PITTSBURG, Kan. (Oct. 20, 2018) - Central Missouri Mules Football couldn't stop the Gorillas rushing attack in their 48-28 loss to Pittsburg State Saturday. The loss is the Mules third straight and puts them at 3-5 overall and in the MIAA this season.
How it Happened
• The Gorillas used a ground attack to the tune of 438 yards and five touchdowns to thwart the Mules defense.
• Pitt State picked up 544 total yards to the Mules 323.
• The Mules won the turnover battle, jumping on two Gorilla fumbles.
• The Pitt State defense came up with six sacks.
• It was a terrific first drive for the Mules who scored on their opening possession with a 13-play 77-yard drive that took up the first 5:36 of the game. UCM converted on three third-downs and down on the two,
Kyle Bradley rushed it in to put the Mules up 7-0.
• The Gorillas answered with a long touchdown drive of their own on their first possession. PSU took the ball 75 yards on 11 plays in 5:06 and more than 10 minutes into the first quarter it was 7-all with just one possession each.
• Pittsburg State added another score in the first, this time a defensive touchdown. Facing third-and-nine, the Mules tried a reverse only to see the ball fumbled and bounce into the arms of Pittsburg State's Morgan Selemaea, who returned it 18-yards for a score. Pittsburg State took the lead and never gave it up from that point on. They added a score right before the half that made it 20-7 after 30 minutes.
• To start the second half, Pittsburg State scored twice more with touchdown runs of 35 and 30 yards.
•
Koby Wilkerson scored on a five-yard run to make it 34-14 with less than two minutes to play in the third.
• On the first play of the fourth quarter, Pittsburg State scored in a 44 yard run. They added a 13-yard touchdown on their next possession as they scored twice in the fourth.
• Bradley led the Mules to two scoring drives, hitting
Zach Davidson on a 61-yard pass and adding his second rushing score of the afternoon from 11 yards out.
It Was Over When...
•
Koby Wilkerson's touchdown gave UCM some life near the end of the third quarter, but a chance at a comeback was halted on the first play of the fourth quarter when the Gorillas scored on a 44-yard touchdown run to go up 41-14.
Mules Stat Leaders
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Jeremy Hunt got the start at quarterback and completed 11 of 23 passes for 94 yards.
Kyle Bradley came in and completed 11 of 16 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for two scores.
• UCM couldn't get much offense generated on the ground with 34 carries for 44 net yards.
Devante Turner ran nine times for 31 yards.
Koby Wilkerson rushed seven times for 14 yards and a score.
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Zach Davidson caught two passes for 87 yards, including a 61 yard touchdown.
Seth Hebert and
Shae Wyatt each had a game-high four receptions. Davidson also punted six times for an average of 46.7 yards.
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John Embrey led the defense with 10 tackles including one for a loss.
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Kolesen Crane was a part of both Mules fumbles, forcing one and recovering another.
For the Gorillas
• PSU had two 100-yard rushers in Tucker Horak (139) and Tyler Adkins (112). They each scored two touchdowns.
• Keynan Scheurich ran five times for 76 yards and a score.
• Quarterback John Roderique's number wasn't called often, but when it was, he was 7-of-14 for 106 yards and a touchdown.
• Five different Gorillas recorded at least half of a sack. Simanu'a Thomas had a high of 1.5. and forced two fumbles.
News and Notes
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Kyle Bradley's 185 passing yards and two rushing touchdown's are both career-highs.
• The loss snaps a UCM record three-game winning streak against the Gorillas.
• The last time UCM lost three straight games came in 1998.
• This is the fourth time this season UCM has held an opponent to less than 150 passing yards in a game.
Up Next
• The Mules will be back in Warrensburg next weekend for Homecoming. UCM takes on Nebraska-Kearney with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
