Mules Set School Record in Win Over Lions

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 29, 2018) - It was quite the afternoon for Central Missouri Mules Football who put on an offensive show against Missouri Southern. The Mules came away with a 61-7 win over the Lions and move to 3-2 on the season.

How it Happened
• Central Missouri put up a school record 731 yards of total offense. UCM picked up 406 on the ground and 325 through the air. 
• UCM also had 60 yards on four punt returns and 67 yards on two kickoffs.
• It was all Mules who scored in all four quarters and at least two touchdowns in three of them.
• The Mules picked up 31 first downs to the Lions 12. They also won the turnover battle 2-0.
• Central Missouri scored early and often. Their first drive was halted inside the Lions 10 yard line though. Alex Langer got UCM on the board with a 22 yard field goal.
• The Mules scored twice more in the first on a Jeremy Hunt six yard run, and a Kyrion Parker 59-yard touchdown reception. Parker battled through pass interference to hang onto the ball and broke a tackle on his way to the endzone.
• UCM scored three more touchdowns in the second and got a Logan Offner 25-yard field goal. Koby Wilkerson scored on a three-yard run to make it 26-0 Mules. Shae Wyatt then went 56-yards on a catch-and-run with Hunt to put UCM up 33-0. The half ended on Parker's second TD of the game, another highlight reel catch, this time going up with one hand and leaping over the defender for a 10-yard score with 45 seconds left.
• In between the Wyatt and Parker TD's, Missouri Southern scored for the only time in the game on an eight-yard pass from LeEarl Patterson to Jeremy Davis.
• UCM scored three more times in the second half. Seth Hebert caught a 16-yard crossing route from Hunt and dove for the pylon early in the third quarter. That was followed by a 21-yard run from Koby Wilkerson. Dashawn Bates capped the game with a tough 11-yard run into the endzone in the fourth quarter.
• It looked like MSSU might put another score on the board, but on second and goal from the one, Josh Rinderknecht intercepted Patterson making a diving catch to keep the Lions out of the endzone.

It was Over When...
• Midway through the second half, Hunt hit Wyatt for a 56-yard touchdown as the Mules went up 33-0 with 7:03 left to play in the second quarter. 

Mules Stat Leaders
• Another big day for Jeremy Hunt who completed 14-of-23 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 44 yards and a fifth touchdown.
• Hunt's favorite two targets were again Shae Wyatt and Kyrion Parker. They each went over 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown. Wyatt had two long catch-and-runs, his only two catches for the day. He had gains of 56 yards for a touchdown and 66 yards as he totaled 122 yards.
• Kyrion Parker caught three passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
• Seth Hebert had a team-best four receptions for 59 yards and a score.
• Koby Wilkerson picked up a game-high 79 yards on the ground with a touchdown on 10 carries.
• Marques Cooper led the Mules with seven tackles including one for a loss.
• Josh Rinderknecht and Azaiah Bello each had interceptions.
• Ryan Sass returned four punts for 60 yards including a long of 31. 

For the Lions
• LeEarl Patterson went 14-for-27 for 126 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 11 times for 11 yards.
• Dalton James picked up 49 yards on the ground on 14 carries.
• Aaron Willis and Eric Dedrick Jr. each caught five passes. WIllis had a team-best 42 receiving yards.
• Riley Hathorn punted 10 times and averaged 43.5 yards per kick with a long of 63.
• Alan Glanville had a game-high 15 tackles including one for a loss.

News and Notes
• For the second straight year, UCM set a school record in total offense against the Lions. Last year they totaled 726 yards. They beat that this season by five yards.
• Kyrion Parker has caught a touchdown pass in all five games and his six touchdowns are second in the MIAA.
• Shae Wyatt has gone over 100 yards receiving in three straight games and now leads the MIAA with 429 receiving yards. Parker is tied for second with 417.
• For the fourth time this season the Mules defense has held an opponent to less than 21 points. 
• This is the fifth straight UCM win over Missouri Southern
• The Mules held the Lions without a first down until midway through the second quarter.

Up Next
• Central Missouri will be back on the road next week. They travel to Edmond, Okla. The Bronchos play later tonight at Fort Hays State