QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University football team continues its road stretch on Saturday, October 31, traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana, for a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup against the University of Indianapolis. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM at Key Stadium/Kiesel Field.
Quincy enters the contest at 3-5 overall and 2-3 in GLVC play following a dramatic 34-31 comeback victory at Missouri S&T.
Indianapolis sits at 4-4 overall and 3-2 in conference action. The Greyhounds enter Saturday riding a three-game winning streak after victories over William Jewell, Missouri S&T and Lincoln.
UIndy has outscored those three opponents 141-38 and will enter Saturday coming off an open week.
The Hawks will look to carry the momentum from their first road victory of the season into a venue where they have never won.
Last Time Out
Quincy erased a 21-point deficit and scored 24 unanswered points to stun Missouri S&T 34-31 in Rolla.
The Hawks fell behind 17-0 before Collin Parsons scored on an eight-yard run late in the second quarter. Joe Reif added a 25-yard field goal as time expired in the half, cutting the deficit to 17-10.
Missouri S&T regained control early in the second half, scoring touchdowns on each of its first two possessions to build a 31-10 advantage.
Quincy responded with one of its biggest comebacks in recent memory.
Bradyn Little found Parsons for a one-yard touchdown late in the third quarter before Parsons scored again from one yard out early in the fourth.
Still trailing 31-24, Quincy put together an 11-play, 85-yard drive that ended with Parsons' fourth touchdown of the afternoon, a three-yard run with 1:12 remaining.
The Hawks then forced a Missouri S&T punt and took over with 33 seconds remaining.
Little moved Quincy 55 yards in five plays, putting Reif in position for a 36-yard field goal as time expired to complete the 34-31 comeback.
Quincy finished with 472 yards of total offense, including 368 through the air. Little completed 38-of-57 passes for 368 yards and a touchdown, while Parsons turned in one of the most complete performances of his career.
The junior rushed 25 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns while setting career highs with 13 receptions and 85 receiving yards, adding another score through the air. Parsons finished with 196 yards from scrimmage and four total touchdowns.
Quincy also won the time-of-possession battle for the first time this season, holding the ball for 32:31 compared with 27:29 for Missouri S&T.
Parsons Meets Another Strong Run Defense
Parsons enters Saturday as one of the most productive running backs in Division II.
He has carried 132 times for 944 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 7.2 yards per attempt and 118.0 yards per game.
His 944 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns and 118.0 yards per game all lead the GLVC. Parsons ranks eighth nationally in rushing yards, seventh in rushing touchdowns, 10th in rushing yards per game and ninth with 7.15 yards per carry.
His production extends beyond the ground game.
Parsons has added 28 receptions for 228 yards and three receiving touchdowns, giving him 1,172 all-purpose yards and a GLVC-leading 146.5 per game.
Indianapolis provides one of his toughest challenges of the season.
The Greyhounds allow just 127.3 rushing yards per game, second-best in the GLVC, while surrendering only 19.8 points per contest. In GLVC games, the Greyhounds have allowed just 90.6 rush yards per game.
That sets up another strength-on-strength matchup between Quincy's most consistent offensive weapon and one of the conference's strongest defensive units.
Little and Passing Game Could Be Important
If Indianapolis is able to slow Parsons on the ground, Quincy may need to lean more heavily on Little and its passing attack.
Little enters Saturday having completed 174-of-275 passes for 2,018 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He leads the GLVC with 21.75 completions per game and has completed 63.3 percent of his passes this season.
Quincy averages 252.3 passing yards per game, second-best in the conference.
Derrick Miller leads the receiving corps with 512 yards on 29 receptions while averaging 17.7 yards per catch. Jackson Burnett has added 349 yards and two touchdowns, while Elijah Genenbacher has 35 receptions for 313 yards and a team-high five receiving scores.
UIndy allows 193.1 passing yards per game, ranking fourth in the GLVC.
The Greyhounds have also intercepted eight passes this season, meaning Little and the Hawks will need to balance aggression with ball security against a defense capable of creating takeaways.
Red-Zone Strength Meets Red-Zone Strength
Something will have to give when Quincy moves inside the Indianapolis 20-yard line.
The Hawks remain a perfect 28-for-28 in red-zone opportunities, scoring 24 touchdowns and four field goals. Quincy is one of the three remaining Division II teams with a perfect red-zone scoring percentage.
Indianapolis counters with one of the GLVC's best red-zone defenses.
Opponents have scored on only 76.2 percent of their trips inside the Greyhound 20, ranking UIndy second in the conference.
The Greyhounds also rank second in third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert just 31.8 percent of their attempts.
Quincy's ability to sustain drives and continue its perfect red-zone efficiency could become critical against a defense that rarely gives away easy points.
Patterson Protecting the Football
Junior quarterback Nick Patterson has brought both production and efficiency to the Indianapolis offense in his first season with the Greyhounds after transferring from Saginaw Valley State.
Patterson has completed 137-of-219 passes for 1,899 yards, 16 touchdowns and just one interception. His 158.59 quarterback rating ranks among the best in the GLVC.
The junior has thrown at least two touchdown passes in six consecutive games while adding 273 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Most importantly, Patterson has rarely put the football in danger. His one interception is the fewest in the GLVC, helping Indianapolis turn the ball over only six times all season, one of the lowest totals in Division II.
The Greyhounds rank second in the conference with a plus-0.63 turnover margin.
Quincy has forced eight turnovers this season but enters Saturday with a minus-0.88 turnover margin.
Creating extra possessions against a UIndy offense that rarely gives them away could be one of the Hawks' biggest challenges.
Sherrell Gives Greyhounds Versatile Weapon
Indianapolis features a productive running back of its own in junior Garrett Sherrell.
The Indianapolis native has carried 80 times for 503 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt. Sherrell has surpassed 100 rushing yards three times this season.
He has also been heavily involved as a receiver, catching 21 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns.
In three seasons with the Greyhounds, Sherrell has accumulated more than 2,400 all-purpose yards and 28 touchdowns.
He enters Saturday ranked third in the GLVC at 123.8 all-purpose yards per game.
Sherrell is already familiar with the Quincy defense.
In last season's matchup, he totaled 170 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns while adding six receptions for 79 yards.
Quincy's run defense remains an area Indianapolis will likely look to test. The Hawks allow 221.9 rushing yards per game, while UIndy averages 146.1 on the ground.
Indianapolis Spreads the Ball Around
Patterson has not relied on a single receiver to power the passing attack.
Five Greyhounds have recorded at least 14 receptions and 200 receiving yards, while 10 different players have caught a touchdown pass.
That balance makes Indianapolis difficult to defend through the air, with Patterson able to work through multiple options rather than forcing the ball to one primary target.
The result has been an offense averaging 393.1 total yards and 32.5 points per game, both among the top marks in the GLVC.
Indianapolis ranks second in the conference in scoring offense and combines 247.0 passing yards with 146.1 rushing yards per game.
Greyhounds Enter on Three-Game Surge
Indianapolis' season has taken a sharp turn over its last three games.
After dropping four consecutive contests against Findlay, Davenport, McKendree and Truman State, the Greyhounds responded with convincing wins against William Jewell, Missouri S&T and Lincoln.
UIndy defeated William Jewell 45-10 before returning home for a 48-14 victory over Missouri S&T. The Greyhounds followed with another 48-14 victory at Lincoln.
Indianapolis controlled that matchup from the start, building a 31-0 lead during the second quarter.
The Greyhounds finished with 480 yards of total offense, including 204 rushing yards, while holding Lincoln to only 182 total yards and 68 on the ground.
Patterson completed 12-of-16 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns, while Sherrell rushed 16 times for 117 yards and a score.
Indianapolis has now outscored opponents 141-38 during its three-game winning streak and enters Saturday after bye week.
Greyhound Defense Among GLVC's Best
Indianapolis ranks at or near the top of the conference in several defensive categories.
The Greyhounds lead the GLVC in scoring defense at 19.8 points allowed per game.
They rank second in rushing defense at 127.3 yards per game, second in third-down defense at 31.8 percent and second in red-zone defense at 76.2 percent. Indianapolis also allows just 320.4 total yards per game, third-best in the conference.
That scoring number carries extra significance for Quincy.
Under Killday, the Hawks are 0-6 when scoring fewer than 20 points, including 0-2 this season.
Quincy averages 30.9 points per game and has scored at least 34 in each of its three victories.
Finding a way to break through against the GLVC's top scoring defense will be one of the defining challenges Saturday.
Cothron, Johnson Lead UIndy Defense
Sophomore linebacker TJ Cothron has made an impact in nearly every defensive category.
Cothron leads Indianapolis with 57 tackles while adding five tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.
Redshirt junior defensive back DeBrince Johnson provides another disruptive presence in the secondary.
Johnson has recorded 27 tackles and is tied among the GLVC leaders with three interceptions while adding four pass breakups.
Together, they headline a defense that has surrendered only 38 total points during its current three-game winning streak.
Herron Creates Field-Position Advantage
Special teams could also play a significant role Saturday.
Sophomore punter Andrew Herron leads all of NCAA Division II with an average of 46.0 yards per punt.
Herron has punted 40 times for 1,840 yards, with 18 attempts downed inside the 20 and 14 traveling at least 50 yards.
Indianapolis leads the GLVC with a 40.45 net punting average, while Quincy enters Saturday near the bottom of the league in that category.
Herron's ability to consistently flip the field could put additional pressure on the Quincy offense against an already difficult UIndy defense.
Series History
Indianapolis has controlled the series against Quincy, holding a 13-1 advantage.
The Greyhounds have won nine consecutive meetings and are 6-0 against Quincy when hosting the Hawks. Quincy's only victory in the series came in 2016, when the Hawks earned a 33-20 win at QU Stadium.
Indianapolis has consistently controlled the matchup, averaging nearly 42 points per game compared with approximately 14 for Quincy. Only one meeting in the series has been decided by one possession.
Saturday gives the Hawks another opportunity to end that run while earning their first victory at Key Stadium.
Last Year's Meeting
Indianapolis delivered one of its most convincing victories in the series last season, defeating Quincy 49-3 at QU Stadium.
The Greyhounds scored the first 21 points before Quincy connected on a field goal as time expired in the opening half.
UIndy then scored 28 unanswered points after halftime.
Indianapolis finished with a 536-192 advantage in total offense, including 349 passing yards and 187 on the ground.
Quincy was limited to only 29 rushing yards. Little completed 26-of-45 passes for 163 yards but was intercepted three times.
Matchup Outlook
Quincy enters Indianapolis with momentum after completing a 21-point comeback and earning its first road victory of the season.
The challenge becomes considerably tougher Saturday.
Indianapolis has won three straight by decisive margins, features the GLVC's top scoring defense and has one of the conference's most efficient quarterbacks leading a balanced offense.
For Quincy, Parsons will once again be central to the game plan.
The Hawks will need to find ways to establish him against one of the league's best run defenses while also using his ability as a receiver to create mismatches.
Little and the Quincy passing game could become increasingly important if UIndy commits additional defenders to stopping the run.
Defensively, Quincy will need to slow Sherrell without opening opportunities for Patterson, who has protected the football better than nearly any quarterback in Division II.
The red zone, turnovers and field position could ultimately decide whether Quincy can challenge a team that has dominated the series.
After last year's 49-3 result, Saturday also presents the Hawks with an opportunity to produce a much different performance against the Greyhounds.
Kickoff between Quincy and Indianapolis is scheduled for 1 PM Saturday at Key Stadium/Kiesel Field in Indianapolis, Indiana.
GLVCSN
Live Stats
Quincy Game Notes
Box Score vs. Missouri S&T
