There are only so many opportunities within a football game for a team to actually put points on the board - big plays are nice, but the nuts and bolts of winning games is converting on those opportunities in your opponents' end of the field. Lindenwood got a lesson in this ages-old football knowledge on Saturday night in Bourbonnais, Ill., as Olivet Nazarene converted on its chances, and the Lions did not, resulting in a 23-7 upset win for the Tigers.

The Lions ran into a hot senior quarterback in Olivet's Joe Boseo, who was brilliant in the first half, completing 12 of 14 passes while leading ONU to a 17-7 halftime lead. Olivet ventured into the red zone three times in that first half, posting points each time, while the Lions saw two possessions end inside the ONU 25-yard line on downs. On the third quarter's opening possession, LU again drove to the Olivet 17, where junior kicker Jared Tatom was wide right on a field goal attempt that would have brought the Lions back within a touchdown.

"We certainly had chances to score, and when you get down there and get nothing, it lets the air out of the sails a little bit each time," said LU head coach Patrick Ross. "We played hard, and really played much better offensively than we did last week, but our inability to convert on third down situations is killing us. We just have to get better."

Boseo's ability to beat the Lions blitzing defensive scheme was uncanny, as he consistently completed passes right where the blitz had come from. That's the mark of an experienced, senior quarterback, something the Lions are learning right now is not to be underrated.

Both of LU's young quarterbacks - sophomore Brent Hodgkiss played most of the game before classmate Gerry Connell came on late - played better than in Week One, but still not well enough to get the Lions into the end zone more than once. Seven points just isn't going to win many games in the very competitive HAAC.

"We just haven't gotten it done in these first two games, and nobody around our program is going to be making any excuses," said Ross. "We need to get better play at quarterback, but that's far from the only position that needs improving. We couldn't get the ball away from them in the first half, and when we did, we'd drive then come up empty. That's not a good formula for success."

Penalties and turnovers continued to haunt the Lions at Olivet, with eight flags for 66 yards and three giveaways - though they were all in the fourth quarter as LU tried to rally. That's 22 penalties in two games, to go with nine turnovers and a six-for-26 showing on third down. It's no wonder the Lions have opened with back-to-back losses, because they haven't exactly shut anyone out, either.

"As much as we hate losing, this test of our character as a team won't hurt us in the long run," said Ross. "We need to reach down and keep playing hard, and fight our way out of the corner. We play Benedictine next week, in a conference game on our home field, and that's as good a place as any to start this season over."

Game time for the BC-LU battle is set for 6:00 on Saturday night at Lindenwood University Stadium.