Storylines
- The Lindenwood football team will play in its first MIAA Television Network game this Saturday against Missouri Southern. The game at Hunter Stadium will have a special kickoff time of 2:37 p.m.
- This week's contest is also Lindenwood's final home game of 2012. Twenty-two seniors will be playing their final games at Hunter Stadium, including 15 who have been a part of the Lindenwood program for at least the last four years.
- This year's senior class has left their mark on the Lindenwood football program. The team is 35-9 over the last four years. Lindenwood reached the NAIA Championship Game in 2009 and reached the playoffs again in 2010. This year's seniors have since been the leaders as Lindenwood made its successful transition to the NCAA Division II level and the MIAA.
- Lindenwood, which is 5-3 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA, will look to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to two nationally-ranked teams, Emporia State and Washburn, the last two weeks.
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Denodus O'Bryant had a career day against Washburn, rushing 30 times for 228 yards. On one play, a second-quarter 88-yard touchdown run, he set two school records for longest rush (88) and most career rushing yards (2,786). His 228 rushing yards were the fifth-most in school history for a single-game.
- Lindenwood's defense held Washburn under 20 points, marking the third straight game that opponents have not reached 20 points.
- Missouri Southern is also 5-3 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA. The Lions lost last week to nationally-ranked Northwest Missouri by a 38-14 margin.
- Missouri Southern enters play today ranked tenth in NCAA Division II with 267.0 rushing yards a game. It has run the ball on over 83 percent of its plays this season. Quarterback Kellen Cox leads the rushing attack with 79.0 yards a game on the ground, and he has rushed for 10 touchdowns.
- Lindenwood is 7-1 on Senior Day under head coach
Patrick Ross. The lone loss was a setback last season against Central Missouri.
Lions Offense
- Lindenwood ranks eighth in the MIAA in scoring offense (28.1 ppg) and fifth in total offense (411.0). The Lions are second in pass offense, and 11th in rushing offense.
- True freshman
Dillon Miller started his first collegiate game last week. He threw for 132 yards and his lone turnover came on a desperation throw in the final seconds of the game. He was the first true freshman to start at quarterback since Ben Kisner midway through the 2005 season.
- One of Miller's favorite targets was another freshman,
Sam Sealer. Sealer caught three passes for a season-high 74 yards.
- Lindenwood averaged 334.8 passing yards a game in games started by
Ben Gomez. It is averaging just 170.5 passing yards in the two games since he was injured.
Lions Defense
- Lindenwood's defense is fifth in the MIAA in scoring defense (22.2 ppg) and seventh in total defense (365.8). The Lions are eighth in rushing defense and seventh in pass defense.
- Over the last three games, Lindenwood has allowed just 16.3 points and 367.3 total yards a game. In that span, it has not allowed a point in the first quarter.
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Joe Day has now recorded a sack in three straight games. He currently leads the team with 5.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss. Day ranks in the top-10 in the MIAA in both of those categories.
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Connor Harris' 77 tackles is tied for first in the MIAA for total tackles. The true freshman has at least eight tackles in every game this season.
- Under defensive coordinator
Deion Melvin, Lindenwood has held 10 of 19 opponents to 20 points or less. In those 10 games, the Lions have a 7-3 record.
Lions Special Teams
- Punter
Edward Burns has been named the team's Special Teams Player of the Week for the last two weeks. He has five punts inside the 20-yard line in that span, plus a 28-yard run for a first down.
Lions Schedule
- Lindenwood will play its third game this year against a nationally-ranked program when it travels to Pittsburg State on Nov. 3 for a 2 p.m. contest.
About Missouri Southern
- Eight different Lions have rushed for over 100 yards on the season, and the team has 22 rushing touchdowns. Landon Zerkel is the top receiver with 18 catches for 353 yards.
- Brandon Williams is the school's all-time sacks leader with 24, including 5.5 this season. He also has 11.0 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles. Alex Wong leads the team with 54 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
MIAA Notes
- This week's conference players of the week were: Tyler Eckenrode, Emporia State (offense), Ben Carlson, Emporia State (defense), and Anthony Sheppard, Fort Hays State (special teams).
- Five MIAA schools are nationally ranked by the AFCA: Northwest Missouri (No. 5), Missouri Western (No. 12), Emporia State (No. 15), Washburn (t-No. 16), and Pittsburg State (No. 22).
