The Lindenwood Lions will host their 2022 Homecoming Game, Saturday afternoon at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
Lindenwood Football – Gameday Info
Game No. 7 – Murray State (0-7) at Lindenwood (4-2)
Date/Time – Saturday, October 22 – 1 pm
Location – Hunter Stadium — St. Charles, MO
Broadcast – ESPN+
Live Stats – Sidearm Stats
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
ST. CHARLES, MO — Coming off two straight spectacular road wins, the Lindenwood University football team is finally back home and all set to host its 2022 Homecoming Game, Saturday afternoon against Ohio Valley Conference foe, Murray State.
The Lions are 4-2 on the year, with three of those wins coming on the road in dramatic fashion. They won their season opener at Houston Baptist, by blocking a punt and recovering it in the end zone for a game-winning touchdown with 28 seconds left on the clock.
Then two weeks, Lindenwood went down to Central Arkansas and won a straight up shootout over the Bears, 52-49. That game featured 14 touchdowns — seven by each team — but finally came down to a late-game field goal and a defensive stop by the Lions to clinch the victory.
And last week, in what may have been the most exciting game of the season, Lindenwood had to battle back from two fourth-quarter deficits to force overtime. Then won the game in a second-overtime, on a dramatic touchdown pass that sent the whole LU sideline into a frenzy.
It’s been a truly exciting season so far, and the Lions will be looking to continue that trend with their Homecoming Game, Saturday at 1 p.m.
Murray State has had a rough 2022. The Racers are 0-7 on the year, and have lost each game by at least two touchdowns, and six of the seven by at least 30 points.
That team will be coming to Hunter Stadium desperate for a win, and possibly thinking its best chance at getting one this season might come against a Lindenwood team that despite its success, is still new to FCS football.
Players to Watch: Lindenwood quarterback Cade Brister was named OVC Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week and third time this season, after passing for 302 yards and three touchdowns, and then rushing for 79 yards and another score in last week’s win at Eastern Illinois.
For the season, Brister leads the OVC in passing completions (147) and yards (1,925), is second in passing touchdowns (12), and third in passing efficiency (142.9). And that doesn’t even include his rushing totals, where he ranks 10th in the conference in rushing yards (288) and is second in rushing touchdowns with seven.
The fifth-year senior from O’Fallon, Mo., is definitely a candidate for OVC Offensive Player of the Year.
Brister’s receiving targets are having fine seasons as well. Senior Payton Rose is the OVC leader in receiving yards (605), while fellow senior Kobe Smith, who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in double-OT last week, is fifth in the conference in yards (462) and tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with five.
Linebackers David Whittemore, Tyrone Griffin, and Devon Edwards have been the leaders of the LU defense. The trio has combined for 100 tackles in six games, as the Lions have battled through a number of injuries on that side of the ball.
Senior safety Lloyd Lockett has also been a highly productive player for Lindenwood. He leads the team in solo tackles (16), which includes a terrific one-on-one tackle he made late in the game last week that forced Eastern Illinois to kick a field goal and set up LU’s chance to win the game with a touchdown.
Murray State is led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Jayden Stinson, who has 984 passing yards and seven touchdowns, but has also thrown an OVC-high 10 interceptions this season.
The Racers top receivers are DeQuean Dallas, who leads the team in receptions (25), and Taylor Shields, who leads in yards (326) and touchdowns (3).
Up Next: Lindenwood will be back home again next week, when it hosts former Great Lakes Valley Conference and NCAA Division II foe, William Jewell. That game will be played next Saturday, October 29, at 1 p.m.
Murray State will be hosting its own Homecoming Game next week, when it takes on Tennessee State.
Probable Starters
Lindenwood Offense Lindenwood Defense
QB – 4 Cade Brister – Sr. DE – 91 Kobe McClendon – Fr.
RB – 22 Andrew Martin – So. DT – 8 Moses Ale – Jr.
WR – 1 Kobe Smith – Sr. DT – 56 Dylan Petti – Sr.
WR – 17 Payton Rose – Sr. DE – 35 Sterlin Williams – Jr.
WR – 10 Spencer Redd – Jr. LB – 23 Devon Edwards – So.
LT – 77 Blake Rogenhofer – Sr. LB – 44 David Whittemore – Fr.
LG – 78 Gareth Warren – So. LB – 40 Tyrone Griffin – So.
C – 51 Connor Mazzotta – Sr. CB – 3 Darion Bolden – Sr.
RG – 52 Asa Baker – Jr. FS – 21 Kai Ross – Sr.
RT – 74 Ethan Johnson – So. SS – 7 Lloyd Lockett – Sr.
TE – 18 Chase Lanckreit – Jr. CB – 24 Wesley Hines – Jr.
PK – 43 Logan Siebert – So. P – 90 Riley Ripper – So.
Murray State Offense Murray State Defense
QB – 8 Jayden Stinson – So. DE – 93 C.J. Barnes – So.
RB – 31 Damonta Witherspoon – So. NT – 97 Zach Ashemann – Sr.
WR – 18 Taylor Shields – So. DT – 92 Nate Chambers – Sr.
WR – 21 LaMartez Brooks – Sr. LB – 58 Cade Shupperd – So.
WR – 6 DeQuean Dallas – Sr. LB – 45 Darnel Victor – Sr.
LT – 67 Jacob Frye – Jr. LB – 34 Eric Samuta – Sr.
LG – 71 Ashton Flinn – Fr. LB – 32 Cody Goatley – So.
C – 63 Levi Nesler – Sr. CB – 12 Devontae McKee – So.
RG – 69 Cole Williamson – Jr. S – 4 Quinaz Turner – Sr.
RT – 78 D.J. Jones – So. S – 8 Jamari Dailey – So.
TE – 87 Jake Saathoff – So. CB – 22 Jaylon Bolden – Sr.
PK – 39 Aaron Baum – Sr. P – 91 Lewis Halton – Sr.
| 2022 Lindenwood Lions Upcoming Football Schedule |
| Sat., October 22 — vs. Murray State — 1 pm (Homecoming) |
| Sat., October 29 — vs. William Jewell — 1 pm |
| Sat., November 5 — at Tennessee Tech — 1:30 pm |
| Sat., November 12 — vs. McKendree — 1 pm |
| All Lindenwood home games will be played at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium |
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