SBU BEARCATS (1-2) host Bethany College Swedes (0-1)

September 20, 2008 • 1:30 PM • Plaster Stadium • Bolivar, Mo.

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats go for their second victory in a row on Saturday, as they host the Bethany College Swedes from Lindsborg, Kan., in the first-ever meeting between the schools.

THE OPPONENT: Bethany College lost its season (and home) opener last week against McPherson, 37-21. The Swedes generated 387 yards of total offense in the losing cause, 268 of which was logged in the air. They allowed 483 yards, breaking down to 142 on the ground and 341 via the pass. Head coach Jamie Cruce returns 17 starters from last year’s 6-4 team, who are members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference of the NAIA.

RECORD BOOKS: SBU set a team record for most rushing touchdowns in a game last Saturday against Harding, with 6, passing the old mark of 5 set against 6 different teams.

TRENDS: Through SBU’s first three games of the 2008 season, Steve Gachette has averaged 275 yards passing and 59 yards rushing. Johnnie King has been SBU’s leading receiver, with 24 catches (8 average) for 275 yards (91.7 average). Reuben Hartzler has 18 grabs for 191 yards. Jeff Finnell has gained 254 yards on the ground, which includes 4 touchdowns on the season. Jarred Schumpert has 34 tackles (20 solo) on the season, followed closely by Tyrin Holt, who has 32 tackles (14 solo).

TACKLE BOX: On Saturday against Harding, SBU’s defense was particularly effective inside the ‘red zone.’ The Bisons were inside the SBU 20-yard line eight times, but managed only four field goals against the stingy Bearcats. SBU stopped the Bisons three times on downs and once on a blocked field goal.

SCORING STREAK: SBU is on track to break their ‘consecutive games without being shutout’ in the last game of this season. Should the Bearcats score in all 11 games in the 2008 campaign, they will have avoided the shutout for 44 straight times against Missouri S&T on November 8, which passes the old mark of 43 set in the 10th game of the 1992 season.

COACH ALLEN ON SATURDAY’S WIN: "It felt great because we don’t have to worry any more about that first win. It was great for our kids. We were in a position where we had to finish. We overcame some late mistakes and were able to close it out. I was fired up to see so many fans and students there at the end to celebrate, despite the weather. The students in the end zone were truly the 12th man for us, because they were down there cheering when our defense made some key fourth down stops."

COACH ALLEN ON FIGHTING A ‘LETDOWN’ AGAINST BETHANY ON SATURDAY: We’re trying to get better each and every week. We want our offense to have a better game than our offense had last week. We want our defense to have a better game than our defense had last week.

TWO IN A ROW? If SBU defeats Bethany College on Saturday, it will be the first time the Bearcats have put consecutive W’s in the books since 2001, when Coach Ray Richards’ Cats had back-to-back wins against Emporia State (17-10 on October 20, 2001) and Missouri S&T (17-3 on October 27, 2001).

Game Notes