GAMEDAY CENTRAL: Hawks Open November at McKendree

Quincy University Hawks (3-5, 3-3 GLVC) at McKendree University Bearcats (6-2, 4-2 GLVC)
Nov. 7, 2015 | 1 p.m.
Lebanon, IL | Leemon Field

BACK-TO-BACK ROADIES: The Quincy University football team played its final game at #TheRock last week and will now close the seasosn with a pair of road games, beginning Saturday in Lebanon, Ill. to take on GLVC rival McKendree. Quincy and McKendree are the only two NCAA Division II schools that sponsor football in Illinois.

WHAT A FINISH: The Hawks could not have concluded their home season in a better way, overcoming a 19-6 fourth quarter deficit with 17 unanswered points to defeat Truman State, 23-19, in front of a national television audience on the American Sports Network. Fifth-year senior quarterback Nick Lonergan guided a pair of fourth quarter scoring drives before freshman safety Shane Barrett intercepted a pass, and then broke up the final play of the game to seal the win.

SERIES WITH THE BEARCATS: Of all GLVC programs, the Hawks have the longest history with the Bearcats, having played each other in every season except two since 1997. Both teams made the jump from the NAIA level to NCAA Division II when the GLVC began football sponsorship in 2012. The Bearcats hold a 12-4 edge in the all-time series, including the last two. QU defeated the 'Cats, 38-19, in 2012 for fourth-year head coach Tom Pajic's first win as coach of QU.

THE McK PROFILE: McKendree comes into this week with the leading offense in the GLVC by both yardage and points, led by senior QB Isaac Fisher, who ranks sixth in the nation in total offense (365 yards per game). He is also seventh in completion percentage and 15th in passing yards per game. Fisher is third in the GLVC in rushing. Cameron James leads the receiving corps with 42 receptions and seven touchdowns. Sean Dowling and Dustin Walls have 36 receptions each. McKendree also has the second-best scoring defense in the league, allowing just 20.6 points per game. The Bearcats lead the nation in sacks per game (4.13), led by Lucky Baar's eight total sacks. A.J. Wentland is eighth nationally with 13.3 tackles per game. Kicker Steven O'Block is 11-12 on field goals.

3-AND-OUT: One week after allowing 73 points and nearly 600 yards of offense to Ohio Dominican, the QU defense redeemed itself last week allowing just 11 first downs and 193 offensive yards to Truman State. The yardage allowed matched a program-best to a GLVC school. The defense itself allowed just 10 points and only one drive longer than 50 yards – TSU's first of the game. The Hawks forced five three-and-outs, including three in the second half as the Hawks mounted their comeback.

GET OFF THE FIELD: The QU defense has had trouble getting off the field on third downs this season, ranking last in NCAA Division II entering last week's game in opponent third down percentage. That was a different story against Trumans as the Bulldogs converted just 5-of-15 third downs and they were 0-for-2 on fourth down. The Hawks have allowed conversions on 54-of-103 third downs (52 percent) entering the McKendree game.

LONERGAN'S 4TH: Lonergan was exceptional in bringing the Hawks back from a 13-point deficit to defeat the Bulldogs. The fifth-year senior kickstarted a struggling QU offense in the fourth quarter, going 9-for-13 for 153 yards and a touchdown in the final stanza. He guided a pair of lenghty scoring drives, going 4-for-5 for 62 yards and capping the drive with a 20-yard strike to De'Carlos Poole in the front corner of the end zone with 13:17 remaining. The Hawks got the ball back with 4:49 to play, still trailing 19-13. After consecutive incompletions, Lonergan hit Jake Braskett for passes of 23 and 16 yards to each sideline. Lonergan would then hit Kody Wood for a 27-yard completion on 1st-and-25 after two penalties. Darius Burse ended the drive with a 5-yard dive into the end zone.

BLAKE'S BACK: Senior kicker Blake Allison converted on the point-after attempt to give the Hawks a 20-19 lead – their first of the game. Allison has struggled this season, but helped QU seal the win last week. After Barrett's interception following QU's touchdown, Allison connected on a 23-yard field goal that stretched the Hawks' lead to 23-19 and force the Bulldogs to go the length of the field in 1:10. It was his first field goal in two attempts on the season. He is 22-for-27 on point-after tries.

HITTING 100: For the third time this season and the seventh time in his career, sophomore Chris Harris rushed for 100 yards in a game. While his streak of consecutive games with a rushing touchdown was snapped eight games, the Springfield, Ill. native carried a heavy load for the QU offense last week. He rushed 23 times for 109 yards, including 76 yards in the second half as the Hawks got their running game going.

LONERGAN'S CAREER: Lonergan ranks eighth in Division II in passing yardage among active quarterbacks with 8,041 yards, just 15 ahead of McKendree's Fisher. He is QU's all-time leader in every passing category, including completions (604), attempts (1,067), touchdowns (58) and completion percentage (56.6). This season, the fourth-year starter ranks 29th in Division II in passing efficiency. On Saturday, Lonergan will make his 38th consecutive start in a streak that began Sept. 29, 2012 against Saint Joseph's.

POINDEXTER'S TDs: Junior wide receiver Eric Poindexter had another outstanding game as Lonergan's top target, matching a career-high nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. He now has 93 catches in his career for 1,542 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Newport News, Va. native is tied for fith on QU's all-time receiving touchdowns list.

GLVCSN: The athletic communications office broadcast four of its five home games on the GLVC Sports Network at QUHawks.com/watch. The four broadcasts totaled 1,896 unique video loads, an average of 474 per game. Our thanks to QU baseball student-athlete and intern Ryan Snyder and his crew for all their help this fall.

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Players Mentioned

#6 Blake Allison: K; 5' 10"; Senior

#10 Jake Braskett: WR; 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore

#28 Chris Harris: RB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#5 Nick Lonergan: QB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior

#13 Eric Poindexter: WR; 5' 11"; Junior

#25 Kody Wood: WR; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#11 Shane Barrett: DB; 5' 8"; Freshman

#15 Darius Burse: RB; 5' 7"; Freshman

#19 De'Carlos Poole: WR; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

#6 Blake Allison
: 5' 10"; Senior
: K

#10 Jake Braskett
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#28 Chris Harris
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: RB

#5 Nick Lonergan
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior
: QB

#13 Eric Poindexter
: 5' 11"; Junior
: WR

#25 Kody Wood
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: WR

#11 Shane Barrett
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: DB

#15 Darius Burse
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: RB

#19 De'Carlos Poole
: Redshirt Junior
: WR