Football Takes On Northwest at Arrowhead This Saturday

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 28, 2017) - The 2017 edition of the Fall Classic is finally here as the Mules take on No. 1 Northwest Missouri in Arrowhead.

OPPONENT: No. 1 Northwest Missouri (4-0, 4-0 MIAA)

WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 30 - 4 p.m.

WHERE: Kansas City, Mo. - Arrowhead 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 2:50 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. 

KICKOFF
• Central Missouri is takes on the number one team in the country, Northwest Missouri from Arrowhead Stadium Saturday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. 
• The Mules pulled off a miracle comeback win last weekend, scoring two touchdowns in the final 12 seconds to upset No. 15 Emporia State on the road.  
• The Bearcats are one of two undefeated teams left in the MIAA. They enter this week 4-0 after shutting out Missouri Southern 63-0 last weekend in Maryville. 
• In the preseason coaches and media polls, UCM was selected to finish third in both, which would match their place from a year ago. Northwest Missouri was picked first place in both polls. 
• 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 26-15 all time on the road with Coach Svoboda on the sidelines. 
• This is the Mules second straight year playing the Bearcats at Arrowhead stadium, but the first time they are the "home" team. The Mules fell 42-17 last season to the Bearcats. 

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 three polls. This week they are the top team in the "receiving votes" category.
• 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. 

SERIES HISTORY
• Northwest Missouri has gotten the better of UCM in the aughts, winning 15 of 18 matchups, including a playoff game in 2010. The last Mules win came back in 2012. Since then, the Bearcats have won the last four. Northwest Missouri also holds the advantage all time at 59-35-2.

LAST MEETING WITH NORTHWEST MISSOURI
• The two team's met in last year's Fall Classic with the Bearcats coming out on top 42-17. 
• A Kyle Echols 30-yard TD reception tied the game at 14 late in the second quarter. The Bearcats responded with a touchdown with 39 seconds remaining in the half to take a 21-14 lead into the break and never trailed again. 
• The Mules scored just three points in the second half as NWMSU ran away with a 42-17 win. Garrett Fugate was 18-30 for 201 yards and two touchdowns, one to Echols and one to Jaylen Zachery. Xavier Washpun was the Mules leading rusher with 35 yards on 10 carries. 

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
• Northwest Missouri blew out Missouri Southern last weekend 63-0. They've been ranked first in the AVCA and d2football.com polls all season long and are 4-0 to start the season. Their last loss came in the playoffs Nov. 22, 2014 to Minnesota-Duluth. NWMSU has won 34 straight games.
• Rich Wright took over the head coaching job this season for Adam Dorrel who is the new coach at Abilene Christian. Wright had been the Bearcats defensive coordinator and assistant head coach since 2011. Wright's first coaching job came at Division III Cortland State, the alma mater of current UCM SID, Joe Hoffmann. 
• Northwest Missouri has been ranked first all season long in the AVCA and d2football.com polls. 
• The Bearcats are sixth in the MIAA in scoring offense at 32.5 points per game, but it's their defense that has been the story, giving up just 14 points through four games for an average of 3.5 points allowed per game, which is the best in Division II. They're limiting opponets to just 147.5 yards per game while putting up 455.5 themselves. 
• New quarterback Zach Martin has made a seemless transition after the departure of All-American Kyle Zimmerman. Martin has thrown for 1100 yards and has completed 102-139 passes with nine touchdowns and just one interception. 
• On the ground, the Bearcats use a dual-threat of Jordan Grove and Cameron Wilcox. Grove has rushed for 175 yards and one touchdown on 40 attempts. Wilcox has one more carry and 166 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Thompson has also made the most of his 17 carries. He averages 7.5 yards per rush with 128 total yards and two touchdowns. 
• The Bearcats do a good job of not beating themselves. They have just two turnovers in four games - one interception and one fumble. 
• The Bearcats top receiver has a UCM connection. Shane Williams, who has a team-best 26 catches for 235 yards is the brother of Jennies Basketball Assistant Coach Kenzie Williams. Kenzie is a former standout for Division I Missouri State where she was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and the 2015 MVC Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. 
• Behind Williams is Shawn Bane who leads NWMSU with 298 yards. He has had a knack for finding the endzone with an MIAA-best five touchdowns. 
• Matt Thorman isn't too busy as the Bearcats punter. He's gotten off 18 kicks and averages 38.1 yards per kick. He has down eight of those 18 inside the 20 and has two kicks of 50+ yards. 
• The Bearcats aren't shy about sending out kicker Brett Garner, but he's had middling success. Garner is just 5-for-11 on field goal attempts, with three misses inside of 30 yards. 
• Defensively, the Bearcats have had success getting pressure on the quarterback with a league-best 14 sacks. Nick Hess had three of the 14 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. NWMSU is also averaging one interception per game. Anthony Lane has picked off two passes for the Bearcats and knocked away eight passes in his direction. Ben Althoff is the team leader with 22 tackes. He also has one sack and three tackles for loss. 

LAST TIME OUT
• The Mules scored two touchdowns in the final 12 seconds of a wild game in Emporia, Kan. to pull out a miracle comeback win, 37-31. 
• Emporia State scored and led until the Mules scored the game tying touchdown when Brook Bolles found Wesley Thomas for a two-yard score. 
• The Hornets led 21-7 at halftime, but the Mules scored 30 second-half points including 16 in the fourth quarter of the comeback. 
• On the game's final play, the Hornet offense trid a little razzle-dazzle, but Michael Tannehill got his hand on a lateral attempt to force a fumble that was recovered by Kolesen Crane. Crane picked up the loose ball and ran down to the five where he made a desperate lateral attempt before being tackled. The ball wound up on the ground in the end zone where Austin Miller picked it up for the game winning touchdown. 
• Brook Bolles threw for a career-high 358 yards and totaled 417 yards of total offense with 59 yards on the ground. He threw two touchdown passes and did not turn the ball over. 
• Devante Turner again led the Mules rushing attack, finishing just four yards short of 100 for the day. He also had a rushing score, his fourth of the season. 
• Jaylen Zachery went over 100 yards receiving with a game-high 153 yards on eight receptions. Eight different Mule receivers caught a pass. Thomas finished with six catches for 66 yards and a TD. Senior Tyler Nugent caught his first career TD, a 36-yard catch and run in the third quarter.

MULES ALL TIME RECORDS
• Mules wide receiver Jaylen Zachery continues to move up in UCM's all-time ranks. With eight catches and 153 yards against the Hornets, he moved into second all-time at UCM in receptions (142) and receiving yards for a career (2,235). He needs just four receptions to become the all-time leader in receptions and 119 yards to become the all time leader in receiving yards. He has also moved up to sixth all time with 3,980 all purpose yards. With just 20 more yards he'll become the fifth Mule to ever reach 4,000 career all-purpose yards. 
• Zachery isn't the only Mule to move into UCM history. With a pass breakup two weeks ago, defensive back Diaron Rhodes set the Mules all-time record at 24. Hot on his tails though is Monteze Latimore who has 22 and is third all-time. 

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 52-22 in conference games under Jim Svoboda.

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 27-15 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following the win over Emporia State.
• 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 46-7 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime, however they are yet to go into the break this year with a lead. 
• The Mules are 10-18 all-time under Svoboda and 2-1 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 three and were tied with Missouri Western after 30 minutes. 

21 AND UP
• UCM is 57-12 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 55-6 during the Svoboda era and 31-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri scored in the opening frame against Emporia State to keep their MIAA record streak of consecutive games without being shutout intact and improve to 284 games. 
• 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 second in the MIAA with 379 yards and leads the league and is third in Division II averaging 8.8 yards per carry. Teammate Koby Wilkerson has 247 rushing yards and is seventh in the MIAA. Turner's four rushing TD's also tie him for second. 
• Brook Bolles is have moved up to second in the MIAA and 18th in Division II in passing yards per game with 286.0. He threw for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns against the Hornets. Bolles has also been improving his completion percentage, moving up from 11th to seventh and is now at 52.9 for the season. 
• Three Mules are in the league's top-15 in receptions. Jaylen Zachery, who caught eight passes at ESU is fifth with 20. He is also fourth in the MIAA with 320 receiving yards. Seth Hebert has 14 catches and Kyrion Parker 13 to rank 14th and 15th. 
• The Mules' 11 sacks are the third most in the MIAA. Kolesen Crane and Dylan Albertson have two which is tied for ninth in the league. Monteze Latimore is tied for the MIAA lead with six passes defended. 
• Despite averaging over 42 yards per kick on Saturday, punter Zach Davidson has slipped to third in the MIAA averaging 45.3 this season. He is still fourth in Division II as the MIAA has three of the top-four punters in the NCAA. 
• With 102 first downs, the Mules offense has the most in the MIAA and the fourth most in Division II. 

AROUND THE MIAA
• Both Northwest Missouri and Fort Hays State are the only unbeaten's left in the MIAA. The Bearcats play the Mules while the Tigers play at Lindenwood this week. 
• The MIAA has two teams ranked in the AFCA top-25 and the Mules are receiving votes. Northwest Missouri remained number one and Fort Hays State moved up to No 14, while Emporia State fell out after their loss to UCM.
• Additional matchups this weekend pits Missouri Western at Northeastern State, Washburn at Pittsburg State, Emporia State at Central Oklahoma and Nebraska-Kearney at Missouri Southern.

A WIN OVER NORTHWEST MISSOURI WOULD...
• Give the Mules a three-game winning streak.
• Be the first win over the Bearcats since 2012. 
• Be their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating #22 Central Oklahoma in 2014
• Move UCM to 4-1 for the first time since 2012.

A LOSS TO NORTHWEST MISSOURI WOULD...
• Drop UCM to 3-2 for the season. 
• Be the Mules fifth straight loss to the Hornets.
• Snap a two-game winning streak. 

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 554-509-51 (.520) record in 1,108 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 59-26 (.694) 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 .694 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 15 catches for 168 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 Mules will play at Nebraska-Kearney for a 2 pm kickoff with the Lopers. 

COACH TO CURE MD
• On September 30, the two coaching staffs in our game will be wearing special arm patches in honor of the AFCA's Coach to Cure MD program. This is the 10th year coaches around the country join together to raise funds and awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Fans are encouraged to donate by texting "CURE" to 50555 or visiting www.coachtocuremd.org