Fayette, IA - As the calendar turns to November and the GLVC race tightens, the McKendree University Football team (4-4, 4-2 GLVC) heads north for a conference clash with the Upper Iowa Peacocks (6-2, 4-1 GLVC), who are receiving votes in the latest AFCA National Poll. The Bearcats, winners of three of their last four and fresh off a 54-48 Homecoming shootout, travel to Fayette for a showdown with a resurgent Peacocks squad sitting near the top of the standings and eyeing back-to-back postseason-caliber finishes. With momentum on both sidelines, elite playmakers at the skill positions, and two of the league's most explosive offenses, Saturday's matchup carries all the markings of a pivotal late-season measuring stick for McKendree's rise and Upper Iowa's push to stay in the mix. The game is set for an early 11:00 AM kickoff from Harms-Eischeid Stadium.
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RECAPPING LINCOLN
McKendree rolls into the November slate of games with momentum after that 54-48 Homecoming win over Lincoln that erupted into 102 combined points, the most in a Bearcat game since the 125-point 63-62 OT classic with Quincy in 2022. The Bearcats leapt out to a 28-0 first quarter lead, then leaned on four touchdown passes from
Ty Michael and a 147-yard rushing day by
Eddie Clark, punctuated by Clark's 61-yard burst early in the fourth. The defense supplied the closer: double-digit tackles-for-loss, four sacks, a fumble-return touchdown from
Tanner Hollerich,
Payton Denny's defensive two-point return, and a final stand that iced it.
Chase Reeves was 1-for-1 on field goals and 7-for-7 on PATs. He (special teams) and Clark (offensive) were both named GLVC Players of the Week for their respective performances.
UPDATES ON McKENDREE
The Bearcats' identity is sharpening: an explosive air game, a surging ground game, and a havoc-wreaking front. McKendree enters the week averaging 396.0 yards per game and 294.8 through the air, second in the GLVC, with Michael up to 2,265 passing yards and among the national leaders in volume. Clark leads the GLVC in rushing yards and has now stacked weekly awards onto his 2025 resume. On defense, McKendree is tied for the league lead with 21 sacks and sits among the nation's best in tackles-for-loss per game, driven by
Dameion Hatten's top-two national TFL pace. In the third phase,
Chase Reeves has been money - tied for fourth nationally in field goals per game, with McKendree ranking Top 15 in net punting and top-10 in kickoff returns.
SCOUTING UPPER IOWA
Upper Iowa is built on efficiency and a surly front seven. The Peacocks just ripped off 21 unanswered to win 28-10 at William Jewell behind quarterback Darryl Overstreet Jr., who is completing 74.3% of his throws - first nationally - and distributing to a deep group headlined by Mante Morrow and Lonny Melvin Jr.. The run game is committee-strong, and the defense has posted four sacks in back-to-back weeks while holding three of their last four opponents under 50 rushing yards. Edge disruptors Shaquille Roman (defending GLVC player of the week) and Demontay Mack headline a front that flips series' with negative plays.
SERIES HISTORY
Though this series is still in its infancy, it's already carried a flair for drama. Since Upper Iowa joined the GLVC in 2023, the teams have split the first two meetings in near-mirror fashion. McKendree drew first blood in 2023 with a 41-34 overtime thriller in Fayette, rallying late before sealing it in extra time. Upper Iowa answered in 2024 with a late comeback of its own in Lebanon, slipping away 28-24 and evening the series at 1-1. Across just two games, the programs have combined for more than 110 points, with both matchups hinging on late-game execution - an early indication of what this series could become long-term. It may quietly become one of the league's more entertaining November-style rivalries.
McKENDREE'S KEYS TO THE GAME
Start Fast - Keep the Throttle Down
UIU's defense tightens after the first quarter. An early rhythm like the 28-0 blitz vs. Lincoln sets the tone.
Win First Down
Staying on-schedule neutralizes UIU's pass rush packages and keeps Clark/Michael in the full menu.
Choke the Run to force Third and Long
UIU rides balance. Gap integrity and gang-tackling put Overstreet into tighter windows.
Pressure with Discipline
Collapse the pocket without busts - Overstreet punishes free runners with hot answers.
Leverage Special Teams
Field position is a swing state. Reeves and the return game can steal hidden yards and points.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
This is a late-season measuring stick with standings weight. McKendree has won three of four to climb into the league's top half and now gets a road shot at a team sitting second in the GLVC. A Bearcat win tightens the race for a top-three finish and sharpens a potentional postseason resume. A Peacock win would fortify their regional profile and sustain their push for November football with national stakes. Either way, the matchup pairs one of the GLVC's most dynamic passing attacks with one of its singiest, most opportunistic defenses - exactly the kind of November test that reveals who's ready for the stretch run.
