The Lincoln Blue Tigers matched the McKendree Bearcats in two facets of Saturday afternoon's football game at Dwight T. Reed Stadium.
The third facet - special teams - made all the difference.
McKendree had a kickoff return for a touchdown, a blocked punt return for a touchdown and added a safety on a blocked field-goal attempt. The Blue Tigers ended the season with a 50-32 loss in their final game as a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
"I thought we played even in the offensive and defensive phases of the game," Lincoln coach Steven Smith said. "But they beat us in the third phase when we gave up two touchdowns on special teams.
"Our special teams were just not good today at all."
The 32 points were the most Lincoln scored in a game this season. Kimbo Ferguson accounted for three of the Blue Tigers' four touchdowns and had a career-high 157 yards rushing.
The Lincoln defense matched a season high by forcing three turnovers, including a pick-six by linebacker Edwin Durassaint that pulled the Blue Tigers within three points of McKendree in the second half.
But the special teams miscues casted too large of a shadow.
"We just got beat, special teams-wise," Smith said. "You take away those (two touchdowns) and we're right there in the game."
Matt Cole opened the game by returning a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, giving McKendree a 7-0 lead just 15 seconds in.
With 4:52 left in the first half, Steven Towns Jr. blocked a Wolky Belancourt punt and Jace Franklin scooped up the loose ball, running it 10 yards to the end zone for another touchdown.
The third special teams score took Lincoln out of the game. The Blue Tigers blocked a 27-yard field-goal attempt and recovered the loose ball, but players began lateraling the ball to keep the play alive.
Referees threw multiple penalty flags for illegal forward passes on Lincoln during the play. One of the illegal passes came just inside the end zone, resulting in a safety. Instead of Lincoln retaking possession with a chance to pull within a score, McKendree extended its lead to 43-32 with 5:15 to play and got the ball back as well.
"That was a really bonehead mistake right there, and it put us in a bad situation," Smith said.
After a long kickoff return, McKendree (6-5, 4-3 GLVC) found the end zone three plays later on a 6-yard run by Preston Thompson, making the score 50-32 with 3:49 remaining.
Lincoln (3-8, 2-5 GLVC) crossed midfield on the ensuing drive, but Henry Ogala was sacked on four of the game's final five plays.
The Blue Tigers fumbled on their opening possession, leading to a 28-yard field goal by McKendree's Josh Lazaro. The Bearcats led 10-0 with 9:38 left in the first quarter.
Lincoln added to its special-teams woes by missing a 38-yard field-goal attempt on its next possession, but linebacker Victor Williams knocked the ball loose from McKendree's Steven Lovelace and recovered the fumble, moving it to the Bearcats' 35-yard line. Six plays later, Ferguson scored his first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run, cutting the lead to 10-7 with 30 seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
The Blue Tigers scored 18 points off McKendree's three turnovers.
"That's something we haven't done all year," Smith said, as Lincoln's only points off turnovers prior to Saturday came on a fumble return for a touchdown Sept. 6 at Missouri State. "I'm seeing the progress in what we're doing."
Lovelace atoned for his fumble by hauling in a 41-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter. Lazaro added a 34-yard field goal with 6:20 left in the half, increasing McKendree's lead to 20-7.
Following Franklin's blocked punt return, the Bearcats tried to add to their lead before halftime. However, Lincoln cornerback Tylan Oglesby intercepted a pass from Reece Metcalf and returned it to the McKendree 35 with :27 to play.
Ogala competed a 29-yard pass to A'Jani Johnson and a 28-yard strike to Antonio Issac to move the Blue Tigers into field-goal range. Fernando Ramirez made a 25-yard kick as time expired to make the score 27-10 at halftime.
"I thought we managed the clock well, getting the field goal there," Smith said. "Then, coming out in the second half and driving and going out and doing what we did, I thought we looked good."
Ferguson's 4-yard touchdown run capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive for Lincoln to start the second half. On McKendree's ensuing possession, Durassaint intercepted a pass from Metcalf - who had thrown just two interceptions heading into Saturday's game - and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. Ferguson added a run for the 2-point conversion, making the score 27-24 with 7:19 left in the third.
Durassaint, one of 14 seniors honored in a ceremony at halftime on Senior Day, also led Lincoln's defense with 15 tackles. He finished the season with a team-high 101 tackles.
"He sat back, made the play, took off and got up the sideline," Smith said. "He's had a heck of a two years for us. I'm sad to see him go, but he leaves behind some young guys that he's helped developed."
McKendree scored a pair of touchdowns to extend its lead to 41-24 with 14:25 left in the game. Ferguson answered with a 5-yard touchdown run and Ogala added the 2-point run with 10:32 left to trim Lincoln's deficit to 41-32.
Lincoln finished with 383 yards of total offense, 5 yards shy of its season best. Ogala had 58 of the team's 239 yards rushing, but he was sacked seven times.
Ogala finished 11-of-21 passing for 144 yards. Johnson was his top receiver with four catches for 54 yards.
Linebacker Amani Nelson also had 13 tackles for the Blue Tigers, including seven solo stops.
In five seasons in the GLVC, Lincoln had a 3-35 conference record. The Blue Tigers will return to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 2019.
"At the end of the day, our focus right now is to prepare and get ourselves ready for the MIAA," Smith said. "We'll start doing that after Christmas."