Lebanon, IL - One final afternoon at Leemon Field awaits McKendree University Football, with an opportunity to recognize its seniors and earn a home victory when Northeastern State visits Saturday, November 7th.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The Bearcats enter at 3-6 overall and 3-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference following a 31-28 loss to Upper Iowa. Northeastern State brings a 5-3 record into the nonconference matchup after winning its last two games.
GAME INFORMATION
Matchup: (RV) Northeastern State RiverHawks (5-3) at McKendree Bearcats (3-6, 3-4 GLVC)
Date: Saturday, November 7th
Time: 1:00 PM CT
Location: Leemon Field | Lebanon, Illinois
Watch: GLVCSN ($)
Listen: ESPN 99.9 FM
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Tickets: UniversityTickets
All-Time Series: Northeastern State 1, McKendree 0
Last Meeting: RiverHawks 44, Bearcats 10 (11/8/25 @ Tahlequah, OK)
AN AFTERNOON OF RECOGNITION
Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the pregame presentation honoring McKendree's football seniors. Recognition will continue at halftime for the senior members of the cheer, dance, band and color guard programs. Saturday also features Military Appreciation and a Purple Out.
For the football seniors, the occasion marks their last opportunity to compete in front of the home crowd. Their teammates will look to make that farewell a winning one before the Bearcats finish the season on the road.
KEEPING THE OFFENSE MOVING
McKendree has produced 919 yards over its last two outings, following a 474-yard performance at Lincoln with 445 against Upper Iowa. The latest effort included four touchdown drives covering at least 75 yards, showing the offense's ability to move the ball down the field.
Kendrick Lyons completed 18 of 34 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns Saturday, matching his season high for scoring throws. Kendric Johnson caught seven passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, while Kamren Schumacher supplied two receiving scores. Aiden Jones added a 75-yard touchdown reception as part of an 80-yard afternoon.
Lyons enters the weekend with 2,461 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes. Johnson leads the receiving corps with 41 catches for 662 yards, while Daryle Jones Jr. has contributed 396 yards and Quincy Hall Jr. has added 351. Schumacher and Johnson share the team lead with five touchdown receptions apiece.
Jerry Richardson provides the ground-game complement with 709 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, and an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Izaias Primus has contributed another 337 yards and two scores.
Sustaining possessions will be an important part of Saturday's matchup. McKendree has converted exactly half of its third-down opportunities this season, while Northeastern State has limited opponents to a 31.6% success rate.
BUILDING ON DEFENSIVE STANDS
The Bearcats delivered several timely stops against Upper Iowa, holding the Peacocks to one conversion in nine third-down attempts and keeping their offense out of the end zone throughout the second half.
Connor Sullivan, Kaleb Randolph, and Keaton Fort each recorded a sack. Mylan Nettles forced a fumble that Josiah Houston recovered in the end zone for a touchback, and Nick Bova finished with a team-high 12 tackles. Those contributions helped McKendree twice cut the deficit to three points after halftime.
Bova continues to pace the defense with 83 tackles, including 5.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks. Darren Pennell follows with 58 stops, while Jayden Howard has recorded 48. Limiting gains on the ground and creating more opportunities to get off the field will be priorities against an opponent that can move the ball in several ways.
ANOTHER MEETING WITH THE RIVERHAWKS
The programs met for the first time last November, when Northeastern State earned a 44-10 victory in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Saturday brings the return matchup to Lebanon.
The RiverHawks most recently defeated Langston 59-10, setting a program record with 676 yards of offense. They rushed for 389 yards and scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions after halftime.
Quarterback Donnie Smith has thrown for 2,277 yards and 18 touchdowns this fall. Deuce Roberson is his leading receiver with 60 catches for 733 yards and five scores. Defensively, Northeastern State is allowing 298.3 yards per game.
Field position also merits attention. RiverHawks punter Mo Foketi averages 49.3 yards per attempt, while McKendree's Truman Carnine enters Saturday perfect on all 36 extra-point attempts and has connected on six field goals, including a season-long 52-yarder.
UP NEXT
McKendree concludes its 2026 schedule Saturday, November 14th, a 3:00 PM kickoff at Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri.
