LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree University football team will conclude the home portion of its 2022 schedule on Saturday, Oct. 29 as they host Southwest Baptist for a 1 p.m. Great Lakes Valley Conference match-up at Leemon Field. The Bearcat Sports Network will provide live video of the game beginning with Alex Gruberman's pregame show beginning at 12:50 p.m. at www.glvcsn.com/mckendree.
 
Along with Saturday's game marking the final home game of the season for the Bearcats, the game will also mark both Homecoming and Senior Day 2022. The Bearcats will be playing their 26th Homecoming tilt since returning to the football field in 1996. McKendree has posted a 22-3 record in homecoming games since 1996 and have won five of its last seven homecoming contests with the lone losses coming in its last two homecoming games – in 2019 against Lindenwood (45-37) and last season against Missouri S&T (37-31).
 
Prior to Saturday's game, McKendree will recognize their 25-member senior class in a pregame ceremony. The 24 seniors being honored are defensive back Arnell Anderson (Chicago, Ill./Davenport), receiver Jacob Bachman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka), tight end Jacob Catron (Hoopeston, Ill./Hoopeston), offensive lineman Chase Colvis (Chester, Ill./Chester), linebacker Kavari Cunningham (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita), linebacker Luca Gualdoni (Johnston City, Ill./Johnston City), long snapper Wyatt Hall (Maynardsville, Ill./Union County), linebacker Travis Jones (Paxton, Ill./Paxton-Buckley-Loda), linebacker Iben King (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice), defensive lineman Kevin Memminger (Philadephia, Pa./Golden West College), running back Jayden Mitchell (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway Central), tight end Antonio Munoz (Elmhurst, Ill./York), defensive back Darrwin Perkins (Crete, Ill./Marian Catholic), offensive lineman Nolan Puent (Washington, Ill./Washington), quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville), defensive lineman Shaun Reid (Centralia, Ill./Centralia), offensive lineman Jake Rich (Paxton, Ill./Paxton-Buckley-Loda), defensive back Kenneth Scarbrough II (East St. Louis, Ill./East St. Louis), receiver Tyler Siever (Carlyle, Ill./Carlyle), defensive lineman Trevon Stokes (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), linebacker Connor Thomason (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour), offensive lineman Kenny Thomason (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour), student assistant Taveous Bell (Rantoul, Ill./Rantoul), student assistant Isaac Boyd (Ste. Genevieve, Mo./Ste. Genevieve) and student assistant Dylan Powell (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg).
 
McKendree enters Saturday's home finale sporting a 5-3 overall record and a 2-2 mark in the GLVC following its come-from-behind 42-35 win last Saturday at Missouri S&T. In that game, the Bearcats trailed 35-14 going into the fourth quarter, but they rallied to score 28 points in the final 15 minutes of the game to post the win and snap a two-game losing skid. The come-from-behind win was the third this season for the Bearcats and the fifth win when trailing entering the fourth quarter since the beginning of the 2021 season.
 
Against S&T, the Bearcats ran a season-high 86 plays and gained 564 yards as they rushed 43 times for a season-high 243 yards and scored four times on the ground, while the No. 1 passing offense in Division II threw for 320 yards and had two touchdown passes and an interception. In addition, the Bearcats held a nearly 17 minute advantage (38:29 to 21:31) in time of possession.
 
Sophomore running back Narkel Leflore (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood) was the offensive star of the S&T game as he carried the ball 23 times for a career-high 180 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns, including the game-winning score on an 18-yard run with 3:05 left the contest. The three rushing touchdowns were the most for a Bearcat running back since Shayeen Edwards scored three rushing scores against Kentucky State in 2017. For his efforts in the win over the Miners, Leflore was named this week's GLVC Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Pullen had another strong day in the passing department as the Division II national leader in numerous passing categories was 24-for-43 passing for 320 yards and had two touchdown passes and an interception. He extended his streak of 300 yard passing games to five and added 22 yards rushing on 10 carries to finish with 342 yards of total offense.
 
Coming into Saturday's game with SBU, Pullen is just 16 yards shy of Isaac Fisher's single season record of 2,792 passing yards. Pullen has passed for 2,776 yards this season as he continues to lead Division II in completions per game (30.1), passing touchdowns (27), passing yards (2,776), passing yards per game (347.0), points responsible for (186), points responsible for per game (23.2) and total offense (365.1) and is second in completion percentage (.713) and seventh in passing efficiency (163.7). This season, Pullen has been responsible for 31 of McKendree's 44 touchdowns as along with his Division II leading 27 touchdown passes; he has scored four times on the ground. Additionally, he has thrown at least two touchdown passes in every game this season and has a streak of 16 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass dating to last season.
 
As a team, McKendree ranks second in Division II in passing offense (347.0 yards per game), third in completion percentage (.713 percent) and 11th in both scoring offense (40.1 points per game) and total offense (473.4 yards per game). The Bearcats have scored 30 or more points in seven of eight games this season, including three times in four GLVC contests.
 
The receiving corps has been led this season by Bachman and sophomore Yogi Flager, Jr. (Belleville, Ill./Butler University). Bachman has caught a GLVC-leading 67 passes for 661 yards and has had six touchdown catches and is averaging 79.9 yards per game and is fourth nationally in receptions per game (8.4), while Flager, Jr. leads the league in receiving yards (849), receiving touchdowns (10), receiving yards per game (106.1) and is second in receptions per game (6.6). Bachman is currently fourth among active Division II players in career receptions per game (5.9) and Flager, Jr. is 12th among active Division II players in career yards per catch (16.2).
 
Against S&T last week, Bachman and Flager, Jr. combined for 14 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown as Bachman caught eight passes for 116 yards and Flager, Jr., who was targeted 17 times, finished with six receptions for 102 yards and a 23-yard touchdown reception that tied the game at 35-all with 9:43 left in the fourth quarter.
 
Leflore leads the rushing attack for the Bearcats on the season as he has gained 639 yards on 106 carries and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry and 79.9 yards per game. Leflore, who became the 23rd Bearcat running back to gain 1,000 career yards last weekend, has scored six times on the ground, including tallying those three rushing scores last week. In addition to Leflore, Mitchell has carried the ball 41 times for 175 yards and and has scored three times, while Pullen has gained 145 yards rushing and has four rushing scores.
 
As a team, McKendree is averaging 126.4 rushing yards per game as they have gained 1,011 yards on 246 carries and is averaging 4.1 yards per carry.
 
On defense, the Bearcats are third in the league and 24th nationally in turnover margin (+6) as they have forced 14 turnovers, including picking off nine passes, which is third in the league. In addition, the Bearcats have recorded 41 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and have broken up 19 passes.
 
Leading the way defensively for the Bearcats is redshirt sophomore defensive back Andrew Sherry (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), who has had 42 tackles, including 37 solo stops and has had one tackle for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and two pass break-ups. Sophomore defensive back Brandon Wilson, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence) is next in tackles with 35 and has had one interception and one pass break-up.

Sophomore defensive back Ethan Young (Edwardsville, Ill./Edwardsville) is tied for first in the league in interceptions with three, while sophomore defensive lineman Jacob Stoneburner (Effingham, Ill./Effingham) has had with 4.5 tackles for loss and freshman defensive lineman Tanner Hollerich (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township) leads in sacks with two and has had three tackles for loss.
 
Leflore is one of six Bearcats to earn GLVC Player of the Week honors this season as Flager, Jr. was named the Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 17, while Pullen was named the Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3. Redshirt junior linebacker Luca Gualdoni (Johnston City, Ill./Johnston City), Sherry and freshman linebacker Logan Turbyfill (Cottage Hills, Ill./Civic Memorial) have each earned Defensive Players of the Week this season.
 
Meanwhile, Southwest Baptist comes into Saturday's game sporting a 3-5 overall record and a 1-2 mark in the GLVC following its 24-10 non-conference loss last Saturday at NCAA FCS member Tarleton State. The Bearcats of SBU have dropped two straight games since picking up a 44-21 home win over William Jewell on Oct. 8. In fact, since earning a 52-31 win over Lake Erie on Sept. 24, SBU has gone 1-3 with the losses coming in GLVC play at UIndy (44-17) and at Truman State (25-20). SBU is playing its third consecutive road game on Saturday as they are 1-4 on the road this season and have lost four straight road contests since its 41-17 win in the season opener at Texas-Permian Basin.
 
Following Saturday's game, McKendree will play its final two games of the 2022 campaign away from home as they travel to Kirksville, Mo., for a 12 p.m. game next Saturday, Nov. 5, before playing a non-conference game on Nov. 12 at NCAA FCS member Lindenwood University. Kickoff for the Lindenwood game is slated for 1 p.m. at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Mo.
 
ABOUT SOUTHWEST BAPTIST
Southwest Baptist comes into action having lost two straight and three of its last four games overall, including a 24-10 loss last Saturday at Tarleton State. In their five losses, the Bearcats have lost by an average of 20.4 points per game and they have allowed 38.8 points in those five losses. In addition, SBU has outgained its eight opponents by 128 yards on the season as they have gained 3,209 yards of offense and has allowed 3,081 yards.

In last Saturday's loss to Tarleton State, the Bearcats were outscored 14-3 in the second half after trailing just 10-7 at the half. SBU finished the game with 288 yards of offense as they rushed for 62 yards on 35 carries and passed for 226 yards. The 62 yards rushing was the second lowest total of the season for SBU as they were held to 33 yards rushing on 28 carries in a 44-17 loss to UIndy. 

Junior running back Abel Carter led the Bearcats' ground attack against the Texans as he finished with 75 yards and scored the lone touchdown of the game for SBU. Senior quarterback Cooper Callis was 21-for-28 passing for 226 yards and had two interceptions and no touchdowns, while senior receiver Curtis Cuillard caught a team-best five passes for 73 yards in the loss. 

Defensively, SVU held Tarleton to 291 yards of offense as they rushed for 207 yards and were held to 84 yards rushing. Three SBU's defensive players finished with double-digit tackles as senior Coleton Smith led the way with 12 tackles, including six solo stops and added a tackle for loss. Freshman safety Matt Lockard had 11 tackles, including seven solo stops and sophomore defensive back Jeran Saebolt added 10 tackles in the loss. 

Much like McKendree, Southwest Baptist enters play as one of the top passing teams in the GLVC as the Bearcats are averaging 262.6 passing yards per game, which is third in the GLVC and 23rd nationally. In addition, they are second in the league and fifth nationally in completion percentage at 68.3 percent and is scoring 28.6 points per game, which is fourth-best in the league. SBU is also one of the top teams in the red zone as they are second in the GLVC and 16th nationally in red zone offense as they have scored on 27 of their 30 (90 percent) red zone opportunities. 

Leading the way offensively for SBU is Callis, who is third in the league in completion percentage (69.3 percent) and passing efficiency (159.0) and is third in passing touchdowns (18), passing yards (2,067), passing yards per game (258.4), points responsible for (126) and total offense (273.9). On the year, Callis, who is a two-time GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, is 169-for-244 passing for 2,067 yards and has had seven interceptions and 18 touchdowns. He has also had 124 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns and has amassed 2,191 yards of total offensive yards and has had hand in 21 of SBU's 29 touchdowns. 

Callis' top target in the passing game has been Cuillard as he has caught 35 passes for 485 yards and is averaging 13.9 yards per reception and has had six touchdown receptions. In addition to Cuillard, sophomore receiver Jordan Kent has caught 29 passes for 432 yards and is averaging 14.9 yards per catch and has had three touchdown receptions. 

Carter leads the way on the ground for SBU as he has had 834 yards rushing on 154 carries and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and has scored seven touchdowns and is averaging 104.3 rushing yards per game, which is second-best in the GLVC. 

On defense, SBU is allowing 32.9 points per game and is allowing 385.1 yards per game, including allowing 190.8 yards rushing and 194.4 passing yards per game. Additionally, SBU has had 33 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and has picked off three passes and has forced five fumbles and recovered three.

Smith is the team leader in tackles with 66, including 37 solo stops and has had seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. In addition to Smith, junior defensive back Brenden Smith has had 46 tackles, five pass break-up and an interception, while Lockard has had 45 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks.

On special teams, sophomore kicker Logan Turner leads the league in both field goal percentage (90 percent) and field goals made per game (1.12). Turner is 9-for-10 on field goals and a perfect 28-for-28 on extra point attempts. Kent is third in the league in kickoff returns as he averages 21.3 yards per return and is averaging a team-best 133.4 all-purpose yards per game. 

McKendree holds a 6-1 advantage in the all-time series, including a 45-42 win last season in Bolivar, Mo. McKendree has won four straight games in the series since SBU picked up its only win in the series as they posted a 35-7 win on its home field in 2016.