The Truman Bulldogs will venture to central Nebraska to face the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers for the first time on Saturday afternoon.

Both teams will be looking to get back into the win column as Truman has lost their last two games while the Lopers are winless this season, their first in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

Kearney, the county seat of Buffalo County, is located near the banks of the Platte River at it's southern most point as it dips in a great arc across Nebraska.

Kearney is truly the crossroads of commerce and culture for the nation - located 1,733 miles from Boston and 1,733 miles from San Francisco.
 
Bulldog quarterback Conrad Schottel threw for a career-high 384 yards on 34 completions but two costly redzone turnovers and big plays generated by Fort Hays (Kan.) State led to a 37-23 loss last Saturday at home.

Schottel’s 384 yards was the most by a Bulldog since Matt Ticich’s 493 yard performance against Upper Iowa in 2007.
 
The Lopers were victims of another gun slinger in the MIAA as Lindenwood (Mo.) University’s Ben Gomez threw for a school-record 480 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-28 win for the Lions to keep UNK winless on the season.

The Lopers five previous opponents have a combined record of 22-3. Sean Flanagan rushed for 99 yards and threw for another 167 for the Lopers.
 
This is the first and most likely final meeting between the two schools. Nebraska-Kearney joined the MIAA from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season and has been to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2002, 2005, 2009 and 2001.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs are departing the league after being a charter member of the conference following this season for the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Courtesy Truman State University