LEBANON, Ill. – McKendree University opened the home portion of its Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule here Saturday afternoon with a hard-fought 38-23 setback to eighth-ranked University of Indianapolis on Pink Out Day and Parents Weekend at Leemon Field.
 
With the setback, McKendree falls to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC, while UIndy falls to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the league. The setback also snapped a three-game win streak for the Bearcats.

"Today was a tough one. There is a reason why they are ranked eighth in the country. I thought we did a lot of good things today," McKendree head coach Mike Babcock said following the game. "I thought our defense for the most part continued to fight and rally to the ball and some good stuff in the run game, but the big plays continued to cause problems at times." 

Five records were set in Saturday's game with two of the records being set by redshirt junior receiver Jacob Bachman (Eureka, Ill./Eureka) as he became the school's all-time leading pass receptions as he caught a school record 18 passes for 145 yards against the Greyhounds to push his career pass reception mark to 167, which bettered the old mark of 150 set by Cameron James from 2012-15. The 18 pass receptions are the most in a game this season by any NCAA football player at any level. The previous school record for receptions in a game was 13, which was set by Tyler Brewer against Saint Joseph's (Ind.) on Sept. 27, 2014.
 
In addition to Bachman's two records for career pass receptions and single game receptions, redshirt junior Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, Ill./Shelbyville) set a new single game record for pass attempts as he threw the ball 59 in Saturday's game as he completed a single game school record 42 passes for 362 yards and he had a hand in three touchdowns to become McKendree's all-time leader in touchdowns responsible for as he has now been responsible for 90 touchdowns to better the old record of 87 set by Isaac Fisher from 2012-15.
 
The 59 pass attempts bettered the old mark of 58 set by Isaac Fisher against Saint Joseph (Ind.) in 2014, while the 42 completions bettered Pullen's old record of 41 set earlier this season against Delta State.
 
With his 362 passing yards, Pullen pushed his career total to 7,292 yards and pushed his career total offense total to 8,045 yards, which is now just 2,212 yards shy of Isaac Fisher's all-time school mark of 10,257 yards.

"Turner is one of the hardest working guys we have. I trust Turner to pretty much do anything with the ball and I think guys rally around that. He is extremely competitive," added Babcock about Pullen's play.  
 
Pullen's play helped keep the Bearcats in the game most of the day as UIndy rushed 38 times for 376 yards, including Torino Clinton carrying the ball 20 times for 272 yard and four touchdowns. Clinton entered the game as the Division II's active leader in rushing yards, all-purpose yards and is second among active Division II players in rushing touchdowns.
 
UIndy entered Saturday's game as the No .1 rushing team in the GLVC as they were averaging 266.8 yards per game, while McKendree entered as the No. 1 passing team in the league as they were averaging 343.6 yards per game.
 
For the game, McKendree was outgained, 484 to 410 as the Bearcats passed for 362 yards and Uindy had 375 yards rushing.

"For the most past, both teams played to their strengths today and I think it showed on the field," Babcock added. "We knew we would have a tough time against them in the run game, just because what they do up front and my hats off the them, they did exactly what we thought they would do."
 
McKendree won the toss and elected to defer to the second half and they off to a strong start in the game as after holding UIndy to just two yards on three plays on their game opening drive, the Bearcats would take an early lead as they scored on their first possession of the game following a 5-yard run from Pullen. The rushing score by Pullen was his 23 of his career, which is tied for fifth most in school history.
 
The Bearcats' drive began following a 16-yard punt by Ryan Zoeller that gave McKendree the ball in UIndy territory and on the first play of the drive, Pullen hooked with Bachman for a 35-yard pass reception. That reception tied Bachman with James for career receptions. The extra point by junior kicker Ryan Kastl (Washington, Ill./Washington) was missed to give the Bearcats a 6-0 lead just two-plus minutes into the game.
 
UIndy, though, would answer right back as they drove 50 yards in 12 plays and pulled within 6-3 following a 26-yard field goal by Colin Seymour.
 
The Bearcats would have a chance to push its lead to 9-3 late in the first quarter as they drove 39 yards in 12 plays, but Kastl's school-record tying 51-yard field goal attempt was just short. The field goal came after Pullen was sacked for a six-yard loss on a third-and-4 play from the UIndy 28-yard line.
 
UIndy would score its first touchdown on the first play of the second quarter as Clinton scored from five yards out just five seconds into the quarter. Clinton's score was set up by a 61-yard run on the final play of the first quarter by Connor Kinnett.
 
The 'Hounds, who are now 10-0 all-time against McKendree, pushed its lead to 16-7 following a 35-yard touchdown pass from Kinnett to Clinton with 7:01 left in the quarter. Earlier in the drive, it appeared that Clinton had scored a touchdown on a 57-yard run, but on the play, UIndy was called for a holding penalty that negated the score.
 
McKendree's decision to defer and receive the second half kickoff was a good one as they scored on its first possession of the third quarter to pull within 17-13. The scoring drive featured 10 plays and 68 yards and was capped on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Pullen to sophomore receiver Yogi Flager, Jr. (Belleville, Ill./Butler University). The touchdown by Flager, Jr., was his team-leading seventh of the season. On the drive, Pullen was 7-for-8 passing for 78 yards.
 
On the ensuing possession, Clinton scored on a 77-yard touchdown run on UIndy's first play in the third quarter to take a 24-13 lead.
 
UIndy's lead grew to 31-13 with 5:55 left in the third quarter as Clinton scored again, this time on a 1-yard plunge.
 
The Bearcats, though, wouldn't go away as they answered Clinton's score with a Kastl field goal to cut UIndy's lead to 31-16 with 2:58 left in the quarter. Kastl's field goal capped an eight-play, 50-yard drive by the Bearcats. The big play of the drive was a 28-yard rush by sophomore running back Narkel Leflore (Chatham, Ill./Glenwood). Leflore finished the day with 57 yards rushing on seven carries and averaged 8.1 yards per carry.
 
UIndy would extend its lead to 38-16 after scoring on its first possession of the fourth quarter thanks to a 25-yard touchdown run by Clinton. Clinton finished the game with 317 all-purpose yards as along with his 272 yards rushing, he caught two passes for 45 yards.

The Bearcats would answer right back as they drove 80 yards in 10 plays and capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Pullen to sophomore tight end Jordan Sprycha (Oak Lawn, Ill./Oak Lawn Community) to pull within 38-23 with 6:20 remaining in the game. The drive was aided by two pass interference penalties and a holding penalty by the 'Hounds defense.
 
Following the Sprycha score, the Bearcats attempted unsuccessfully an onside kick attempt that gave the ball to UIndy at McK's own 43-yard line. The 'Hounds' drive would stall and they would be forced to punt the ball away with 1:46 left in the game.
 
On the punt, which Zoeller downed inside the Bearcats' 3-yard line, the Bearcats had driven 36 yards in seven plays and were on their own 39-yard line when Pullen's pass was intercepted and returned 24 yards by Landry Mavungu to seal UIndy's victory.
 
In addition to Bachman's 18 receptions, Leflore caught eight passes for 47 yards, while sophomore receiver Diontay Griffin (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) caught six passes for 75 yards and Flager, Jr., also caught six passes for 58 yards.
 
While UIndy entered the game with the No. 1 rushing offense in the league, the Greyhounds also have the No. 2 ranked rushing defense in Division II as they entered the game allowing just 50.5 yards per game. The Bearcats were held to a season-low 48 yards rushing on 18 carries.
 
Along with Clinton's 272 yards rushing, Kinnett added 68 yards rushing and was 8-for-20 passing for 108 yards and had one interception and one touchdown pass. The interception came in the end zone by sophomore defensive back Brandon Wilson, Jr. (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence) late in the second quarter.
 
Wilson's interception was the seventh of the season for the Bearcats as they have a +6 turnover margin on the season.

"We preach everyday taking care of the ball and it helps that we have a senior quarterback that is having an unbelievable year," Babcock said when asked about his team's success this season taking care of the ball. 

The Bearcats, who entered the game ranked first in Division II football in third-down conversions, struggled in that area on Saturday as they were just 3-for-14 and was 3-for-4 on fourth down.
 
UIndy also sacked Pullen four times in the game, including three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss from Dylan Shelton. The 'Hounds also had 11 tackles for loss and broke up five passes,
 
McKendree's defense had four tackles for a loss in the game and was defensively by nine tackles from redshirt sophomore defensive back Andrew Sherry (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), while freshman linebacker Logan Turbyfill (Cottage Hills, Ill./Civic Memorial), who was last week's GLVC Defensive Player of the Week, had eight tackles and a tackle for a loss.
 
The Bearcats will remain at home next Saturday, Oct. 15 as they host Quincy University for a 3 p.m. GLVC contest at Leemon Field. McKendree will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the return to intercollegiate football at halftime, which will include honoring the school's 25th Anniversary Football Team that was announced in late August before the start of the 2022 season.