By Jim Henry

jhenry@joplinglobe.com

Third-ranked Northwest Missouri State, looking to complete its third consecutive unblemished march to the MIAA football championship, visits Missouri Southern today in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The Bearcats (9-1, 8-0 MIAA) have won their last 27 conference games since a 56-35 loss to Pittsburg State late in the 2005 season. Their lone loss this season was 44-27 to Abilene Christian after owning a 27-14 lead in the season opener.

The Lions (4-6, 2-6) have lost their last three games by a combined 102-24 margin.

“This is something I haven’t been involved in for a long, long time ... being in a game where nobody gives you a chance,” Lions head coach Bart Tatum said. “If you can’t get up and get ready to play in that scenario, then you don’t need to be playing, or coaching for that matter.”

“We want to come out and play the best game that we’ve played all year, build on it next year, take it to the offseason and get our moral up,” said defensive back Skyler Vandiver.

The Lions, after a 3-2 start, have lost five of their last six games and averaged 10.4 points in their last five games.

“It is really frustrating,” wide receiver Johnny Johnson said. “I see them every day (in practice). I know what we can do ... we have one more chance to show what we can do.”

“It’s a very tough stretch for us,” Tatum said. “We’re on a three-game losing streak right now. We had very high expectations coming into this year, which is how we want it to be always around here, and we haven’t lived up to those expectations.

“What do you do right now ... do you quit? Do you throw up your hands and walk away and say we gave it our best and it wasn’t meant to be this year? Or do you show up and give a great effort. We’re going to find out Saturday.”

The Bearcats lead the conference in both offense (41.4 points) and defense (16.5 points allowed). They also are first in total offense (471.7) and total defense (285.3). The Bearcat defense, after yielding 90 points in the first three games, have given up 58 points since.

“They are senior-laden offensively,” Tatum said. “Defensively they are a little younger. They got a couple of games under their belt and really started playing great football. They shut out Nebraska-Omaha, they shut out Truman. They held Central Missouri to 13 points, which was a major accomplishment. They have been playing really solid team defense.”

Bearcat running back LaRon Council ranks 10th nationally with 1,131 yards rushing, and he’s scored 23 touchdowns, three shy of the school record that Xavier Omon set last year.

“They are both tough nuts to crack,” Tatum said. “Xavier has a hair more shiftiness, a little bit more elusive. LaRon is a better runner between the tackles. He runs with his head and shoulders about two feet off the ground ... very low center of gravity and excellent leg drive on contact.”