ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (Sept. 17, 2016) -- 14th-ranked Mules Football drove 98 yards for the go-ahead score with just over four minutes to play then got the defensive stop they needed to hold off Missouri Western 38-34 on Saturday night at Spratt Memorial Stadium. With the win, the Mules improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2009.
The Mules wasted no time in getting on the board as
Jaylen Zachery took the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown to put UCM in front 7-0. The Griffons answered back with a three-yard Skyler Windmiller touchdown run to pull even with 8:10 to go in the first quarter.
The Mules answered right back with a 10-play, 71-yard drive to regain the lead.
Garrett Fugate hit
Xavier Washpun for a 16-yard touchdown pass to give UCM a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. The Griffons drove into UCM territory on their next possession, but the Mule defense held and the Griffons connected on a 43-yard field goal to pull within 14-10.
UCM drove deep in to Griffon territory to start the second quarter, but Fugate was intercepted at the 25 yard line and the Griffons turned it in to the go-ahead touchdown for a 17-14 lead. Windmiller hit Dijuan Ussery for a 16-yard score to cap the ensuing drive.
As they did all night, the Mules answered back. Washpun capped a 12-play, 76-yard drive with a one-yard scoring plunge to put UCM back in front 21-17. It looked as though the Griffons would pull within one late in the first half, but Sean Galey's 29-yard field goal was wide left. The Mules took over with :40 left in the half and drove 73 yards in seven plays. Fugate hit Zachery for a 37-yard gain to the Western 43 on the first play of the drive. He also had back-to-back passes of 15 yards to Zachery and Washpun to set up a 24-yard
Billy Greco field goal as time expired to give the Mules a 24-17 halftime lead.
The Griffons put together a 12-play, 57-yard drive to open the second half. They pulled within 24-20 on Galey's 25-yard field goal. UCM fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Griffons recovered. The defense forced the Griffons in to a 3rd and 26, but two personal foul penalties against the Mules extended the drive and gave MWSU a first down at the UCM 12. Two plays later, Windmiller rushed up the middle for a five-yard score and Western led 27-24.
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The next possession took just two plays, both runs from
Gabe Vandiver, and the Mules were back in front 31-27. The first play from scrimmage was a 58-yard burst to the MWSU five and the next one was a five-yard score.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Mules faced a fourth and one at the Griffon 47. They decided to punt and
Logan Offner pinned the Griffons inside their own one yard line. The Griffons responded, however, with a long drive covering the entire 99 yards and lasting just eight plays. Josh Caldwell finished it off with an eight-yard run after a 48-yard pass to Ussery moved the Griffons deep into UCM territory. With the extra point, MWSU was back on top 34-31.
On the first play of the following possession, Fugate was sacked and fumbled and Western recovered at the Mule 34. Central Missouri needed a big defense stop and they got it. A loss on first down and a big sack by
J.R. Alexander on third down pushed the Griffons out of field goal range and forced a punt that was downed at the UCM two yard line.
Facing 3rd and 3 from the UCM 9, Fugate hit Zachery for a gain of 16 yards, then later hit
Kyle Echols for 35 yards to the Griffon 23. Following an incompletion on third down, Fugate avoided the rush and hit Zachery, who broke and tackle and dove inside the pylon to put the Mules back in front 38-34 with 4:28 to play in the game.
Following a three and out, the Mules got the ball back at their own 34 with 3:04 on the clock. UCM faced a third and seven from the 37, Fugate hit a wide open
Seth Hebert for 43 yards to Griffon 20 and Vandiver then rushed for 19 yards to the one. On first down Fugate appeared to score a TD, but was ruled down inside the one with just over a minute to play. The Mules then got in the victory formation and knelt on it two times to run out the clock and get the win.
Fugate connected of 32-of-43 passes for a career-high 408 yards and two touchdowns. The 408 yards are the eighth most in a single-game in UCM history. Zachery had eight catches for 131 yards with a score and also had 165 return yards and a score for 296 all-purpose yards, tied for the fifth most in a single-game in UCM history. Vandiver rushed for 84 yards on 12 carries with a score and Washpun 62 yards on 12 carries with a rushing and receiving touchdown. Echols added five catches for 77 yards.
The Mules racked up 538 yards of total offense in gaining their first win in St. Joseph since 2002.
The Griffons had 489 yards of total offense with Windmiller throwing for 251 yards and a score and also rushing for two touchdowns. Josh Caldwell rushed for 164 and a score.
The Mules return home next Saturday, Sept. 24 to host Emporia State. The Family Weekend kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
