Bolivar, Mo. - The SBU football team got the honor to play in front of an incredible homecoming crowd Saturday afternoon. Once again, they gave the home crowd a spectacular game to watch, though the score did not end in their favor. After never trailing the whole game, Mckendree University took the lead with nine seconds on the clock for a 24-26 final score. That loss moves SBU to 3-3 (2-2 GLVC) on the season. 
 
Just the same as a week ago SBU scored on the first play of the game, this time on offense. The Nation's leader in yards per reception, Avery Lambert, showed why he leads that category with a 65-yard touchdown from his quarterback Jaron Saunders for an early 7-0 lead.That lead held for over a quarter until McKendree knotted the game up at seven with 10:09 on the clock in the second quarter. No more scoring occurred in the half until Kaleb James sent SBU into a halftime lead with a 48-yard field goal, his career long. 
 
After a big stop by the SBU defense at the start of the second half, it only took three plays for another long touchdown reception. Saunders connected with his number one target this season in Kamau Ransom for a 73-yard pass for six points. This was Ransom's ninth touchdown of the season to continue leading the GLVC. 
 
Despite SBU holding a 17-7 lead, McKendree didn't give up as they scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to tie it back up. Shortly after, Senior Shawn Cherry rushed for his third touchdown of the season for another SBU seven-point lead. It would be reduced to four after a McKendree field goal until the home team suffered another heartbreaker with the visitors taking the lead in the final 10 seconds of the game.
 
Saunders had a career high 381 passing yards off 23 completions to go along with his two passing touchdowns. His top target in the game was Ransom who went for 133 yards off five catches for 26.6 yards per catch. Freshman Peyton Rasmussen had himself a big game going for a career high 78 yards off three receptions, including a 46-yard catch.
 
Ricky Woodhouse added to his team leading tackle total with 17 on the game, five being solo. Not far behind him is senior Jed Brandon who tallied 14 on the game including 1.5 tackles for loss and one breakup. Graduate student JoJo Nichols IV had a big game tallying an interception and two breakups with his eight total tackles. 
 
SBU will now head back on the road as they travel to Upper Iowa University for a match against the Peacocks. This game will take place Saturday, October 18th at 1 p.m.