Bolivar, Mo. - The Southwest Baptist University football team continues to get national recognition this season, and have currently received the 28th most votes in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll released earlier this week. The total amount of votes SBU received in this weeks poll (36) is five times greater than any other week in the history of the program, and is the third consecutive week the Bearcats have received votes.

The SBU offense is lead by junior quarterback Dan Connors who has thrown for 1202 with six touchdowns over the first seven games of the season. Connors has a completion percentage of 65.8% and is averaging 200.3 yards passing this season. Thad Everson leads all Bearcat rushers with 443 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while averaging 63.3 yards per game, and Charles Johnson leads the Bearcat receivers with 431 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 61.6 yards per game.

The Bearcats defense is lead by Zach Moore who has recorded team highs in tackles (57) and tackles for loss (4.5) this season. As a team, the Bearcats have wrapped up 10 sacks, picked off 9 passes, recovered 8 fumbles, and blocked 6 kicks on the season.

The Bearcats are off to the best start in school history, and look to move to 7-1 on the season with a victory over Missouri Southern this Saturday. The game is set to kick off at 2:00 p.m. from Joplin, Missouri.

The Coaches

Keith Allen has already engineered a significant turnaround at SBU, moving the ‘Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, to the winning record of 6-5 in 2009, and followed up with a 7-4 record in 2010. Allen served as defensive and recruiting coordinator before being named SBU head coach in 2007. His past coaching experience has included stops at San Jose State, Quincy, TCU and Oklahoma.

Bart Tatum is in his sixth season as the head coach at Missouri Southern State University. In Tatum’s five previous seasons at Missouri Southern he has lead his team to a 22-32 record.

Scouting the Lions

The Lions enter into this weekend with a 2-4 record, coming off a 24-17 win against Truman State University.

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Southwest Baptist University is a four-year evangelical Christian university that was established in 1878. The main campus is located about 30 minutes north of Springfield, Missouri, in Bolivar, a town of approximately 10,000 people.

DHS alum Glen Johnson is a defensive lineman for the Bearcats.

For more information on SBU Bearcat Athletics, visit sbubearcats.com.