FAYETTE, Iowa - Upper Iowa (4-4, 3-2 GLVC) begins a two-game road stretch in Lebanon, Illinois, against McKendree (Ill.) (3-5, 3-3 GLVC). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31, at Leemon Field.

The Peacocks are 2-1 all-time against McKendree. The Bearcats won the first matchup in 2023 with a 41-34 win. Upper Iowa won last season's matchup, 57-7.  

LIVE OPTIONS
Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can stay connected with a pair of live options available at UIUPeacocks.com/Live, featuring access to live stats and a pay-per-view webcast through GLVCSN. Fans can also refer to the links attached to this story for all live options. 

In addition to GLVCSN.com, viewers can catch the Peacocks on the GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile app, as well as the GLVCSN app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV.

LAST TIME OUT
The Peacocks suffered their fourth loss by two points or less this past Saturday against William Jewell (Mo.) (5-2, 4-1 GLVC). The Cardinals used a 16-0 fourth quarter and a field goal with 23 seconds left to win, 19-18.

Quarterback Zamar Wise finished the game 11-of-19 for 186 yards with the help of freshman receiver LJ Nyenow Jr. posting three catches for 69 yards. Jayden Gordon had both of UIU's touchdowns on the ground.

Defensively, Evan Dorn led the Peacocks with 10 tackles (two solo). Defensive end Demontay Mack scored two points with a tackle-for-loss for a safety. The senior finished with eight tackles, three tackles-for-loss, half a sack and a quarterback hurry. Michael Mulherin had eight tackles with half a sack, and Daniel Robinson recorded a solo sack.

The Upper Iowa defense held William Jewell to just 92 passing yards, helping UIU outgain WJC 334-255. This was the third time the Peacocks have held a team to under 100 passing yards this season. The Cardinals were 5-of-13 on third downs while the Peacocks were 1-of-9. Upper Iowa committed 11 penalties for 70 yards while William Jewell committed five for 45 yards. 

UIU's four losses this season have come by a combined total of six points. Only a few teams in recent college football history have had a similar story. BYU finished its 2016 season with four losses by a combined margin of eight points, with two three-point losses, and 2024 California lost four consecutive games by a margin of nine points. 

In Division II, another close comparison would be Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) in 2022, suffering four of its seven losses by a combined total of eight points. Fairmont State (W.V.) also had five losses decided by three points or fewer in 2022, and Sioux Falls (S.D.) in 2018 finished the season with four losses by a combined total of 18 points. 

AROUND THE GLVC
Truman State (Mo.) (4-4, 4-1 GLVC) defeated Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (4-5, 3-3 GLVC) 41-17 to remain tied in first place with William Jewell. The Bulldogs and the Cardinals are scheduled to face each other on Saturday, Nov. 7 to break the tie.

The Peacocks are tied in third place with UIndy (4-4, 3-2 GLVC). The Greyhounds had a bye week this past Saturday. UIndy plays Quincy (Ill.) (3-5, 2-3 GLVC) this upcoming Saturday. 

The top of the GLVC plays the bottom of the conference in the other two GLVC matchups this upcoming weekend. Lincoln (Mo.) (2-5, 1-4 GLVC) travels to Truman State and Missouri S&T (1-7, 1-5 GLVC) heads to Liberty, Missouri, to face William Jewell.

STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Wise is 111-of-182 for 1,342 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions, with 127 carries for 575 yards and seven touchdowns rushing. He is eighth in the GLVC in rushing yards per game, averaging 71.9, while ranking fifth in rushing touchdowns. Wise ranks fourth in the GLVC in total offense, averaging 239.6 yards per game.

Wise and Gordon have both scored seven touchdowns this season, with Gordon scoring one through the air. They are both tied for sixth in the GLVC in total touchdowns. Gordon has 223 yards on 64 carries this season.

Nyenow Jr. has 24 catches for 416 yards and two receiving touchdowns, and ranks fifth in the conference in receiving yards per game, averaging 58. Camden Hungerholt has recorded 20 catches for 225 yards and a touchdown, while Ronald Wilson Jr. has 21 catches for 190 yards and a score.

Dorn has totaled 75 tackles (25 solo) with four tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble and half a sack. He ranks fourth in the GLVC in total tackles. Mulherin is up to 65 tackles (17 solo), ranking eighth in the GLVC, with four tackles-for-loss and a half sack as well. Braylon Kammrad has 55 tackles (24 solo) at safety, and Jalen Hodo has 41 tackles (21 solo).

Hodo leads the team with three interceptions, tying with five other players for the most in the GLVC. Dominic Salibi has nine pass breakups and two interceptions, tying for 15th in the country and the GLVC-lead in passes defended this season. Aaron King has four pass breakups with two picks, tying for sixth in the GLVC in passes defended. 

Mack is up to nine tackles-for-loss after his performance against William Jewell, tying for second in the GLVC. The senior has 2.5 sacks this season, tying for 11th in the conference. Robinson leads the team with three sacks, tying for seventh in the GLVC.

Nathan Behne is 9-of-12 on field goals this season. He ranks 21st nationally in field goals made per game and 25th in field goal percentage. The junior ranks third in the GLVC in both of those categories as well.

Upper Iowa has had most of its success in the second quarter this season, outscoring opponents 94-32 before the half. The Peacocks are being outscored in every other quarter and overtime, 167-139 combined. 

Nationally, the Peacocks rank 18th in defensive touchdowns with two, 22nd in fumbles recovered with seven, 17th in turnover margin at 0.88 and 10th in time of possession at 32:52 per game. All of those marks lead the GLVC as well. 

The Peacock defense is allowing 171.1 passing yards per game, leading the conference and ranking 33rd in the nation. Upper Iowa has an 81.8% fourth-down conversion percentage, ranking fifth nationally and leading the GLVC.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
All of McKendree's three wins have come in GLVC play, starting with a 35-31 win in its home opener against UIndy on Sept. 19. The Bearcats also have a 46-43 overtime win against Quincy and won this past week 30-20 for their first road win against Lincoln. McKendree is 2-1 at Leemon Field this season.

Sophomore quarterback Kendrick Lyons is the GLVC's leader in passing at 156-of-264 with 2,136 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He leads the GLVC in passing yards per game with 267 and ranks fourth in passing efficiency with a rating of 142.2. Nationally, Lyons is 13th in total passing yards, 20th in total offense, 21st in passing touchdowns and 51st in passing efficiency.

Lyons' top target is freshman wide receiver Kendric Johnson, who leads the GLVC in receiving yards per game at 66.5. He also has four receiving touchdowns this season. Quincy Hall Jr. has added 25 catches for 351 yards and three scores, while Daryle Jones Jr. has 26 catches for 365 yards and a touchdown. 

Junior running back Jerry Richardson has rushed for 616 yards (77 per game) with six touchdowns. He averages 5.6 yards per carry as well. Richardson ranks fifth in the GLVC in rushing yards and is sixth in yards per carry. He also has a kickoff return touchdown this season. 

Freshman Izaias Primus has added 317 yards and two touchdowns, and Lyons has 103 yards with three touchdowns rushing. 

Defensively, senior linebacker Nick Bova ranks fifth in the GLVC with 69 tackles (30 solo). He also has a team-high 4.5 tackles-for-loss, a team-high 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and a forced fumble. Sophomore defensive back Mylan Nettles has a team-high four pass breakups while junior Johnnie Robinson has the team's lone interception. 

McKendree ranks fourth in the GLVC in offensive scoring, averaging 30.8 points per game, and second in the GLVC in yards per game, averaging 398.6. The Bearcats lead the GLVC and rank 17th nationally in passing yards per game with 270.1. They also rank first in the conference and 14th nationally in third-down conversions at 50.9%. 

On the opposite end, the Bearcats are last in defensive scoring, allowing 38.5 points per game, and last in defensive yards allowed at 440 per game. The defense is fifth in the GLVC in the red zone, with teams going 24-of-29 scoring touchdowns inside the 20. 

Jason Rejfek is in his third season with the Bearcats in 2026, after starting as the interim head coach during the 2024 season. He has been with the program since 2018. Entering this week, Rejfek has a 12-18 record as the head coach of McKendree.