GAME 5: SBU BEARCATS (0-4) vs KENTUCKY WESLEYAN PANTHERS (0-3)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 • 1:30 PM
PLASTER STADIUM • BOLIVAR, MO
RADIO: KBFL 99.9 FM (Josh Thompson, play-by-play)
INTERNET AUDIO: www.radiospringfield.com
LIVE STATS: here
    
SBU NOTES | KWC NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats return home Saturday to host the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers. Both teams will be looking for their first win of the season in what is SBU's first day game of the season. SBU is coming off a loss at FCS Southern Illinois while Kentucky Wesleyan is coming off a narrow loss at Kentucky State.

Junior quarterback Steve Gachette continues his record-setting career for the Bearcats. Already this season, he's set single game school records for total offense (573 yards) and passing yards (459) as well as career marks for passing attempts (1198) and total offense (8672) which added to the ten individual marks he held coming into the year. He became the only player in SBU history to throw for more than 400 yards and rush for more than 100 in a single game against Harding. Gachette ranks second in the nation in total offense (378 yds/game) and second in the nation in passing yards (1275).        

WR Johnnie King, who led the nation in receptions per game (89 grabs in 10 games) in 2008, is tied for 34th nationally in receiving yards per game (90). SBU ranks 22nd nationally in Division II in total offense (447 ypg) and ninth in passing offense (319 ypg). Sophomore Charles Johnson has stepped his game up recently, with back-to-back career highs in receptions (eight at Harding and ten at Southern Illinois).
   
LB Jarred Schumpert leads D-II in tackles per game 13.25. Schumpert has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in his three previous seasons with SBU. Schumpert is also tied for 10th with 2.13 tackles for loss per game.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach Keith Allen is in his third season at the helm of the Bearcats. He's already engineered a significant turnaround, moving the 'Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, when SBU was three plays away from a potential 8-3 mark.

Panther coach Brent Holsclaw is 10-35 in his seventh season with Kentucky Wesleyan. (The mark does not include 21 games (5-16) vacated by the NCAA.) SBU leads the all-time series 4-0 after winning 34-14 last year in Owensboro.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
The Panthers have struggled out of the gate, falling in their first three road games including a loss to FCS Murray State. Thomas Gordon leads the Panther attack offensively and was the GLFC Player of the Week after rushing for 229 yards on 22 carries and three scores. He ranks 11th in Division II in rushing (119.7 ypg) while the Panther offense ranks 32nd in rushing yards (188 ypg). KWC's David James is tied for 33rd nationally in tackles (9.7 per game).