LEBANON, Ill. – The Bearcats welcomed the Upper Iowa University Peacocks to Leemon Field for their senior day and final home game of the 2024 campaign. UIU came out on top by the score of 28-24 thanks to three touchdowns in the final stanza.

Before the game, McKendree honored 21 seniors for their dedication and service to the program.

The opening stanza was quiet offensively as neither team was able to put points on the board. It took until under five minutes remaining in the half for Ty Michael to find Kendall Abdur-Rahman on a 24-yard strike to end the 14 play, 96-yard drive.

After leading by the lone score of the game at the break, UIU finished off an 11 play drive on a 2-yard pass to tie the game. The Bearcats responded two and a half minutes later with Michael from Abdur-Rahman once more, this time from 26 yards out.

With 15 minutes left to play, McKendree led 14-7 and they were in the middle of a drive. Kaleb Barry hit a 29-yard field goal to give the Bearcats a two possession lead at 17-7. With nine minutes left to play, UIU made it a three point game with Darryl Overstreet, Jr's second touchdown pass of the game. The Peacocks were able to pick off a McKendree pass and take over at their own 41-yard line. They took advantage of the field position to go up 21-17. The Bearcats were fighting with the one yard touchdown run from Eddie Clark with under two minutes to go. UIU got the ball back after a big return and a McKendree penalty, which left them with 31 yards to go for the win. Overstreet punched in a two yard run to make the game 28-24.

A couple of more Bearcats etched their name in the football program's history during the game. Running back Eddie Clark becomes only the fifth Bearcat 1,000 yard rusher in a single season. Yogi Flager continued his historic career with passing Jacob Bachman for the most receiving yards in program history.