WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Oct. 10, 2017) - For the first time in three weeks, Central Missouri Mules Football is back at home in Warrensburg, fittingly for homecoming week at UCM.

OPPONENT: Missouri Southern (0-6, 0-6 MIAA)

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017 - 1:30 pm

WHERE: Warrensburg, Mo. - Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field

ON THE AIR
• The game will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action. The Tailgate Show will begin at 12:20 p.m. on the UCM Sports Network.
• The game will also be webcast online through Central Missouri's Blueframe Internet portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/. It is a pay-per-view webcast. MIAA Network content is available live via live DVR and is immediately archived for on-demand viewing after each event. 
• All MIAA football games are also available for viewing on The MIAA Network Apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku. 

KICKOFF
• Central Missouri is home for the first time since Sept. 23 as they welcome in Missouri Southern for the 2017 edition of UCM Homecoming. 
• The Mules bounced back from a loss at Arrowhead to rout Nebraska-Kearney 45-7 in Kearney, Neb. Brook Bolles threw for over 300 yards and scored three times, twice on the ground. 
• The Lions are yet to win a game this season. They enter this weekend 0-6. Last weekend they fell 49-21 to Washburn. It was only the second time this season the Lions have scored 20 or more points. 
• In the preseason coaches and media polls, UCM was selected to finish third in both, which would match their place from a year ago. Missouri Southern was picked 10th in the Media Poll and 11th in the Coaches Poll.
• Central Missouri finished 2016 at 4-1 on the road last year, with their only loss coming in the NCAA Playoffs against Harding. UCM is 31-9 all time at home with Coach Svoboda on the sidelines. 
• The Mules are yet to lose at home this season having gone 2-0, and their last home loss came in double-OT to Emporia State back in Sept. 2016. 

STORY LINES
• The Mules and Lions have a long history that dates back to 1973. Since then, the teams have met nearly every year, outside of 1975 and from 1984-1988.
• Central Missouri holds the all-time advantage ad the recent edge. The Mules are 21-15-2 all time against Lions and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings. 
• The Mules play four of their 11 regular season games in Warrensburg this season (one home game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City). In the last eight seasons (including 2017) they have played more games on the road in six of them. 
• The Mules have finished each of the last 10 seasons with a winning record after their 9-3 mark in 2016 and have now done so in 18 of the last 19 seasons as well. 

MULES IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
• UCM opened up the season ranked 21st in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason poll, and reached a high of 13 after week one. They fell out of the rankings and have been receiving votes in the last five polls. This week they moved up a bit in the "receiving votes" category from a would-be 32nd to 29th.
• Under head coach Jim Svoboda the Mules have been ranked in the AFCA Poll 30 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of five times. 
• Central Missouri had been ranked in every d2football.com poll this season up until last week. They entered the season ranked 21st in the preseason and reached a high of 12 after their win of Pittsburg State. UCM re-entered the rankings this week at No. 24. 

SERIES HISTORY
• The Lions had dominated in the early going of this rivalry, but since the turn of the century it's been all Mules. UCM has won all but three contests against the Lions since the year 2000 including three straight. 

LAST MEETING WITH MISSOURI SOUTHERN
• Playing in Joplin, it was over early as the Mules scored 42 first-half points on their way to a 56-7 win. UCM scored four touchdowns in the second half alone. 
• Garrett Fugate tossed four touchdowns and threw for 275 yards on 22 completions. Brook Bolles saw some time and threw his first career touchdown pass, a 26-yard pass to Jovante Siglar. 
• Fugate also led the team with 95 rushing yards. UCM rushed for 362 yards with six Mules recording at least 30 yards on the ground and four had more than 60 yards. 

ABOUT THE LIONS
• Missouri Southern is yet to win a game this season. They are 0-6 and on an eight-game losing streak dating back to the end of 2016. They most recently fell, 49-21 at Washburn last weekend. It was their second time this season scoring 10 or more points in a game. Outside of a 36-29 loss to Emporia State, all loses this season have been by 10 or more points. 
• Head Coach Denver Johnson is in his third season with the Lions and has a 3-25 overall record. Last year the Lions went 2-9, their most wins under Coach Johnson. Johnson's coaching career includes head coaching jobs at Division I Murray State and Illinois State. He has also been an offensive coach for Colorado and Tulsa, most recently before Missouri Southern. 
• Missouri Southern is next to last in scoring offense, with just over 10 points per game at 11.7. Their defense is no better, also 11th in the MIAA allowing 42.8 points per game. This season, the Lions have been outscored 257-70. Only twice this season has Missouri Southern scored 10 points and they have let up at least 35 points in five games and at least 45 points in four games. MSSU doesn't particularly run or pass the ball very well, checking in at No. 11 in the MIAA in rushing offense and ninth in the league in passing offense. 
• The Lions made a change at quarterback in their last game at Washburn, starting Brayden Scott under center while Dante Vandeven made the move to wide receiver. Scott threw for two touchdowns and 169 yards while also rushing for a score, but also threw three interceptions. 
• Missouri Southern has gone with Shemar Colemand and Josh Hadley at the running back position. Coleman leads the team with 253 yards and averages 4.7 yards per carry. Hadley averages 4.3 yards per rush and has 184 yards on 43 carries. 
• The only rushing touchdowns this season have come from quarterbacks. Scott rushed for a touchdown against the Icabods and TJ Fleeton punched one in against Nebraska-Kearney when he saw action at quarterback. 
• Josiah Bennett has been the Lions top receiver with 21 catches and 274 yards with two touchdowns. Coleman also has two touchdowns through the air with 18 catches for 166 yards out of the backfield. Only two more Lions, Kene Anigbogu (13) and Carson Day (12) have 10 or more catches this season. Vandeven caught three passes for 60 yards against Washburn in his new role at wide receiver. 
• Coleman does most of the returning on punts and kickoffs. He has 10 kickoff returns for 181 yards. Day has also taken it out six times for 148 yards for an average of 24.7. In six games, the Lions have just four punt returns, three by Coleman, one by Day and have seven return yards.  
• The Lions have attempted just three field goals all season and Brock Renken has made one of them, a 34-yarder against Emporia State. 
• Taylor Kornish has punted 39 times and averages 36.5 yards per kick. Four of his 39 kicks have traveled 50 or more yards and he has landed eight inside the 20. 
• In the turnover department, the Lopers have just one interception on the season while throwing nine themselves. They also have just one fumble recovery and have lost six. They are down in the turnover battle 15-2. 
• Alexander Wade is eighth in the MIAA having made 52 tackles this season, including 31 solo. Akel Beard sits just outside the top-10 with 45 tackles and Roc Robbins (43) and Angelo Sumler (42) are in the MIAA top-20. 
• Robbins has 2.5 sacks on the season which is tied for second in the MIAA. The Lions have just seven sacks on the season while giving up 17. 
• Missouri Southern is allowing 24.8 first downs per game which is last in the MIAA. They have also allowed opponents to convert on 51% of their 3rd-down attempts, also last. They average just 15 first downs on offense and have made 22 of 84 third down attempts and are 4 for 14 on 4th down. 

LAST TIME OUT
• After back-to-back weeks of wild finishes, the Mules were finally able to take a bit of breather in the form of Nebraska-Kearney. UCM had their largest margin of victory of the season, defeating the Lopers 45-7. 
• UCM scored once in the first quarter and then three more times in the second. Bolles got the scoring started with a one yard touchdown run, his first of three TD's on the day. 
• After Kyrion Parker scored on a 38-yard touchdown pass, the Lopers cut the Mule lead in half,  14-7 thanks to a 14-play 71 yard drive capped off with a three-yard rushing score from Dayton Sealey. The Lopers did not attempt a single pass on the drive. 
• Central Missouri closed out the half with a pair of touchdowns in the final minute. Bolles ran in his second score, a two-yard scamper. Then a successful on-side kick gave the Mules the ball at the the Loper 36 yard line and Koby Wilkerson delivered on a nine-yard touchdown run as the Mules went up 28-7 at the half. 
• Alex Langer made a career-long 43 yard field goal in the third and scores from Devante Turner and a Kyle Bradley ended the scoring for UCM. For Bradley it was the first touchdown of his young career. 
• Bolles finished the day 27-for-37 for 325 yards and a touchdown pass. He also ran eight times for 35 yards and two scores. The Mules totaled 189 yards on the ground, getting a team-best 64 from Wilkerson and Turner added 45. Jaylen Zachery was the team's leading receiver with six catches and 55 yards. Parker had a game-high 89 yards on four catches and a score. Nine different receivers caught the ball as the Mules totaled 340 yards through the air. 
• Connor Flagel led the Mules defensive effort with 11 tackles, four solo and 0.5 for a loss. Tyron Taylor finished with nine including six solo. Wyatt Hendrix had the Mules only sack of the game. Franklin Hunt secured two pass breakups. 
• It was a relatively clean game for both sides as combined there was only two turnovers, a Mules fumble and seven penalties for 30 yards. 

MULES ALL TIME RECORDS
• Mules wide receiver Jaylen Zachery became the UCM all-time leading receiver against the Lopers. With his six catches, he now has 150 career receptions. He is also just 19 yards shy of the record for receiving yards. He has 2,335. He has also moved up to fifth all time with 4,093 all purpose yards, becoming the sixth Mule to ever reach 4,000 career all-purpose yards. 

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules finished 9-2 in conference play in 2016 and placed third in the league standings for the second consecutive season. 
• UCM now stands at 53-23 in conference games under Jim Svoboda.
• At 4-2 the Mules are one of just five teams with a winning record in the MIAA. They are currently tied for fourth-place with Missouri Western. 

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules went 5-1 at home in 2016 and are 31-9 at home under Jim Svoboda, and winners of six straight
• The Mules are 236-183-13 overall in their 86th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 28-15 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following the win over Nebraska-Kearney.
• The Mules finished 2016 at 4-1 away from Warrensburg. They went a perfect 4-0 in true road games.

WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 47-7 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime. Their 28-7 halftime lead against UNK was their first lead at the break this season. 
• The Mules are 10-19 all-time under Svoboda and 2-2 to start 2017 when trailing at halftime after the win against the Hornets. UCM is yet to go into the break with a lead, trailing in four and were tied with Missouri Western after 30 minutes. 

21 AND UP
• UCM is 58-12 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 56-6 during the Svoboda era and 32-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• The Lopers defense has improved, but the Mules scored on their third possession of the game to keep their MIAA record streak of consecutive games without being shutout intact and improve to 285 games. At one point, UCM scored on five of six possessions from the end of the first to beginning of the third quarter.
• The streak dates back to week three of the 1991 season.

2017 MIAA AND NCAA STAT LEADERS
• The Mules deploy two of the top-10 rushers in the league in a pair of redshirt-freshmen, Devante Turner and Koby Wilkerson. Turner is fifth in the MIAA with 448 yards and leads the league and is tenth in Division II averaging 7.0 yards per carry. Teammate Koby Wilkerson has 346 rushing yards and is ninth in the MIAA. Turner's five rushing TD's also tie him for fifth. 
• Brook Bolles is second in the MIAA and 14th in Division II in passing yards per game with 296.3. He threw for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns against the Hornets and now has three straight games with 300+ passing yards. 
• Three Mules are in the league's top-25 in receptions. Jaylen Zachery, who caught six passes at UNK is fifth with 28. He is also seventh in the MIAA with 420 receiving yards. Seth Hebert and Kyrion Parker have 19 catches to rank 15th. Parker is also in the top-10 with 367 yards to rank ninth. 
• The Mules' 14 sacks are the third most in the MIAA. Kolesen Crane and Dylan Albertson each have two. Monteze Latimore has seven passes defended and Josh Terry has six which puts them both in the MIAA top-10.
• Punter Zach Davidson sits fourth in the NCAA and third in the MIAA in punting  average. On 31 attempts, he is averaging 45.2 yards per kick with eight kicks of 50+ yards and 11 inside the 20. 
• Alex Langer is averaging 1.67 field goals made per game, the second most in the MIAA and fifth most in the NCAA. He's connected on 10 attempts and his 83.3 (10-for-12) percentage leads the MIAA. He nailed a career-long 43 yarder against the Lopers, the seventh-longest in the MIAA this season. 

AROUND THE MIAA
• Both Northwest Missouri and Fort Hays State are the only unbeaten's left in the MIAA at 6-0. The Bearcats play at Northeastern State while the Tigers host Washburn this week. 
• The MIAA has two teams ranked in the AFCA top-25 and the Mules and now Washburn are receiving votes. Northwest Missouri remained number one and Fort Hays State continued to move up and are now at No. 8. 
• Additional matchups this weekend sees Emporia State at Lindenwood, Nebraska-Kearney at Central Oklahoma, and Missouri Western at Pittsburg State. 

A WIN OVER MISSOURI SOUTHERN WOULD...
• Be their fourth straight over the Lions.
• Be their second straight win. 
• Keep the Mules undefeated at home this season.
• Move UCM to 5-2 overall. 

A LOSS TO MISSOURI SOUTHERN WOULD...
• Be their first loss to MSSU since 2013.
• Put the Mules at 4-3 before back-to-back road games. 
• Be their first loss at home since losing to Emporia State last season.
• Be their first loss to an unranked team since losing to Emporia State last season.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 555-510-51 (.520) record in 1,116 total games.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games three times in the history of the program and have posted 12 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 eight times in their history, including two trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2016.


SVOBODA AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 60-27 (.690) during his seven-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to three postseason appearances.
• He is third on UCM's career wins list.
• Svoboda's .690 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 84 school offensive records and 21 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 12th season in the league and his fifth with the Tennessee Titans. Walker signed a four-year deal with the Titans, and a two-year extension through 2018, after playing in Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco.
• Walker finished 2016 with 65 receptions for 800 yards and seven touchdowns, and has 405 catches for 4,814 yards with 31 touchdowns in his career.
• In 2015, he caught 94 passes for 1,088 yards, his first career 1,000 receiving yard season, and six touchdowns and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. He made the Pro Bowl for a second consecutive year in 2016 as well. 
• Walker was inducted into the UCM Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2015.
• In the Titans first three games this season, Walker has 18 catches for 219 yards. 

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 211 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles, one MIAA Tournament crown and two NCAA Regional Championships.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 157 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won eight national championships during Hughes' tenure (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003, men's basketball in 2014, and women's indoor and outdoor track & field in 2015) and 10 national championships overall.
• In 2016-17, Central Missouri won the inaugural MIAA's Commissioner's Cup trophy for the conference's top overall athletic department. 

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Central Missouri had 252 student-athletes named to the 2016-17 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 22 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.
• 20 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had five student-athletes earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in their respective sports. 
• All-time UCM is fourth in NCAA-II with 103 Academic All-Americans.
• Carly Thomas of Jennies Bowling was awarded prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships last year.

UP NEXT
• The start of a season-long two game road trip. The Mules will take on Washburn in Topeka, Kan. Saturday, Oct. 21. It is their final game this season against a team that currently has a winning record.