The Lindenwood football team dropped its Homecoming contest on Saturday afternoon at Hunter Stadium. The Lions fell to No. 1 Northwest Missouri by a 47-12 score.
 
The Lions forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the game. However, the Bearcats took control of the game by scoring the next four times they touched the ball, and they led 24-6 midway through the second quarter. Northwest Missouri added a touchdown right before half for a 31-6 advantage.
 
Lindenwood's defense had a strong third quarter, forcing two quick punts and only allowing 47 yards for the quarter. The Lions offense took advantage with an 85-yard touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter. Northwest Missouri blocked the PAT though and returned it for two points. The Bearcats had all of the momentum after that and tacked on two more touchdowns in the final quarter.
 
Northwest Missouri finished the game with 529 yards of total offense, including 358 passing yards. Lindenwood had 261 yards of offense, including 122 rushing yards against a Bearcats defense that led the nation by allowing less than 65 yards a game.
 
Allen Thigpen finished the game with one rushing and one passing touchdown. In the first quarter, he found Deantrell Prince for a 14-yard score. That touchdown was set up by a 42-yard reception by DeSean Warren to get the ball into the redzone. The second touchdown was a 10-yard Thigpen rush that was set up by another long pass play. This one was a 39-yard completion to Prince that set the Lions up at the 12-yard line.
 
Thigpen finished with 58 rushing yards, including 88 yards gained, and 139 passing yards. Daniels had 48 yards on the ground. Prince and Warren both had over 50 yards receiving, and Kendell Sparks had six receptions.
 
On defense, Bakari Triggs and Connor Harris both had 10 tackles, and Triggs had a pass breakup. Jonathan Harris had the team's only sack and also had one quarterback hurry, and Roderick Ryles had a tackle for loss.
 
Game Notes: Lindenwood falls to 1-7 on the season and in MIAA play … Northwest Missouri improves to 8-0 overall and in the MIAA, and it has now won 23 straight games … the Bearcats now lead the all-time series by a 3-0 margin, including a 2-0 record at Hunter Stadium … the Lions fall to 19-8 all-time during their Homecoming Game … the Lions are now 0-2 all-time against a team ranked No. 1 in NCAA Division II … Connor Harris now has 599 career tackles, one shy of hitting the 600 milestone … neither team committed a turnover for the straight week, and the third time since the Lions moved to the NCAA level … the Lions have just two turnovers in the last four contests … Kendell Sparks now has 54 receptions this season, the eighth-most in Lindenwood history and 13 behind the current record … Kendell Sparks also had 440 kickoff return yards this year, fourth-most in program history for a season and 37 behind the record … the Lions will have their longest road trip of the season next week with a 2 p.m. contest at Nebraska-Kearney.