Kearney, Neb. – For the first and last time, the Nebraska-Kearney football team will host the Lincoln University Blue Tigers.

Saturday's game kicks off at 1:00 p.m. from Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field. Live stats and the America One broadcast are available as is the usual KRNY broadcast.

An HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) located in Jefferson City, Mo., the Blue Tigers (1-5, 0-5) are leaving the MIAA in football after the 2013 season for the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

The GLVC, which just began sponsoring football, also features former MIAA member Truman State. Current MIAA member Southwest Baptist is also joining the GLVC in football starting with the 2014 season.

Lincoln's lone win this fall came at Arrowhead Stadium over FCS-member Grambling (La.) State, 47-34. In a contest dubbed "The Missouri Classic," 5-9 junior back Morris Henderson returned a second quarter kick 103 yards for six points.

He is among the top back in the MIAA this fall, averaging an even 100.0 yards rushing per game with seven TD's.  

Lincoln is led by third-year head coach Mike Jones, a former star at Missouri who played 12 years in the NFL with the Rams, Raiders and Steelers.

In Super Bowl XXXIV, he made "The Tackle," a stop at the one-yard line in the closing seconds to give the Rams a 23-16 victory.

Besides Henderson, his offense includes a pair of dual threat QB's in 6-2 senior Percy Turner and 6-3 junior Jacob Morris. The duo averages 231 passing yards per game with eight TD's while rushing for three scores and 60 yards every week.

In Lincoln's 34-27 win over the Lopers last year, Morris threw for 298 yards and two TD's while also running for 48 yards and one TD. That was the first-ever matchup between LU and UNK in football.

Defensively, sophomore corner Markuice Savage had seven tackles and three INT's for 54 yards in last year's contest. He currently has 44 tackles and three PBU's.

Besides Savage, senior ILB Kendrick Causey has made 63 tackles and is part of a unit that has forced eight fumbles.
That 2012 game in Jeff City was more than unique as it kicked off on the Blue Tigers home field (natural grass) but stopped at half time for 3 ½ hours due to severe weather.

Because of lights, the second half was played across the street at Jefferson City High (turf surface). Scoring 21 points over the final two quarters, Lincoln's defense turned UNK away seven times from inside the 38-yard line.

That includes in the closing seconds when Savage snagged a pass at the Blue Tiger one-yard line. UNK rushed for 210 yards with senior Justin Drudik, in his only collegiate start at QB, throwing for 294 yards and a score.

Drudik is one of 11 different players to play QB for the Loper since the start of last season. The long list includes Tyler D'Amore, Matt Berry, Sam Brauer, Davis Brendel, Sean Flanagan, Aric Kaiser, Tyler McKeone, Luke McNitt, Bronson Marsh and Kevin Romero.

By way of comparison, UNK had 13 QB's from 2005-11.  

Currently seventh in the MIAA in rushing (193.0 ypg), the Lopers welcome the return of defensive backs Traysean Alexander (Antioch, Calif.) and Kenny Hill (San Diego, Calif.) this week.

A four-year starter and co-captain, Hill suffered an injury after making a pick in the season-opener vs. Washburn. Alexander replaced him in the lineup but hasn't suited up since the Missouri Western State contest on September 21st.

Last week vs. FCS-member Central Arkansas, the Loper defense held the Bears scoreless in the second quarter. A span of five first half UCA drives yielded just 83 yards (3.2 per play). The Bears then amassed just 11 yards over its' final three drives, all "three & outs."

Next Saturday, UNK heads to Bolivar, Mo., for the first and last time to take on the SBU Bearcats (1-5, 1-4). That contest also starts at 1:00 p.m.