwood regained the lead for good in the closing moments of the period and added a 32-yard field goal from Brett Garner with 10:54 to play to account for the final margin.

Senior linebacker Kennith Wilson (Chicago, IL/Simeon) led the McKendree defense with 13 tackles. Sophomore defensive back Devon Myles (Chicago, IL/Westinghouse College Prep) added nine stops, while senior linebacker Ricco Gipson, Jr. (Godfrey, IL/Alton), registered eight tackles.