Lebanon, IL - No tricks, just football. The McKendree University football team returns to Leemon Field on Halloween afternoon, Saturday, October 31, welcoming Upper Iowa for a 1 p.m. Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) showdown.
The Bearcats enter the weekend fresh off a 30-20 victory at Lincoln, snapping a three-game losing streak and giving head coach Jason Rejfek's squad some momentum heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.
Upper Iowa, meanwhile, has been living through its own version of a Halloween thriller. Six of the Peacocks' eight contests have been decided by two points or fewer, including a heartbreaking 19-18 loss to William Jewell last Saturday.
With both teams looking to strengthen their position in a tightly contested GLVC race, Saturday's matchup promises plenty of suspense.
GAME INFORMATION
Matchup: Upper Iowa Peacocks (4-4, 3-2 GLVC) at McKendree Bearcats (3-5, 3-3 GLVC)
Date: Saturday, October 31st
Time: 1:00 PM CT
Location: Leemon Field | Lebanon, Illinois
Watch: GLVCSN ($)
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Tickets: UniversityTickets
All-Time Series: Upper Iowa leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Upper Iowa 57, McKendree 7 (November 1, 2025)
LAST TIME OUT - BEARCATS ESCAPE JEFFERSON CITY WITH VICTORY
McKendree brought home a much-needed treat from Jefferson City last Saturday, defeating Lincoln 30-20 behind another productive afternoon from quarterback Kendrick Lyons and running back Jerry Richardson.
Lyons accounted for three touchdowns in the victory, completing 17 of 28 passes for 303 yards and two scores while adding a 15-yard touchdown run. The sophomore continued to provide the spark for McKendree's offense, helping the Bearcats return to the win column for the first time since their October 3 overtime victory against Quincy.
Richardson provided plenty of trouble for the Blue Tigers' defense, carrying the ball 18 times for 102 yards. The Collinsville, Illinois, native recorded his latest 100-yard performance as McKendree finished with its third conference victory of the season.
The Bearcat defense also delivered one of its better performances of the fall, limiting Lincoln to 298 yards of total offense and a season-low 20 points allowed.
A NIGHTMARE FOR OPPOSING DEFENSES
If opposing defensive coordinators are looking for something frightening this Halloween, McKendree's passing attack might do the trick.
Lyons has thrown for 2,136 yards and 17 touchdowns through eight games, completing 59.1 percent of his attempts. Add in three rushing scores, and the Belleville, Illinois, native has personally accounted for 20 touchdowns this season.
He has plenty of weapons at his disposal, beginning with freshman Kendric Johnson, who leads the receiving corps with 34 catches for 532 yards and four touchdowns. Daryle Jones Jr. follows with 365 yards on 26 receptions, while Quincy Hall Jr. has added 351 yards and three scores.
The Bearcats have also made a habit of keeping drives alive. McKendree has converted 54 of its 106 third-down opportunities, a 50.9 percent success rate. That figure climbs to an impressive 65.5 percent during the third quarter, where the Bearcats have moved the chains on 19 of 29 attempts.
RICHARDSON BRINGING THE FRIGHT
Richardson has been a monster out of the backfield this season, leading McKendree with 616 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 110 carries.
The junior is averaging 5.6 yards per attempt and has established himself as one of the Bearcats' most versatile offensive threats.
His impact stretches well beyond the ground game, too. Richardson has scored eight total touchdowns this season, finding the end zone as a runner, receiver, and kickoff returner. He also leads McKendree with 877 all-purpose yards.
Freshman Izaias Primus has provided another option in the backfield, contributing 317 yards and two touchdowns on 69 carries.
Together, the Bearcat rushing attack will look to establish a rhythm against an Upper Iowa defense allowing 142.6 yards per game on the ground.
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
Upper Iowa arrives in Lebanon with a 4-4 overall record, although that mark hardly tells the whole story of the Peacocks' season.
Four of Upper Iowa's games have been decided by a single point, while two others have finished with a two-point margin. In fact, the Peacocks' four losses have come by a combined six points.
Following narrow defeats against Missouri Southern State, Michigan Tech and Lincoln, Upper Iowa rattled off three consecutive conference victories against Missouri S&T, Truman State and Southwest Baptist.
That streak came to an agonizing end last Saturday.
Facing William Jewell in Fayette, the Peacocks carried an 18-3 advantage into the fourth quarter before the Cardinals mounted a comeback worthy of a Hollywood thriller. Jewell scored 16 unanswered points, including a 30-yard field goal with just 23 seconds remaining, to steal a 19-18 victory.
Upper Iowa actually outgained William Jewell 334-255 and held the football for more than 33 minutes, but managed just one third-down conversion in nine attempts.
For the Peacocks, the challenge Saturday will be finding a way to finish a close game on the right side of the scoreboard.
BEWARE OF THE PEACOCKS
Upper Iowa's offense runs through quarterback Zamar Wise, who presents a dual-threat challenge for McKendree's defense.
Wise has completed 111 of 182 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns while also leading the Peacocks with 575 rushing yards and seven scores. His 1,917 combined passing and rushing yards account for a significant portion of Upper Iowa's offensive production.
Running back Jayden Gordon has added 223 yards and six touchdowns on the ground, while Ronald Wilson Jr. has contributed 207 rushing yards.
Through the air, LJ Nyenow Jr. leads the Peacocks with 416 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 25 receptions. Camden Hungerholt has added 225 yards, while Wilson Jr. has chipped in another 190.
Upper Iowa averages 29.1 points and 332.8 yards per contest, with its ground game accounting for 21 of the team's 30 offensive touchdowns.
Defensively, the Peacocks have been particularly effective at forcing turnovers, collecting 10 interceptions through eight games. Jalen Hodo leads that effort with three picks, including one returned for a touchdown.
THE DEFENSE AWAKENS
McKendree's defense has shown encouraging signs over its last two outings, putting together consecutive performances that represent a noticeable improvement from earlier in the season.
After limiting Missouri S&T to 284 yards on October 17, the Bearcats followed with another strong effort against Lincoln, surrendering just 298 yards.
That two-game stretch works out to an average of 291 yards allowed, a significant improvement for a unit that has faced several explosive offenses throughout the fall.
The challenge this week will be containing Wise, particularly when plays break down, and the Upper Iowa quarterback looks to create opportunities with his legs.
The Peacocks have also been difficult to stop near the goal line, converting 30 of their 33 red-zone opportunities into points. Keeping Upper Iowa out of scoring position could go a long way toward determining Saturday's outcome.
GHOSTS OF HALLOWEEN PAST
Saturday marks the fourth all-time meeting between McKendree and Upper Iowa, with the Peacocks holding a 2-1 advantage in the series.
The most recent matchup is one the Bearcats would prefer to leave buried.
Upper Iowa claimed a 57-7 victory in Fayette on November 1, 2025, scoring 43 unanswered points before McKendree broke through in the fourth quarter.
The Peacocks accumulated 580 yards of total offense in that contest, including 345 through the air. McKendree's lone touchdown came on an 11-yard run by Philip Shaw.
This time around, the Bearcats will have the benefit of playing in front of their home crowd, where they have posted a 2-1 record this season.
UP NEXT
Following Saturday's Halloween matchup, McKendree will remain at Leemon Field for its final home game of the 2026 season, welcoming Northeastern State on Saturday, November 7, at 1 p.m., with Senior Day festivities occurring pregame.
The Bearcats will then close the regular season on the road against Truman State on Saturday, November 14, with kickoff scheduled for 3 p.m. in Kirksville, Missouri.
