Complete Game Notes
Game 1: Lincoln (0-0) at Emporia State (0-0)
Date/Time: Thursday, Aug. 31 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Emporia, Kan.
Stadium (Capacity): Welch Stadium (7,000)
Tickets: https://emporiastatetickets.universitytickets.com/
Streaming: https://themiaanetwork.com/lubluetigers/
Radio: KFFX 104.9 FM - Emporia, Kan.
Audiocast: https://streema.com/radios/KFFX
Live Stats: https://esuhornets.com/sidearmstats/football/
Series: ESU leads, 7-2

THE KICKOFF 
The Lincoln football team opens its 2023 season on Thursday night (Aug. 31) when the Blue Tigers travel to Emporia, Kan. to play Emporia State at 7:00 p.m. CDT. This will be the fourth-consecutive full season that Lincoln will open on a Thursday evening, and is one of two Thursday night games on the schedule for the Blue Tigers, who will host Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 26.

For the first time since 2010, Lincoln plays a full slate of non-conference games. While LU is still in the MIAA for each of its other sports in 2023-24, the Blue Tigers are playing as an independent in football this season. Fans will still be able to view every LU game this year on The MIAA Network.

Emporia State went 9-3 last season and played in the Farmers Bank & Trust LIVE UNITED Bowl, beating Southeastern Oklahoma, 48-27. Lincoln played the Hornets tough last year, pushing ESU in Jefferson City before falling, 35-24.

QUICK HITS 
- This will be the 10th meeting between Lincoln and Emporia State, with the Hornets leading the series, 7-2. LU won its first two games against ESU, including a 21-0 victory over the Hornets in the 1958 Mineral Water Bowl.

- Emporia State has won the last seven contests in the series, including beating the Blue Tigers in Jefferson City, 35-24, in 2022. The last time Lincoln played in Emporia, Kan., the Hornets won, 56-21, in 2021.

- Lincoln is seeking its first season-opening win since a 10-7 neutral site win over Lane to begin the 2018 season.

- 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.

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

- The Blue Tigers are seeking their first win outside the state of Missouri since opening their 2018 campaign with a victory over Lane in Memphis, Tenn.

- The Blue Tigers enter this weekend with an all-time record of 261-485-25.

- 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 0-11.

- 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 enters the season as Lincoln's starter at quarterback after missing most of the 2022 campaign with an injury suffered in the season-opener. Vaughn completed 18 passes for 170 yards while gaining another 22 yards on the ground before an injury curtailed the rest of his season. Jaylen Thomas, a freshman from Gary, Ind., and Zamar Brake, who threw for 1,332 yards a year ago, are the other quarterbacks on the depth chart. All four of Lincoln's top running backs in 2022 are back this year, including Omar Allen, Blayden Brown, Dawan Lomax and LaMarco Yates. Aderias Ealy, who led the Blue Tigers with 697 yards on 32 catches and nine touchdowns last season, leads a deep group of returning receivers that includes Winston Ausmer, LU's top pass catcher in 2021. 

DEFENSE - Otis Jackson had 53 tackles, including 33 solo, in 2022 to lead Lincoln's returners on the defensive side of the ball. Jackson also broke up two passes, had an interception and both forced and recovered a fumble last season. Most of LU's defenders, with only five returners among the Blue Tigers' projected starters. That number includes Ishaq Robinson, who had 2.5 tackles for loss last year. Ian Hackney, who had 12 tackles and a hurry in a limited role in 2022, is expected to be one of LU's starters this year. Michael Harrison joins Donte Moore as returners projected to start, while a red-shirt player last year, Jamahreon Smith, is also high on the depth chart. As a unit, Lincoln's defense forced nine fumbles and intercepted 10 passes last year to go with 22 broken-up passes.

SPECIAL TEAMS - Mo Alwaely will handle field goals, extra points and kickoffs with Juan Delgado, a fellow freshman, also in the mix for those roles. Clayton Winkler, meanwhile, begins his third year as Lincoln's punter after averaging 35.7 yards per punt in 2022. Aderias Ealy and Charles Johnson were the main kick returners for Lincoln last year while Winston Ausmer, LU's lead returner in 2021, is also back for 2023.

EMPORIA STATE AT A GLANCE
Emporia State, which returns six starters on offense and seven on defense, was picked to finish third in the MIAA in both the coaches and media preseason polls. ESU is coming off a very strong 2022 campaign in which the Hornets went 9-3, capped by a win in the LIVE UNITED Bowl over Southern Arkansas. The three losses were by a combined total of 15 points, and starting quarterback Braden Gleason threw for 3,458 yards and 33 scores while tossing only seven interceptions.

Gleason also rushed for seven touchdowns while Billy Ross, Jr., Emporia State's probable starting running back, led ESU with eight scores on the ground. In the receiving game, Jaylen Varner led ESU with 10 touchdowns while Tyler Kahmann was next with nine, and both players are back for 2023. Both players also combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards last year.

Caden Douglas went 9-for-10 on field goals with a long of 42 last year, and Ross Brungardt averaged 43.0 yards per punt with a long of 69, and both players return for 2023. Emporia State also brings back Ross to return kicks.

Defensively, Emporia State both forced and recovered nine fumbles while recording 71 tackles for loss and 10 interceptions last year. Among ESU's top returners are Jordan Williams (13.5 TFL, 7.5 sacks), Declan Haub (73 tackles), Montrell Wilson (three interceptions) and Rafe Gaucher (6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 36 tackles).

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.

Garin Higgins has led the Hornets to winning seasons in five of the past seven years, including taking ESU to the Corsicana Bowl in 2018, which ESU won, 30-22, and the LIVE UNITED Bowl in 2022, which Emporia State won, 48-27. Higgins has taken Emporia State to the NCAA DII playoffs three times, most recently in 2016, and, in 15 years at ESU, has compiled over 80 victories.

THIRD TEAM:  Aderias Ealy had a breakout 2022 season, finishing with nine receiving touchdowns, the second-most in the MIAA. Ealy also finished sixth in the conference in receiving yards per game (63.4) and 101.8 all-purpose yards per contest, good for third in the league. Ealy averaged 21.8 yards per catch, ranking him second in the MIAA in that category as well. As a result of his strong season, Ealy was voted by the league's coaches to the All-MIAA third team.

AU-INSPIRING:  Winston Ausmer missed most of the 2022 campaign due to an injury, but is back as one of Lincoln's starters in 2023. Ausmer was a big offensive factor for LU in 2021, as he was named an All-MIAA honorable mention after leading the league in punt return average (16.7 yards). Ausmer also caught 34 passes for 531 yards and six scores that season.

TURNING OVER:  Lincoln was one of the best teams in the MIAA in creating turnovers last year, finishing third in the league with 21 turnovers gained. The Blue Tigers, who ranked 46th in NCAA Division II in that stat, picked off 10 passes and recovered nine fumbles. LU led the MIAA in fumble recoveries and was 24th in the country in that category.

NO FOUL:  The Blue Tigers were one of the best-disciplined teams in the country in 2022, as LU was whistled for just 53 penalties, an average of 4.8 fouls per game. The Blue Tigers, who were second in the MIAA in both categories, lost just 532 yards on those penalties, the third-fewest in the conference. On a national level, Lincoln was 16th in NCAA Division II in fewest penalties per game and 17th in fewest total penalties, and the Blue Tigers were also 37th in the nation in fewest penalty yards.

OUT OF STATE:  The Blue Tigers will spend a lot of time on the road in 2022. LU is scheduled to play five games on the road this year, and only one in the state of Missouri (at Northwest Missouri on Sept. 23). Lincoln will play two games in Kansas, one in Kansas and one in Nebraska. The combined miles away from Jefferson City of those five road opponents is 1,814 for an average of 362.8 miles per opponent.

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 opens its 2023 home slate by hosting Missouri Western on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Dwight T. Reed Stadium at 6:00 p.m. CDT.