Game 5: Missouri Southern (1-4, 1-4 MIAA) at Lincoln (0-4, 0-4 MIAA)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 9 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Jefferson City, Mo.
Stadium (Capacity): Dwight T. Reed Stadium (5,500)
Tickets: Available online at http://lubluetigers.com/tickets | Adults - $15 | Children Under the Age of Six - Free  | Non-LU Students/LU Faculty & Staff - $10 | LU Students (With ID) - Free
Streaming - https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
Radio - KJLU 88.9 FM - Jefferson City, Mo.
Audiocast - http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KJLU
Live Stats - https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/football/
Special Event - Homecoming
Series - MSSU leads, 9-2

THE KICKOFF 
It's Homecoming weekend at Lincoln University, and the Blue Tigers have a date with Missouri Southern at Dwight T. Reed Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 9). Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CDT as Lincoln hosts the Lions in an MIAA contest.

This will be the third home game of the season for the Blue Tigers, who went to overtime the last time they played in Jefferson City. LU blocked a field goal to keep the game tied after regulation, and then marched down and scored a touchdown during its overtime possession. Lincoln's extra point was blocked, however, and Northeastern State ended up winning, 49-48, on Sept. 25. The Blue Tigers enter the weekend 0-4 both overall and in the MIAA.

Missouri Southern is 1-4 overall and in league play after falling at home to Pittsburg State, 20-16, on Saturday (Oct. 2). MSSU's win came on the road, as the Lions beat Central Oklahoma, 14-10.

QUICK HITS 
- On Saturday, Lincoln and Missouri Southern will meet for the 12th time, with MSSU holding a 9-2 advantage in the series. The Blue Tigers won the first two games in 1969 and 1970, but the Lions have since won nine-straight.

- This will be the first MIAA conference game between two teams with black head coaches since at least 1990.

- The Blue Tigers are seeking a Homecoming win for the second-straight season. In 2019, Lincoln notched a 27-9 win over Northeastern State in Lincoln's annual game during Homecoming weekend.

- This is Lincoln's third home game of the 2021 season. The Blue Tigers do not have back-to-back home games in 2021, marking the first time that has happened in an LU football season since 2005.

- A victory on Saturday would also be LU's first victory since Oct. 19, 2019, when Lincoln beat Northeastern State, 27-9.

- 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Dwight T. Reed Stadium. The Blue Tigers first played in the venue on Sept. 25, 1971, when Lincoln beat Bemidji State, 35-13.

- The Blue Tigers enter the 2021 season with an all-time record of 261-468-25.

- Malik Hoskins was named the interim head coach of the Blue Tigers in May of 2019, and was promoted to the full-time position at the end of that year. He enters the week with an LU record of 1-14 and an overall record of 4-21.

- Lincoln is in second-consecutive year, and its 25th overall as a football-playing member of the MIAA. The Blue Tigers, who were an associate member of the GLVC from 2014-18, previously played in the MIAA from 1970-89 and from 2011-13. The MIAA is the fifth different conference in which the Blue Tigers have been a member, joining the Midwest Athletic Association, the Great Lakes Football Conference, the Central States Football League and the GLVC.

- This is the 90th season of Lincoln football. The Blue Tigers first fielded a team in 1920 and played every year until 1943, when Lincoln took a year off due to World War II. LU then played each season from 1944-1989. The football program was disbanded at that point, but was brought back in 2000.

BLUE TIGERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE - Zamar Brake turned in a record-setting performance against Northeastern State, passing for 454 yards and four touchdowns, both of which are new single-game standards at Lincoln. Brake is averaging 244.8 yards per game and has thrown eight touchdown passes with zero interceptions on the year.

Hosea Franklin, a 2019 Don Hansen Division II All-American honorable mention, has gained over 100 yards in each of the past two games, and has scored four touchdowns on the year while gaining 279 yards. Winston Ausmer leads the receiving corps with 19 grabs for 318 yards and four scores, while Charles Johnson has six catches, including two touchdown grabs.

DEFENSE - Elliott Albert has begun the season very well, leading Lincoln with 36 total tackles while tallying three tackles for loss, an INT, a fumble recovery and four broken-up passes. Both Julian Jackson-Linkhart and Chris Parker have an interception, while Cody Bagby has made 18 tackles, forced a fumble and totaled two tackles for loss. TeAndre Skinner, meanwhile, has blocked a kick and made 29 tackles, including two for loss.

Jaylon Mosley has 19 solo tackles and 28 total takedowns on the year, and Samuel Amituanai is tied for the team-high with three tackles for loss and joined with Terrion Williams for a sack. As a team, LU has made 10 tackles for loss, including one by Aeneas Tibbs and two from Malaefono Ale.

Zyan Thomas-King has broken up two passes and made 17 tackles, and Charles Robertson has made 18 tackles, including 15 solo. Caleb Rozar has 10 tackles on the year, and Devyn Sigars has notched 13 takedowns.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Winston Ausmer is the main returner, averaging 7.3 yards on punt returns and 11.0 yards on kick returns. Tori Hicks averages 19.3 yards on kick returns, while Brandon Mackey, Jr. is next with 13.0 yards per return. Clayton Winkler is Lincoln's kicker, and averages 43.7 yards on kickoffs. On punts, Winkler is averaging 37.5 yards, with four kicks traveling at least 50 yards and two resulting in a fair catch.

MISSOURI SOUTHERN AT A GLANCE
Missouri Southern is the only MIAA team that has yet to throw an interception in 2021. The Lions are completing 62.5-percent of their passes, but average just 161.8 yards per game through the air. Jaylon Banks completed his only pass for 12 yards, while Dawson Herl, the starter, has thrown for 797 yards and three touchdowns. The top receiving target is Brian Boyd, Jr., who has 19 receptions for 239 yards and two scores. Jaedon Stoshak has caught 17 passes and Keandre Bledsoe has made 15 grabs while Jeremy Brown has the other touchdown catch.

The Lions' running game is led mainly by Nathan Glades, who has gained 385 yards on 82 carries with three TDs. Glades is the only MSSU player with over 100 yards on the ground, but Missouri Southern has six other players who have carried the ball at least seven times in 2021. The team is averaging 127.0 yards on the ground per game and 3.7 yards per carry.

Richard Jordan leads the MSSU defense in nearly every category, including tackles (50), tackles for loss (7.0), sacks (1.0), hurries (two) and forced fumbles (two). Coleman Booker, who has 35 tackles, also has forced a fumble, and Colton Winder has made 43 tackles while Nick Kruse and Solomona Fetuao each have three tackles for loss.

Nick Williams is 4-for-7 on field goals with a long of 41 yards, and averages 56.6 yards on kickoffs as well as 36.7 yards on punts. Boyd is the main kick returner, while Stoshak has MSSU's only punt return.

THE COACHES
Malik Hoskins is in his second season as the head coach of the Lincoln football team. Hoskins was elevated to the position of interim head coach prior to the 2019 season after spending two seasons serving as Lincoln's offensive coordinator. In his first year as the head coach, he led the team's return to the MIAA, culminating with a 27-9 win over Northeastern State on Homecoming. After the 2019 season, Hoskins was named the full-time head coach of the Blue Tigers. Hoskins also was the interim coach at Lane in 2015.

Atiba Bradley is in his first year as the head coach of his alma mater, and is the first Missouri Southern graduate who has been named head coach at MSSU. Bradley was the defensive coordinator at McKendree before taking over at Missouri Southern, and before that spent six years at NCAA Division I football programs. 

BROKEN RECORDS:  Lincoln enjoyed its best passing performance ever against Northeastern State, as quarterback Zamar Brake threw for 454 yards and four scores. The yardage breaks team and individual single-game records, which stood at 445 and 424, respectively, entering the season. The four touchdown passes also tied the single-game record. Additionally, Lincoln ran 92 plays on offense, tying the team single-game record.

PACING THE NCAA:  Zamar Brake finished with 505 yards of total offense against Northeastern State, which are the third-most by any player in a single game in NCAA Division II this season. His 454 passing yards, meanwhile, are the fifth-most in a contest in DII. For the season, Brake currently is 11th nationally in yards per completion (15.8), 23rd in passing efficiency (155.1) and 36th in total offense (267.2).

NCAA LEADERS:  Through the first five weeks of the season, Lincoln ranks highly in NCAA DII in several statistics. With just one interception thrown on the year, Lincoln is tied for fifth in the nation. The Blue Tigers are 35th in passing yards per completion (14.6) and 59th in passing yards per game (244.8). Lincoln is also 30th in Division II in fewest turnovers lost (five) and 50th in fewest penalty yards (255).

FOR THE WIN-STON:  Winston Ausmer has been on a tear through the first four games of the year, catching 19 passes for 318 yards and four scores. Ausmer, who is currently third in the MIAA in touchdown grabs, ranks seventh in the league in passes caught per game (4.8), and 59th in Division II in receiving yards per contest (79.5).

WHAT A RUSH: Hosea Franklin set the Lincoln standard in rushing in 2019, finishing with 1,359 yards, a new program record. Franklin earned first team All-MIAA and all-region honors for the year, as well an All-American honorable mention award.

BACK ON THE RUN:  After being slowed by the defenses in Lincoln's first two contests of 2021, Hosea Franklin broke through with 115 yards and three scores vs. Northeastern State. He also ran for 137 yards and a score at Central Oklahoma.

FRANKLY:  Hosea Franklin is moving up the ranks in both the NCAA Division II and MIAA statistics. Franklin is 48th nationally with four rushing touchdowns. In the league standings, he ranks fifth in both touchdowns and rushing yards per game (69.8), 11th in all-purpose yards (90.3) and sixth in total rushing yards (279).

OUT OF STATE:  The Blue Tigers will spend a lot of time on the road in 2021. LU is scheduled to play five games on the road this year, and none in the state of Missouri. Lincoln will play three games in Kansas (at Fort Hays State on Sept. 18, at Pittsburg State on Oct. 16 and at Emporia State on Nov. 6), one contest in Oklahoma (at Central Oklahoma on Oct. 2) and one game in Nebraska (at Nebraska Kearney on Oct. 23).

TICKETS:  For the first time ever, fans can purchase their tickets to Lincoln's home football games online. Head to http://lubluetigers.com/tickets to purchase both season and individual game tickets for the 2021 season.

JOIN THE TEAM BEHIND THE TEAM:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships for students, improving campus facilities and purchasing and maintaining equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more about the club, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.

LU PLAYS ON KJLU:  Veteran play-by-play announcer James Stanley returns to the airwaves to provide Lincoln fans the action on the field in 2021. Stanley will call all five of LU's home games, and fans can listen to him live on 88.9 FM KJLU. Those not in the Jefferson City area can also listen to the games on KJLU's website, http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KJLU.

...AND ONLINE:  All 10 of Lincoln's games will also stream online at www.themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers.

GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  LU fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.

UP NEXT:  The Blue Tigers travel to Pittsburg, Kan. next Saturday (Oct. 16) to play Pittsburg State in a 1:00 p.m. CDT contest.