Hillsdale, MI - For the second consecutive week, McKendree University Football is headed to the state of Michigan.
This time, however, the Bearcats arrive with something they did not have a week ago: game film.
McKendree (0-1) continues its season-opening road swing Saturday, September 5th, traveling to Frank "Muddy" Waters Stadium for a game against Hillsdale College (0-0). The matchup will be the Chargers' season opener and the third all-time meeting between the programs, with the series tied at one win apiece.
The Bearcats enter Week One looking to build on several encouraging developments from their 48-24 season-opening loss at Saginaw Valley State, particularly an offense that began to find its footing after halftime.
WEEK ONE GAME INFORMATION
McKendree (0-1) @ Hillsdale (0-0)
Saturday, September 5th - 11:00 AM CST
at Muddy Waters Stadium - Hillsdale, MI
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LYONS, PASSING ATTACK EMERGE IN OPENER
There was plenty of unknown surrounding McKendree's offense entering the season following the graduation of multi-year starting quarterback Ty Michael and the departure of running back Eddie Clark.
Sophomore quarterback Kendrick Lyons provided an early answer in his first start.
Lyons completed 19-of-34 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns without an interception against Saginaw Valley State, with all three scores coming after halftime. McKendree, which trailed 27-3 at the break, played the Cardinals even at 21-21 over the final two quarters.
The production was spread across a receiving corps mixing returning experience with new contributors. Quincy Hall Jr. led McKendree with seven receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Kendric Johnson made an immediate impact with four catches for 71 yards and two scores. Aiden Jones added three receptions for 66 yards, giving the Bearcats three receivers with at least 65 yards in the opener.
That performance has McKendree ranked second among GLVC teams in passing offense through Week Zero, while Lyons enters Saturday ranked second individually in the conference with his 259 yards and three touchdowns.
GROUND GAME LOOKS FOR MORE
While the passing game found success, establishing more balance will be among McKendree's objectives in Hillsdale.
The Bearcats were held to 58 rushing yards on 22 attempts against Saginaw Valley State. Lyons actually finished as McKendree's leading rusher with 24 yards, followed by freshman Izaias Primus with 21 yards on five carries. The running back trio of Primus, Jerry Richardson, and Philip Shaw combined for 34 yards.
McKendree's offensive line will also face an experienced Hillsdale defensive front that returns every Charger responsible for recording a sack in 2025.
That group is headlined by senior defensive end Drake Badger, who recorded 10 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last season. Sophomore Jayden Njoroge added four sacks as a freshman, while veteran defensive linemen Neal Likens and Evan Bienick also return.
Behind them, linebacker Jacob Vance returns after leading Hillsdale in tackles for a third consecutive season, finishing 2025 with 70.
LIMITING THE BIG PLAY
The most immediate area of improvement on the opposite side of the football is the big play.
McKendree allowed six plays of at least 25 yards against Saginaw Valley State, helping the Cardinals accumulate 557 yards of total offense in the opener. SVSU rushed for 249 yards and threw for another 308, averaging 8.6 yards per offensive play.
The Bearcats will nevertheless have several Week Zero performances to build around.
Mylan Nettles recorded a game-high 11 tackles, including six solo stops, while senior linebacker Nick Bova finished with nine tackles and McKendree's lone sack. Bova enters his senior season after earning Second Team All-GLVC honors in 2025.
For McKendree, Saturday's challenge will be preventing those explosive gains against a Hillsdale offense returning many of its most productive pieces.
CHARGERS BRING BACK PLENTY OF FIREPOWER
Unlike McKendree, Hillsdale enters Saturday without a 2026 result on its ledger, making the Bearcats the Chargers' first opponent of the season.
There is, however, no shortage of established personnel to scout.
Quarterback Colin McKernan returns after throwing for 2,068 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.
Running back Ben Ngishu is also back following a freshman campaign in which he rushed for a team-high 794 yards and five touchdowns while averaging five yards per carry.
Then there is Shea Ruddy.
One of Division II's most versatile players, Ruddy caught 43 passes for a team-leading 695 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 while also contributing as a runner and passer. His biggest impact came on special teams, where he accumulated 960 kickoff return yards and three touchdowns, leading all levels of college football in kickoff-return yardage. He became the first Hillsdale player of its NCAA Division II era to earn consensus All-America and Academic All-America honors in the same season.
Tutt Carrico gives McKernan another proven option after totaling 580 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Those returning weapons helped Hillsdale average 336.7 yards per game in 2025, and the Chargers finished the year 6-6 after winning four consecutive games late in the regular season to earn a berth in the Albanese Candy Bowl.
A REMATCH 364 DAYS LATER
McKendree should need little reminding of what happened the last time these teams shared a field.
Hillsdale visited Leemon Field on September 6th, 2025 and built a 14-0 halftime advantage before the Bearcats mounted a second-half comeback.
McKendree eventually moved in front, 17-14, on a field goal with 5:26 remaining. The lead lasted until the final 69 seconds, when McKernan connected with Carrico for a 50-yard touchdown that ultimately gave Hillsdale a 22-17 victory.
The loss evened a series McKendree had led since winning the programs' first meeting, 24-21, at Hillsdale in 2017.
Saturday therefore serves as both a rematch and another opportunity for a young Bearcat team to establish its identity before conference play arrives.
ONE MORE BEFORE THE BYE
McKendree's trip to Hillsdale completes an unusual opening stretch that sends the Bearcats to Michigan twice in nine days.
After Saturday, McKendree will have a week off before returning to Leemon Field for its home and GLVC opener on September 19 against No. 9 UIndy.
Before turning its attention toward conference play, the immediate objective is taking the positives that emerged during the final 30 minutes at Saginaw Valley State and pairing them with a cleaner performance on the other side of the football.
