The Missouri Southern football team will return home to the friendly confines of Hughes Stadium after a two-game stint on the road.

The Lions were between a rock and a hard place at the onset against Missouri Western State College. After a personal foul on the opening kickoff, the Griffons set up shop at the Lions 39-yard line and had soon leapt out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead and went into the locker rooms at half time with a 17-0 advantage.

The second half didn’t start out any better than the first half had ended. MWSC took the ball down the field on its first possession of the third quarter with a 78-yard drive that culminated in a 44-yard touchdown run.

“We didn’t match up well with them (MWSC), to be quite honest,” said Lions head football coach Bill Cooke. “They had some bigger ponies in the barn, so to speak. But we match up with these guys (Truman State University), so it should be a good game.”

The Bulldogs, who are making the jaunt to Joplin from Kirksville, hold the series edge over the Lions at 11-4, including wins in the universities’ last five consecutive meetings.

Since it is Homecoming week for the Lions, it all adds up to a big game atmosphere. With Homecoming Saturday, the Lions are hoping the festive atmosphere will help raise their spirits.

“Homecoming is always an exciting time,” Cooke said. “It means so many different things to so many different people.”

“I have always loved Homecoming,” said Rob Green, offensive coordinator. “The band sounds louder, the cheers sound louder, and it’s always a neat time.”

Even the players are excited to be back at home and with the crowd behind them in a game.

“When you are 1-4, you need all of the encouragement that you can get,” said senior offensive lineman Dustin Drake.

The Lions must be careful. After Homecoming, Southern will face off against MIAA powerhouse Northwest Missouri State University and then against archrival Pittsburg State University in the Miner’s Bowl.

With this in mind, the players can’t overlook the Bulldogs.

“At this point we can’t overlook anybody,” Drake said. “We can’t even afford to overlook Joplin Middle School.”

Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday at Hughes Stadium.