Don't look now but a long-time downtrodden college football program in the area is off to an unbeaten start and we're not talking about Missouri State.
The Southwest Baptist Bearcats are receiving votes in the NCAA Division-II national polls after what they've accomplished so far.
"We are very excited," Southwest Baptist athletic director Mike Pitts said about this year's Bearcat football team. "If we win Saturday it will be the first time that the Bearcats are 4-0 since 1986."
PHOTOS: SBU 41, Indianapolis 37
They're already 3 and 0 for the first-time in 15-years, and their latest 41-37 win over defending Great Lakes Valley Conference champion Indianapolis, the team picked to win the league again this year, was a program-defining moment for an SBU sport that's had only seven winning seasons in its 33 years of existence.
"In 1983 I was the statistician for the very first game in SBU history," Pitts recalls. "So I go back a long way and I can say that last Saturday was our biggest win in program history."
The Bearcats are doing it with an offense that averages 43 points per game with a balanced attack of 235 yards per game on the ground and 241 yards through the air.
Quarterback TJ Edwards, ranked in the top five in the league in both rushing and passing, was the Freshman of the Year in the conference last season.
Wide receiver Cassian Foreman, fourth in the league in all-purpose yards, is a definite Freshman of the Year candidate this season.
But the top weapon for SBU is junior running back Kole "Bubba" Jenkins, a former Parkview stand-out and walk-on at Arkansas who's averaging 149 rushing yards per-game. That's tops in the league and fifth in the nation. And he appreciates the current best of times after enduring the worst of times.
"The grass is definitely greener," Jenkins says with a laugh. "It's definitely better."
One of the neatest things about SBU's changing football fortunes is that the architect of all this is a Southwest Baptist lifer. Robert Clardy, the second-year head coach, is a long-time assistant coach and former player, who as a quarterback led the team in passing and total yards for three years-running. He's fourth on the all-time rushing list just ahead of the eighth place player, Bubba Jenkins.
"I would love for him to break as many records as possible," Clardy said when asked how he felt about Jenkins possibly surpassing him. "That would mean we're winning games."
Clardy says the turnaround has been both mental and physical. Pointing out that the cliquish-nature of past teams is gone.
"We always talk about family and being a brotherhood," Clardy explained. "And I've never seen a team that's come together like this team has."
And while past Bearcat teams have always had good skill players, now they have the talent on the line of scrimmage to compete with the big boys.
"My first year here we weren't that good at the defensive or offensive line," Jenkins recalls. "But now there's a huge difference. They give their heart out every day."
"I think a lot of it has to do with recruiting," Clardy adds. "We still had some issues with depth on the offensive and defensive lines but every coach in the conference at media day talked about how much talent we've brought-in from our recruiting class and they've noticed that."
So with all the tough times of the past…
"Yeah, there's been some frustration," Clardy admits.
Even the thought of bringing a league championship to SBU would mean..
"Everything in the world," Jenkins said.
"It would mean a lot," Clardy agrees. "I've been with the program a long time and I've never seen a championship here."
SBU travels to fellow GLVC unbeaten Quincy (3-0) Saturday, 1:00 pm.
