PITTSBURG, Kan. (Sept. 1, 2016) -- The No. 20 Central Missouri Mules rallied from a 13-0 deficit with 27 straight points, then scored a late touchdown to outlast Pittsburg State 34-27 in the season-opener on Thursday night at Carnie Smith Stadium.
The Gorillas (0-1) struck first on a 66-yard touchdown pass from John Roderique to Levi Copelin on the second play of the game. Pitt State drove deep into UCM (1-0) territory on their next drive, but Chad Levin's 21-yard field goal attempt was wide right and the lead stayed at 7-0.
On the ensuing drive the Mules faced a third and three,
Garrett Fugate scrambled for the first down, but fumbled at the end of the play and PSU recovered at the UCM 36. Seven play later, the Gorillas cashed in on the turnover with a 38-yard field goal to lead 10-0.
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The lead grew to 13-0 early in the second quarter when Levin connected on a 28-yard field goal. It capped a 14-play, 70-yard drive.
The Mules got on the board midway through the second quarter. Fugate hit
Jaylen Zachery for a beautiful 18-yard touchdown pass. Zachery jumped up and took the ball away from a Pitt State defender as he was going in to the endzone. The play capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive that cut the PSU lead to six at the intermission.
On the second drive of the third quarter the Mules found the endzone again to take a 14-13 lead.
Gabe Vandiver scored his first career touchdown, a 12-yard run straight up the gut to cap off a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Vandiver had a 36-yard run on the first play of the drive.
Following a Gorilla punt, the Mules took over deep in their own territory at the nine yard line on the next possession. Facing a third and two at the 11, Fugate hit
Tyler Jones for a 75-yard gain to the PSU 14. Two plays later Fugate plunged into the endzone from five yards out and the Mules led 20-13. The snap on the PAT was mishandled and the lead stayed at seven.
Jackson Newman intercepted a Thomas LePage pass on the ensuing drive and returned it to the PSU 21, but two penalties and a sack pushed the Mules out of field goal range and they were forced to punt. Pitt State went three and out and on the punt, Zachery returned it 79 yards for a touchdown, his second career punt return for a touchdown, and the Mules led 27-13.
The Gorillas took the next possession and drove 66 yards in 12 plays, capped off by a LePage eight-yard touchdown run on fourth and three to pull within 27-20. Following a UCM punt, Pitt State got the ball back at their own 13 with 8:31 to play in the game. The Gorillas got gains of 24 and 42 yards to help set up a Michael Rose one-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 27-all with 5:53 to play.
The Mules' ensuing drive took just three plays and covered 85 yards. On third and four from their own 21, Fugate found
Tyler Jones for a 79-yard touchdown and UCM was back in front 34-27.
The Gorillas drove to the UCM 22 on their next possession, but on third and 11 with just over 90 seconds to play,
Tevin Teamer picked off LePage's pass to halt the potential game-tying drive. Fugate was able to pick up a first down with his legs on third and eight and the Mules ran out the clock in the victory formation.
Fugate finished the day 16-of-33 for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Vandiver carried six times for 58 yards and a score, while
Seth Hebert caught four passes for 70 yards. Jones had three receptions for 161 yards and a score as well.
Defensively,
Michael Tannehill had a game-high 15 tackles with a tackle for loss and
Monteze Latimore had 11 stops.
For PSU, LePage was 14-of-31 for 191 yards with two interceptions. Roderique was 7-of-10 for 113 yards and a score before leaving late in the first quarter with an injury. He did not return. Rose rushed 27 times for 104 yards and a score, while Copelin hauled in nine passes for 191 yards and a touchdown.
The Mules return home next Thursday, Sept. 8 to host Fort Hays State at 7 p.m. in the home opener at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. The annual Get the Red Out Street Fair will take place on Holden Street, between Clark and South Streets, from 4 until 6:30 p.m.
