Box Score (EMPORIA, Kan.) – The 24^th-ranked Central Missouri Mules rallied from 18 points down with 9:20 to play in the third quarter for a thrilling 45-38 win over Emporia State on Saturday afternoon at Welch Stadium. The Mules outscored ESU 28-3 after trailing 35-17 midway through the third quarter.
      The Hornets (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) went in front 7-0 on a 50-yard touchdown run by LaDarrian Page. The scoring drive took just two plays and 39 seconds and spanned 63 yards. The Mules (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) pulled to within 7-3 late in the first quarter when Aaron Jamieson knocked in a 30-yard field goal with 1:26 left in the quarter.
      The Hornets forced a three-and-out early in the second quarter on the ensuing punt ESU returned the ball to the Central Missouri 40. An illegal motion penalty and personal foul late hit on the Mules pushed the ball all the way to the UCM 20 yard line. The Hornets punched it in four plays later on a two-yard Tyler Eckenrode touchdown run to make it 14-3 with 10:37 to play in the half.
      After stopping the Hornets on their next possession the Mules took over near mid-field after a 31-yard punt. Three plays later, Camren Torneden took it in from 12 yards out to pull UCM within four at 14-10. The touchdown was set up by a 33-yard run to the ESU 12 by LaVance Taylor. Emporia State struck right back with a 62-yard Eckenrode to Shjuan Richardson pitch-and-catch and ESU led 21-10 with 3:03 left in the half.
      Not to be out-done the Mules marched right back down the field and scored on a 40-yard Tommy Corwin to Jamar Howard touchdown with just over a minute left in the half. The Hornets drove all the way to the UCM 19 yard line, but a false start penalty and sack by Latavious Davis pushed ESU out of field goal range and their heave to the end zone at the end of the half fell incomplete.
      Emporia State picked up right where they left off in the second half as they took the opening possession 80 yards in 10 plays capped off by a Dasor Horton 20-yard scamper to extend the Hornets lead to 28-17 with 11:09 left in the third quarter.
      After a Mules three-and-out the Hornets took one play, a 69-yard touchdown pass to Richardson, to increase their lead to 35-17 with 9:20 left in the third quarter. The Mules struck back with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Corwin to Ralph Watson to pull back within 11 at 35-24. The drive took just 1:14 off the clock as the Mules went 60 yards in three plays.
      Central Missouri stopped the Hornets near midfield on the next possession and Marlon Douglas set the Mules up in great field position with a 58-yard punt return to the Emporia State 32-yard line. Two plays later Corwin hooked up with Anthony Kirkwood for a 29-yard touchdown to make it 35-31 with 4:29 to play in the third quarter.
      ESU took the ensuing possession 76 yards in 15 plays, but Evan Knight made a key open-field tackle on third and goal to hold the Hornets to a 19-yard field goal by Zak King and the lead was seven at 38-31 with just under 14 minutes to play in regulation.
      The Mules took the next possession 58 yards in eight plays, including a key third down pass to Howard and a nifty 20-yard run by Torneden, to tie the game at 38-all on a one-yard plunge by Darrian Salter.
      The Hornets took possession and looked to be on their way to regaining the lead as they drove to the Mules' 11-yard line, but on third and five from the UCM 13 Patrick Lewis picked off Eckenrode's pass to halt the drive. The Mules capitalized, driving 95 yards in seven plays capped off by a nine-yard Corwin to Howard touchdown to give UCM the lead 45-38 with 2:33 to play in the game.
      ESU had good field position at their own 45 to start the next drive, but on second and 10 Alexis Reedus made a leaping interception at the UCM 29 to give the ball back to the Mules. UCM was able to run out the clock and escape with the come-from-behind win.
      Central Missouri finished with 532 yards of total offense, including 401 through the air, while Emporia State finished with 640 yards of total offense as the two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense.
      Corwin went 22-of-36 for 401 yards and four touchdowns and two interceptions. Howard had nine catches for a school-record 230 yards and two scores. The 230 yards receiving broke the old record of 228, which has been held by Eddie Coates since 1969. Torneden totaled 65 yards on 15 carries as the Mules rushed for 131 yards as a team.
      Eckenrode was 28-of-43 for 371 yards, two scores and two INT's for Emporia State. Richardson had 168 yards and two touchdowns on five catches, while Horton and Page each went over the 100 yard rushing mark.
      Defensively, Knight and Paul Hughes each had 10 tackles. Brett Ginn and David Bax tallied nine stops apiece, while Lewis and Reedus had the two huge interceptions to help the defensive cause.
      The Mules will look for back-to-back wins next week as they return home to host Truman State on Saturday, Family Day, at 2 p.m. The game will be televised by the MIAA Television Network.