Mules Can Clinch Share of MIAA Championship This Saturday

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Nov. 6, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Football can make history this Saturday at home. A win gives UCM at least a share of an MIAA Championship with one game remaining in the regular season.

OPPONENT
Lincoln Blue Tigers (1-8, 1-8 MIAA)

WHERE
Warrensburg, Mo. - Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field

WHEN
Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019 - 1 p.m.

GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
• Saturday will be Salute to Veterans Day. All military veterans and their family members will receive free admission.
• Free tickets are also available for local area youth and school groups. Contact the UCM Ticket Office (660) 543-8339 or tickets@ucmo.edu for more information
• Toys for Tots will be on hand to collect new and unwrapped toys. All toy donations or at least $10 monetary donations will be automatically entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card from a UCM Athletic Partner. 

SENIOR DAY
• Prior to the game, the Mules will recognize their seven senior members of the team with an on-field ceremony.
• Their seven seniors: Graham Baucom, Brook Bolles, Kolesen Crane, Jake Heckler, Jalen Marsalis, Kameron Prentiss-Brown, Kareem Sanders

MIAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
• A win clinches at least a share of the MIAA Championship for UCM. If they win their final two regular season games, they will win the conference outright.
• The Mules have 12 MIA Championships in their history with their latest coming in 2003.
• The last time the Mules won the MIAA Championship outright was in 1986. 

KICKOFF
• Central Missouri is home for senior day in their final home game of the 2019 season. They play host to the Lincoln Blue Tigers. 
• Central Missouri puts their 9-0 record on the line this weekend against the 1-8 Blue Tigers. 
• 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 9-0 start in 2019 after a dramatic 47-40 win in Kearney, Neb. last weekend.
• Lincoln enters at 1-8 this season. Their only win came three weeks ago, Oct. 19 in a 27-9 win over Northeastern State. Since then, they have fallen to Northwest Missouri and Fort Hays State.
• This will be the fifth Mules home  game of the season. They are 4-0 after wins over Fort Hays State, Washburn, Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.
• Lincoln was picked to finish 12th in both the MIAA preseason coaches poll and media poll. This is their first season back in the MIAA.

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 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
• Central Missouri leads the all-time series 23-7
• The two teams last met in 2011.
• The Mules have won 18 straight against Lincoln, their last loss coming in 1978/
• UCM hasn't allowed 10 points vs. the Blue Tigers in the last four games. 

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST LINCOLN
• The Blue Tigers actually scored first in this one and held a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter.
• Central Missouri then scored two quick touchdowns and finished the game scoring 35 straight points.
• Running back LaVance Taylor rushed 10 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Camren Torneden gained 93 yards on the ground as UCM piled up 300 rushing yards.
• The Mules also threw for 249 yards, 191 coming from Tommy Corwin. Jamar Howard caught two touchdowns while David Cannon had four receptions for 61 yards and a score.
• UCM outgained the Blue Tigers 549-276 in the 49-6 win. 

MULES IN THE POLLS
• UCM moved up in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls this week. The Mules made the top-10 at No. 10 in the AFCA and are 11th in the D2football.com poll.
• In the first NCAA Super Region III rankings, the Mules were second in the region. 
• The Mules were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA preseason media poll and fifth by the MIAA coaches.

ABOUT THE BLUE TIGERS
• Lincoln is next to last in the MIAA in both scoring offense and scoring defense. They average just 11.6 points per game while allowing 47.9. 
• The Blue Tigers have scored fewer than 10 points this season in five of their nine games and three of their last four.
• Lincoln's offense is built on running the football. They are sixth in the MIAA in rushing offense averaging 189.8 yards per game.
• They don't pass much, attempting just 162 passes this season and averaging 55.4 passing yards per game with six touchdowns and five interceptions.
• The Blue Tiger defense has made some impact plays with 13 sacks and eight interceptions, both are seventh in the MIAA.
• Hosea Franklin is the guy for the Blue Tigers. He's carried the ball 184 times and rushed for 1,229 yards which is the most in the league. He's the only running back to average more than 100 yards per game on the ground at 131.0
• Chancellor Johnson is the dual threat quarterback. He's rushed 76 times for 249 yards and thrown 140 times for 437 yards and all six Blue Tiger touchdowns.
• Tori Hicks is the only Lincoln wideout with two receiving touchdowns. He's got 13 catches for 86 yards as well.
• Both Cody Alexander and Chavon Gross have picked off three passes this season with Alexander returning one 81 yards for a touchdown.
• Gross leads the team in tackles with 61 this season and nine passes defended.
• JaJuan Chambers and Michael Smith each have three sacks to lead the Blue Tigers. 

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 71-30 in conference games under Jim Svoboda after their win Saturday and are 9-0 this season.

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules finished 2018 4-2 at home and are 40-11 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• UCM went undefeated at home in 2017, 4-0. 
• The Mules are 4-0 at home with wins over Fort Hays State, Washburn, Central Oklahoma and Pittsburg State.
• The Mules are 247-185-13 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 60-8 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 77-18 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 75-7 during the Svoboda era and 45-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri has scored in 309 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 81 first quarter points are their fewest in any quarter this season.
• UCM has put up more than 100 points in quarters two, three and four including 135 in the second, their most in any quarter.
• Defensively, the Mules have allowed just 44 third quarter points. They've pitched four 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 48.8 points per game. 
• UCM is first in total offense with 559.7 yards per game.
• Mules are just one of 12 teams in Division II still with an unbeaten record.
• The Mules are third in passing offense at 341.7 yards per game.
• They cracked the top-10 this week in first downs with 219 which is 10th.
• Their 3.67 sacks per game are fifth in the NCAA. 

2019 MULES INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
• Brook Bolles is tied for the Division II lead in touchdown passes with 32. He is third in yards at 2,933 and first in yards per completion at 19.17.
• Tight End Zach Davidson is third in the NCAA in receiving touchdowns with 13.
• Davidson and Shae Wyatt go 6 and 7 in Division II in yards per reception at 23.97 and 23.71. 
• Devante Turner's 753 rushing yards are fifth in the MIAA and his nine touchdowns are second. He leads the MIAA and is seventh in Division II with 169.33 all-purpose yards per game.
• Kolsen Crane is tied for the MIAA lead with four interceptions and with three fumbles recovered. His three fumble recoveries are also third in D2.
• Ubong Udom leads the MIAA and is sixth in the NCAA with 0.44 forced fumbles per game.
• Codie Bell leads the MIAA and is 10th in the country with 6.0 solo tackles per game.  
• Shae Wyatt leads the MIAA and is sixth in the country with 972 receiving yards. 

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 574-517-51 (.525) record in 1,142 total games.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games three 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 12 MIAA championships in school history with the last coming in 2003.
• 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 9-0 is the best in school history. 
• UCM is one of 12 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 nine games this season.
• UCM has reached 70 points twice. 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 79-34 (.699) during his nine-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to four postseason appearances.
• His 79 wins are second all-time at UCM.
• Svoboda's .699 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 220 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Jennies Soccer has claimed the 2019 MIAA regular season championship.
• 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.