Rolla, MO - The McKendree University football team returns to the road on Saturday, October 17th, traveling to Rolla, Missouri for a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup against the Missouri S&T Miners. The Bearcats will look to bounce back from a high-scoring Homecoming defeat against Southwest Baptist, while seeking their third conference victory of the 2026 campaign. McKendree enters the weekend having won two of its last four games, including a thrilling overtime victory against Quincy and a home triumph over then-(RV) Indianapolis. 

GAME INFORMATION
 Matchup: McKendree (2-4, 2-2) at Missouri S&T (0-6, 0-4)
Date: Saturday, October 17th, 2026
Kickoff: 1:00 PM CT
Location: Rolla, Missouri
Venue: Allgood-Bailey Stadium
Watch: GLVCSN ($)
Listen: 104.9 ESPN-FM
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Tickets: VivenU

LAST TIME OUT - OFFENSE SHINES IN HOMECOMING SHOOTOUT
McKendree put together one of its most productive offensive performances of the season on Saturday, but ultimately fell to Southwest Baptist, 55-45, at Leemon Field. The Bearcats accumulated 514 yards of total offense, including 401 through the air, and scored six touchdowns against the visiting Bearcats. 

Sophomore quarterback Kendrick Lyons completed 20 of his 35 passing attempts for 401 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with eight different receivers throughout the afternoon. Daryle Jones Jr. led the receiving corps with five catches for 141 yards, while Michale Sutton hauled in four receptions for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Quincy Hall Jr. and Kamren Schumacher also caught touchdown passes. 

On the ground, Jerry Richardson carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards and two touchdowns, while Izaias Primus added 53 yards on 10 attempts. Freshman kicker Truman Carnine connected on a 52-yard field goal in the opening quarter and finished a perfect 6-for-6 on extra-point attempts. 

Despite McKendree's offensive production, Southwest Baptist totaled 555 yards, including 446 passing yards, to secure the conference win. Defensively, Nick Bova led McKendree with 14 total tackles, while Darren Pennell added 11 and Jayden Howard contributed nine. 

BEARCAT OFFENSE CONTINUES TO PRODUCE
Through six games, McKendree has accumulated 2,396 yards of total offense, averaging 399.3 yards per game. The Bearcats have been particularly effective through the air, totaling 1,637 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns while averaging 272.8 passing yards per game. 

The offensive production has increased in recent weeks, with McKendree surpassing 400 yards of total offense in each of its last three games. The Bearcats recorded 424 yards against William Jewell, 454 against Quincy, and a season-high 514 against Southwest Baptist.

McKendree has also enjoyed considerable success extending possessions, converting 41 of 79 third-down opportunities for a 51.9% success rate. That includes an 8-for-13 performance against Southwest Baptist, marking the team's highest single-game third-down conversion percentage of the season. 

The Bearcats will look to carry that offensive momentum into Saturday's game while improving their consistency on the defensive side of the football. 

SCOUTING MISSOURI S&T
Missouri S&T enters Saturday's matchup seeking its first victory of the 2026 season following a 48-14 defeat at Indianapolis on October 10th. The Miners fell behind 34-7 at halftime and were unable to overcome the Greyhounds' offensive production. 

Quarterback Eli Scott threw a pair of touchdown passes in the defeat, connecting with Tyler Gioia for a 16-yard score in the opening quarter before finding Sam Ryan for a 25-yard touchdown in the third. 

Despite its winless record, Missouri S&T has been competitive in several conference matchups. The Miners narrowly fell to Southwest Baptist, 31-28, on September 26th before dropping a 39-37 decision at Upper Iowa the following weekend. 

Through six games, Missouri S&T averages 330.8 yards of total offense and 21.7 points per game, including 157.5 rushing yards and 173.3 passing yards per game. Defensively, the Miners allowed 402.2 yards and 38.2 points per game. 

Saturday will mark the Miners' first home appearance since their September 26th matchup with Southwest Baptist and their annual Homecoming Game, following consecutive road trips to Upper Iowa and Indianapolis. 

BEARCATS LOOK TO CAPITALIZE ON OPPORTUNITY
Saturday's matchup presents McKendree with an opportunity to return above .500 in GLVC play and secure its first road win of the season and first since last year's matchup against Southwest Baptist (0-5 since). 

The Bearcats have already demonstrated their ability to compete in closely contested conference games, defeating Indianapolis 35-31 on September 19th before earning a 46-43 overtime win over Quincy on October 3rd. McKendree's conference losses have come by seven points at William Jewell and 10 points against Southwest Baptist. 

With the offense coming off its highest-scoring regulation performance of the season, McKendree will look to build on its recent production while limiting the explosive plays that proved costly against Southwest Baptist. 

Following Saturday's trip to Rolla, the Bearcats will remain on the road for an October 24th conference matchup at the Lincoln Blue Tigers in Jefferson City, Missouri.