WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Oct. 24, 2018) - It's Homecoming week for the University of Central Missouri! This year's festivities culminate with Mules Football Saturday, Oct. 27.

OPPONENT: Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (4-4, 4-4 MIAA)

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 27 - 1:30 p.m.

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 & Joe Moore calling the action and Danielle Sachse on the sidelines. 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-to-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. 
SERIES HISTORY
• The Mules have won the last five matchups with the Lopers and are 5-1 in the Jim Svoboda era. This is the team's 10th all-time meeting with the Lopers. All-time UCM is 7-2 against Nebraska-Kearney and 5-1 since they joined the MIAA. 

KICKOFF
• Central Missouri is back home for 2018 homecoming this weekend. The Mules will host the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers with a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
• The Mules suffered their third straight loss last week, 48-28 on the road to Pittsburg State. The Gorillas gained more than 400 yards on the ground and scored five rushing touchdowns. 
• The Lopers have dropped back-to-back games as well. Last week it took two overtimes, but UNK fell to Fort Hays State 29-26.
• In the preseason coaches and media polls, UCM was selected to finish third in both which would match their place from a year ago. 
• The Mules dropped their last home game, 41-23, to Emporia State snapping an 11-game home winning streak. They are 3-1 in Warrensburg this season.
• Nebraska-Kearney at 4-4 have exceeded expectations of both the coaches and media members. UNK was picked to finished 10th in both polls to start the season.

HOMECOMING
• Halftime for this game will be 25 minutes.
• Homecoming royalty will be presented on the field.
• There will also be a ring presentation for Jennies Soccer and Jennies Basketball National Championships. 

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
• The Mules had a big day totaling 529 yards of offense with 340 through the air and 189 on the ground.
• Leading 14-7 in the second quarter, UCM scored two touchdowns in the final minute of the half to take a 28-7 lead.
• The defense pitched a second-half shutout and UCM picked up a 45-7 win.
• Koby Wilkerson and Devante Turner each had rushing touchdowns.
• Brook Bolles completed 27-of-37 passes for 325 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for two scores.
• Kyrion Parker had four catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. 

MULES IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
• UCM was ranked 18th in the preseason American Football Coaches Association preseason poll and hovered around that spot for the first three weeks before falling out of the rankings. 

ABOUT THE LOPERS
• Just like Pittsburg State, Nebraka-Kearney as a big rushing team. They lead the league wit 273.1 yards per game on the ground. The Lopers have five players in the top-30 in the MIAA in rushing.
• Darius Webb leads the MIAA with 92.8 yards. His nine rushing touchdowns also lead the MIAA. Webb has 742 yards on 108 carries including a long of 98 yards. He averages 6.9 yards per carry.
• The Lopers have thrown the least pass attempts in the league, 151. Alex McGinnis is 72-of-146 for for 1,001 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also rushed for 329 yards and four touchdowns.
• Trey Lansman is the teams leading receiver. Hes got 16 catches for 324 yards and a touchdown.
• Nebraska-Kearney is third in the MIAA averaging 22 first downs per game. They are also converting 36.7% of their third-down attempts.

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules finished 8-3 in conference play in 2017 and placed third in the league standings for the third consecutive season. 
• UCM now stands at 60-29 in conference games under Jim Svoboda.
• The Mules are 5-1 in MIAA games against Nebraska-Kearney under Svoboda. 

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules finished 2017 undefeated at home at 4-0 and are 36-10 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• Their loss against Emporia State snapped an 11 game home winning streak. 
• The Mules are 242-184-13 overall and 2018 will be their 87th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 30-20 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following their 48-28 loss to Pittsburg State last weekend. 
• The Mules finished 2017 at 5-2 away from Warrensburg. They were 4-2 in true road games and had a win in their only neutral site game. 

WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 53-8 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime. UCM led 40-7 at the half against the Lions on their way to a 61-7 win.
• The Mules are 12-24 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime after falling to Pittsburg State last weekend. 

21 AND UP
• UCM is 66-17 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 64-7 during the Svoboda era and 38-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri has scored in 297 straight games and have a chance to reach 300 by seasons end.
• The streak dates back to week three of the 1991 season.

2018 MIAA STAT LEADERS
• Central Missouri leads the MIAA in total offense with 502.9 yards per game and in scoring offense at 36.0 points per game. 
• UCM is fifth in rushing offense averaging 184.1 yards per game.
• They lead the league in passing at 318.8 yards per game, the only team to average more than 300 passing yards per game. 
• Jeremy Hunt is second in the MIAA in passing yards with 1,886 yards and is first in yards per game at 269.4. His 15 passing touchdowns are also tied for the most in the league. 
• Shae Wyatt is second in the MIAA in receiving yards with 670. 
• Among receivers with 10 or more catches, the Mules have four in the top-10 in the league. Kyrion Parker is secodn with 22.1 yards per catch on 23 receptions.
• Zach Davidson leads the MIAA with 43.8 yards per punt on 27 kicks. 

GAME CHANGING PLAYS
• The Mules defense is near the bottom of the league in both interceptions and sacks. They have just four intreceptions this season and 11 sacks. 
• UCM has forced just nine turnovers in eight games with four interceptions and five fumbles.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 563-515-51 (.521) record in 1,129 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 nine 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 68-33 (.673) during his eight-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to four postseason appearances.
• He is third on UCM's career wins list.
• Svoboda's .673 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 made back-to-back postseason appearances. UCM pulled the same feat in 2016-17 with a berth in the NCAA Playoffs in 2016 and a victory in the 2017 Mineral Water Bowl. 
• 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 86 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.

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ATHLETICS
• Central Missouri has won a combined 215 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured two national championships, two MIAA regular season and two MIAA tournament championships. 
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 161 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won 10 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, women's indoor and outdoor track & field in 2015, and women's soccer and women's basketball) and 12 national championships overall.
• In 2016-17 and 2017-18, Central Missouri won the first two MIAA's Commissioner's Cup trophy for the conference's top overall athletic department. 

UP NEXT
• The Mules will be on the road for the final time this season. They head to St. Charles, Mo. to take on Lindenwood Saturday, Nov. 3 with a 1 p.m. kickoff.