Kearney, Neb. - The Nebraska-Kearney football team has its longest road trip of the season this Saturday as it travels 10 hours South to face the Lindenwood Lions in suburban St. Louis.

This is the first-ever athletic match-up between the Lopers (0-4, 0-4) and Lions (3-1, 2-1), a former NAIA powerhouse and fellow MIAA newcomer.

Kick off is slated for 1:30 p.m.  in St Charles, Mo., about 25 miles from St. Louis. As usual, Dave Jenner and DJ Johnson will have the call on KRNY 102.3 FM. Fans can also watch the action, for a price, by logging on to UNK's America One page or keep track of the game with live stats.

Lindenwood is playing an unprecedented fourth straight home game. They began the year with a road win at Lincoln, 49-28, and then picked up another league victory the following week, 35-12 over Southwest Baptist.

After dropping a 35-28 decision to MIAA power Central Missouri, Lindenwood rallied from 17 down to beat Glenville State of West Virginia, 28-24, last Friday.

Offensively, the Lions have six senior starters with JUCO transfer Ben Gomez (6-0, 200 lbs.) directing a pass-happy unit. So far, he is averaging 297 yards per game with eight TD's and five INT's.

The California native is completing 61% of his passes but has been sacked 12 times. The Lions also have 13 fumbles, losing seven of them.

The skill positions players are led by senior TB Denodus O'Bryant (5-9, 190 lbs.), who leads the Lions in rushing (79.2 ypg and six TD's) and also has caught 10 balls for 116 yards and has a 100-yard kick return for a score.
    
Next, senior "Z" receiver Andrew Helmick (6-0, 197 lbs.) has 22 catches for 314 yards and three TD's with senior "H" receiver Matt Angell (5-11, 180 lbs.) at 18 grabs for 291 yards and three scores.

The Lions also have six senior starters on defense. The group has registered 15 sacks, picked of six passes and forced four fumbles so far this fall.

An experienced secondary features 6-2 junior corner, Pierre Desir who has four INT's for 79 yards, seven PBU's and 21 tackles.

True freshman ILB Connor Harris (6-3, 230 lbs.) had a team-high 36 tackles, including 2.5 TFL, with sophomore OLB Dillon Hawkins (6-0, 215 lbs.) second in this area at 29.  Up front, senior NG Malach Radigan (6-2, 280 lbs.) had registered three sacks, tied for the team lead with senior end Cody Reider (6-2, 210 lbs.).

UNK's offense gets a boost this week as senior "X" receiver Adam Lehner (Hastings) and center/guard Parker Jolly (Ft. Collins Colo.) return from the disabled list. A co-captain, Jolly has missed the last three games while Lehner has sat out the last two.

Lehner, in about 1 1/2 games work, has caught 11 balls for 133 yards and three TD's. Despite missing two weeks, he lead the team in TD catches while ranking second in receiving yards and overall receptions.

Junior southpaw Matt Berry (McCook) will again start at QB after racking up 248 yards of total offense last week against NW Missouri State. There is a good chance he'll complete passes to a herd of Lopers as 14 different players have caught a pass this season.

Defensively, the Lopers hope to create a few turnovers in Missouri. After tying for the nation's lead in turnovers created (41) last season, Kearney has forced only two fumbles and picked off just one pass through four games.

UNK also wants to get to the opponent's QB more often as they have five sacks, including three last week, this year.

Individually, senior free safety Sam Kuck (Central City) has made a team-best 42 stops with junior ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) second in this area at 29. This pair, in their careers, have combined for 352 tackles.

Next Saturday, UNK welcomes in Truman State at 2:30 p.m. in the "MIAA Game of the Week." It'll mark the Lopers second and last t.v. game of the 2012 season.