Football Prepares to Host UIndy This Saturday

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 20, 2019) - The University of Central Missouri hosts just their second ever home football playoff game Saturday. UCM went 10-1 during the regular season and made the NCAA postseason for the second time in four years and the fourth time in team history.

OPPONENT
Indianapolis Greyhounds (9-1, 6-1 GLVC)

WHERE
Warrensburg, Mo. - Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field

WHEN
Saturday, Nov. 23 - 1 p.m.

KICKOFF
• It's playoff time for the MIAA Champion Mules! Central Missouri hosts their first NCAA playoff game since 2010 and appear in their first since 2016.
• Central Missouri finished the regular season at 10-1. They won the MIAA Championship for the 13th time in team history and the first since 2003. 
• The University of Indianapolis went 9-1 during the regular season and 6-1 in the GLVC. Their only loss of the season came at former MIAA opponent Lindenwood.
• At home this season, the Mules went a perfect 5-0.
• The University of Indianapolis secured their third straight trip to the NCAA postseason and the sixth in the last eight years. They were picked to win the GLVC in the preseason coaches poll. 

ON THE AIR
• The game will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler and Joe Moore calling the action and Danielle Sachse on the sidelines. The Tailgate Show will begin at 11:50 a.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 free-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
• This is the first ever meeting between the Mules and Greyhounds. 

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS
• This is the first ever meeting between the Mules and Greyhounds. 

MULES IN THE POLLS
• Following their loss in the regular season finale, the Mules fell out of the AFCA top-10 for the first time in two weeks. They rank 15th in the Coaches Association and 14th by Division II football.com.
• UCM was ranked 2nd in each of the NCAA Super Region III rankings heading into the final game of the season.
• The Mules were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA preseason media poll and fifth by the MIAA coaches.

ABOUT THE GREYHOUNDS
• Indianapolis finished the year at 9-1 with their only loss coming on the road at Lindenwood.
• The Greyhounds are at the top of the GLVC in a number of statistical categories. They have the top offense and defense in the league scoring 49.1 points per game and allowing just 15.8. They average 520 yards per game and allow 200 yards less, 311.2.  Their 49.1 points per game leads the NCAA.
• Indianapolis' offense is built around the running game. They leads the GLVC with 2,697 rushing yards and 36 rushing touchdowns. They average 269.7 yards per game. Al McKeller is the top rusher in the GLVC with 1,040 yards and 16 touchdowns. Toriano Clinton has 680 yards and five scores.
• TJ Edwards is the Greyhound quarterback. He's completed 65% of his passes throwing for 2,192 yards and 21 touchdowns to just four interceptions. While the Greyhounds are fourth in passing offense, they lead the GLVC in passing efficiency at 180.5. 
• The Greyhounds do an excellent job of protecting the ball. They have just seven turnovers this season while forcing 24.
• Indianapolis is converting more than half of their third-down attempts which leads the GLVC. They are also first in opponent third down percentage, allowing just 30.8%. 
• Kicker Paul Buisman is 10-13 on field goal attempts this season with a long of 42. UIndy has gone 65-66 on extra point attempts. 
• Defensively, the Hounds have picked up 26 sacks while allowing just 12. Jacob Schmatz has 4.5 while Alex Parsons has 13 tackles for loss. 
• Defensive back Mitch Dewitt has three interceptions and six pass breakups to lead the Hounds. 

THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules won a share of the MIAA this season with a 10-1 record
• UCM now stands at 72-31 in conference games under Svoboda after the 2019 regular season. 

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules are 5-0 at home this season and have gone undefeated in Warrensburg in two of the last three seasons.
• The Mules finished 2018 4-2 at home.
• UCM is 41-11 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• 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 36-21 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following their loss last weekend at Northwest Missouri.
• They are 5-1 on the road in 2019. 
• 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 14-26 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime.

21 AND UP
• UCM is 78-19 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 311 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 108 first quarter points are their fewest in any quarter this season.
• UCM has put up more than 100 points in all quarters including 177 in the second, their most in any quarter.
• Defensively, the Mules have allowed just 44 third quarter points. They've pitched six third quarter shutouts and only once this season have they allowed more than seven in the third.

2019 MULES NATIONAL TEAM LEADERS
• The Mules finished the regular season ranked first in total offense with 570.2 yards per game. 
• They are third in the country in scoring averaging 48.6 points per game. 
• The Mules lead Division II in passing offense at 351.8 yards per game. 
• UCM's 276 first downs are third in Division II. 

2019 MULES INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
• Brook Bolles leads Division II in passing yards with 3,660 and yards per completion at 19.37. He's second in touchdown passes with 39 and yards per attempt at 10.61.
• Tight End Zach Davidson is seventh in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns with 14 and sixth in yards per catch at 23.41.
• Shae Wyatt is seventh in yards per reception with 23.19 and sixth with 1,229 receiving yards. He leads the MIAA in receiving yards. 
• Devante Turner's 900 rushing yards are fifth in the MIAA and his 11 touchdowns are third. He is second in the MIAA and 14th in D2 in all-purpose yards with 157.09 yards per game. 
• Ubong Udom leads the MIAA and is ninth in the NCAA with 0.36 forced fumbles per game.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 576-517-51 (.526) record in 1,144 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 four trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2019.

GETTING OFFENSIVE
• Central Missouri has scored at least 30 points in 10 of 11 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.
• The Mules 10-0 was the best in school history. 

ALL-MIAA
• Central Missouri had 15 named to the 2019 All-MIAA team at 17 positions.
• Brook Bolles was the MIAA Offensive Player of the Year and Coach Svoboda the Coach of the Year.
• Bolles was one of seven First Team All-MIAA selections. He's joined by WR Shae Wyatt, TE/P Zach Davidson (First Team at both positions), C Jake Heckler, DL Ubong Udom and LB Kolesen Crane.
• On the Second Team was S Codie Bell. Devante Turner made the Third Team as a RB and return man and Dan Sunderman, OL, was also on the Third Team.
• Koby Wilkerson, RB, Cameron Saunders, WR, Dominick Puni, OL, Jacob Wiggins, DL, John Embrey, LB and Deven Smith, LB were All-MIAA Honorable Mention.

SVOBODA AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 80-35 (.696) during his nine-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to six postseason appearances.
• His 80 wins are second all-time at UCM.
• Svoboda's .696 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 148 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.