Mules set for showdown with No. 6 Pittsburg State

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KICKOFF
• The Mules head out on the road for the final time in the 2014 regular season when they take on No. 6-ranked Pittsburg State on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Pittsburg, Kansas. Kickoff at Carnie Smith Stadium is set for 2 p.m.
• The Mules are coming off a 48-28 win over Lindenwood on Saturday in the MIAA TV Game of the Week.
• The Gorillas are coming off of a 41-10 win at Missouri Southern on Saturday night.
• The Mules have won six straight games for the first time since the 2010 season.

ON THE AIR
• The game will be broadcast on the 44,000-watt 98.5 The Bar and 1450 KOKO with Bill Turnage and Joe Moore calling the action. With Saturday's game kicking off at 2 p.m. the Mules Tailgate Show will begin at 12:50 p.m.
• The game will also be webcast online through Stretch Internet. Fans can access the pay-per-view webcast at
portal.stretchinternet.com/ucmo/

QUICK HITS
• A win over Pittsburg State on Saturday would give the Mules their first seven-game winning streak since the 2010 season when they won eight straight games.
• The Mules will play six of their 11 games at home this season. It is the first time in five years that the Mules have more than five games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Central Missouri went 6-4 last season finishing in seventh place in the MIAA standings. It was the seventh straight winning season for Mules Football and the 15th in the last 16 seasons.

SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the 52nd meeting between Central Missouri and Pittsburg State. The Gorillas hold a 41-8-2 lead in the all-time series.
• The Gorillas won last year's meeting 31-21 in Warrensburg. UCM led 14-7 late in the first half, but Pittsburg State scored 21 unanswered points to grab a 28-14 lead.
• PSU has won three straight games in the series and six of the last eight meetings overall.
• Pittsburg State is averaging 33.0 points per game during the current three-game streak, while the Mules are averaging 19.7 points per game.
• In the four meetings under the current head coaches, PSU holds a 3-1 lead. The Gorillas are averaging 29.8 points per game, while UCM is averaging 24.0 per contest.

LAST MEETING WITH PITTSBURG STATE
• The Mules dropped their second straight game to fall to 2-4 overall and 1-4 in MIAA play with a 31-21 loss to Pittsburg State on Oct. 12, 2013 in Warrensburg.
• UCM grabbed a 14-7 lead with 3:49 left in the half, but Pittsburg State scored two touchdowns in 54 seconds to grab a 21-14 halftime lead.
• Hayden Hawk was 24 of 43 for 362 yards and three touchdowns for UCM.
• Ronrei Lloyd hauled in eight passes for 176 yards and touchdown, his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game.
• Tristan McClelland caught five balls for 72 yards and two touchdowns.
• Ricky Spratley led the defense with 13 tackles, while Alex Perlin finished with 12.
• Adrian Perricone had five tackles, a sack and an interception.
• The Mules were out-gained 510-421 in the game.

ABOUT THE GORILLAS
• Pittsburg State comes into the game at 8-1 overall and in MIAA play and winners of five in a row after a 41-10 win at Missouri Southern on Saturday night. The Gorillas are ranked No. 6 in this week's AFCA Top 25 Coaches Poll.
• The Gorillas are averaging 33.7 points per game and giving up just 10.2 points per game.
• Pitt State is third in the league in scoring offense, first in scoring defense, third in total offense (446.0) and second in total defense (245.6).
• The Gorillas are led by quarterback Anthony Abenoja, who has completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,626 yards with 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
• Gavin Lutman leads the team with 46 receptions for 808 yards, 17.6 yards per catch, and 10 touchdowns. Marquise Cushon has 45 catches for 852 yards, 18.9 per catch, and five scores. Cushon is also averaging 25.6 yards per kickoff return.
• The Gorillas have the No. 1 passing offense in the MIAA.
• Reigning MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week, kicker Connor Frazell is 15-of-21 on field goals this season with a long of 38 yards.
• Defensively, Spencer Brown leads the team with 66 tackles to go along with 5.5 tackles for loss. Keeston Terry is second on the team with 56 tackles, including 6.5 TFL.
• Heath Wilson has a team-leading eight tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks.
• The PSU defense has recorded 12 interceptions and recovered seven fumbles.

LAST TIME OUT
• The Mules jumped out to a 21-0 lead and were never threatened in the 48-28 win over Lindenwood.
• The win gave UCM a 4-0 record all-time against the Lions.
• The UCM defense forced seven turnovers in the ball game, including six interceptions. The six INTs were the third most in a game in school history.
• Hayden Hawk finished the day 19-of-28 for 286 yards with three touchdowns. He had scoring strikes of 22, 51 and 71 in the game.
• LaVance Taylor went over 100 yards rushing for the seventh time in nine games, finishing with 138 yards on 25 carries. He also caught three passes for 34 yards.
• Ian Toalson caught a career-high five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
• Kenny Mings and Connor Smith each recorded two interceptions with Smith and Diaron Rhodes each returning an interception for a touchdown.

MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 7-2 in MIAA play this season and have won six straight conference games after the 48-28 win over Lindenwood on Saturday.
• UCM is 32-14 in conference action under Jim Svoboda. The Mules were 5-4 in league play a season ago and finished in seventh place in the MIAA standings.
• The Mules are 24-13 in MIAA play since 2011.

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules are 5-0 at home this season and 20-6 under Jim Svoboda after the win over Lindenwood on Saturday, Nov. 1.
• The current seven-game home winning streak is the longest since UCM won 10 straight home games between the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
• The Mules are averaging 43.6 points per game at home this season and giving up 21.2 points per contest.
• The Mules are 225-180-13 in their 84th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 2-2 on the road in 2014 after the 56-14 win at Northeastern State.
• The Mules went 3-2 on the road in 2013 and are 18-10 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era.
• UCM is 6-4 in the last 10 road games.

THE MULES IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE
• Central Missouri is 6-2 in games played in the state of Kansas under Jim Svoboda and 6-1 in those games against schools from Kansas. The Mules fell to West Texas A&M in the 2011 Kanza Bowl in Topeka.
• The Mules are 11-3 against schools from Kansas during the Svoboda era. All three losses are to Pittsburg State.

THE MULES VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
• The Mules are 2-2 this season and 7-11 overall against ranked competition during the Jim Svoboda era after the win over No. 22 Central Oklahoma on Oct. 18.
• Central Missouri is 3-7 against ranked opponents over the past three seasons.
• UCM's last win over a top 10-ranked opponent was a 31-21 win over No. 3 Northwest Missouri on Sept. 8, 2012.

STRENGTH ON STRENGTH
• The matchup between Central Missouri and Pittsburg State will match each team's strengths against the other.
• UCM comes in to the game first in the league in scoring offense with the Gorillas first in scoring defense. UCM is first in total offense, PSU second in total defense; the Mules are third in rushing offense, Pitt State is second in rushing defense. The teams are tied for second in turnover margin at +1.11 per game.

SMITH NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Senior defensive back Connor Smith was named the MIAA's Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in Central Missouri's 48-28 win over Lindenwood last weekend. The Rogersville, Mo. native recorded two tackles, a half a tackle for loss and two interceptions in the win. He accumulated 82 return yards on his interceptions, including a 53-yard return for a touchdown that gave UCM a 21-0 lead.

LEADING THE PACK
• Senior running back LaVance Taylor currently leads the MIAA in rushing at 146.1 yards per game and in scoring with 14 touchdowns in 2014. His 1,315 rushing yards are nearly 400 yards more than the next closest player in the league. His rushing total is the fourth best in a single season in UCM history.
• Taylor has gone over the 100 yard mark in seven of Central Missouri's nine games and has gone over the 200-yard mark twice, including a school-record 288 yards on 23 carries in the win over Emporia State.
• His 208.6 all-purpose yards per game average also leads the conference and is second in the nation.
• Taylor is seventh in NCAA-II in rushing yards per game and his 1,315 yards on the season are the fourth most in the country.

TACKLING MACHINES
• Junior linebacker Ricky Spratley is currently eighth in the MIAA in tackles, averaging 8.7 stops per game. His 78 total tackles leads the team, as do his 37 solo stops. His linebacking mate Alex Perlin is 11th in the league in tackles at 8.1 per contest. He has 65 total tackles on the season in seven games.
• Spratley set a new career-high with 19 tackles in the win at Missouri Southern.

VENCKUS CONTROLLING THE LINE
• Junior defensive end Jason Venckus currently leads the MIAA in tackles for loss with 12.5 on the year.  He is tied for fifth in the league with 4.5 sacks.
• He had a career-high three tackles for loss in the win over Nebraska-Kearney.
• He is 4.5 tackles for loss shy (17) of cracking UCM's single-season top 10 list.

NO FLY ZONE
• Sophomore cornerback Diaron Rhodes broke the UCM single-season record for passes defended. He now has 15 passes defended after coming up with one in the win over Lindenwood. He leads the MIAA and is tied for 12th in the nation averaging 1.7 passes defended per game.
• Senior Connor Smith is tied for the conference lead with four interceptions after coming up with two in the win over Lindenwood. Sophomore J.R. Alexander is tied for fourth in the league in interceptions with three.

STREAKING MULES
• During the current six-game winning streak the Mules are averaging 43 points per game and giving up 20 per contest.

WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 30-5 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime, including a 4-1 mark this season after beating Lindenwood.
• The Mules are 6-12 under Svoboda when trailing at halftime, but 2-1 this season. UCM was trailing 14-7 at halftime to Nebraska-Kearney and 24-13 at Missouri Southern.

21 AND UP
• UCM is 37-7 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM 37-1 during the Svoboda era and 23-1 when scoring 40 or more points.
• The only loss when scoring 30 or more points was a 55-54 defeat to Division I FCS Illinois State in 2010.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• With Ray Harris' two-yard touchdown run against Lindenwood, Central Missouri has scored in 258 consecutive games - the longest streak in MIAA history.

A UCM WIN WOULD...
• Give the Mules an 8-2 overall and MIAA record and give the Mules seven straight wins, the longest winning streak since 2010 when UCM won eight straight games.
• Snap a three-game losing streak against Pittsburg State and give the Mules their first win in Pittsburg since 2010.
• Be the ninth in 52 all-time meetings with the Gorillas.

A UCM LOSS WOULD...
• Drop the Mules to 7-3 overall and in conference play and snap Central Missouri's six-game winning streak.
• Be the fourth straight loss to Pittsburg State and the second straight in Pittsburg.
• Snap UCM's two-game road winning streak.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 119th season of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 533-500-51 (.515) record in 1,084 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 12 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 AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 38-17 (.691) in his fifth season leading the Mules.
• He is in fifth place on Central Missouri's career wins list.
• Svoboda's .674 winning percentage entering the 2014 season was 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 68 school offensive records and 20 MIAA offensive records during Svoboda's tenure.
• 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 ninth season in the league and his second with the Tennessee Titans. Walker signed a four-year deal with the Titans last season after playing in Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco. He caught four passes for 37 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee's loss to Houston last Sunday. Walker has 218 catches for 2,511 yards with 18 touchdowns in his career.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 200 MIAA regular-season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured seven MIAA regular season titles, the most of any school in league history and the second time Central Missouri accomplished the feat.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 146 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won six national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003 and men's basketball in 2014) and eight national championships overall.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Central Missouri had 220 student-athletes named to the 2013-14 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 41 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.
• 17 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had 12 student-athletes earn Academic All-Region awards in their respective sports with seven of those earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

MULES FOOTBALL ON THE AIR
• The Bob Showers of Ameritas Investment Corp. Jim Svoboda Mules Football Radio Show, Live from Traditions Restaurant airs on Monday nights at 6 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 and re-airs on Saturdays at 5 p.m.

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING
• Live video coverage for all Central Missouri home and away MIAA games will be available through Stretch Internet on a pay-per-view basis. The cost is $9.95 for a day pass or $69.95 for an all-season pass for UCM football. With a day pass, fans can access any MIAA game being broadcast that day. Fans can access webcasts through the GameCentral by Stretch Internet link on the UCM Athletics homepage or through the "Video" links on the Mules Football schedule page. Fans can also go directly to portal.stretchinternet.com/ucmo/

UP NEXT
• The Mules return home to host Fort Hays State in the 2014 regular season finale. The game is set for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. It is Senior Day with the Mules Football seniors being honored in a pregame ceremony.