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ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Central Missouri Mules dug themselves a big hole in the first half, then saw their valiant comeback fall short in a 38-26 season-opening loss to 18^th-ranked Missouri Western on Thursday night at Spratt Stadium. UCM fell behind 28-0 in the first half before mounting a late rally.

The Mules' (0-1, 0-1 MIAA) first drive of the game stalled at their own 41 and they were forced to punt. The UCM defense forced a three and out on Missouri Western's first possession, but a roughing the punter penalty gave the Griffons (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) new life. The defense stiffened again and forced another punt.

After a decent return gave UCM good field position the Mules found themselves in a fourth and one situation from their own 49-yard line. LaVance Taylor (Raytown, Mo./Raytown HS) appeared to gain two yards across midfield to the Griffon 49 yard line, but the ball was spotted back in the pile at the UCM 49 giving the ball back to Missouri Western. Five plays later Travis Partridge found Reggie Jordan for an eight-yard touchdown and MWSU led 7-0 with 6:23 left in the opening quarter.

The Mules drove the ball to the Missouri Western 34 on their next possession where they were faced with another fourth down. UCM came up three yards short and the Griffons once again turned the turnover in to points. A pass interference penalty on the Mules gave the Griffons a first and 10 at the UCM 30 and three plays later Michael Hill ran it in from 21 yards out to give Western a 14-0 lead.

On the ensuing possession Mike Petersen (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest HS) was picked off by Marcus Thompson at the UCM 48 and he returned it all the way to the UCM 17. On the very next play Hill scored his second touchdown of the game to give Missouri Western a 21-0 lead with 14:08 left in the half.

The teams traded punts on the next two possessions with the Mules taking over at their own 27. Two plays later the Griffons picked off their second pass of the game returning it the UCM 13. Three plays after the pick, Partridge found a wide open Alex Ferbet for a five-yard score and the Griffons led 28-0.

Colter Smith (Ogden, Utah/Ben Lomond HS) entered the game for the Mules on the next possession and drove UCM right down the field for a score to make it 28-7 with 4:59 left in the half. Smith was 5-for-5 on the drive for 69 yards including the 16-yard scoring strike to Ronrei Lloyd (Pittsburgh, Pa.).

The Mules forced a punt on the ensuing possession and took over at their own 31-yard line with 2:56 remaining. UCM drove to the Missouri Western 44 yard line with :20 to play when Smith hit Clayton Cooper (Springtown, Texas/Springtown HS) for an apparent touchdown. The play was called back on an illegal formation against the Mules and UCM went into the break trailing 28-7.

The Mule defense forced a three and out to start the second half and nearly blocked the punt, but still took over near midfield. Two quick completions by Smith drove the ball to the Griffon 15, but on the next play Smith was hit as he threw and the ball was intercepted by Shane Simpson who returned the ball to the MWSU 47.

The Griffons methodically drove the ball down the field. Forcing a third and goal from the six, Partridge bought time in the pocket and found Tyron Crockom for a 6-yd score and the Griffons led 35-7.

On the ensuing UCM possession Taylor ripped off a 58-yard run to give the Mules a first down at the Griffon 18. On third and four, Smith found Cullen Rosine (Knob Noster, Mo./Knob Noster HS) in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, but once again a penalty against UCM brought the ball back. Down by 28, the Mules were forced to go for it on fourth and long and Smith's pass was just off the fingertips of Rosine turning the ball over on downs for the third time in the game.

The Griffons started to drain some clock moving the ball to the UCM 38. Partridge went back to pass and was drilled by Latavious Davis (Blakely, Ga./Early County HS). Deonte McDonald (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook HS) scooped the ball up and scampered 52 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked and the Mules trailed 35-13 at the end of three quarters.

The Griffons tacked on three more points on their next possession to take a 38-13 lead. Taylor Anderson nailed a 20-yard field goal after an eight play, 68-yard drive that took 4:16 off the clock.

The Mules found the end zone on their next drive going 73 yards in 10 plays before Smith found Rosine for an 8-yard score. The two-point conversion was no good and the Mules trailed 38-19 with 7:48 to play in the game.

UCM forced a Western turnover on the next possession to get the ball back. Latavious Davis recovered a fumble at the Griffon 43 to put the Mules back in business. A 30-yard Smith to Kevin Johnson (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit HS) plus a 15-yard facemask penalty gave the Mules the ball at the MWSU six. After a false start penalty Taylor ran it in from 11 yards out for his first touchdown of the season to make it 38-26.

The Mules defense forced a three and out on the next possession, but the offense was unable to get anything going and the Griffons were able to run out the clock on their next possession.

Smith finished the game 20-for-28 for 250 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Petersen was 11-of-18 for 80 yards and two picks before leaving the game in the first half.

Taylor had 109 yards rushing on 12 carries with a score. Cooper led the Mules in receiving with 73 yards on five receptions. Lloyd had four catches for 40 yards with a score and Rosine added three grabs for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Patrick Lewis (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill HS) led UCM with 12 tackles and half a tackle for loss. Ramond Hunter (St. Louis, Mo./Brentwood HS) had nine tackles with one tackle for loss. L. Davis had 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

Partridge was 14-of-20 for 126 yards and three scored and Hill rushed 28 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Griffon attack.

This was the Mules first season-opening loss under Jim Svoboda and the first loss in a season-opener since 2007. UCM has now lost two straight games to the Griffons and nine of the last 10 meetings.

Central Missouri returns to action next week for the home opener. The Mules host third-ranked Northwest Missouri on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. It's Military Appreciation Day and Get the Red Out.