LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University football team will put its two game winning streak on the line this Saturday, Oct. 9 as the Bearcats head to central Indiana to take on the University of Indianapolis in a 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Key Stadium on the UIndy campus.

The Bearcats enter Saturday's contest sporting a 2-3 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the GLVC following its impressive 52-10 win last Saturday at Leemon Field against William Jewell in the league opener for both teams. The win over William Jewell came one week after McKendree's 24-10 win in its non-conference finale at Walsh University on Sept. 25.

Over its last two games, the Bearcats are averaging 38 points, 211 yards rushing, 242 yards passing and 453 yards of total offense and are allowing just 10 points, 55.5 yards rushing and 260 yards of offense on defense. In addition, they have recorded seven sacks, forced six turnovers and are averaging 25 first downs per game.

In Saturday's 52-10 win over William Jewell, the Bearcats scored on seven of its eight possessions in the first half, led 17-0 after one quarter and held a 38-3 lead at the half. In the first half, the Bearcats outgained the Cardinals, 380-121.

The 52 points were the most scored by McKendree since scoring 50 in a 51-50 loss at Missouri S&T to close out the 2019 season, while the 38 first half points were the most in the first hlf since scoring 41 points in a 62-34 home win over Quincy in 2019.

For the game, McKendree finished with a season high 551 yards of offense, gained a season high 27 first downs and passed for a season high 341 yards, including redshirt sophomore quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville) going 17-for-23 passing for a season high 328 yard and tossing four touchdowns passes, three of which that went for 30 or more yards.

The 551 yards of offense are the most in a game for the Bearcats since they gained 567 yards of offense against Quincy in their final home game of the 2019 season.

Redshirt junior receiver Steven Towns, Jr. (Normal, Ill./Normal Community), who was named this week's GLVC Offensive Player of the Week, caught four passes for a career-high 140 yards and three touchdowns, including a 76-yarder to give the Bearcats 31-0 lead just four minutes into the second quarter. The three touchdown receptions tied a single game school record, while sophomore receiver Jacob Bachman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka), who was the GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week following the win at Walsh, caught eight passes for 106 yards. It marked the first time since the William Jewell game in 2018 that McKendree had two receivers gain over 100 yards in the same game.

Along with passing for 341 yards, the Bearcats also rushed 210 yards, including senior running back Jace Franklin IV (Springfield, Ill./Minnesota State) gaining 95 yards on 10 carries and scoring twice. With his 95 yards, Franklin moved into eighth place on the school's all-time rushing chart with 1,797 yards.

While its offense was strong against William Jewell, the Bearcats defense also played a role in the 42 point win as the Bearcats defense held the Cardinals to a total of 278 yards on 70 plays, including holding them to 77 yards rushing on 33 carries. In addition, McKendree's defense recorded five sacks, two tackles for loss and forced two fumbles and picked off a pass, which came on the first offensive play of the game as redshirt sophomore defensive back Kenneth Scarbrough II (East St. Louis, Mo./East St. Louis) picked off WJC quarterback Anthony Pritzel.

On the season, McKendree's defense is third in the GLVC in total defense as they are allowing 330.2 yards per game. In addition, the Bearcats are second in scoring defense (21.8 ppg), third in rushing defense (126 ypg) and first in passing defense (204.2). Additionally, the Bearcats are third in the league in sacks with 13 and are 11th nationally in Division II in turnover margin (+11).

Meanwhile, McKendree's offense is averaging 24.6 points per game, 358.4 yards per game, 185.4 rushing yards per game and 173.0 passing yards per game and 19.4 first downs per game. McKendree has scored 20 or more points in three of its five games, including twice in its last two games.

Leading the way offensively for the Bearcats is Pullen, who is 55-for-106 for 683 yards and has thrown seven touchdowns and one interception and is averaging 182.8 yards of total offense per game, while Franklin is averaging 88.5 yards per game as he has gained 354 yards on 58 attempts and has scored three times. In addition to Franklin, redshirt freshman running back Brady Feldmann (Highland, Ill./Highland) has gained 259 rushing yards on 55 carries.

The receiving corps is paced by both Towns, Jr. and Bachman as those two have combined to catch 46 passes for 569 yards and six touchdowns. Bachman has caught 29 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown, while Towns, Jr. has caught 17 passes for 280 yards and five touchdowns, with three of those scores coming last Saturday. Additionally, Bachman leads the team in all-purpose yards with 511 and is averaging 102.2 all-purpose yards per game.

Meanwhile, Indianapolis comes into its GLVC home opener with McKendree sporting a 3-2 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the league after opening league play with a 77-10 win last Saturday at Southwest Baptist. The 77 points are the second most points scored in a game in UIndy's football history. The win over Southwest Baptist snapped a two-game losing skid for the Preseason GLVC favorite Greyhounds, who fell 20-17 at home to then 15th-ranked Tiffin on Sept. 18 and then were upset 19-16 in double overtime on Sept. 25 at Ohio Dominican.

Following the trip to UIndy, the Bearcats will remain on the road next Saturday, Oct. 16 as they travel to Quincy (Ill.) University for a 3 p.m. GLVC game, before returning home on Saturday, Oct. 23 for its annual Homecoming game at Leemon Field as the Bearcats will host Missouri S&T at 1 p.m.

ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS
The Greyhounds, who have won 23 of its last 24 GLVC games since the beginning of the 2017 season, have opened the 2021 season having won three of its first five games and six of its last eight games overall since the 2020 season. In the preseason GLVC poll, the Greyhounds were tabbed to repeat as the league champion as the Greyhounds earned five of a possible eight first place votes and collected 47 points.

In its 77-10 win last Saturday at Southwest Baptist, the 'Hounds scored 77 points, which is the second most in program history, including tallying a school record 42 points in the first quarter as UIndy led 42-3 after the opening 15 minutes of play. For the game, UIndy gained 601 yards of offense, including rushing for 448 yards and passing for 153. In addition, the 'Hounds had 26 first downs and allowed just 161 yards on defense against SBU, including minus-49 yards rushing as UIndy had five sacks in the win.

Against Southwest Baptist, freshman Jeremiah Lee scored four touchdowns, including returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a score and he caught three touchdown passes of 44, 30 and 20 yards, while junior running back Toriano Clinton racked up 197 yards rushing on 10 carries, all of which came in the first quarter as Clinton's 197 yards rushing were a new Division II for a single quarter. In addition, redshirt junior kicker broke his own GLVC record with 11 point-afters in the win and Lee added 201 all-purpose yards.

On defense, UIndy amassed 14 tackles for loss in the game, including five sacks and forced five fumbles and recovered three of those fumbles.

Through five games, the Greyhounds are one of the top offensive and defensive teams in the league as they are second in the league in scoring at 35.8 points per game and are averaging 422.2 yards per game, including a GLVC-best 226 rushing yards per contest. The 'Hounds also lead the GLVC in total defense as they are allowing 298.2 yards per game and are fifth in Division II in rushing defense as they are allowing just 50 yards rushing per game.

Leading the way offensively for the Greyhounds is Clinton, who is averaging 154.2 yards rushing per game and has scored nine touchdowns and is sixth in Division II in scoring at 10.8 per game. In addition to Clinton, redshirt senior quarterback Bryce Stancombe is 83-for-139 passing for 968 yards and has thrown eight touchdown passes and one interception and is averaging 193.2 yards of total offense per game. Redshirt sophomore Frank Bentley and freshman Alonzo Derrick have combined to catch 33 passes for 458 yards and three touchdowns, all of which have come from Derrick.

On defense, junior linebacker Kiave' Guerrier has recorded 37 tackles, including 19 solo stops and has had seven tackles for loss, while redshirt junior linebacker Gavin Bane is second in tackling with 30, including 19 solo stops and he has had 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and has recovered two fumbles and sophomore defensive end Kyle Borske has recorded 6.5 tackles for loss and a team-best five sacks.

UIndy has won each of the previous nine meetings against McKendree, including earning a 51-23 win during the shortened 2020 season that was played during the spring.