Mules Football Prepares for Northwest

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 13, 2019) - Hard as it is to believe, it is the final weekend of the regular season for Mules Football. UCM, who has already clinched a share of an MIAA Championship, can win it outright with a victory on Saturday.

OPPONENT
No. 12 Northwest Missouri Bearcats (9-1, 9-1 MIAA)

WHERE
Maryville, Mo. - Bearcat Stadium

WHEN
Saturday, Nov. 16 - 1:35 p.m.

KICKOFF
• It's the final game of the regular season for the Mules. UCM, who has already won at least a share of an MIAA Championship can clinch their first outright championship since 1988 with a win.
• If the Bearcats were to win, UCM and NWMSU would be co-MIAA Champions.
• Central Missouri finished 2018 5-6 after a rash of injuries, missing the postseason for the first time in two years. They are off to a 10-0 start in 2019 after their record-setting 73-6 win over Lincoln last Saturday.
• Northwest Missouri enters at 9-1 this season. Last week it took two overtimes for the Bearcats to get by Fort Hays State 36-33. The Tigers hit a 56-yard FG to tie as regulation expired, but the Bearcats prevailed in OT.
• This will be the sixth Mules road  game of the season. They are 5-0 after wins over Northeastern State, Missouri Western, Missouri Southern, Emporia State and Nebraska-Kearney.
• Northwest Missouri was picked to finish 1st by the MIAA media members in the 2019 preseason poll and were second in the coaches, just two points behind Fort Hays State.

TICKETS
• To purchase tickets in the reserved allotment, please contact the Northwest Missouri State Ticketing Office at 660-562-1212 or online by clicking the link above. Please note additional fees may apply to tickets purchased online. 

TAILGATE
• University of Central Missouri has secured a designated tailgate lot for fans attending Saturday's game. The UCM fan lot is lot 24 next to the NWMSU Administration Building. UCM fans are encouraged to take University Drive or West 9th Street to Lot 24.
• • All food, drinks, games etc. are bring your own
• UCM Alumni Foundation will be in attendance from 11:30 am - 1 pm with hot drinks, spirit giveaways, and a chance to win a UCM prize pack for Mules Football fans
• All tailgating activities and consumption of alcohol shall cease at kickoff

ON THE AIR
• The game will be broadcast by the NCAA on their hybrid model and available on NCAA Social Media platforms on facebook and twitter, as well as UCM's facebook page and on regional TV markets: KMOS-TV in Warrensburg Channel 6.3  (Charter 185, Mediacom 119, Co-Mo 4, Cable America 197, Suddenlink 131).
• 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 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
• Northwest Missouri has gotten the better of UCM in the aughts, winning 17 of 20 matchups, including a playoff game in 2010. 
• The last Mules win came back in 2012. Since then, the Bearcats have won the last six. 
• Northwest Missouri also holds the advantage all time at 61-35-2.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST NORTHWEST MISSOURI
• The Bearcats raced out to a 45-0 lead in the final game of the 2018 regular season.
• The Mules were being shutout until the fourth quarter when Kyrion Parker caught a 22-yard TD pass following a Bearcat fumble.
• The Mules gained just 187 yards of total offense while the Bearcats moved the ball for 517 yards.
• Kyrion Parker had four receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. 
• The Mules scored three times in the fourth quarter but fell 48-21. 
• 2019 will be the 99th meeting between the two teams, with the Bearcats holding a 61-35-2 record. 

MULES IN THE POLLS
• UCM moved up in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls this week. The Mules are in the top 10 in the AFCA at No. 9 and are now 10th in the D2football.com poll.
• In each NCAA Super Region III rankings, the Mules were second.
• The Mules were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA preseason media poll and fifth by the MIAA coaches.

ABOUT THE BEARCATS
• Northwest Missouri sports the best defense in the MIAA. They are allowing just 20.2 points per game and 313.4 yards of total offense, both tops in the league.
• The Bearcats have a shot at a share of an MIAA Championship with a win. They are 9-1 this season following their 36-33 2OT win at Hays last week. Northwest's only loss came in week seven at Nebraska-Kearney.
• Justin Rankin is among the leaders in the MIAA in rushing. He's got 846 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Northwest is second in the MIAA in rushing offense at 237 yards per game. 
• Quarterback Braden Wright has been one of the best dual-threat QBs in the league. He's helped the rushing game with 584 yards and has passed for 1,977 yards and 23 touchdowns.
• Imoni Donadelle has been the primary target this season with 30 catches for 571 yards and eight touchdowns. He averages 19 yards per catch.
• The Bearcat defense has brought down the quarterback for 33 sacks while also picking off 15 passes and recovering eight fumbles. They're second in the MIAA in sacks and first in interceptions.
• Parker Sampson has been perfect on field goals inside of 40 yards this season, going 7-7, including the game winner last week. He is 4-5 from 49 yards and also has a 53-yarder.

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules finished 5-6 in conference play in 2018 and placed seventh in the league standings. 
• UCM now stands at 72-30 in conference games under Svoboda after Saturday's win and are 10-0 this season.

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules finished 2018 4-2 at home and are 41-11 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• UCM went undefeated at home in 2017, 4-0. 
• The Mules are 5-0 at home with wins over Fort Hays State, Washburn, Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.
• The Mules are 248-185-13 overall and 2019 will be their 88th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 36-20 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following their 47-40 win last weekend at Nebraska-Kearney.
• The Mules finished 2018 at 1-4 away from Warrensburg after going 5-2 on the road in 2017.

WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 61-8 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime. 
• The Mules are 14-25 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime.

21 AND UP
• UCM is 78-18 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 76-7 during the Svoboda era and 46-1 when scoring 40 or more.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri has scored in 310 straight games. 
• They got a scare in the 2018 regular season finale, as they were held scoreless through the first three quarters before scoring 21.
• The streak dates back to week three of the 1991 season.

THE LAST 45
• Sometimes it takes the Mules offense a quarter to get going. Their 105 first quarter points are their fewest in any quarter this season.
• UCM has put up more than 100 points in all quarters including 163 in the second, their most in any quarter.
• Defensively, the Mules have allowed just 44 third quarter points. They've pitched five third quarter shutouts and only once this season have they allowed more than seven in the third.

2019 MULES NATIONAL TEAM LEADERS
• The Mules are back to leading the nation in scoring at 51.2 points per game. 
• UCM is first in total offense with 582.7 yards per game.
• Mules are just one of 11 teams in Division II still with an unbeaten record.
• The Mules are second in passing offense at 350.6 yards per game.
• UCM's 254 first downs are second in Division II. 
• Their 3.5 sacks per game are eighth in the NCAA. 

2019 MULES INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
• Brook Bolles leads Division II in touchdown passes with 37. He is also first in yards 3,296 and yards per completion at 19.39.
• Tight End Zach Davidson is third in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns with 14.
• Shae Wyatt is fifth in yards per reception with 24.53 and sixth with 1,104 receiving yards. He leads the MIAA in receiving yards. 
• Devante Turner's 854 rushing yards are third in the MIAA and his 11 touchdowns are second. He is second in the MIAA and 11th in D2 in all-purpose yards with 165.8 yards per game. 
• Ubong Udom leads the MIAA and is sixth in the NCAA with 0.40 forced fumbles per game.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 575-517-51 (.525) record in 1,143 total games.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games four times in the history of the program and have posted 13 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 13 MIAA championships in school history with the last coming in 2019.
• The Mules have qualified for the postseason 10 times in their history, including three trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2016.

SEASON STARTS
• The Mules 10-0 is the best in school history. 
• UCM is one of 11 teams in Division II still unbeaten and the only one in the MIAA.

GETTING OFFENSIVE
• Central Missouri has scored at least 30 points in all 10 games this season.
• UCM has reached 70 points three times. The Mules had only scored 70 one time under Coach Svoboda before doing so twice in 2019.

MAKING HISTORY
• Quarterback Brook Bolles is already all over the Mules record book. So far this season, he has set UCM records with seven touchdown passes (at Missouri Southern) and 506 yards passing (at Missouri Western).
• Bolles' favorite target during his seven touchdown pass game was Zach Davidson. Davidson caught four of Bolles' seven touchdowns, a feat that has only been done once before, in 1960.

SVOBODA AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 80-34 (.702) during his nine-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to four postseason appearances.
• His 80 wins are second all-time at UCM.
• Svoboda's .702 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 94 school offensive records and 21 MIAA offensive records during Svoboda's tenure.
• Under Coach Svoboda, UCM players have earned 24 All-American awards and 131 All-MIAA awards. 
• Since entering the league, the Mules are the No. 1 team in total offense with 462 yards per game, and No. 2 in scoring offense with 36 points per game. UCM's five postseason appearances are also the second most in the league, and the 30 wins is the third most in the MIAA.
• 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 221 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Jennies Soccer and Mules Football have claimed 2019 MIAA regular season championships.
• Last season, UCM captured two regional championships, and two MIAA Championships - men's indoor and outdoor track and the baseball regular season and tournament championship
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 165 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. 

A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Central Missouri had 261 student-athletes named to the 2018-19 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 33 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.
• 23 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 and nine Academic All-District. 
• All-time UCM is third in NCAA-II with 119 Academic All-Americans.
• Mason Janvrin was named the CoSIDA Baseball Academic All-American of the Year and an Elite 90 Award winner at the National Championships. 

MULES IN THE PROS
• There is one former Mules currently on an NFL roster. Tight end Delanie Walker is in his 14th season in the league and his seventh with the Tennessee Titans. Walker signed a four-year deal with the Titans, and a two-year extension through 2020, after playing in Super Bowl XLVII with San Francisco.
• Walker finished 2017 with 74 receptions for 807 yards and three touchdowns, and has 479 catches for 5,621 yards with 34 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 has since made the Pro Bowl three consecutive years 2015-17.
• In 2019, Walker has 21 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns. 
• Walker was inducted into the UCM Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2015.
• Former Mule quarterback Garrett Fugate was just recently drafted by the New York Guardians of the newly formed XFL.