Football Looks for Fourth Straight Win at UCO

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Oct. 25, 2016) - No. 23 Mules Football concludes their brief two-game road trip this Saturday, in search of their fourth straight win.

OPPONENT: Central Oklahoma Bronchos (4-4, 4-4 MIAA)

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 28 - 2 p.m.

WHERE: Edmond, Okla. - Wantland Stadium

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 12:50 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. 
STORY LINES
• The Mules have won three straight games for the first time since the end of the 2016 season when they won six straight to close the regular season. 
• At 4-4, the Bronchos are the second straight and fifth opponent this season the Mules have faced with a .500 and above record. 
• 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 win last weekend, they are guaranteed their 11th straight winning season and 19th in the last 20 years.

KICKOFF
• The Mules remain on the road this week for the second of their back-to-back road games. Central Missouri defeated Washburn last week in Topeka and turn around for Edmond this Saturday against Central Oklahoma.
• Central Missouri has won three straight games for the first time all season. They defeated Washburn 62-42. It is their second straight game scoring more than 60 points. 
• Central Oklahoma is 4-4 this season, one of four teams in the MIAA with a 4-4 mark. They defeated Missouri Southern last week 66-33. 
• In the preseason coaches and media polls, UCM was selected to finish third in both, which would match their place from a year ago. Washburn was chosen seventh in the media and eighth 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 29-15 all time on the road with Coach Svoboda on the sidelines. 
• The Mules are 3-1 this season on the road after their win at Washburn. Their only loss came in their first road game at Fort Hays. Since, they are 3-0. 

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. After six straight weeks in the receiving votes category, the Mules finally broke through into the top-25 this week, checking in at No. 23. 
• Under head coach Jim Svoboda the Mules have been ranked in the AFCA Poll 31 times and have been ranked in the top 10 a total of five times. 
• Central Missouri has been ranked in nearly every d2football.com poll this season. They entered the season ranked 21st in the preseason and reached a high of 12 after their win of Pittsburg State. The Mules were out of the rankings for two weeks, but reentered and moved up to No. 17 this week.
• This week was the first week of NCAA Regional Rankings. The Mules ranked sixth in Super Region III which consists of the MIAA, GAC, GLIAC, GLVC.  The top seven teams in the rankings at the end of the year qualify for the postseason along with the top seven from the other three super regions for a 28-team field. The top team in each super region receives a bye into the next round when the field is cut to 16. 

SERIES HISTORY
• Central Missouri has not lost to Central Oklahoma in team history. Though the rivalry is still young, the Mules own a 5-0 all-time advantage. 
• UCM has scored at least 30 points in all five matches and 40 points in four of the five games these two teams have played. 
• This marks the sixth straight season the two teams have played. 
• The Mules have held the Bronchos under 20 points in three of the five meetings. 
• Jim Svoboda is 5-0 lifetime against the Bronchos while UCO head coach Nick Bobeck is 0-5.
• The closest game came in 2015 when the Mules won 45-42. 

LAST MEETING WITH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA  
• The Mules were down early, giving up two touchdowns in the first quarter to the Bronchos
• UCO got those touchdowns back in the second on a Garrett Fugate touchdown run and Jaylen Zachery 11-yard TD rush. A missed extra point kept the Mules down by one heading into halftime, 14-13. 
• The Mules then scored five second-half touchdowns, two more from Jaylen Zachery and a 51-yard interception return from Dylan Albertson to seal the win.
• Zachery had three touchdowns on the day and hauled in four receptions for 75 yards. Fugate finished the day 19-for-33 for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the team with 91 rushing yards and twice found the endzone on the ground. 

ABOUT THE BRONCHOS
• Despite just a 4-4 record, Central Oklahoma is not a team to take lightly. They've won two straight games, most recently 66-33 against Missouri Southern. 
• In UCO's four losses, they have lost by a combined total of 21 points, including just 17-10 on the road at Northwest Missouri. 
• Central Oklahoma is a different team in Edmond where they are 3-1 this season where they average almost 35 points per game. 
• The Bronchos are led by sixth year head coach Nick Bobeck who enters the game with a 26-37 record on the UCO sidelines. 
• At 34.6 points per game, the Bronchos have one of the top offenses in the MIAA, tied for third. On the defensive side though, they allow 29 points which is 10th in the league. 
• The Bronchos have one of the highest powered passing attacks in the NCAA. At 291.5 passing yards per game, UCO ranks third in the MIAA and 15th in Division II. Chas Stallard is the Broncho quarterback. He has 2302 passing yards this season, completing 167 passes with 19 touchdowns. He's completing 64.2% of his passes which is second in the MIAA and his 159.6 efficiency rating tops the conference. He's also second with his 19 touchdowns. 
• Most of Stallard's passes are in the direction of J.T. Luper, the NCAA leader in receiving yards with 1,198. He's caught 72 passes on the season, an average of nine per game. He has 43 more receptions than his closest teammate Josh Crockett, who has 29 for 410 yards and four touchdowns. Lupers nine receiving touchdowns are seventh in D2 and lead the MIAA. 
• Stallard is not afraid to leave the pocket and take off carrying the ball either. He's got 322 rushing yards and three touchdowns. UCO has 14 rushing downs, getting at least two from five different players. Jake Standlee is the team's leading rusher with 345 yards on 81 carries.
• The Bronchos are incredibly efficient in the redzone where their 93.1% red zone offense tops the MIAA and is 13th in Division II. 
• Defensively, Colton Lindsey leads the team with 65 tackles. Alex Figueroa has caused the most havoc at the line wih 59 tackles, 7.5 for loss and two sacks, both leading the team. The Bronchos eight sacks are second-fewest in the MIAA. 
• Kicker Alex Quevedo is 5-for-7 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 46. He's hit both of his attempts between 40-49 yards. 
• UCO hasn't allowed much in the return game. They lead the conference giving up just 16.3 yards per return which is 14th in Division II. Quevedo has 19 touchbacks in 48 attempts. 

LAST TIME OUT
• It was another second half explosion for the Mules last Saturday against Washburn in their 62-42 win. The Mules scored 35 second-half points, 28 of those coming in the fourth quarter as they pulled away from the Ichabods. 
• The two teams traded touchdown for much of the early portion of the game. It looked like the Mules would go into the half up two scores, 27-14, after a 16 yards touchdown pass from Brook Bolles to Seth Hebert with 40 seconds left to play, but Washburn needed just 35 seconds to answer and cut UCM's lead to 27-21 at the break. 
• In the second and third quarters, the Ichabods went on a 28-7 run and took their largest lead of the game, 42-34 after a 28 yard touchdown pass with no time remaining in the third quarter. 
• The Mules answered though with four fourth-quarter touchdowns, three from Bolles who ran one in and hit Kyrion Parker and Koby Wilkerson. Devante Turner capped the game with a 30 yard touchdown run to put UCM up 20 and give them the final score of 62-42. 
• Bolles had his best game of the season and was rewarded as the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week. He accounted for 473 yards of total offense and scored six touchdowns - four passing and two rushing. Bolles completed 23-of-36 passes for 356 yards and the four touchdowns. He also led UCM in rushing with 117 yards on 18 careers with two scores and added a two-point conversion on the ground. 
• Hebert racked up 100 receiving yards on five catches and scored twice. Jaylen Zachery caught a team-high six passes for 60 yards. Devante Turner finished just four yards shy of the century mark. He rushed for 96 yards on 15 carries and scored three times giving him 11 for the season. 
• The Mules defense came away with three turnovers in the game. Joshua Terry and Austin Miller each recovered a fumble and Dylan Albertson snagged his sixth career interception. 

MULES ALL TIME RECORDS
• Several Mules are climbing up the all-time single season and career rankings as the season is starting to wind down. Wide Receiver Jaylen Zachery has already become the Mules all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards in program history and continues to add to his totals, currently at 155 receptions and 2,392 receiving yards. He is also moving up the all-purpose yards list and is fifth at 4,075. 
• Monteze Latimore picked off his 10th career pass to move into a tie for seventh-place. He and Diaron Rhodes are in a battle for most pass breakups. Rhodes is the all-time leader with 26 but Latimore is just one back with 25.
• Quarterback Brook Bolles is slowing making his way towards a few single-season top-10 lists. He is already ninth in total offense at 2,808. He is just 40 receptions, 182 yards and six passing touchdowns shy of the UCM single-season top-10.
• Additionally, Devante Turner is also near some single-season top-10 lists at running back. He needs 334 more yards to reach 1,000 and 384 more yards for 10th all-time in a single season. He is also four rushing touchdowns shy of the top 10 and 24 points scored. 

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 55-23 in conference games under Jim Svoboda.
• At 6-2 the Mules are in sole possession of third-place behind undefeated Northwest Missouri and Fort Hays State. 

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules went 5-1 at home in 2016 and are 32-9 at home under Jim Svoboda, and winners of seven straight. 
• The Mules are 237-183-13 overall in their 86th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 29-15 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following the win over Washburn.
• 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 49-7 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime. Their 44-14 halftime lead against Missouri Southern was their largest this season. After not having a halftime lead for the first five games, UCM has gone into the break with the lead in their last three games. 
• 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. 

21 AND UP
• UCM is 60-12 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 58-6 during the Svoboda era and 34-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• The Mules scored nine touchdowns to keep their MIAA record streak of consecutive games without being shutout intact and improve to 286 games. The Mules have scored 19 touchdowns in their last two games. 
• The streak dates back to week three of the 1991 season.

2017 MIAA AND NCAA STAT LEADERS
• Central Missouri boasts one of the best offenses in the country. They are in the top-10 in the NCAA in both scoring offense and total offense per game. At 529.6 yards per game, UCM is third in Division II in total offense. UCM's 41.9 points per game ranks 10th in the country. 
 • 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 third in the MIAA with 666 yards and leads the league and is ninth in Division II averaging 7.16 yards per carry. Teammate Koby Wilkerson has 505 rushing yards and is sixth in the MIAA. Turner also has back to back weeks with three rushing touchdowns and his 11 this season lead the MIAA and are 14th in Division II. 
• Brook Bolles is another reason for the Mules scoring attack lately. He is tops in the MIAA and third in Division II with 2,471 passing yards. He has five straight games with at least 300 passing yards and his 16 passing touchdowns are third in the MIAA and 25th in the nation. 
• Three Mules are in the league's top-20 in receptions. Jaylen Zachery is fifth with 36. He is also sixth in the MIAA with 533 receiving yards. Seth Hebert has 26 catches and Kyrion Parker has 24 catches to rank 14th and 19th, respectively. Parker is also in the top-10 with 494 yards to rank eighth. Hebert is 11th with 449 yards. 
• The Mules' 19 sacks are the tied for the fifth most in the MIAA. Kolesen Crane has four and Austin Miller has three. Monteze Latimore has 11 passes defended and two interceptions and Josh Terry has seven which puts them both in the MIAA top-10.
• Punter Zach Davidson sits third in the MIAA and fourth the NCAA in punting  average. On 34 attempts, he is averaging 44.6 yards per kick with eight kicks of 50+ yards and 12 inside the 20. His number hasn't been called too often lately, with just six punts in his last three games. 
• Alex Langer is averaging 1.4 field goals made per game, the third most in the MIAA and 15th most in the NCAA. He's connected on 11 attempts and his 84.6 (11-for-13) percentage leads the MIAA and is 12th in Division II. He nailed a career-long 43 yarder against Nebraska-Kearney, the eighth-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 8-0. The Bearcats are at Pittsburg State while the Tigers host Emporia State. 
• With the Mules jumping back into the national rankings, the MIAA is back to having three teams in the top-25. Northwest Missouri remains No. 1 while the Tigers hold onto the No. 8 position. Washburn is also receiving votes. 
• Additional matchups this weekend sees Nebraska-Kearney at Lindenwood, Washburn at Missouri Western, and Missouri Southern at Northeastern State and.

A WIN OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WOULD...
• Be their sixth straight over the Bronchos.
• Give UCM a four-game win streak for the first time since 2016. 
• Be the Mules fourth straight win on the road. 
• Move UCM to 7-2 overall. 

A LOSS TO CENTRAL OKLAHOMA WOULD...
• Be their first loss to UCO in team history.
• Put the Mules at 6-3. 
• Snap a three game overall and road winning streak. 
• 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 557-510-51 (.521) record in 1,118 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 62-27 (.697) 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 .697 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.
• This season, Walker has 32 catches for 324 yards. He had tied a season-high with seven receptions Sunday against the Browns, but left in the fourth quarter with an ankle sprain. 

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 Mules return home for their final home game of the regular season as they host the RiverHawks of Northeastern State Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. for Senior Day.