The Lindenwood football team (6-3, 1-3 OVC) lost 35-34 to Tennessee Tech (3-6, 2-2 OVC) after a missed two-point attempt in the final seconds of Saturday's game in Cookeville, Tenn.
 
GAME OVERVIEW
Tennessee Tech took the first lead of the game, as it was the only touchdown scored in the first quarter.  Lindenwood answered early in the second quarter, as Payton Rose made one of the most athletics moves of the season after he caught a pass near the 20-yardline.  Rose looked to by pulled down inside the five-yard line, but his effort to reach the ball across the goal line before he hit the ground gave the Lions their first score of the game.
 
The Golden Eagles regained its one-score lead after a long touchdown run at the 5:25 mark.  Kobe Smith hauled in a pass in stride and walked into the end zone for the score to tie the game yet again.  In the face of a blitzing defense, Brister found Rose for the second time to make it a 21-14 game heading into the half.
 
Tennessee Tech started the second half with a touchdown to tie the game, and took the lead for the third time in the game to go ahead 28-21 near the end of the third quarter.  In the final second of the third frame, Brister found Chase Lanckriet on a 23-yard touchdown strike to bring the game to an 28-28 deadlock.  The Golden Eagles took a 35-28 lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Lions stayed the course on the ensuing drive.
 
Brister scampered for key first downs, and put the Lions in position to score in the closing seconds.  Brister connected with Lanckriet again to cap off an 18-play drive that took up 6:22 of game clock.  Lindenwood failed to convert on the two-point attempt, snapping a four-game winning streak.  The one-point loss was the first time since September 14, 2019 that the Lions lost a game decided by 10 points or less.  Lindenwood was previously 12-1 in tightly contested games.
 
Brister threw for 300 or more yards in his seventh game this season, setting another school record.  Rose moved up the career leaderboard at Lindenwood, as he now has 3,270 all-purpose yards wearing the black and gold.  Rose tied the school mark for 100-yard receiving games in a season, as he notched is sixth of the year.
 
QUOTABLE
"Games like these come down to the little things," said head coach Jed Stugart.  "Although we continue to have a team that will fight, you can't make the mental mistakes in the key part of games, and I didn't think we handled those things well today."
 
GAME LEADERS
Cade Brister (24-for-33, 303 pass yards, 5 TD, 49 rush yards)
Payton Rose (3 catches, 102 yards, 2 TD, 5 rush yards)
Kobe McClendon (2 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 QBH)
Chase Giorgi (10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FR)
 
UP NEXT
Lindenwood will return to Hunter Stadium on Saturday to host McKendree in the final game of the 2022 season in St. Charles, Mo.