QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University football team returns to QU Stadium on Saturday, September 26, to host Wayne State University (Mich.) in its final nonconference matchup of the 2026 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 PM.

The Hawks enter Saturday at 1-2 overall and 1-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play after earning their first victory of the season with a 34-27 Homecoming win over Lincoln last weekend.

Wayne State travels to Quincy at 0-3 following losses to Northwood, Hillsdale, and Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Warriors will be looking to snap a 14-game losing streak dating back to last season.

Saturday also marks the third meeting between the programs, with the all-time series tied at 1-1 after Quincy earned a 31-14 road victory in Detroit last September.

Last Time Out

Quincy earned its first victory of the season Saturday, defeating Lincoln 34-27 at QU Stadium to open conference play with a win.

After falling behind 13-7 early in the second quarter, the Hawks scored 21 unanswered points to regain control of the contest. Quincy eventually extended its advantage to 34-20 late in the third quarter before holding off a Lincoln comeback attempt.

Quarterback Bradyn Little turned in his second consecutive game with at least three touchdown passes, completing 15-of-24 attempts for a season-high 236 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Little connected with Tykell Hammers twice for scores, while Elijah Genenbacher added another touchdown reception.

Both receivers recorded career performances. Genenbacher led the Hawks with six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Hammers finished with four catches for 84 yards and the first two-touchdown receiving game of his career.

Running back Collin Parsons provided another explosive performance, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts. His 86-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter was the longest play of the game.

Quincy finished with 356 yards of total offense, averaging 7.4 yards per play despite running just 48 offensive plays compared to Lincoln's 75.

The Hawks also delivered several important defensive plays.

After failing to force a turnover during the first two games of the season, Quincy intercepted Lincoln quarterback Antwon McKay Jr. twice, with Eddie Johnson and DJ Cross each recording 45-yard returns.

Johnson returned his interception for a touchdown in the second quarter, helping Quincy regain the lead after Lincoln had moved ahead 13-7.

Johnson finished with 11 tackles and one tackle for loss, earning his first career GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Jordan Elmore also recorded 11 tackles, marking his third consecutive game with double-digit stops.

Little and the Quincy Offense Finding Their Rhythm

After a difficult season opener against Concordia-St. Paul, Little has responded with consecutive strong passing performances.

The sophomore threw four touchdowns against Roosevelt before adding three more against Lincoln, giving him seven touchdown passes over his last two games. Through three contests, Little has completed 50-of-86 passes for 570 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions. His eight touchdown passes are tied for the GLVC lead and rank 17th nationally.

The Hawks have also developed several reliable targets in the passing game.

Hammers leads Quincy with 11 receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns, while Derrick Miller has added nine catches for 130 yards and two scores. Genenbacher has emerged as another important contributor, recording 10 receptions for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

Saturday's matchup presents an opportunity for the Quincy passing attack against a Wayne State defense that has surrendered 255 passing yards per game and 536 total yards per contest.

However, the Hawks' ground game could be an even bigger factor.

Parsons Looks to Continue Explosive Start

Parsons has been one of the most productive running backs in the GLVC through the first three weeks of the season. The junior has rushed for 324 yards and three touchdowns on just 37 carries, averaging 108 yards per game.

His 8.76 yards per carry ranks fourth nationally and leads the GLVC, while his 108 rushing yards per game ranks 16th in Division II.

Parsons has surpassed 100 rushing yards in two of Quincy's three games, opening the season with 119 yards against Concordia-St. Paul before recording 120 against Lincoln.

His performance will be especially important against a Wayne State defense that has struggled to contain opposing rushing attacks.

The Warriors have surrendered 281 rushing yards per game, ranking near the bottom of Division II, while allowing 13 rushing touchdowns through their first three contests.

Opponents have averaged 5.5 yards per rushing attempt against Wayne State, creating a matchup between one of the GLVC's most explosive running backs and a defense still searching for consistency against the run.

Opportunity to Create Pressure

Both teams enter Saturday looking for greater production from their defensive fronts, although Wayne State has experienced more significant difficulties protecting its quarterbacks.

The Warriors have surrendered 16 sacks through three games, an average of 5.33 per contest.

Wayne State has also used multiple quarterbacks throughout the opening weeks, with four different players attempting at least one pass.

Quincy has recorded two sacks this season, led by Matt Austin, who has 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Elmore has added four tackles for loss, while Johnson has contributed 3.5.

The Hawks will look to generate more pressure against a Wayne State offensive line that has allowed opponents to consistently disrupt the passing game.

Wayne State's defensive front has also struggled to reach opposing quarterbacks, recording just two sacks through three contests. Quincy has allowed eight sacks this season, making pass protection another important factor in Saturday's matchup.

Turnover Battle

One of Quincy's most important improvements against Lincoln came in the turnover department.

The Hawks entered their conference opener with five turnovers and no takeaways through their first two games. That changed Saturday when Johnson and Cross each recorded an interception, giving Quincy its first two takeaways of the season.

Little also avoided throwing an interception for the first time this year, helping the Hawks finish with a positive turnover margin for the first time in 2026. Quincy enters Saturday with five giveaways and two takeaways, giving the Hawks a minus-1.00 turnover margin per game.

Wayne State has experienced even greater turnover difficulties.
The Warriors have committed nine turnovers through three games, losing five fumbles and throwing four interceptions.

Wayne State has also yet to force a turnover this season, leaving the Warriors with a minus-3.00 turnover margin per contest, among the lowest in Division II.

Limiting mistakes and creating additional possessions will be important for both programs Saturday.

Elmore and Johnson Leading the Defense

Quincy's defensive effort has been led by two of the conference's most productive tacklers.

Elmore has recorded 38 tackles through three games, averaging 12.7 per contest. That average ranks third nationally and leads the GLVC. The senior has recorded at least 10 tackles in every game this season and has also contributed four tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Johnson follows with 31 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, and his 45-yard interception return for a touchdown against Lincoln. His performance earned him GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honors, making him the second Quincy player to receive the award this season.

Brevin Jackson has added 27 tackles, while Taylin Scott has recorded 26 and Brock Wiley has contributed 25.

Despite those individual performances, Quincy is still looking to improve its overall defensive efficiency.

Opponents have averaged 437 yards per game, including 189.7 yards on the ground, and have converted 46 percent of their third-down opportunities.

The Hawks have also struggled to get opposing offenses off the field, allowing opponents to maintain possession for an average of 36:43 per contest.

Against Lincoln, the Blue Tigers possessed the ball for 38:04 and converted 10-of-18 third-down attempts.

Saturday presents an opportunity for Quincy to improve in those areas against a Wayne State offense that has struggled to sustain drives.

Perfect in the Red Zone

One area where Quincy has remained particularly effective is its ability to finish drives.

The Hawks have scored on all eight red-zone opportunities this season, with every trip resulting in a touchdown.

Quincy has also maintained its reputation as one of the nation's most disciplined programs under third-year head coach Jason Killday.

The Hawks have committed just 10 penalties through three games, averaging 3.33 penalties and 35 penalty yards per contest. Quincy ranks fourth nationally in fewest total penalties and fifth in fewest penalties per game.

Wayne State, meanwhile, has averaged nine penalties and 85 penalty yards per game.

The Warriors have also converted just one of their two red-zone opportunities this season, presenting another statistical contrast heading into Saturday's contest.

Scouting Wayne State

Wayne State enters Saturday searching for its first victory under first-year head coach Terrence Issac Sr.

Issac joined the Warriors after spending the previous four seasons as head coach at Rochester Community and Technical College in Minnesota, where he helped lead the Yellowjackets to conference championships in 2023 and 2025.

The Warriors are coming off a 0-11 campaign in 2025 and have opened this season with three consecutive losses.

Wayne State has faced a challenging nonconference schedule, beginning with a 52-0 loss to Northwood, and has since climbed to No. 23 in the Division II national rankings.

The Warriors then fell 49-0 at Hillsdale before suffering a 47-13 loss to nationally ranked Division III opponent Wisconsin-La Crosse last weekend.

Despite their record, the Warriors showed flashes of offensive production against Wisconsin-La Crosse after being shut out in their first two games.

Freshman quarterback Nikkos Davis connected with sophomore wide receiver Kristian Kilpatrick on an 80-yard touchdown pass, tied for the 11th-longest scoring pass in Wayne State program history.

Freshman running back Gary Jefferson Jr. added the Warriors' second touchdown with a 16-yard run.

Through three games, Wayne State has averaged just 194.7 yards of total offense and 4.3 points per contest, with both marks ranking near the bottom of Division II. The Warriors have also struggled defensively, surrendering 49.3 points and 536 total yards per game.

Those difficulties have been compounded by turnovers, sacks, and an inability to sustain drives, with Wayne State averaging just 23:38 in time of possession.

Warriors to Watch

Davis is coming off his first collegiate start and has completed 15-of-35 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions this season.

Wayne State's passing attack has been led by redshirt junior Jordan Bell, who has recorded a team-high 11 receptions for 163 yards. Kilpatrick has emerged as another big-play threat following his 80-yard touchdown reception against Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Jefferson has been the Warriors' primary option on the ground, rushing for 146 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries while averaging 4.9 yards per attempt.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Luke Johnson leads Wayne State with 19 tackles. Johnson was named the team's Defensive Rookie of the Year last season and has started all three games in 2026.

Max Edwards and Amauri Haller have each added 16 tackles, while Edwards has recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

Series History

Saturday will mark the third meeting between Quincy and Wayne State, with the all-time series tied at 1-1.

The Warriors earned a 33-7 victory in the first meeting between the programs on September 21, 2019, at QU Stadium. Quincy evened the series last season, traveling to Detroit and defeating Wayne State 31-14 on September 27, 2025.

Little threw three touchdown passes in the victory, connecting with Kamrin Cox twice and Genenbacher once.

The Hawks also received a significant special teams contribution from Troy TW Crozier, who returned a punt 50 yards for a touchdown to help secure the victory.

Quincy and Wayne State finished with identical totals of 337 offensive yards, but the Hawks controlled the rushing battle, outgaining the Warriors 161-58 on the ground.

Defensively, Quincy held Wayne State to just 3-of-11 on third down and recorded two sacks.

The Hawks also committed only two penalties for 20 yards, while the Warriors were flagged eight times for 89 yards.

Both previous meetings have been won by the visiting team, leaving Quincy searching for the first home victory in the series.

Matchup Outlook

Saturday's contest features two teams entering the final weekend of September in different positions.

Quincy will look to build on its first victory of the season before returning to GLVC play next week, while Wayne State searches for its first win under a new coaching staff.

The Hawks have shown increased offensive production over the last two weeks, with Little throwing seven touchdown passes during that stretch and Parsons continuing to provide an explosive presence in the running game.

Wayne State's difficulties defending the run could present opportunities for Parsons, while its struggles protecting the quarterback give Quincy's defensive front an opportunity to generate more pressure.

For the Warriors, establishing the ground game with Jefferson and finding opportunities through Davis and Bell will be important.

The turnover battle could also prove significant, with Quincy coming off its first two takeaways of the season against a Wayne State team that has committed nine turnovers without forcing one of its own.

Quincy will look to carry that momentum into Saturday and earn consecutive victories before returning to conference play on October 3 at McKendree.

Kickoff between Quincy and Wayne State is scheduled for 1 PM Saturday, September 26, at QU Stadium.

GLVCSN
Live Stats
Quincy Game Notes
Wayne State Game Notes
Box Score vs. Lincoln