Kearney, Neb. - For a second straight week, the Nebraska-Kearney football team takes on an opponent who is leaving the MIAA at the end of the season for the GLVC (Great Lakes Valley Conference).

UNK (2-5, 2-4) plays at Southwest Baptist (1-6, 1-5) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. from Plaster Stadium in Bolivar, Mo. This is UNK's first-ever trip to Bolivar and just the second time the Lopers and Bearcats have met on the grid iron.

Live stats and the America One broadcast are available as is the usual KRNY broadcast.

Last year in Kearney, SBU led 20-13 with around eight minutes left before the Lopers for 21 unanswered points to win. That included a "pick six" and UNK recovering a fumbled punt deep in Bearcat territory.

This year's SBU squad is led by first year head coach Craig Schuler, the former offensive coordinator at MIAA-member Lindenwood. The 'Cats knocked off Missouri Southern State, 38-33, for an impressive victory and dropped its first two games by a combined 11 points.

However, SBU has lost three straight and is giving up 54.3 points per game during that stretch. For the fall, the 'Cats allow 47 points and 480 yards per game and have seen the opponent rush for 28 TD's.

Recording four sacks to date, SBU is led by 6-3 senior backer Shaquille Shedd. His 61 tackles (34 solo) are 23 more than the other
players. Up front, senior end Jonathan Drury has team-highs in TFL's (six) while bringing back three fumbles 47 yards and having a 26-yard INT return for a score.

Returning five starters from an offense that averaged 20.2 points and 285.1 yards per game in 2012, SBU currently ranks fourth in the MIAA in passing yards (291.4).

Junior QB Willie Tindal (5-10, 187 lbs.) has thrown for 10 TD's and seven INT's while completing 58% of his passes. Averaging 260 yards per game, he also has tallied three scores on the ground.

Redshirt freshman Joey Dominguez (6-3, 210 lbs.) took the majority of the snaps in last Saturday's loss at Hays and finished 20 of 30 for 200 yards, two TD's and three INT's. He also played about half the game a week earlier.

Junior WR Derwyn Lauderdale (5-10) is SBU's top offensive weapon with 57 catches for 815 yards (14.3 avg.) and six TD's. Six others have caught a TD pass with sophomore back ViaVia Manuma (5-11, 230 lbs.) at a team-best 54.0 rushing yards per game.

On special teams, Southwest struggles on kick cover, allowing 31.0 yards a return with Truman State (100 yards) and Pitt State (95 yards) scoring TD's.

Junior kicker John Colliver is 19 for 19 on PAT's and 4 of 9 on field goal tries. He did boot a 40-yarder vs. Lindenwood but missed two field goals vs. UNK last fall.

Finally, 6-5 sophomore punter Austin Molitor is at 37.8 yards per boot with one of his punts being blocked.

The Lopers, currently ranked sixth in the MIAA in rushing at just under 210 yards per game, hope another big ground game is on the horizon after a 300-yard effort last week.

So far in 2012, UNK has had three games (Missouri Western, Lindenwood and Lincoln) over 250 yards rushing. In those contests, Kearney has rushed for 11 TD's.

Tweleve different Lopers have at least one carry this fall with sophomore RB Romero Cotton (411) leading in total yards but sophomore QB Bronson Marsh (98.7) still having the highest per game average.

Marsh (Millard South) hasn't played since the first half of the September 28th game at NW MIssouri State. If he can't go Saturday, true freshman Luke McNitt is expected to start for the third time this fall with last week's starter, sophomore Tyler McKeone, the back up.

Defensively, senior ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) needs just 15 tackles to become the Lopers career leader in the Division II era (1990-present). Former linebacker and current Missouri State assistant coach DJ Vokolek had 283 stops in his sophomore through senior seasons.

Averaging an even 10 tackles per game this season, Werner had 14 tackles last week, pushing his season total to 70. He also has a shot at the single season record of 110, set by Darren Gunn in 1990.

Holding Lindenwood and Lincoln to a combined 20 points, the Loper defense had recovered six fumbles and picked off three passes over the last three games. That has helped UNK push its season turnover margin to -4 (20 giveaways and 16 takeaways), ninth in the MIAA.

Of note, SBU is last in this area (-10) with Mo Western first (+18).

UNK hosts a talented and passy happy bunch of Central Missouri Mules next Saturday at Cope Stadium. Kick time is set for 12:00 p.m.