Jefferson City, MO - The McKendree University football team (3-5, 3-3 GLVC) got back on the winning track Saturday afternoon, using a strong first half and a pair of late scores to secure a 30-20 victory over the Lincoln Blue Tigers (2-5, 1-4 GLVC) at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.
McKendree jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead behind three touchdowns before Lincoln made things interesting with 14 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Bearcats answered the challenge down the stretch, adding a safety and a late touchdown to put the game out of reach.
McKendree enjoyed one of their more balanced offensive performances of the season, totaling 474 yards with 303 passing and 171 rushing. McKendree also moved the chains 28 times compared to Lincoln's 18, while its defense surrendered 298 total yards.
McKENDREE SETS THE TONE EARLY
After forcing a punt on Lincoln's opening possession, McKendree needed just five plays to find the end zone. Quarterback Kendrick Lyons opened the drive with completions of 27 yards to Kamren Schumacher and 28 yards to Kendric Johnson, quickly moving the ball inside the red zone.
Johnson finished the 67-yard march with an eight-yard touchdown run on third-and-six, putting the Bearcats ahead 7-0 with 10:10 left in the opening quarter.
McKendree doubled its advantage midway through the second quarter in much quicker fashion. Taking over at its own 25-yard line following another Lincoln punt, Lyons found David Richard down the left side for a 75-yard touchdown connection. The one-play scoring drive took just 10 seconds and gave the Bearcats a 14-0 cushion.
Lincoln threatened to get on the board late in the half, putting together a 14-play drive that reached McKendree's seven-yard line. The Bearcats stood tall when it mattered most, however, as Nick Bova broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone to turn the Blue Tigers away.
With the ball backed up at their own seven and just 2:44 remaining, McKendree put together another impressive drive to close the half.
Jerry Richardson got things started with a 17-yard rush before Lyons found Richardson for 21 yards on third-and-three. The offense continued working its way downfield before Lyons took matters into his own hands, scrambling 15 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds left.
The 11-play, 93-yard drive gave McKendree a commanding 21-0 lead heading into the locker room.
BEARCATS FINISH STRONG AFTER LINCOLN RALLY
Lincoln came out of halftime with renewed energy, finding the end zone on its first full possession of the third quarter. The Blue Tigers capped a 12-play, 73-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown pass on fourth down, cutting the deficit to 21-7 with 6:55 remaining in the quarter.
The Blue Tigers found another opportunity just minutes later when Lyons was sacked and lost the football at the Lincoln 27-yard line. The ensuing fumble recovery was returned 51 yards, setting up Lincoln and the McKendree 22.
Lincoln eventually capped the short drive with a 12-yard touchdown run, bringing the Blue Tigers within seven points at 21-14 with 2:07 remaining in the third.
McKendree responded by moving the ball into Lincoln territory, but a 45-yard field goal attempt by Truman Carnine was blocked early in the fourth quarter.
The Bearcats' defense quickly forced a punt, giving the offense another chance to take control of the clock. McKendree proceeded to put together an 11-play possession that took 7:26 off the clock, with Izaias Primus providing several key runs and Lyons connecting with Daryle Jones Jr. for a 17-yard gain on third down.
Although the drive ended without points, Jesser Zepeda's punt pinned Lincoln at its own 16-yard line with 3:37 to play.
McKendree's defense made the most of the field position, holding the Blue Tigers without a gain on three consecutive plays. A mishandled fourth-down play then resulted in a 16-yard loss and a safety, giving the Bearcats a little more breathing room at 23-14.
The offense wasted little time putting the finishing touches on the victory.
Richardson broke free for a 23-yard run on the first play of the ensuing possession, and a Lincoln offsides penalty later extended the drive. Lyons then connected with Aiden Jones for a 23-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 30-14 with 1:40 remaining.
Lincoln added a touchdown on the game's final play, but McKendree had already done enough to secure the 30-20 road win.
BY THE NUMBERS
Lyons turned in another productive afternoon under center, completing 17 of 28 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns while also scoring on a 15-yard run. His three total touchdowns helped McKendree reach the 30-point mark for the fourth time this season.
Richardson led the ground game with 102 yards on 18 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt. Primus added 65 yards on 14 carries, giving the Bearcats two reliable options in the backfield throughout the afternoon.
Johnson was Lyons' favorite target, hauling in six passes for a game-high 93 yards. Richard finished with 75 yards and a touchdown on his lone reception, while Jones added two catches for 34 yards and a score.
On the defensive side, Bova was all over the field, leading McKendree with 10 tackles, including six solo stops and one tackle for loss. He also recorded a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. Cooper Zimmer followed with six tackles, while Xavier Valenzuela and Kaleb Randolph chipped in five each.
The McKendree defense also broke up eight passes, with Jaden Graham accounting for two, with Lincoln totaling 177 passing yards.
UP NEXT
McKendree returns to Leemon Field on Saturday, October 31st, at 1:00 PM for a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup against the Upper Iowa Peacocks, who today were stunned at home by a field goal with 23 seconds left against William Jewell, with the Cardinals taking the game on the road in Fayette, 19-18. With the loss, the Peacocks are now 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the GLVC. Upper Iowa won 57-7 in Fayette last season, but escaped with a narrow 28-24 win the last time they made the trip to Lebanon in 2024.Â
