The Lindenwood football team is home this Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against No. 14 Fort Hays State. The contest will be the school's Hall of Fame Game.
 
Lindenwood picked up one of it biggest NCAA victories last weekend with a 45-11 road victory at Pittsburg State. The Lions led 14-3 at halftime, and then broke the game open by scoring 17 unanswered points in the third quarter.
 
Fort Hays State is tied for first in the MIAA standings with a perfect 4-0 record on the season. The Tigers have won by 24 or more points in three of their four games this year, including a 31-7 victory over Northeastern State last weekend.
 
One of the key matchups in the game will be Lindenwood's rushing attack against Fort Hays State's run defense. The Lions rank 21st in the nation with 228.8 rushing yards a game, and are averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Fort Hays State is fifth nationally allowing 62.3 rushing yards a game, and it is allowing just 2.1 yards per carry.
 
On the other side of the ball, Fort Hays State is first in the MIAA and 21st nationally with 291.3 passing yards a game. Lindenwood is second in the conference and 36th nationally by allowing just 169.8 passing yards a game.
 
Fort Hays State has won four straight games over Lindenwood, and it has a 4-1 all-time series advantage over the Lions. The Tigers have never allowed more than 20 points against Lindenwood, and Lindenwood has just one touchdown in each of the last three games. At Hunter Stadium, Fort Hays State is 2-0 all-time.
 
Fort Hays State won last year's meeting by a 37-6 score in Hays, Kan. The game was memorable for the Lions as Connor Harris broke the NCAA All-Division career tackles record in the first quarter of the contest. Lindenwood scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass play to DeSean Warren in the first quarter, but those were the only points of the game for the Lions.
 
Lions Offense
- Lindenwood is currently fifth in the MIAA in total offense (438.3), and seventh in scoring offense (31.0).
 
- Two Lions are closing in on 1,000-yard milestones. Running back Calen Campbell enters this week's game with 911 career rushing yards. Wide receiver Deantrell Prince currently has 891 career receiving yards.
 
- Najee Jackson has not thrown an interception in 107 passes this season. It is the longest streak by a Lindenwood quarterback since 2004, when game-by-game records start in the school's record book.
 
- Lindenwood's offensive line has given up just three sacks this season. It is ranked 13th in the nation in sacks allowing. The next closest team in the MIAA is Central Missouri, which has allowed just seven sacks.
 
- Lindenwood's rushing attack is on pace to set a school record for most rushing yards a game. The team's current 6.1 yards per rush would be the second-best mark in program history.
 
Lions Defense
- Lindenwood is currently ranked fifth in the MIAA in total defense (366.0), and fourth in scoring defense (20.5).
 
- Lindenwood is allowing just 169.8 passing yards a game, and it has not allowed over 200 passing yards in a game this season.
 
- In the win over Pittsburg State, the Lions had three interceptions and eight pass breakups. Ace Rogers and Bakari Triggs both had three passes defended in the game. On the season, Rogers has five passes defended, and Triggs and Ricky McCoy both have four.

- Bakari Triggs' interception against Pittsburg State was his eighth career pick, the fourth-most in school history. He has 242 interception return yards, the second-most in program history.
 
- Darrius Williams has recorded double-figure tackles in three out of the four games this season. He ranks third in the MIAA in tackles per game.
 
- Jonathan Harris has 3.0 sacks in the last two games. He has 4.0 tackles for loss, including at least one in three of the team's four games.
 
- Lindenwood's defense has not allowed a first-half touchdown in three straight games. On the season, it has allowed just 24 first-half points, or 6.0 points a game.
 
Lions Special Teams
- Travis Spraul has scored 19 points over the last two weeks. In that span, he has made all four field goals and all seven PATs that he has attempted.
 
- Michael Crowder has had one punt each game inside the 15-yard line.
 
Team Notes
- Lindenwood is 1-14 all-time against ranked NCAA Division II programs. The lone win came in 2012 at Pittsburg State.
 
- Lindenwood will hold its Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Saturday evening. One of the inductees is former linebacker Logen Wright. Wright was a four-time captain, three time first-team all-HAAC, and two-time All-American for the Lions.
 
- Lindenwood travels to Missouri Western on Oct. 7. The Lions and Griffons will be a 1 p.m. game in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
Scouting The Tigers
- Going back to last season, Fort Hays State has won six straight games, including a 45-12 victory over Eastern New Mexico in the 2016 C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl. Wins this season have come against Missouri Southern, Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, and Northeastern State.
 
- Fort Hays State is ranked second in the MIAA in total defense by allowing just 269.0 yards a game. That mark ranks 14th nationally. It is second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 11.0 points a game.
 
- The Tigers' offense is first in the MIAA with 36.3 points a game, and second in total offense with 456.5 yards a contest.
- Jacob Mezera has thrown for 1,085 passing yards this season, and has nine touchdown passes. He is completing 69.6 percent of his passes.
 
- Kenneth Iheme is averaging 75.8 rushing yards a game, and has five rushing touchdowns. Monterio Burchfield is averaging 81.2 receiving yards a game, and has three touchdowns.
 
- Connor Shedeed leads the team with 27 tackles. Nathan Shepherd has team-highs of 5.0 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Kamon Clayton has five pass breakups, and Doyin Jibowu has the team's lone interception on the year.