Kearney, Neb. – The longest road trip over the next two seasons for the Nebraska Kearney football team will come this weekend when they head to suburban St. Louis to face the Lindenwood Lions.

Kickoff time set for 1 p.m. at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium in Saint Charles. This is an 18-hour round trip that'll see the Lopers (3-5) leave early Friday morning. Check the Loper schedule page for media links. 

The Lions (2-6), who've dropped four straight, and UNK (3-5) have met only five times previously with LU holding a 3-2 series lead. The Lopers haven't played well in Saint Charles, falling 49-28 in 2012 and 31-13 three years later. UNK won in 2013 and 2014 in games held at Cope Stadium but fell last year at home, 35-14.

In that game, the Lions took advantage of five interceptions to score 21 points. Having a "pick six" right before the half, LU erased a 7-0 deficit with a 28-point second quarter. The Lopers ended the day out gaining the Lions by a close 360-324 margin.

For the third time in 2017, UNK will face a Nebraska quarterback. After seeing Omaha North's Zach Martin (NW Missouri) and Lincoln North Star's Brook Bolles (Central Missouri), the Lopers will now face Lion redshirt junior Najee Jackson, a 2013 graduate of Lincoln Southeast. He starred at QB in 2011 when the Knights won the Class A state title.

Jackson (6-2, 200 lbs.) directs an offense averaging 25 points and 376 yards per game. The Lions convert 44% of the time on third down but have seven lost fumbles and own a 59% red zone TD rate (17 of 29).

 
An Iowa Western transfer, Jackson is averaging 226 yards per game with 11 TD's and four INT's. Completing 56% of his passes, he also has rushed 73 times for 191 yards and two TD's. Jackson threw for 365 yards vs. unbeaten Fort Hays and 367 vs. Emporia.
 
A balanced rushing attack features a pair of 5-9 seniors in Calen Campbell (64 carries, 347 yds., five TD's) and Shakeem Wharton (66 carries, 310 yds., five TD's). A junior-laden line includes left tackle Lucas Beddow (6-4, 315 lbs). 
 
On the perimeter, senior Deantrell Prince (40 recep., 605 yds., four TD's) has some of the top numbers in the MIAA and he scored twice in last year's game. Next, 5-11 senior DeSean Warren has 26 catches for 357 yards and four scores with 5-8 senior Kendall Sparks at 240 yards on 23 receptions.
 
Defensively, Lindenwood is allowing 28 points and 424 yards per week. Having 11 sacks and 11 forced turnovers, the Lions are allowing its opponents to convert 50% on third down (68 of 136). That has led to LU opponents having an advantage in time of possession, 31:33 to 28:27, and plays run, 622-533.
 
A talented secondary features senior safety Bakari Triggs (45 tackles & seven passes defended), senior corner Ace Rogers (41 tackles & seven passes defended) and sophomore safety Darrius Williams (team-high 77 tackles & two passes defended).
 
Allowing 210 rushing yards per game, the linebackers are led by 6-0, 235 pound junior CJ Bivens (69 tackles & 6.5 TFL's) and 6-2, 215 pound true freshman Drew Seers (57 tackles & 4.5 TFL's). Finally, junior tackle Jonathan Harris (6-5, 275 lbs.) has a team-best 3.0 sacks.    
 
Finally, Lindenwood has healthy punt return (12.4) and kick return (20.1) averages with Triggs having a 99-yard kick return for a score this fall. In the kicking game, junior Michael Crowder averages 40.3 yards per punt with 11 attempts landing inside the 20-yard line. Five-seven junior Travis Spraul is 24 of 24 on PAT's and has made 5 of 8 field goals.

UNK is aiming to win a fourth MIAA game for the first time in program history; the 2013 and 2014 squads both won three league contests. Offensively, the Lopers are coming off its best game as an MIAA member. In last Saturday's 42-27 win over Northeastern State, UNK racked up 531 yards over 91 plays and hung on to the ball for 42:24. Each was a team-high in the MIAA era (2012-present). 

The defense got in the record book as well as the 18 rushing yards by the RiverHawks is the third fewest by an MIAA opponent. UNK held Central Missouri (-31/2012) and Lindenwood (-16/2013) under zero yards in two wins.
 

The Lopers also shut out NSU in the first half, the third time that has happened this fall (Missouri Western and Missouri Southern). In the previous five years, the defense had four first half shut outs, two coming against Lindenwood (2013 and 2014).

Individually, junior cruiser Alex Harms (North Platte) ranks fifth in the MIAA in yards per catch (19.8) with sophomore back Thomas Russell (Millard West) second in carries (149/19 per game).

Sophomore QB Steve Worthing (Elkhorn South) is in the league's Top 10 in passing efficiency (112.3) and total offense (177 yards per game). He also needs just 67 yards to move past Kearney State great Dick Butolph ('66) into 10th place on the career passing yards list. Worthing currently had 3,015 yards over 18 games.

Finally, four Lopers are "returning home" this weekend and will get a chance to play in front of family and friends. They are senior co-captain George Brown (University City H.S.), graduate transfer Darrien Daniels (Riverview Gardens H.S.) and sophomores Dallas Vaughn (Hazelwood East H.S.) and Rakid Hill (Hazelwood West H.S.).

UNK will have its final home game of the 2017 season on Saturday, November 4th against Pittsburg State (4-4). Prior to the 2 p.m. kickoff, eight seniors will be honored.