WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 4, 2017)-- Central Missouri Mules Football fell short of matching their school record in total offensive yards in a game by six yards, but still got the win on Senior Day as they defeated the Northeastern State 52-24 at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. With the win, the Mules improve to 7-3 on the season with one game left in the regular season.
How It Happened
• The Mules racked up 720 yards of total offense in a balanced attack. 340 yards came in the ground attack with 380 coming via the pass. UCM gave up 382 total yards to the RiverHawks (1-9, 1-9 MIAA), but limited them just three touchdowns and one field goal over the four quarters.
• The Mules were 10-of-13 on third down conversions while limiting Northeastern State to just 6-of-17 on third down conversions. In the red-zone, UCM was 6-of-8 on the day with five touchdowns and one field goal.Â
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Brook Bolles threw a interception on the very first play of the game, but got redemption after the Mules defense forced a three-and-out. He drove the Mules 74 yards in five plays and capped it off with a 28 yard touchdown run to give UCM the 7-0 lead.
• The RiverHawks responded going 84 yards in 10 plays to tie it at 7-7. Quarterback Cade Yaeger threw a 46 yard touchdown pass to Rashawn Eubanks to tie the game with 7:50 left to play in the first quarter. The RiverHawks never tied the game after that point as the Mules scored the next three touchdowns.
• Running backs
Devante Turner and
Koby Wilkerson pushed the Mules lead to 21-7 after one qurater. Turner made it 14-7 with a five yard scamper at the 5:30 mark of the first quarter. Wilkerson made it a 14-point Mules lead with a 15 yard catch and run from Bolles.
• Bolles carried the Mules offensive momentum in the second quarter with his second touchdown run of the day, this time from 23 yards out. The Mules lead grew to 28-7 with 7:22 to play in the first half.
• NSU kept it within 14 points with Yaeger throwing his second touchdown with 1:14 left to play in the half.
Alex Langer added UCM's final three points with a 26 yard field goal right before as the first half expired. The Mules went into halftime with the 31-14 lead.
• The third quarter produced just three points total with a field goal by NSU's Toshi Hayashi. Going into the final 15 minutes of play the Mules led 31-17 over the RiverHawks.
• UCM scored 21 points in the fourth while allowing just one to walk away with the 52-24 win.
• Wilkerson put up his second score of the day, first on the ground, with a three yard run to give UCM a 38-17 lead. NSU came back with a 18 play, 75 yard drive that took just over six minutes off the clock to make it 38-24 Mules. Turner responded with a 12 yard touchdown run give UCM a 21-point lead.
• Down by 21, the RiverHawks looked to mount a comeback, but it was halted with an interception by
Tyron Taylor at the UCM 47 yard line.
• The Mules capitalized on the interception asÂ
Steven Ford sealed the game late with his first career touchdown run from two yards out.Â
It Was Over When...
• Down 45-24, the RiverHawks chance at comeback was put to rest thanks to the interception by Taylor with just over five minutes to play. The Mules made sure of it with Ford's touchdown and forcing a fumble on the ensuing kickoff that they recovered.
Mules Stat Leaders
• Bolles had a solid outing for the Mules in the final home game of the season totaling three touchdowns. He was 24-of-32 passing with 380 yards and one touchdown. He was second in rushing for UCM with 110 yards on 13 carries while scoring two touchdowns.
• Wilkerson was a dual threat as he led the ground attack with 138 yards with one touchdown and caught five passes for a team-high 88 yards and had one touchdown.Â
• Turner was three yards shy of 100, finishing with 97, but he tied the team lead in rushing touchdowns with two.
•
Jaylen Zachery caught five passes in his final home game as a Mule totaling 71 yards.
•
Diaron Rhodes led the Mules defense with eight total tackles. He also had one pass breakup on the day.
•
Joshua Terry and
Austin Miller each finished with six tackles. Both had five solo and one assisted.Â
• Dylan Abertson had 1.5 sacks for a total loss of 10 yards for UCM, whileÂ
Alex Lackey had half a sack for a loss of three yards.Â
• Taylor had the lone interception an forced fumble for the Mules defense, while
Monteze Latimore had the most pass breakups with four.
For the RiverHawks
• Yaeger was 31-of-58 passing with 337 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
• Zac King had game-highs in catches and yards with 11 for 130 yards. He had one touchdown for NSU.
• Ra'Keim Abdul led the ground game for NSU with 23 yards on five carries. Yaeger and C.J. Shavers had the most touches with seven apiece.Â
• Defensively, La'More Wise recorded a game-high 10 tackles, with eight being unassisted. Right behind him with nine was D'ameron White.
• Lane Yoder had the only interception for the RiverHawks, while Devon Siers and T Martin each forced a fumble.
News and Notes
• Bolles has thrown for over 300 yards for the seventh straight game. After Saturday's performance, Bolles now leads Division II in total passing yards and total offense. He has 3,223 passing yard and 3,687 total yards.
• The Mules move to 9-4 all-time against the RiverHawks. UCM has scored 50-plus points against NSU in the last five games and won all five in the process.
• With the win, the Mules finish 4-0 at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field for the 2017 season. In overall home games, with the game at Arrowhead Stadium earlier in the season, the Mules finished with a 4-1 record. At Walton Stadium, the Mules have now won eight straight games.
• Entering the weekend Latimore and Rhodes were tied for the most pass breakups in UCM history with 26 apiece. Latimore now sits first with 30 after his four on Saturday, while Rhodes has 27 after having one pass breakup against NSU.
Up Next
• The Mules will be on the road next weekend for the final game of the regular season as they take on the Lindenwood Lions on their Senior Day. Kickoff against the Lions is schedule for 1 p.m. at Harlen C. Hunter Stadium.
