Complete Game Notes
Game 7: Lincoln (0-6) at Central Oklahoma (2-4)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 14 - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Edmond, Okla.
Stadium (Capacity): Richison Stadium (12,000)
Tickets: https://bronchosports.com/sports/2015/1/12/tickets.aspx
Streaming: https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
Radio: KOKC 95.3 FM - Edmond, Okla.
Audiocast: https://player.listenlive.co/34471
Live Stats: https://bronchosports.com/sidearmstats/football/
Series: UCO leads, 5-0

THE KICKOFF 
The Lincoln football team returns to the road this weekend to play Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla. on Saturday (Oct. 14). Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CDT as the Blue Tigers play in their fourth road game of 2023.

Lincoln is coming off its closest game of the year, as the Blue Tigers had the lead on two occasions before falling to Northeastern State, 28-13, in its Homecoming game last Saturday (Oct. 7). LU scored on a run by Xzavier Vaughn and a catch by Aderias Ealy, but the RiverHawks shut out LU in the second half to secure the victory.

Central Oklahoma is also coming off a loss, as the Bronchos dropped a 34-21 decision on the road to Northwest Missouri last Saturday. After winning its home opener against Nebraska Kearney, UCO has dropped three of its past four games, though the Bronchos enter the weekend with a 2-1 mark at Richison Stadium.

QUICK HITS 
- This will be the sixth meeting between the Blue Tigers and the Bronchos, with Central Oklahoma leading the all-time series, 5-0. This is a relatively new rivalry, with the first meeting taking place in 2012.

- Lincoln and Central Oklahoma last met on Oct. 1, 2022, with the Bronchos winning in Jefferson City, 45-3.

- A victory on Saturday would be the first for Lincoln since defeating Northeastern State, 27-9, on Oct. 19, 2019.

- A victory for Lincoln would be its first road win against an MIAA opponent since beating Central Missouri, 20-7, in Warrensburg, Mo. in 1975.

- LU is seeking its first road win since defeating William Jewell, 23-14, as a GLVC program on Oct. 20, 2018.

- After spending the past two weeks on the road, Lincoln will be home for most of October. The Blue Tigers play three of their four games this month at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, starting with last week's Homecoming game and concluding with a Thursday night showdown against Eastern New Mexcio on Oct. 26. This Saturday's contest at Central Oklahoma is LU's lone road game of the month.

- The Blue Tigers enter this weekend with an all-time record of 261-491-25.

- Jermaine Gales was named the head coach of the Lincoln football team in 2021. In his second season leading the Blue Tigers, Gales enters the week with both an overall record and a record at LU of 0-17.

- For the first time since 2010, Lincoln will play a season as an independent. Lincoln, which played in the MIAA for 26 years (overall), is joining the GLVC in 2024-25. The Blue Tigers, who were an associate member of the GLVC from 2014-18, have played in five different conferences in their 92-year history: the Midwest Athletic Association, the Great Lakes Football Conference, the Central States Football League, the GLVC and the MIAA.

- This is the 92nd 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. Lincoln did not play a full schedule in 2020 or 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions.

BLUE TIGERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE - Xzavier Vaughn has been responsible for six touchdowns this season, including an 85-yard scoring run in the opener at Emporia State. Vaughn, who has thrown for 753 yards with four touchdowns, is LU's leading rusher with 184 yards on the ground, followed by Omar Allen (157 yards) and LaMarco Yates (154). Yates is averaging 38.5 yards per game, the team-high. Aderias Ealy is enjoying a stellar start to the season with a trio of touchdown receptions and 24 total catches for 378 yards, an average of 15.8 yards per grab. Ealy and Winston Ausmer, who is next on the receiving list with 13 receptions, each have gained over 50 yards on single catches. Ausmer also has a receiving score and 145 total yards on the year. LU's other leading receivers include Israel Tate, Damon Bell and Charles Johnson. 

DEFENSE - Ian Hackney, one of four players on the LU defense with a sack, leads the Blue Tigers with 52.0 tackles while Elijah Juarez has 35.0 with two tackles for loss. David Kinard, Jesse Brown and Isiah McKenzie are the other Blue Tigers with a full sack credit while Adrian Hopper, who has made 34 tackles, joins Donte Moore, Kaden Mondy and Woodens PierreLouis with 0.5 sacks apiece. Moore and Jordan Batts each had 2.5 tackles for loss, and Bryant Coley is second on the squad in tackling with 42.0 on the year. TJ Jasper has broken up four passes and Michael Harrison, who has 24 tackles, has broken up three. Coley has picked off a pass and Cory Macon has a fumble recovery.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Mo Alwaely successfully made the longest field goal by a Blue Tiger since 2018 when he connected on a 43-yard attempt in Lincoln's season-opening game at Emporia State. Alwaely's kickoffs have been very sharp, as he is averaging 59.7 yards with three touchbacks. Clayton Winkler is averaging 37.1 yards per punt with 12 kicks landing inside the opponent's 20-yard line and eight resulting in calling for a fair catch. Winston Ausmer leads the Blue Tigers with a 36.5 average on kickoff returns, highlighted by a 50-yard return against Missouri Western, while the other primary kick returner is Aderias Ealy.

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AT A GLANCE
Two players have split time at quarterback for UCO, with Stephon Brown throwing for 797 yards and two scores against three interceptions. Dawson Herl also has a pair of touchdown passes, but has thrown four picks, while Jacob Delso has complete each of his only two attempts. Terrill Davis (351 yards) and Oscar Hammond (307) are the leading receivers, having combined for 51 receptions and three touchdowns. Trevon Woolfolk leads Central Oklahoma on the ground, rushing for 567 yards and eight touchdowns.

Connor Johnson has a team-high 35 tackles while Rae'Quan Wicks and Johnathan Mosley each have 28 on the season. JK Moore has broken up seven passes to go with 27 tackles, and Reed Lindsey and Jack Puckett each have 1.5 sacks. Johnson leads UCO with four tackles for loss and Puckett is next with three, and Kobey Stephens has five break-ups while Grant Lohr has 21 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss. Moore and Noah West each have picked off passes, Zane Adams has blocked a kick, and Hunter Largent has 2.5 tackles for loss.

David Vargas is averaging 42.1 yards punting with five kicks pinning opponents inside the 20. Nicky Quevedo is 6-for-8 on field goals with a long of 34, and Stephens is leading UCO on kickoff returns with an average of 19.1 yards per attempt.

THE COACHES
Jermaine Gales is now in his second season as the head coach of the Blue Tigers after beginning Lincoln's rebuild in 2022. Gales is no stranger to developing programs, as he was part of a staff at Bluefield State that went 4-3 in its first football season in 40 years in 2021. Gales has more than 20 years of experience as an assistant coach at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels, and has helped programs like Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mars Hill and North Carolina Central achieve winning seasons.

Adam Dorrel has won over 100 games in his career that started at Northwest Missouri, where he won three NCAA Division II championships as an assistant coach and three more after being elevated to head coach. The Bearcats went 19-3 in the playoffs under Dorrel and won 56 of their 61 MIAA contests. Dorrel left NWMSU for Abilene Christian, spending five seasons as the head coach of the Division I program. Dorrel is in his second season at Central Oklahoma, leading the program to its first winning season since 2018 in 2022.

NO FOUL, NO FOUL:  Lincoln has not been called for many penalties this season, with LU being on the receiving end of 39 penalties for 287 yards. LU has been penalized an average of 47.8 yards per contest, the 28th-fewest in Division II, and in terms of total penalty yardage, Lincoln is 31st in DII. The Blue Tigers' average 6.5 flags per game, a total that ranks as the 67th-fewest in the country.

THE FOURTH IS WITH US:  The Blue Tigers have been sharp on fourth down conversion attempts on both sides of the ball. Lincoln is converting its offensive fourth down tries at a .600 clip, the 31st-best in NCAA Division II midway through the 2023 season. On defense, LU has allowed teams to convert at a .500 clip, the 88th-best in Division II.

TACKLING DIVISION II:  Out of 186 qualifying ranked players, three Blue Tigers are among the best in NCAA Division II in tackling. Ian Hackney ranks 25th in the nation with 8.7 tackles per game. Elijah Juarez, who averages 7.0 tackles per game, is 96th in Division II while Bryant Coley is close behind with 6.8 takedowns per game, ranking him 113th in the nation.

CLAY-MORE:  Clayton Winkler has had a great season as Lincoln's punter, averaging 37.6 yards per kick, the 69th-best in NCAA Division II. LU is playing as an independent this season, but if it were still in the MIAA, Winkler's average would make him the conference's third-best punter. He has a season-long punt of 71 yards and 12 of his kicks have pinned opponents inside the 20.

NOTABLE NATIONAL NUMBERS:  Aderias Ealy is currently 78th in Division II in receiving yards (378) and 88th in receiving yards per game (63.0) while Cory Macon and Israel Tate are tied for 47th in fumble recoveries. Macon is also 72nd in the nation in fumbles forced while Elijah Juarez rates 76th in solo tackles (4.4).

DEFENDING THE HAWKS:  Lincoln's defense was stout against Northeastern State, causing NSU to turn the ball over on downs twice and forcing five punts. Adrian Hopper forced a fumble to end the RiverHawks' second drive, with Cory Macon recovering, and Bryant Coley recorded Lincoln's first interception of 2023.

TICKETS:  Like in the past two years, 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 2023 season. The season ticket package also includes parking passes for all six of Lincoln's home games.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE DWIGHT:  For the first time since 2018, when Lincoln played football in the GLVC, the Blue Tigers will play a non-MIAA opponent when LU hosts Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 26. That Thursday night showdown under the lights at Dwight T. Reed Stadium will pit Lincoln against a non-MIAA or GLVC team, LU's first such game since a Nov. 3, 2018 game at Tarleton State.

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 become a member of 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 2023. Stanley will call all six 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:  While the Blue Tigers are competing as an independent team in 2023, all 11 of Lincoln's games will still stream online at www.themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers. The six home games will include a simulcast of the KJLU broadcast, while the five road games will be called by the home team's radio broadcasting crew. All-season viewing packages are now available.

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:  Lincoln is back at home next Saturday, Oct. 21, to host Missouri Southern at 2:00 p.m. CDT in LU's annual Think Pink Game.