JOPLIN, Mo. (Oct. 15, 2016) -- Mules Football scored touchdowns on all six first half drives and racked up 672 yards of total offense in the game en route to a 56-7 rout of Missouri Southern on Saturday night at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
The Mules (5-2, 5-2 MIAA) forced a punt on Missouri Southern's (1-6, 1-6 MIAA) first drive of the game then marched 79 yards in 11 plays to grab a 7-0 lead on
Marquel McNac's five-yard touchdown run. The Lions answered right back with a 75-yard drive of their own to tie the game. TJ Fleeton hit Jordan Morrison for a two-yard score to tie the game.
It didn't take long for the Mules to regain the lead as
Garrett Fugate hit
Kyle Echols for a 12-yard score to cap an 8-play, 54-yard drive to give the Mules a 14-7 lead. Early in the second quarter the lead grew to 21-7 when Fugate found
Wesley Thomas for a six-yard score. It was Thomas' first touchdown reception as a Mule.
Fugate accounted for three more scores in the second quarter to give the Mules a 42-7 halftime advantage. He hit
Alex Strong for a five-yard score to make it 28-7 then found Echols again, this time from 21 yards out, before running one in from three yards out to give UCM the 35-point halftime cushion.
The lead grew to 49-7 late in the third quarter when
Brook Bolles hit
Jovante Siglar for a 26-yard score. Siglar laid out in the end zone to make the spectacular diving catch. The final score of the game for UCM came late in the fourth quarter when
Kadeem McIntosh scored his first career touchdown on a four-yard rush on fourth and goal. It capped an 11-play, 99-yard drive and gave the Mules the 56-7 final.
Fugate led the way with 370 yards of total offense and accounted for five touchdowns. He was 22-of-36 for 275 yards with four scores and an interception while also rushing for 95 yards and a score on nine carries.
McIntosh carried 10 times for 66 yards and a score, while
Gabe Vandiver totaled 65 yards on 14 carries. Thomas led the receiving corps with five catches for 57 yards and a score while Strong had 38 yards on five catches and a TD. Echols totaled 41 yards and a TD on three receptions.
Jaylen Zachery had 58 yards on three catches.
Defensively,
Kolesen Crane and
Monteze Latimore had six tackles apiece. Crane also had a half a tackle for loss.
Rick Pesek had five stops and a half a tackle for loss, while
Jackson Newman had five tackles and a TFL and
Justin Biermann added five stops as well. The Mules held MSSU to 259 yards of total offense.
Fleeton was 17-of-30 for 134 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Missouri Southern. Scott Lathrop finished with 12 catches for 101 yards. Josh Hadley led the MSSU rushing attack with 31 yards on eight carries.
The Mules return home next Saturday, Oct. 22 to host Washburn in the annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. from Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
