Mules Football Scores Early & Often in Rout of Griffons

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 15, 2018) - No. 20 Mules Football picked up their second win in a row with a 51-14 thumper over Missouri Western. The Mules never trailed in the ball game and improve to 2-1 overall and in the MIAA.

How it Happened
• The Mules scored the first 24 points of the game and never trailed. They scored three touchdowns in both the first and third quarters and added three field goals in the second and fourth quarters.
• Big day for the offense as they racked up 598 yards getting 435 through the air and 163 on the ground. Missouri Western barely got over 200 yards of total offense at 205.
• The Mules cashed in on both sides of the ball on third downs. UCM went 9-for-17 while the Griffons were just 3-of-12. Speaking of conversions, the Mules scored in each of their six trips to the red zone.
• UCM played it both ways with long drives and quick strikes to score. The Mules held the ball for 35:43 in the game.
• Central Missouri also won the turnover battle, 2-1. Both times UCM picked up fumbles was inside the Griffons 20 yard line and led to quick touchdowns.
• Neither team scored on their opening possession, but that didn't stop the Mules from putting up 21 points before the first quarter ended. On the Mules second possession, Jeremy Hunt scored on a five-yard rush to cap a five-play 80 yard drive. 
• The first Mules fumble recovery was pounced on by Carter Nicoli at the MWSU 20. Zion Perry brought the ball inside the five and Devante Turner found the endzone on a two-yard rush on fourth and goal. 
• Hunt made it a 21-0 game less than two minutes later when he found Shae Wyatt for a 55 yard touchdown pass.
• After a 37-yard Alex Langer field goal, Missouri Western got on the board on their next possession. Quarterback Dom Marino scampered 33 yards for a score. Langer hit his second 37-yard field goal of the quarter and it was 27-7 at the half.
• A muffed punt less than five minutes into the third quarter set the Griffons up with first and goal from the Mules seven yard line. They made it a two-touchdown game on a five-yard third-and-goal touchdown pass. 
• That was all the scoring for Missouri Western as the Mules put up 24 unanswered to end the game. After the Griffons touchdown, UCM needed just 1:42 to get the points back courtesy of a 64 yard touchdown pass from Hunt to Zach Davidson. 
• The Mules added two more touchdowns in the final 2:08 of the third quarter. Hunt found Kyrion Parker who made an acrobatic, one-handed catch in the endzone for a 40-yard score. A Griffon fumble then gave UCM the ball inside the five and Hunt scrambled left to find a wide-open Seth Hebert who made it 48-14. Langer put the Mules over 50 points with a 33-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

It Was Over When
• Kyrion Parker's highlight reel catch near the end of the third quarter put the game out of reach. Hunt scrambled right to avoid pressure and threw 40 yards on the run to Parker, who turned his body to snatch the ball out of the air with one hand and held on for the score. That made it 41-14 Mules and took the Griffons out of it.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Hunt finished the day completing 22-of-36 passes for 405 yard and four touchdowns. He also ran seven times for 19 yards and added another TD.
• Shae Wyatt led UCM with 129 receiving yards on four catches with a touchdown.
• Kyrion Parker caught five passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
• Devante Turner led the Mules on the ground with 41 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown.
• Zion Perry combined for 70 yards of total offense with three carries for 36 yards and three catches for 34 yards.
• Alex Langer was good on all three field-goal attempts with two from 37 yards out, and all six extra points.
• John Embrey led the defense with nine tackles, including two for a loss and a sack.
• Carter Nicoli and Tanner Kanak each recovered fumbles and Ubong Udom added a sack.

For the Griffons
• Dom Marino completed 11-of-19 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. He also had 33 yards rushing with a touchdown.
• Elijah Cunningham caught five passes for 46 yards. Derek Gray Jr. had the Griffons only touchdown reception.
• Shamar Griffith gained a game-high 60 yards on the ground.
• Defensively, Anthony Williams had a game-high 11 tackles.
• Tyler Basker recorded 1.5 quarterback sacks and five tackles.

News and Notes
• This is the first time the Mule defense has held an opponent to 20 points or fewer in three straight games since 2015.
• The last time Missouri Western scored 14 points or fewer in a loss was 2002.
• Zach Davidson's touchdown reception was the first of his career.
• Eight of 14 Griffon drives went for three plays or fewer (one resulted in a touchdown).
• Three of Hunt's four touchdown passes went for 40 yards, 55 yards, and 64 yards.
• All three Mules drives that resulted in a field goal went for at least 14 plays and used up more than five minutes, including the final one which lasted 7:14.

Up Next
• The Mules are on the road for the first time since the season opener next Saturday. They take on Washburn in Topeka, Kan. with a 1 p.m. kickoff.