Roy White | Staff Reporter
October 11, 2014; 5:30 p.m.
The Lions football team fell 51-20 in their homecoming game due in large part to shaky play on both the offensive and defensive lines.
The Lions hosted first-ranked and undefeated Northwest Missouri State University. Northwest hasn’t lost a game since the the 2012 season.
Before the game even started, it was evident that this was Northwest’s game and not ours. The visitors stand was lined with the green color of the Bearcats while the student section might has well been named the marching band stands because the amount of student fans was scarce.
Northwest started the game receiving after LU elected to kick. Northwest scored their first of six touchdowns only a minute and two seconds into the first quarter. LU struggled to compete with three and outs in both their first and second offensive drive of the game. Graham Lindman made the second start of his career, posting only one touchdown and four interceptions. The one touchdown of the first half for LU came from a 78 yard connection between Lindman and receiver Tre’ Roby. The first half would be dominated by the Bearcats offense, entering halftime with a score of 37-6 Bearcats.
During the third quarter, Tre’ Roby hurdled a defender into a vicious hit during a kick return. The offense frantically motioned for the medical staff when Roby hit the turf. For roughly ten minutes, Hunter Stadium was very quiet as medical staff surrounded Roby and began to strap him into a stretcher. As he was wheeled by the sidelines, Roby managed to lift a thumb to the applauding crowd.
Near the beginning of the fourth quarter, Lavorrie Johnson made a short run up the middle to score LU’s second touchdown of the game. The Lions managed to score their first double digits in a home game this season. Immediately after, the Bearcats returned the kick all the way to the Lions end zone bringing the score to 51-13. With four minutes left in the final quarter, Greg Coble caught the Lions final touchdown, bringing the score to 51-20.
The Bearcats win came from the tremendous difference in skill between the teams. LU was outmatched in height, speed, strength, and the ability to make plays. Northwest made it look easy as they scored the most points any team has against LU this season.
