Lebanon, IL - McKendree University Football (4-4, 4-2 GLVC) celebrated Homecoming with a 54-48 win over the Lincoln Blue Tigers (2-6, 0-5 GLVC), a back-and-forth showcase that produced 102 combined points - the most in a Bearcat game since the 125-point OT nailbiter against Quincy in 2022 (63-62 Hawks). McKendree's 54 points are also the most since that aforementioned 62 point game. Ty Michael threw for four touchdowns, Eddie Clark stacked 147 rushing yards with a 61-yard burst in the fourth, and the defense delivered the final stand, including a couple clutch tackles-for-loss from Nick Bova to close it out. 

McKendree blitzed out to a 28-0 first-quarter lead. Michael opened with a 28-yard TD to Clark at 13:12, Philip Shaw powered in from a yard out at 3:16, and Michael found Brylan Apholone from 20 yards at 2:09. The quarter capped with a defensive jolt - Tanner Hollerich fell on a fumble created by pressure from Dameion Hatten at 1:10. 

Lincoln steadied itself in the second. Will King III punched in from a yard out at 11:07, and an 84-yard fumble return by Jeremiah Gill flipped momentum to make it 28-14. McKendree regrouped with a 46-yard Chase Reeves field goal at 2:48, then re-established control just before halftime as Mcihael hit Michale Sutton from 18 yards out with 47 seconds left for a 38-14 lead at the break. 

The third quarter turned into a shootout. Lincoln opened with another King III short-yardage TD at 11:47, but McKendree answered in two snaps, capped by Michael's 22-yard strike to Apholone at 11:18. The Blue Tigers kept charging - JaDarrius Thomas' 8-yard TD at 4:27 and a 44-yard Jaylen Thomas-to-Marcus Harris connection with one second left pulled it to 47-34 after McKendree's Payton Denny returned the conversion try for two points the other way. 

Early in the fourth, Clark changed the math with a 61-yard house call at 14:42 to make it 54-34. Lincoln answered with Thomas' 41-yard spring at 13:35, then used an Isaiah Franklin 96-yard interception return to set up a 4-yard Jaylen Thomas touchdown to Jaden Holloway at 5:17 - slicing the margin to 54-48 and setting up a nerve-wracking finish. 

From there, the Bearcats' defense authored the closer. With Lincoln driving, McKendree's front produced negative plays and a sack sequence, and the Blue Tigers' final series ended on downs in the closing seconds. Bova wound up pacing the defensive unit not just with those timely TFLs, but also with his full-game stat line, and Ty Michael was able to take a knee and run the last few seconds out for the victory. 

BEARCAT STATISTICAL NOTABLES
Offensive Leaders
Ty Michael | 21-for-42, 284 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Eddie Clark | 16 carries, 147 yards (9.2 average), 1 rush TD, 1 receiving TD

Defensive Leaders
Nick Bova | 10 tackles (7 solo), 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks
Tanner Hollerich | 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery TD

Special Teams Leaders
Chase Reeves | 1-1 FG (46 yards), 7-for-7 PATs, 5 punts for 47.4 average, 7 kickoffs for 57 average
Eric Dickerson Jr. | 3 returns for 118 yards (39.3 average)

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
@ Upper Iowa Peacocks (6-2, 4-1 GLVC)
Saturday, November 1st - 11:00 AM
at Harms-Eischeid Stadium - Fayette, IA
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN)
Live Stats (Sidearm Sports)
Tickets (UIU Ticket Zone)