BOLIVAR, Mo. - The Lincoln football team led at halftime, but Southwest Baptist scored 10 points in the third quarter and held on to hand the Blue Tigers a 17-13 loss on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 28).

Mo Alwaely kicked two field goals, including one from 28 yards to give LU a 3-0 lead through the first 15 minutes of play. Alwaely later connected on a 23-yard attempt that pulled the Blue Tigers back within four midway through the fourth quarter. Alwaely additionally averaged 51.0 yards on kickoffs.

A 45-yard run scored the first points of the afternoon for Southwest Baptist (2-2, 1-1 GLVC) about a third of the way through the second quarter, but Lincoln (0-4, 0-4 GLVC) answered with a big run of its own. After forcing the Bearcats to punt the ball just 12 yards, Lincoln took over at the SBU 42 with 2:14 to play until halftime. On the first play of that drive, quarterback Isaiah Tate rushed through the middle of the Southwest Baptist defense and broke free to reach the end zone and give LU back the lead.

A 50-yard kickoff by Alwaely following the touchdown ended up being muffed, and DeMareus Hosey recovered the ball inside SBU territory. Hosey advanced the ball down to the Bearcat 16-yard line on a 10-yard run, but an interception kept the score at 10-7. The Blue Tigers had another opportunity to add points before the break when Darian Fletcher recovered a second muffed catch by a Bearcat returner, but another interception kept the game at a three-point difference.

Tate led LU with 67 rushing yards while throwing for 97 yards and Hosey ended his day with 51 yards on the ground. Armani Turner caught two passes for 48 yards and Fletcher, Max Rodriguez, Kenny Hansen, Tobias Williams and Kellen Porter also had receptions. Clayton Winkler averaged 43.2 yards punting with a long of 55 yards and two kicks that pinned SBU inside its 20.

Cory Macon, Jeremiah Gill and Christian Harris each had five tackles, with Macon and Gill each recording tackles for loss while Harris intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards. Renard Willis had four tackles and a sack, Zenin Hall made four tackles and had a tackle for loss and Jacob McGhee finished with four tackles and combined with Woodens PierreLouis for a tackle for loss. Vez Carter recorded four tackles and three quarterback hurries while Jordan Hoskins forced a fumble to go with three tackles.

Donte Moore, Dontonio Moore and Rakeim Ashford additionally each made four tackles. Nathan Harden, meanwhile, broke up a pass.

The Blue Tigers will play in their annual Homecoming game next Saturday (Oct. 5). This year's contest is a Battle of the Lincolns, as Lincoln (MO) hosts Lincoln (CA) at 2:00 p.m. CDT at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.