Regular-season finales typically bring out plenty of emotion. But for the Lincoln football team, their opponent may just add fuel to the fire.
The Blue Tigers (1-9, 0-7 Great Lakes Valley Conference) will go to battle for the final time in 2015 against the Bearcats of Southwest Baptist (3-6, 2-5).
Lincoln head coach Mike Jones expects a physical contest.
"Our games get chippy for whatever reason," he said. "We can't call it necessarily a rivalry, but it has a rivalry-type atmosphere. So, the practices have been a little bit more intense. Our guys, especially those who have been here for a couple years, understand what type of game it's going to be."
Jones called it an "exciting day in Bolivar" with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at Plaster Stadium, while the Lincoln basketball teams will tip off their second games of the young season just across the Southwest Baptist campus.
The Blue Tigers will have to find a way to slow the second-best running game in the conference. Bearcats running back Bubba Jenkins leads the GLVC in rushing with 1,034 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Quarterback Tren Edwards can also run, as he has 456 rushing yards with seven scores.
"They have a very athletic quarterback," Jones said. "They're running read zones, they're running quarterback powers, and different things for him to be the feature guy. And then they have the leading conference rusher. So those two guys right there make the difference in their offense."
Lincoln will have to keep tabs on preseason All-American wide receiver Nathan Mourik, who hasn't been featured as much but still posses as a threat. He has reeled in eight touchdowns this season to go with his 796 total receiving yards.
"I wouldn't be surprised if those three guys get the ball every time," Jones said. "We've got to be prepared to stop the run. If we prepare to stop their pass game, they'll run the ball up and down the field on us. In the same sense, we'll need to make sure we're in good coverage because that wide receiver is good enough to beat you on any play."
Since its season-opening win against Langston, Lincoln has struggled to get much going in the running game. Junior running back Miles Drummond has been slowed by injuries all season long.
The Blue Tigers rank last in the conference in rushing.
"We're going to run the football because we have to," Jones said. "If you're throwing the ball all the time, you take a chance of your quarterback getting hit. I don't care how good your offensive line is, they're going to get to you sooner or later."
The passing attack has been a bright spot, as the Blue Tigers are the third in the GLVC in total passing offense, averaging 253 yards per game.
Jones was encouraged by freshman wide receiver Antwon Davis' career day last Saturday where he amassed a Lincoln-record 215 receiving yards on 11 catches and two touchdowns.
"The way he attacks the football, that's the thing that jumps out more than anything," Jones said of one of his four returning receivers for 2016. "When that ball is in the air, he truly believes he's going to make that play."
The Blue Tigers plan to start senior Owen Jordan at quarterback, despite Jordan being pulled for sophomore backup Dennis Vinson in the second half of last week's 34-31 loss to William Jewell. Vinson went 11-for-18 for 172 yards and one touchdown pass, compared to Jordan's 18-of-30 for 233 yards and one touchdown performance.
But don't be surprised if you see both players getting time under center.
"It's going to be more of a rotation type of deal," Jones said. "Now, Dennis is going to be in there more. ... Both of them threw the ball well at times last week. (Jordan) is a senior and has done a lot of good things for us and we want to send all of our seniors out the right way."
It's the final game for 15 Lincoln football players.
"It's more about our seniors than anything," Jones said. "If you're playing for yourself, you can think, "Well we're 1-9.' But when you're playing for a guy that's been here like Treston Pulley for five years, Eric Howard, Kareem Joyner, Jeremy Rives. To see how hard they worked and how much leadership they've given to this team, then you've got a different cause for playing."
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