St. Charles, MO – After one of the worst performances in program history last week at Northwest Missouri State, the Lindenwood University Lions returned home for their homecoming game against the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers.
The first quarter began with an unusual turnover for the Lions as Mason Bendigo had a panic throw get picked off point blank by a defensive lineman. Fans began to grumble things like, “here we go again.” That was quickly changed to cheers of, “here we GO!”
Enter All American Linebacker Connor Harris, recently the Lions have put him in at Fullback near the goal-line, something the team had done in years past with other linebackers or smaller linemen. Harris was given the ball and scored from 1-yard out, helping the Lions take a 7-0 lead.
Connor Harris Scores vs Nebraska-Kearney. Credit: Scott Criscione
The Lopers responded midway through the second with a third-down strike of 24-yards making it 7-7 with 6:55 to go in the first half.
That was the last time this game seemed like it could be won by either side. Bendigo and his receiving core took full advantage of a week secondary after that score. Bendigo would hit two 25+yard throws on the next scoring drive with one of those passes being to Greg Coble who had 152 yards receiving during the game.
In the third-quarter the biggest play of the game would belong to wide receiver Tre Roby when he got wide open for a 76-yard touchdown making it 21-0.
The second longest play of the game put the final nail in the coffin when Coble caught a 70-yard touchdown that allowed him to recapture the lead for receiving yards on the day.
Game Notes:
It would appear for now that Lindenwood is going forward with their plan to keep starting redshirt freshman Mason Bendigo the rest of the season.
This was the first time this season the Lions have scored exactly the same points in each quarter for a full game. they scored a touchdown in each quarter and hit all the PAT’s to score seven-points in each quarter.
Connor Harris was just two tackles shy of hitting 20 tackles in the game, had he of done so, it would have been four straight games he’d of done that. However it is his 12th straight double-digit total tackles game, and his 24th game in which he accomplished that in his career.
