CFB Zeitgeist
June 22, 2026 · Dead Period · Heritage Window · 2026 Outlook

McKendree University

4-7 2025 final

McKendree is the program that won a national championship and still isn't done — two NCAA Division II titles and a 150-year rivalry that never gets old.

Bearcats country waits.

Record
4-7
win% .363
D2 Top 25
Conf Standing
Playoff Path
Building résumé
Dead PeriodOffseasonPatientPost-loss — diagnostic
The Long Wait·Offseason

McKendree is the program that won a national championship and still isn't done — two NCAA Division II titles and a 150-year rivalry that never gets old.

Title DroughtSince 2000 · 25 yrs

McKendree went 4-6 (1-5 GLVC) in 2025 under Jason Rejfek's second season, a step back from 2024. The Bearcats lost the 2025 Battle for the Land of Lincoln to Quincy 24-21 — a heartbreaker in a rivalry game. Rejfek has to rebuild t…

low signal
Read the full program story ↓

Offseason

69 days

until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC

Act I

The 2026 Outlook

The Pulse on McKendree University

Quiet · dead period heritage · signal ramps back in camp
Bearcats country waits.

What moved it — offseason · last 30 days

June Dead-period quiet — official-visit + heritage window
Camp Fall camp ~40 days out
"Go McKendree" — McKendree University fanbase · recurring line
0 mentions · awaiting signal

Aspiration Ladder

Brief Part III §33.4 · McKendree University

Winning record

The baseline for a successful season.

Conference title

Earns a Super Region playoff qualifier bid.

Super Region qualifierLocked

Entry into the 32-team national bracket.

McKinney, TXLocked

The Division II national championship game.

McKendree University · Next-Season Outcome Band

Floor / Base / Ceiling

floor2-10Rebuild year. Below .500.
base4-8Mid-table finish.
ceiling7-5Conference title race. Bracket qualifier in range.

Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.

Act II

Who We Are

D2 Program Prestige · McKendree University

Mid-Major Contender

D2 Playoff Contender — consistent Super Region participant, regional force.

T1Regional
T2Mid-Major
T3Power
T4National
T5Blue Blood
T6Dynasty
T7All-Time

Fanbase Health Index · McKendree University · low confidence

Stable (50)

DecliningStableGrowingSurging
On-Field — 4-7 (36% win rate)50

Home-Field Advantage · McKendree University · 2018-present

Above-Average

30% home win rate vs 51% on the road. margin runs +4.4 better at home.

Home7-16Away14-13
Act III

Last Season Reviewed

2025 season · tap to expand

Recent Form · last 10 games

Cold

One of five. The film room is busy this week.

Streak L3Last 5 · 1-4Last 10 · 4-6

Great Lakes Standing · 2025

6th in the Great Lakes

McKendree University sits 6th of 9 in the Great Lakes at 4-7. Mid-conference — moves up or down depend on rivalry results and the late-season closing run.

#ProgramRecord
1Indianapolis11-2
2Upper Iowa University9-3
3Truman State8-4
4Missouri S&T6-5
5Quincy6-5
6McKendree4-7
7Southwest Baptist3-7
8William Jewell3-8
9Lincoln (MO)2-9

Schedule Strength · McKendree University · 2025

Balanced

Average opponent win rate 50% across 11 finalized games. Balanced slate across the conference slate.

Opp Win %0.505

Moment of the Year · McKendree University · 2025

Won 40-24 vs William Jewell

Week 5 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.

Decisive Margin

From the Archive — McKendree University

2024: Lost 10-34 vs Quincy

In 2024, the program lost 10-34 vs Quincy — a stinging home result, 24 points either way.

Go Bearcats.