QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University football team returns to QU Stadium for the final time this season on Saturday, November 7, hosting Upper Iowa University for Senior Day in a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM.
Quincy enters the weekend at 3-6 overall and 2-4 in GLVC play, looking to respond after a 73-34 loss at Indianapolis.
Upper Iowa comes to Quincy at 5-4 overall and 4-2 in conference action following a 31-28 road victory over McKendree.
Before kickoff, the Hawks will recognize 16 seniors: Brevin Jackson, Brock Wiley, Caleb Fikejs, Filippo Petrillo, Greg Menne, Greg Ulberg, Jack Bishop, Jackson Metzdorff, Joey Bradley, Ryan Capps, Shawn Ratliff II, Troy TW Crozier, Zach Hudson, Myles Smith, Matt Austin and Jaydin Kante.
Last Time Out
Quincy fell 73-34 at Indianapolis last Saturday despite another productive afternoon through the air.
The Hawks finished with 420 yards of total offense, including 390 passing yards, but were held to just 30 yards on the ground.
Bradyn Little completed 30-of-47 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns, finding Collin Parsons, Derrick Miller, Elijah Genenbacher and Troy TW Crozier for scores.
Parsons opened Quincy's scoring with a 38-yard touchdown reception before Miller added a 17-yard score later in the first quarter. Genenbacher caught an eight-yard touchdown just before halftime, and TW Crozier added a 23-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Aaron Harvey closed the scoring with a nine-yard rushing touchdown.
Indianapolis controlled the game on the ground, rushing for 332 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 8.1 yards per carry.
Quincy also committed four turnovers, including three interceptions, while Indianapolis turned the ball over twice.
The loss dropped the Hawks to 3-6 with two games remaining.
Parsons Closing in on 1,000 Yards
One of Quincy's biggest individual milestones is within reach Saturday.
Parsons enters the weekend with 951 rushing yards on 138 carries, leaving him just 49 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard rushing season.
If he reaches the mark, Parsons would become the first Quincy player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since the Hawks joined the GLVC in 2012.
The junior averages 6.9 yards per carry and has scored 12 rushing touchdowns.
He also remains one of the GLVC's top all-purpose threats, averaging 142.7 all-purpose yards per game to lead the conference.
Parsons will face an Upper Iowa defense that has been strong against the run, allowing 140.1 rushing yards per game. The Peacocks rank fourth in the GLVC in rushing defense and second in total defense, surrendering 328.3 yards per contest.
Peacocks Built Around the Run
Upper Iowa presents another significant challenge for a Quincy defense that has struggled against the run.
The Peacocks average 174.8 rushing yards per game, second-best in the GLVC, while Quincy allows 234.1 yards on the ground, the highest mark in the conference.
Upper Iowa's rushing attack starts with quarterback Zamar Wise.
The senior has carried 142 times for 675 yards and eight touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories.
Wise is also Upper Iowa's starting quarterback, completing 122-of-203 passes for 1,506 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
Combined, Wise has accounted for 2,181 of Upper Iowa's 3,079 total offensive yards, making him the clear centerpiece of the Peacock offense.
His ability to extend plays and create yardage as a runner gives Quincy a different challenge than a traditional pocket passer.
Wise is coming off one of his strongest all-around performances of the season, throwing for 164 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 100 yards and another score against McKendree.
Deep Backfield Adds to Ground Attack
Wise is not the only rushing threat Quincy will have to account for.
Junior running back Jayden Gordon has carried 77 times for 312 yards and six touchdowns while adding nine receptions for 82 yards and another score.
Freshman Ronald Wilson Jr. has supplied another option with 277 yards and two touchdowns on 65 carries.
Against McKendree, the trio combined for 259 rushing yards before team losses were factored into Upper Iowa's final total of 253.
Wise finished with 100 yards, Gordon added 89 and Wilson rushed for 70.
That depth allows Upper Iowa to remain committed to the run without relying exclusively on one player.
Last Year's Ground Game Looms Large
Quincy does not have to look far for an example of what Upper Iowa's rushing attack can do.
The Peacocks defeated the Hawks 41-8 last season in Fayette, rushing for 407 yards on 48 attempts. Upper Iowa averaged 8.5 yards per carry and scored five rushing touchdowns.
Gordon led the way with 198 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, including a 55-yard score.
The Peacocks also controlled possession for 36:20 while limiting Quincy to 59 rushing yards.
Saturday gives the Hawks an opportunity to produce a much different result against an Upper Iowa offense that continues to build around its ground game.
Little Faces Strong Peacock Secondary
While Upper Iowa leans heavily on the run offensively, its defense has been particularly effective against the pass.
The Peacocks allow only 188.2 passing yards per game, second-best in the GLVC, and lead the conference with a 116.79 team passing efficiency defense. Upper Iowa has also intercepted 11 passes this season, which is 3rd in the conference and toward the top of the national rankings.
That creates an important matchup with a Quincy passing attack averaging 267.6 yards per game, second in the conference.
Little enters Saturday with 2,408 passing yards and a GLVC-leading 21 touchdown passes while completing better than 63 percent of his attempts.
He has several productive targets.
Miller leads Quincy with 546 receiving yards and four touchdowns, Genenbacher has 415 yards and a team-high six receiving touchdowns, while Jackson Burnett has added 401 yards and two scores.
Protecting the football will be especially important after Little threw three interceptions last week.
Turnovers Have Fueled Upper Iowa
Upper Iowa has consistently created extra possessions for itself.
The Peacocks lead the GLVC with a plus-0.78 turnover margin, forcing 18 turnovers while giving the ball away 11 times. Upper Iowa has also scored three defensive touchdowns this season.
That ability was on display last week against McKendree.
Aaron King returned an interception 57 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, while Yashua Pettis-Taylor added a punt-return touchdown in the third.
Those scores helped the Peacocks earn a 31-28 victory despite McKendree finishing with more total offense.
Quincy enters Saturday at minus-1.00 in turnover margin and is 1-6 this season when losing the turnover battle.
Peacocks Control the Clock
Upper Iowa's commitment to the run has also translated into one of the nation's best possession offenses.
The Peacocks average 32:31 of possession per game, leading the GLVC and ranking 12th nationally. Quincy averages 26:27, which is near the bottom in all of Division II.
Keeping the Upper Iowa offense from putting together long drives will be important for a Hawk team looking to give Little, Parsons and the offense more opportunities.
Upper Iowa's third-down offense has actually converted just 31.4 percent of its attempts, but the Peacocks have been excellent on fourth down, converting 10-of-13 attempts.
Upper Iowa Defense Sets the Tone
The Peacock defense has been one of the team's biggest strengths.
Upper Iowa allows 25.2 points and 328.3 total yards per game, ranking third in the GLVC in scoring defense and second in total defense.
Senior defensive lineman Demontay Mack leads the front with 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Mack has also recorded 44 tackles, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
Graduate defensive back Jalen Hodo has 44 tackles and is tied for the team lead with three interceptions. Linebacker Evan Dorn leads the Peacocks with 84 total tackles, adding four tackles for loss and half a sack.
Upper Iowa has also held opponents to a 39.8 percent conversion rate on third down.
Series History
Saturday will mark just the fourth meeting between Quincy and Upper Iowa.
The Hawks won the first matchup between the programs, earning a 38-28 road victory in Fayette in 2023.
Upper Iowa responded with a 29-27 victory at QU Stadium in 2024 before defeating Quincy 41-8 last season.
The Peacocks enter Saturday with a 2-1 advantage in the series, while Quincy will look to even the matchup and earn its second home GLVC victory of the season.
Matchup Outlook
Saturday's matchup brings together two teams with contrasting offensive strengths.
Quincy has been at its best through the air, while Upper Iowa has built its offense around Wise and a deep rushing attack.
For the Hawks, slowing that ground game will be the first priority after allowing 332 rushing yards at Indianapolis and 407 to the Peacocks in last season's meeting.
Offensively, Quincy will need to challenge one of the GLVC's better pass defenses without giving Upper Iowa the turnovers that have fueled much of its success.
Parsons' pursuit of 1,000 rushing yards gives the Hawks another avenue offensively, while Quincy's red-zone efficiency could become valuable if possessions are limited.
With 16 seniors playing their final game at QU Stadium, the Hawks will look to respond from last week's loss and finish their home schedule with a victory.
Kickoff between Quincy and Upper Iowa is scheduled for 1 PM Saturday at QU Stadium.
GLVCSN
Live Stats
Quincy Game Notes
Box Score vs. Indianapolis
