It's been a little more than four decades since Lincoln has had success against Truman State.
The Blue Tigers are hoping to change that today.
Lincoln will look to pick up its second straight win this season and its first against Truman since 1973 when the Blue Tigers meet the Bulldogs at 7 p.m. in a Great Lakes Valley Conference matchup in Kirksville.
"You're talking 41 years in which Truman State has had our number," Lincoln head coach Mike Jones said Friday. "We have to understand what it is and then we have to learn how to address it and correct it."
Given the history, Jones knows the Bulldogs, who are coming off a 27-16 win against Missouri S&T, are a worthy opponent.
"They are very stingy on defense, they're resourceful on offense, and they run the ball extremely well," he said. "This is going to be a game where we have to make sure we are doing what we're supposed to do, because if we don't, they're going to exploit you."
Truman (2-1, 1-0 GLVC) owns a 19-4-1 edge in the series against Lincoln (1-2, 1-1). Their last meeting was in 2012, and the Bulldogs rolled to a 42-12 win against the Blue Tigers while both programs were members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.
"The last couple years they've put a beating on us, so we're coming back for revenge this year," senior running back Morris Henderson said last Saturday after setting three single-game records in Lincoln's win against Quincy.
Henderson's performance during the Blue Tigers 42-13 win against the Hawks set a school and GLVC record with six touchdowns. He also broke Lincoln's single-game mark for points with 36 while earning GLVC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
"When he lets the game come to him, he's a really good football player," Jones said. "We've just got to hope that he continues to grow as a football player and continues to play as hard as he possibly can."
Henderson, who rushed for 175 yards last week, is currently ranked second in the GLVC in rushing yards at 124.3 per game.
"Morris is a dynamic runner," Jones said. "He's very passionate about playing football. We just have to make sure he stays within the game.
"You're not going to score six touchdowns every weekend. But the thing is, you want to make sure you're doing the right thing - you get the right read, you're not trying to force things."
Henderson and the rest of the Blue Tigers' offense will face one of their biggest tests of the season against Truman - ranked second in the GLVC in scoring defense (13.7 points per game), rushing defense (102.7 yards per game) and total yards (302.7) and third in pass defense (200.0).
Factoring into the Bulldogs' success on the defensive end is Devin Gillespie, who is second in the league in sacks (3.0) and tied for third in tackles for loss (5.5). Truman defenders have broken up 12 passes, picked off two more and forced three fumbles.
The 16 points Missouri S&T scored last week were the most the Bulldogs have allowed this season.
"We're going to have to be patient (on offense)," Jones said. "They do a lot of different things. They move some guys around, so we've just got to make sure, on the offensive side of the ball that we are can account for their guys."
Lincoln is ranked first in the GLVC in scoring offense at 37 points per game and the Blue Tigers are third in total offense at 425.3 yards.
Lincoln quarterback Owen Jordan has been efficient in his last two starts after taking over for Jacob Morris, who suffered a neck injury during the Blue Tigers' season-opening loss to Langston.
Jordan has completed 35-of-49 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns on the season and was 16-of-21 for 134 yards last week.
"Every week he's gotten better," Jones said. "He has to continue to make good decisions. When he makes good decisions, he puts our offense in a good position to score points."
Offensively, Truman is led by Garrett White. The senior running back is third in the league with 122.3 yards and has scored three of the Bulldogs' seven touchdowns this season, while helping his team to the second-best rushing offense in the league.
"Defensively, we have got to tackle the ball," Jones said. "Garrett White is a heck of a running back - good size, runs well, has good speed. We have to control him."
Quarterback Devonte Black is 38-of-70 for 366 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions to lead Truman's passing game, which is ranked last in the league. Kurt Loyd has caught two passes for scores, while Chico Orlando leads the Bulldogs with 10 receptions.
"I told our players on defense, "We can't afford to give up the big play,'" Jones said. "That's what kills us; that's been our Achilles' heel all year. We've had way too many missed tackles.
"When we play well is when we don't miss tackles. When we don't play well, we miss a bunch of tackles and they make big plays because of it."
Lincoln is hoping to build off its win from last week - a game where the Blue Tigers limited Quincy to 161 yards rushing. Defensively, they will have to have a similar performance against Truman.
In their last two meetings - 2011 and 2012- the Bulldogs outscored the Blue Tigers 95-12.
"The last two games we've played against them, we haven't played well on offense, defense and special teams," Jones said. "We haven't done a good job of stopping the run and we haven't done a good job at scoring points.
"This game is a great challenge for us. It gives us a good opportunity to right some wrongs over a 41-year span, so we're excited about playing Truman State."