23 Truman Bulldogs vs.
17 UIndy Greyhounds
Saturday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m. ET, Key Stadium

ON TAP
The No. 17 Greyhounds look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they host 23rd-ranked Truman State University at Key Stadium Saturday evening. The contest represents one of only three top-25 matchups in Division II this week.

DII SHOWCASE
Saturday's contest is also one of three games to be featured in the weekly NCAA DII Football Showcase. In addition to the regular home of the Greyhounds, the GLVC Sports Network, the game will be simulcast on Division II Facebook and Twitter as well as the UIndy Athletics Facebook page. Darren Goldwater and former Indianapolis Colt Trai Essex will be on the call.

KEY TO SUCCESS
Few programs can match UIndy's recent success at home. The Greyhounds own a stellar 40-4 (.909) record at Key Stadium since 2012, including an even more impressive 28-1 (.966) mark at home versus GLVC opponents. UIndy has won nine consecutive games at Key Stadium overall and a school-record 17 straight at home in conference play.

ABOUT TRUMAN
The Bulldogs bring an impressive 8-1 record to Indianapolis this weekend. Like UIndy, their only loss of the season came on the road at Lindenwood, 28-24. Truman is led by senior quarterback Jaden Barr, who tops the GLVC and ranks seventh in DII in completion percentage (.670), while senior d-lineman Sam Reeves leads the league with eight sacks.

HOUNDS vs. BULLDOGS
Saturday's opponents have hooked up six times since their first meeting in 2012. The Hounds earned a win on five of those occasions, including a 31-7 victory in Kirksville last November. The 24-point margin represents the largest deficit in the relatively brief series.

Last season's result clinched an outright GLVC title for UIndy, as the Hounds intercepted Barr three times in the win. Additionally, UIndy's dynamic receiver/return man Daveon Bell notched a lengthy touchdown for the second straight season against the Bulldogs. The Indy native took a screen pass 71 yards to the house last fall after hanging a 86-yard punt return TD on the 'Dogs in 2017.

LAST TIME OUT
UIndy dropped from the ranks of the unbeatens with a 34-27 loss at GLVC-newcomer Lindenwood last week. The Greyhounds forced four turnovers on the day but could not overcome a school-record 531 passing yards from LU quarterback Cade Brister. The loss snapped the longest winning streak in GLVC history, as the Hounds had won their previous 23 conference contests. See page 11 for a complete box score.

TITLE TALK
Despite the loss, UIndy is still in the hunt for a GLVC title, as is Truman. Saturday's winner will finish the conference slate with a 6-1 mark, but will need some help; Lindenwood is 5-0 heading into the weekend and still has two conference games remaining (Missouri S&T is week, Southwest Baptist on 11/16). The Greyhounds are hoping to secure their seventh conference crown in eight seasons since the GLVC began sponsoring football in 2012.

DEFENSIVE TDs
The defensive units for both Truman and UIndy have been remarkably adept at scoring points this season. The Bulldogs lead the GLVC and rank sixth in DII with five defensive scores, while UIndy's four defensive TDs are good for second in the league and 10th in Division II. See below for a list of the Hounds' defensive touchdowns this season.
 

Date	Opponent	Name	Type	Yds
9/28/19	Southwest Baptist	Ryan Guhl	INT return	12
9/28/19	Southwest Baptist	Joe Lambright	INT return	40
10/26/19	Missouri S&T	Joe Lambright	fumble return	60
11/2/19	Lindenwood	Loren Strickland	INT return	40

PLAYOFF PICTURE
UIndy dipped from No. 3 to No. 5 in this week's Super Region Three rankings. The Hounds are still in a favorable spot, however, as the top seven teams for the nation's four regions will earn postseason bids when the field is announced Nov. 17. The No. 1 seed in each region will earn a bye, while seeds 2-4 will host first-round games. A new wrinkle was added this season, as the NCAA DII Football Committee now has the flexibility to shuffle seeds 5-7 out of region or in-region to a closer destination to cut down on the number of charter flights.

The UIndy/Truman clash is not the only game Saturday with significant playoff implications. SR3 fans should also keep an eye on a marquee matchup out of the GLIAC, as region-leader Ferris State hosts No. 5 Grand Valley in the annual Anchor-Bone Classic Saturday afternoon.

RECORD WATCH
Junior running back Al McKeller has already etched his in the UIndy record books. The hometown product and reigning GLVC Offensive Player of the Year is less than three full years into his collegiate career and is already among the school's leaders in career rushing yards and career rushing TDs. His first such score on Saturday will tie the latter record, while he has a chance to surpass the former mark by season's end. Additionally, McKeller needs just 105 more yards to become the first-ever Greyhound with three 1,000-yard-rushing campaigns.
 

UINDY CAREER RUSHING LEADERS
Rk	Name (years)	Yards
1.	Klay Fiechter (2010-13)	3,809
2.	Dick Nalley (1973-76)	3,559
3.	Al McKeller (2017- )	3,329
4.	Craig Jenkins (2004-06,08)	3,182
5.	Andrew Walker (2014-17)	3,097

 

UINDY CAREER RUSHING TD LEADERS
Rk	Name (years)	TDs
1.	Klay Fiechter (2010-13)	38
	Andrew Walker (2014-17)	38
3.	Al McKeller (2017- )	37
4.	Matt Ripp (2011-14)	32
5.	Jim Ware (1959-62)	30

SCORING UPDATE
Prior to the Lindenwood game, the Greyhounds owned the highest scoring offense in Division II at an even 50 points per game. Last week's blip dropped their average a tad to 47.1 ppg, still good for fourth in DII. The Hounds also rank highly in scoring defense, allowing just 15.5 points a week. That ranks 12th in DII, while their average scoring margin of nearly 32 points per game is second only to Minnesota State (38.3).

EDWARDS & UPWARDS
Senior quarterback TJ Edwards is racking up some impressive numbers, not only in 2019 but during the whole of his remarkable career. The Southwest Baptist transfer and 2016 GLVC Offensive Player of the Year leads all active Division II players in career completions (745), passing yards (9,950) and passing touchdowns (95) while ranking sixth in career completion percentage (.613). He has recorded at least one passing touchdown in all eight games this fall while adding a rushing TD in each of the last seven.

Additionally, Edwards is the GLVC's all-time leader in career passing yards, passing TDs as well as 300-yard games (13).

RUSH HOUR
Two of the major focuses for first-year head coach Chris Keevers and his Greyhounds this season have been rushing the ball and stopping the rush. UIndy has had measurable success in both departments, ranking ninth in DII in rushing offense (269.6 ypg) and third in rushing defense (56.1 ypg). The offense has amassed more than 200 rushing yards on six occasions, including a season-high 403 yards against Missouri S&T, while the UIndy D has surrendered more than 60 rushing yards just once (at McKendree).

RANK & FILE
Coming in at No. 17 in this week's AFCA DII Coaches Poll, UIndy upped its school record with its 35th consecutive appearance in the top 25. Meanwhile, Truman is ranked 23rd this week and thus will be the Hounds' second ranked opponent this year. The first was Ashland, whom UIndy defeated 24-9 in the season opener. Coincidentally, AU was also ranked No. 23.

BALL SECURITY
The Greyhounds continue to find themselves among the nation's leaders in fewest turnovers lost. They have committed just seven turnovers in eight games this season, good for third in Division II. Last year, the Hounds led all DII teams with just 10 giveaways, marking the fifth time they ranked in DII's top 10 in the last eight years. In fact, the Hounds set the DII record for fewest giveaways in a season in 2011 with six, a mark since tied (Fort Lewis, 2015) but yet unbroken.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT
UIndy sports two of the nation's most dangerous return men. Junior Daveon Bell ranks third in DII at 19.8 yards per punt return, while sophomore Toriano Clinton's 28.2 kickoff return average is good for 17th. Both lead the GLVC in their respective specialty.

Back in week six, Bell broke off an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown versus Quincy, giving him three career punt return TDs to tie the program record. He currently sits second in the UIndy annals in career punt return yards, with his total of 726 second only to the 919 yards amassed by Craig Cothron back in the 90s.

Meanwhile, Clinton set a school record last season with three kickoff return TDs before going all to lead the nation at 37.9 yards per return. Though he has yet to find the end zone on a kickoff return this season, he has notched returns of 83, 82 and 72 yards.