MARYVILLE, Mo. (Nov. 16, 2019) - The Mules dream for a perfect regular season came crashing down Saturday afternoon at the hands of Northwest Missouri, 45-23. Despite the loss, the Mules are still MIAA Champions at 10-1, their first conference championship since 2003.
How it Happened
• Even though the Mules offense outgained the Bearcats 445-419, they struggled for much of the day, allowing eight sacks and turning the ball over six times, four interceptions and two lost fumbles.
• The Bearcats were able to control the game on the ground, rushing for 236 yards and four touchdowns.
• It was a rough start for UCM as quarterback
Brook Bolles was picked off on the very first place from scrimmage. Four plays later, Justin Rankin rushed in from seven yards out and a 7-0 NWMSU lead.
• The Mules went three-and-out on their next possession and were forced to punt the ball away. The Bearcats kept the ball on the ground rushing four times for 64 yards, getting a Braden Wright five-yard touchdown run for a two-touchdown lead five minutes into the first.
• Near the end of the quarter, the Mules were able to get on the board as
Samuel Knowlton hit a 23-yard field goal and it was 14-3 after one quarter.
• Just two plays into the second quarter, the Bearcats put another touchdown on the board. That capped another four-play touchdown drive in just 58 seconds.
• UCM had chances to chip into the lead, but turned the ball over on two of their next three possessions. The Mules did score with 3:32 left in the half on a
Koby Wilkerson two yard touchdown run. A quick three-and-out gave the Mules the ball back to make it a one-touchdown game with 2:10 left in the second, however on the first play the Bearcats got to Bolles in the backfield for a sack and a fumble and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown.
• The Mules were resilient though and punched in another TD before the half. Bolles drove the team 63 yards on nine plays, finding
Shae Wyatt for a 21 yard scored and at the break it was 28-17 Northwest.
• It looked like momentum was turning in the favor of UCM as
Aundra Gilbert forced a fumble which was scooped up by
Joshua Terry on the first drive of the second half. The Mules though went three-and-out and were forced to punt the ball away.
• That was the story of the third quarter - six punts and zero points.
• To start the fourth, the Bearcats turned a
Brook Bolles interception into another score as Parker Sampson hit a 45-yard field goal for a 14-point lead, 31-17.
• One play later, Bolles was picked off again, this one returned 29 yards for a Bearcat touchdown.
• Bolles connected on a couple of deep passes on their next possession, the second of which, a 61-yard touchdown to
Cameron Saunders to get UCM back to within two touchdowns, 38-23.
• UCM was driving to make it a one-touchdown game, getting the ball inside the Northwest 20, but four straight incompletions ended the drive and a 49-yard touchdown run from Braden Wright sealed the game for the Bearcats, 45-23.
It Was Over When...
• The Mules turned the ball over on downs inside the Bearcats 20 down 38-23 with 5:42 to play. A touchdown would have given the Mules a chance to tie late, but the Bearcats ran in for another touchdown to hang on to the victory.
Mules Stat Leaders
•
Brook Bolles threw for 364 yards and two touchdowns.
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Koby Wilkerson gained 61 yards on the ground on 17 carries with a touchdown.
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Cameron Saunders led all receivers with 148 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
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Shae Wyatt was also over 100 yards with eight catches for 125.
• Carter Nicole led UCM with eight tackles.
For the Bearcats
• Braden Wright was 15-33 for 183 yards through the air but rushed for a game-high 86 yards on eight carries and two touchdowns.
• Justin Rankin also picked up two rushing scores and 64 yards.
• Kaden Davis caught four passes for 105 yards.
• Spencer Phillips led the Bearcats with 10 tackles and two sacks. Zach Howard also had two sacks.
News and Notes
•
Brook Bolles moved to fourth all-time for passing yards in a season with 3,660. he is 106 yards behind his total from 2017.
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Shae Wyatt is now sixth all-time with 1,975 receiving yards.
• This is the Mules seventh straight loss to NWMSU.
• The Mules failed to reach 30 points for the first time this season.
• UCM gained more than 400 yards of total offense in every game this season. They have 6,272 yards of total offense this season, the third time the Mules have gained more than 600 yards of total offense in a season.
Up Next
• The Mules will see what comes next tomorrow afternoon as the NCAA selection show is set for 4 pm CT
