Mules Football returns home to host Lindenwood on Saturday
Mules Football returns home to host Lindenwood on Saturday
UCM w Mule head
vs
LU_Lions

Central Missouri (0-2, 0-2 MIAA) vs. Lindenwood Lions (2-0, 2-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 | 1:30 p.m.
Warrensburg, Mo. | Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field (12,000)

TV: None
Radio: Central Missouri Sports Network
Watch | Listen Live | Live Stats | UCM Game Notes | LWU Game Notes | MIAA Weekly Notes

KICKOFF
• The Central Missouri Mules look for their first win of the season when they return home to host Lindenwood on Family Weekend on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• The Mules are coming off a 28-24 loss at No. 3 Northwest Missouri on Saturday night. It was the second straight close loss to a top-10 ranked opponent for UCM.
• With Saturday's game kicking off at 1:30 p.m., the Mules Tailgate Show will begin at 12:10 p.m.
• The Lions are coming off a 35-27 win at Southwest Baptist on Saturday night and are now 2-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

QUICK HITS
• The Mules are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start in a quarter century when they take on Lindenwood on Saturday.
• The Mules played the toughest first two games of any team in the nation facing two teams ranked in the top six of the AFCA Poll.
• The Lions are 2-0 this year and are coming off a 2012 season, in which they went 8-4 overall and 7-3 in league play. Lindenwood played in the Mineral Water Bowl in their first full season of MIAA competition.
• UCM will play a 10-game schedule again in 2013, but only nine conference games. This is the fourth straight season that the Mules only have five regular season home games.
• Central Missouri went 6-4 last season finishing in seventh place in the MIAA standings. It was the sixth straight winning season for Mules Football and the 14th in the last 15 seasons.

SERIES HISTORY
• This is the third meeting all-time between Central Missouri and Lindenwood with the Mules holding a 2-0 lead in the series.
• The Mules beat Lindenwood for the second straight year in St. Charles last year, 35-28.
• Central Missouri is averaging 41 points per game through the first two meetings, while Lindenwood is averaging 28 points per contest.

LAST TIME VS LINDENWOOD
• The Mules scored a late touchdown to hold off the Lindenwood Lions 35-28 in St. Charles.
• The Lions scored first converting a field goal on their opening drive of the game to lead 3-0. The Mules responded with 14 straight points to grab a 14-3 lead before leading 14-13 at halftime
• LaVance Taylor had three rushing touchdowns to lead the Mules, including the game-winner, a 21-yard scamper around the right side with 3:01 left in the game
• Taylor racked up 275 all-purpose yards (96 rush, 17 rec, 162 KR), the fourth highest single-game total in UCM history
• Colter Smith was 26-of-41 for 285 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also ran seven times for 35 yards and a touchdown
• Latavious Davis led the defense with nine tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles and a pass break-up
• The Mule defense registered 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, five pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and an interception

ABOUT LINDENWOOD
• The Lions come into the game at 2-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play after a 35-27 win at Southwest Baptist on Saturday.
• Lindenwood is averaging 29.5 points per game and giving up 24.5 through the first two contests.
• The Lions are averaging 451.5 yards of total offense per game. They average 123.5 on the ground and 328.0 through the air.
• They have outscored their opponents 21-3 in the third quarter this year, but opponents hold a 26-7 advantage in fourth quarter scoring.
• Quarterback Dillon Miller has completed 63 percent of his passes for 642 yards and three touchdowns. Last year's starter, Ben Gomez has appeared in one game so far and is 2 of 4 for 14 yards.
• Marvin Byrd leads the rushing attack with 209 yards on 42 carries. He's averaging 104.5 yards per game and has scored two touchdowns.
• Jordan Gater has 16 pass receptions for 191 yards, while Alex Robinson has 11 catches for 125 yards and two scores.
• Defensively, linebacker Connor Harris leads the squad with 26 tackles, including 18 solo stops. DE Thomas Stubbs has a team-leading four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The Lions have 17 tackles for loss and nine quarterback sacks in just two games.
• The Lion defense has intercepted three passes and has forced four fumbles.

MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 20-10 in MIAA play under Jim Svoboda after falling to No. 3 Northwest Missouri 28-24 on Saturday night in Maryville.
• UCM is 1-4 in the last five conference games.
• The Mules' 14 combined conference wins in 2010 and 2011 were the most by a UCM head coach in their first two seasons.

THE MULES AT HOME
• Central Missouri is 12-5 at home under Jim Svoboda, after the loss to Missouri Western to open the season.
• The Mules have lost two straight games at home for the first time since 2011.
• The Mules averaged 33.8 points per game at home last year and gave up just 17.8 per outing.
• The Mules are 217-179-13 in their 83rd season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• The Mules are 13-7 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era after their 28-24 setback at Northwest Missouri on Saturday night.
• The Mules were 2-3 on the road last season and are now 6-4 in their last 10 road games.

THE MULES FOLLOWING A LOSS
• The Mules are 0-1 this season when following a loss after dropping their second straight game of the season.
• UCM is 7-2 overall under Jim Svoboda following a loss.
• UCM has lost back to back games for just the second time during the Svoboda era.
• The Mules have not lost three straight games during Svoboda's tenure.

THE MULES VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
• The Mules are 5-8 against ranked competition during the Jim Svoboda era following the 28-24 at No.3 Northwest Missouri on Saturday night.
• Central Missouri is 1-4 in the last five games against ranked opponents.
• UCM's last win over a top 5-ranked opponent was a 31-21 win over No. 3 Northwest Missouri on Sept. 8.
• UCM's last win over a top 10-ranked opponent was a 39-21 win at No. 6 Washburn to close out the 2011 regular season.

LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 22-4 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime, but 0-2 this season after their second straight loss when leading at the half.
• UCM was 6-2 when leading at halftime last year.
• On the flip side, the Mules are just 2-9 under Svoboda when trailing at halftime.

21 AND UP
• UCM is 24-6 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points after falling 28-24 at Northwest Missouri last week.
• The Mules are just 5-5 in their last 10 games when scoring 21 or more points.

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules a 1-2 overall and MIAA record on the year.
• Give UCM three straight wins over Lindenwood and a 3-0 all-time series lead.
• Snap a two-game losing streak

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 0-3 record for the first time since 1988.
• Drop UCM to 0-3 in MIAA play for the first time since 1985.
• Give the Mules their first three-game losing streak under Jim Svoboda and the first since 1998.
• Give Lindenwood their first ever win against Central Missouri

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 118th season of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 520-496-51 (.511) record in 1,067 total games.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games three times in the history of the program and have posted 11 seasons of eight or more wins.
• UCM won a school-record 11 games in Jim Svoboda's first season in 2010.
• UCM has won or shared eight MIAA championships in school history with the last coming in 2003.
• The Mules have qualified for the postseason seven times in their history, including two trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2010.

SVOBODA LEADING THE WAY
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 25-13 (.658) in his fourth season leading the Mules.
• Svoboda's .658 winning percentage is the fourth highest for a UCM coach.
• UCM posted the second most wins in a two-year span in school history in Svoboda's first two seasons.
• The Mules appeared in the postseason in each of Svoboda's first two seasons. UCM made the NCAA-II Playoffs in year one under Svoboda and earned a bid to the Kanza Bowl in his second season. It is just the second time in school history that Mules Football has made back-to-back postseason appearances.
• UCM hosted the first ever playoff game in school history and won the school's first two playoff games in Svoboda's first season in 2010.
• The Mules have set or tied 63 school offensive records in Svoboda's first three seasons and 20 MIAA offensive records.
• The Mules became the first team in NCAA-II history to have a 5,000-yard passer (Eric Czerniewski) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Anthony Stewart) in the same season when they accomplished that feat in 2010.

MULES IN THE PROS
• There is one former Mule currently on an NFL roster. Tight end Delanie Walker is in his eighth season in the league and his first with the Tennessee Titans. Walker signed a four-year deal with the Titans in the offseason after playing in Super Bowl XLVII last season with San Francisco. In his career, Walker has 127 catches for 1,515 yards with nine touchdowns, including four catches for 50 yards and a score this season.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 193 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles and one tournament championship.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 139 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won five national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, and women's bowling in 2003) and seven national championships overall.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• The 550 Central Missouri student-athletes received 375 Academic Awards from the MIAA office for the 2012-13 academic year.
• 305 UCM student-athletes were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
• 37 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned all-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 33 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had eight student-athletes earn Academic All-America honors in their respective sports, including Brent Vogel being named the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for Men's Track & Field.

MULES FOOTBALL ON THE AIR
• Central Missouri football is broadcast live on 1450 KOKO/98.5 "The Bar", and on the internet at warrensburgradio.com. The broadcast team of Shawn Jones (play-by-play), Bill Turnage (color commentary) and Greg Hassler (sideline) will have all the UCM action. The Mules Tailgate show begins 80 minutes prior to kickoff.
• The Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. Jim Svoboda Mules Football Radio Show, Live from Traditions Restaurant airs on Monday nights at 6:30 p.m. on 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO as well as online at warrensburgradio.com. The show is broadcast live on the patio at Traditions Restaurant at the Audrey J. Walton Clubhouse at Keth Memorial Golf Course.
• The Central Missouri Sportspage is your weekly one-hour look at UCM athletics each Thursday night at 7 p.m. on KMOS-TV. Senior Associate Athletic Director Shawn Jones will sit down with Mules head coach Jim Svoboda to discuss the previous week's game as well as weekly spotlights of Mules football players.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• Live video coverage for all Central Missouri home and away MIAA games will be available through the America One Sports Network on a pay-per-view basis. The cost is $8 per game, $30 for a 30-day pass or $69.95 for an all-season pass for UCM football. Fans can access webcasts through the America One Sports link on the UCM Athletics homepage or by going to AmericaOneSports.com.

UP NEXT
• The Mules hit the road for two straight weeks starting with a non-conference matchup at Truman State on Sept. 28 and a trip to Joplin on Oct. 5 to take on Missouri Southern.
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