Kearney, Neb. - Before going on a two-game road trip, the Nebraska-Kearney football team hosts the Southwest Baptist Bearcats Saturday morning at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

The game kicks at 11:00 a.m. Central. As usual, Dave Jenner and DJ Johnson will have the call on KRNY 102.3 FM. Fans can keep track of the game with live stats or watch via live video stream at www.americaonesports.com (for a price).

This is the first-ever meeting between the Lopers (0-7, 0-7) and SBU (1-6, 1-6) in football. The Bearcats, from Bolivar, Mo., have been a member of the MIAA since 1986 but the football program played as an independent from 2008-11.

Coming off a 6-5 campaign, SBU lost a pair of heartbreakers at home the past two weeks. On October 6th against nationally-ranked Emporia State, the Bearcats had it 1st and 10 from the Hornet 15-yard line with about 40 seconds left.

The ESU defense stiffened and stopped a 4th and 2 pass to secure a 19-15 victory.

Last week, SBU was beating Fort Hays State, 31-24, with around four minutes to go. The Tigers managed a 19 play, 86-yard drive that culminated with a game tying TD with just three seconds left. Hays then went on to win in the first overtime, 37-34.

Sixth-year head coach Keith Allen, an Oklahoma graduate, welcomed back 15 starters from a squad that went 1-4 against the MIAA last fall. That group includes 6-6 senior QB Dan Connors, who is completing 56% of his passes for 1, 133 yards (162 ypg) with seven TD's and eight INT's.

He has also rushed a team-high 78 times for two scores. The opposition has sacked Connor and backup MJ Swortwood 29 times for a loss of 197 yards.

SBU is averaging 71.0 yards on the ground with 6-0 sophomore Robert McWright (39.7 avg., two TD's) and 5-10 senior Tiras Harris (20.1 avg.) the leaders.

On the perimeter, 5-11 sophomore Derwyn Lauderdale has 41 catches for 430 yards (10.5 avg.) and three TD's. Two others have hauled in at least 25 passes, including 5-11 senior back Justin Duhaney (two TD's).

Defensively, seven starters returned from a group that gave up 26 points and 401 yards last fall. In 2012, SBU is giving up 32 points and 380 yards per game while holding three teams under 25 points.

The Bearcats rank eighth in the MIAA in pass defense as they have six picks, 16 sacks and allow 226 yards per game.

Six-two junior linebacker Shaquille Shedd is among the league leaders in tackles (68) with 6-2 junior corner Evan Ray having two INT's for 62 return yards and a TD. Finally, 6-3 senior backer Jameson Manuma has a team-best 4.5 sacks

Of note, senior safety Chris Muhammad has a 97-yard punt return for a score as well as a 97-yard kick return for a TD. Also on special teams, SBU has seen four of its punts blocked with 6-4 sophomore kicker John Colliver 3 of 5 on field goals and 13 of 15 on PAT's.

In a rare occurrence, the Lopers will start the same player -- fifth-year senior Justin Drudik (Adams Central H.S.) -- at quarterback for two games in a row.

A wide receiver by trade, Drudik's first collegiate start at his high school position yielded 294 yards passing and a rushing score last Saturday at Lincoln.

He undoubtedly will hand the ball off several times to true sophomore Ricky Trinidad (Trinity, Fla.), who has 48 carries for 266 yards the past two weeks.

Defensively, junior corner Kenny Hill (San Diego, Calif.) may return to the field after missing the last 2 1/2 games due to injury.

The three-year starter has 22 tackles (16 solo) so far this year.

UNK heads to Central Missouri next week and then steps out of the MIAA to face Division II independent South Dakota Mines the first weekend in November.