Complete Game Notes | Game Day Policy
Game 3: William Jewell (2-0, 0-0 GLVC) at Lincoln (0-2, 0-2 GLVC)
Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 21 - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Jefferson City, Mo.
Stadium (Capacity): Dwight T. Reed Stadium (5,500)
Tickets: Available online at http://lubluetigers.com/tickets | Adults - $10 | Children Under the Age of Six - Free | Non-LU Students - $5 | LU Students/Faculty/Staff (With ID) - Free
Streaming: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers
Radio: KJLU 88.9 FM - Jefferson City, Mo.
Audiocast: http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KJLU
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/football/
Series: William Jewell leads, 4-1
 
THE KICKOFF 
The Lincoln football team plays its second-straight home game on Saturday (Sept. 21) as LU renews its rivalry with William Jewell in a 12:00 p.m. CDT contest. The Blue Tigers and the Cardinals played each year from 2014-18 when Lincoln was in the GLVC as a football-only member but have not met since that 2018 game, which LU won in Liberty, Mo., 23-14.
 
This will be the third GLVC contest in three games for Lincoln, now in its first year as a full member of the league. The Blue Tigers dropped their 2024 opener on the road, 46-5, to Quincy, and lost a closely-contested home game to McKendree, 34-19, last Saturday (Sept. 14).
 
William Jewell, meanwhile, opened its season with back-to-back non-conference victories over Fort Lewis (35-20) and Kentucky Wesleyan (23-16) and is playing its first GLVC game of the year this weekend.
 
QUICK HITS 
- On Saturday, Lincoln and William Jewell will meet for the sixth time, with the Cardinals leading the series, 4-1.
 
- William Jewell won the first four games in the series but the Blue Tigers claimed the most recent meeting, beating the Cardinals 23-14 in Liberty, Mo. on Oct. 20, 2018.
 
- A victory for Lincoln would be its first over a GLVC opponent since beating William Jewell, 23-14, in Liberty, Mo. on Oct. 20, 2018.
 
- A win for Lincoln would be its first home victory over a GLVC opponent since beating Southwest Baptist, 28-13, on Sept. 22, 2018.
 
- LU is seeking its first win against a team from the state of Missouri since defeating William Jewell, 23-14, on Oct. 20, 2018.
 
- A victory on Saturday would be the first for Lincoln since defeating Northeastern State, 27-9, in Jefferson City on Oct. 19, 2019.
 
- Lincoln is in the midst of a four-game stretch against GLVC opponents to open the 2024 season. LU's first non-conference game will be on Oct. 5.
 
- The Blue Tigers enter this weekend with an all-time record of 261-498-25.
 
- Moses Harper was named the head coach of the Lincoln football team in 2024. He is in his first season leading the Blue Tigers and has both an overall and program record of 0-2 entering this week.
 
- Lincoln, which was a full member of the MIAA for 26 years (overall), is joining the GLVC in 2024. 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 (MWAA), the Great Lakes Football Conference (GLFC), the Central States Football League (CSFL), the GLVC and the MIAA.
 
- This is the 93rd 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 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
 
BLUE TIGERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE - Lincoln has broken some big plays during its first two contests, including scoring on three plays of longer than 50 yards vs. McKendree on Sept. 14. Jareese Howard averages 8.4 yards per carry with a longest rush of 86 yards. Quarterback Isaiah Tate has a rushing touchdown to go with 189 passing yards while Armani Turner leads the Blue Tigers with 95 receiving yards.
 
Howard has rushed for 159 yards and a score and DeMareus Hosey and LaMarco Yates have been the other main backs in Lincoln's rushing attack. Yates and Darian Fletcher have each caught two passes and Howard has three receptions. Tobias Williams, Anias Camarillo and Jordyn Robinson-Ugwuh also have caught passes.
 
DEFENSE - Cory Macon leads Lincoln with 15 solo tackles and 18 total takedowns and also has a TFL while Jordan Hoskins is next with 11 solo tackles and 17 overall. Vez Carter has four tackles for loss and 14 tackles while Zenin Hall is next with four tackles as well as a hurry. Rakeim Ashford has both intercepted and broken up passes, Ke'Ron Blankumsee has two break-ups and Donte Moore, Dontonio Moore and Jamahreon Smith have each been credited with hurries.
 
Chris Gonzalez has seven tackles, two of which were for a loss, and a sack while Nathan Harden has blocked a kick, with both players recording seven tackles on the season. Donte Moore joins Tyler Beauliere as other Blue Tigers with sacks and Ashford has totaled eight tackles.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS - Mo Alwaely made 10 field goals with a long of 49 yards a year ago and is a perfect 2-for-2 this season with his longest going 42 yards. On kickoffs, Alwaely is averaging 52.5 yards. Clayton Winkler, meanwhile, averages 45.1 yards on punts with seven of his 16 kicks going at least 50 yards.
 
Macon had a rare defensive two-point conversion after returning a blocked extra point 95-yards to the end zone against McKendree. Fletcher averages 24.4 yards on kickoff returns and Tobias Williams is averaging 21.2 yards with a long of 54. Fletcher has handled punt return duties.
 
WILLIAM JEWELL AT A GLANCE
William Jewell averages 260 rushing yards per game with Keaundre McCullough pacing the team with 500 yards, seven touchdowns and 10.2 yards per carry. Behind him is Tucker Griffin with 6.0 yards per attempt as WJC enters the weekend averaging 7.2 yards per rush. Griffin is one of two main quarterbacks for the Cardinals and has the only touchdown pass of the season, which was caught by Beau Doughty, who averages 21.5 yards per reception. Griffin has completed nine passes for 139 yards while Cameron Vanzant has 15 completions for 116 yards. AJ Austene leads the receiving corps with five grabs for 77 yards.
 
Adam Callahan has an interception to go with his team-leading 13 tackles. Javion Macias has 11 takedowns, all of which have been solo efforts. Caleb Donnell joins Keagan Hart with 10 tackles apiece. Macias, meanwhile, has three sacks and four total tackles for loss to go with a forced fumble. Justin Endicott has two sacks, Alex Clarke has broken up two passes and Collin Williams and Avion Bass each have two tackles for loss. As a unit, WJC enters the weekend allowing opponents to average 208 passing yards and 127 rushing yards per contest.
 
Josh Click made his only field goal try, a 20-yard attempt, and has punted four times for an average of 38 yards with one pinning an opponent inside its own 20. Click also had three kickoffs on the season for an impressive 65.0 yard average while Marcus Garza has eight kickoffs and a 52.1 average. Jalen Bethany ran 22 yards on his only kickoff return. Edmarrion Contreras handles both kick and punt returns.
 
THE COACHES
Moses Harper was named the head coach of the Blue Tigers in January and is in his first season leading the LU football program. Harper is no stranger to Missouri as he graduated from Central Methodist and has worked at both William Jewell and Missouri Western. Most recently he was the passing game coordinator and receivers coach at Nebraska Kearney, a former rival of the Blue Tigers in the MIAA.
 
Jason Ambroson is in his first season as the coach of the Cardinals and has the team off to a 2-0 start in 2024. He has a career record of 174-91 as a high school coach and won the state championship at Smithville High School in 2021. In a uniquely odd coincidence, Ambroson is the third opposing coach named Jason in three games for LU.
 
MOVING THEM BACKWARDS:  Lincoln has 14 total tackles for loss, with nine of those coming in the opener against Quincy and one resulting in a safety. Nationally, the Blue Tigers rank 42nd in Division II in tackles for loss as well as sixth in the GLVC. Vez Carter has four tackles for loss on the year and individually ranks 21st in the country and third in the league.
 
MACON IT HAPPEN:  Lincoln's defense was led by Cory Macon in the season-opener, as the senior led the Blue Tigers with nine total tackles, six of which were solo efforts. In the home opener vs. McKendree, Macon returned a blocked kick 95 yards to give LU a defensive two-point conversion. For the season, he leads Lincoln with 18 tackles and 15 solo takedowns and is currently the GLVC leader in total tackles. In the national standings, Macon is fourth in the country solo tackles and 35th in total tackles.
 
BALL CONTROL:  Lincoln is one of just eight Division II programs out of 159 qualifying teams that has not turned the ball over in 2024. The Blue Tigers have allowed just one sack, ranking them third in the GLVC and 30th in DII. Lincoln also is 20th in the country in blocked kicks and 39th in the nation in fourth down conversion defense as opponents have succeeded on just 25-percent of their fourth down tries.
 
NON-CON:  For the first time since 2018, Lincoln will have the opportunity to play non-conference games while being members of a league. In 2023, the Blue Tigers was an independent but played a nearly full schedule against MIAA opponents, with the sole exception being a Thursday night game against Eastern New Mexico. This season, while being a full member of the GLVC. Lincoln will play Lincoln (CA) on Oct. 5, old MIAA rival Northeastern State on the road on Oct. 12, and fellow HBCU Lane at home on Nov. 9.
 
NATIONAL NOTES:  Isaiah Tate ranks 17th in DII in passing yards per completion (14.5) while Mo Alwaely is 28th in field goals per game and first in field goal percentage. Darian Fletcher rates 47th in the country in kick returns (24.4), Tobias Williams is 49th in combined kick return yardage (127) and Jareese Howard is 61st in rushing average (79.5).
 
KICKING IT:  Clayton Winkler had a big day in LU's season opener, punting for 370 yards while averaging 46.3 yards per attempt, both of which led the GLVC through the first week of the season. Winkler currently leads the GLVC with 45.1 yards per punt, an average that also ranks 11th in NCAA Division II. Winkler's success has also led to Lincoln ranking first in the league and 31st in the country in net punting average (39.1).
 
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 2024 season. The season ticket package also includes parking passes for all six of Lincoln's home games.
 
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 2024. 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:  All 11 of Lincoln's games in 2024 will stream online on the GLVC Sports Network at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers. 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 travels to Bolivar, Mo. to play old MIAA rival and current GLVC foe Southwest Baptist on Saturday (Sept. 28) at 1:00 p.m. CDT.