Football Returns Home for Family Weekend

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 25, 2019) - For the first time in two weeks No. 18 Central Missouri Mules Football comes back to Warrensburg for a family weekend matchup with Washburn.

OPPONENT
Washburn Ichabods (1-2, 1-2 MIAA)

WHERE
Warrensburg, Mo. - Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field

WHEN
Saturday, Sept. 28 - 1 p.m.

FAMILY WEEKEND
As a part of family weekend, the Elliott Student Union will have inflatables on hand for children in the southwest corner of the stadium from Noon until the end of halftimes. 

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. 

KICKOFF
• Central Missouri returns home for the second time this season as they host the Washburn Ichabods for Family Day at UCM. 
• 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 3-0 start in 2019 after a 48-45 over win at Missouri Western last weekend.
• Washburn is off to a 1-2 start this season. They are coming off of their own overtime game, a 41-38 loss on the road at Fort Hays State. Their only win this season comes against returning MIAA members Lincoln in week one. 
• This will be the second Mules home game of the season. They opened 2019 in Warrensburg with a 34-30 win over No. 11 Fort Hays State. 
• Washburn was picked to finish eighth in the MIAA in both the preseason media and coaches poll. They finished 5-6 a year ago. 

SERIES HISTORY
• Central Missouri owns the all-time series history with a mark of 27-19-2. The Mules have won
six of the last seven meetings and are 6-1 under Coach Svoboda.
• Washburn's won for the first time in nine against UCM last year, 28-21 in Topeka. 
• Since 1997, the Mules have won 16-of-20 matchups.
• There have been 13 shutouts in the 47 games played between the two teams.
• Icahbod coach Craig Schurig is just 4-10 lifetime against the Mules.
• In Warrensburg, the Mules lead the series 14-7.

PREVIOUSLY AGAINST WASHBURN
• It was a back and forth first half that suddenly came to a screetching halt in the second. All points in the Ichabods 28-21 win were scored in the first half with both defense pitching a shutout in the second.
• The Mules scored first on an 18 yard pass from Jeremy Hunt to Shae Wyatt. Washburn scored the next two for a 14-6 lead just six minutes into the first. 
• UCM took a 15-14 lead early in the second, but Washburn responded with two touchdowns for a 13-point lead and never trailed again.
• Hunt threw for 297 yards and two touchdowns but also was picked off four times.
• Shae Wyatt had nine catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. 
• The Mules lost the turnover battle 4-1. 

MULES IN THE POLLS
• UCM moved up to a tie for 18th in this week's AFCA top-25 rankings. 
• The Mules were picked to finish fourth in the MIAA preseason media poll and fifth by the MIAA coaches.

ABOUT THE ICHABODS
• Washburn comes to Warrensburg at 1-2 averaging 34.7 points per game but allowing 35.3.
• They average 414 yards per game on offense while allowing 435.7 yards per game on defense. 
• Quarterback Mitch Schurig is fifth in the league with 697 passing yards. He's thrown seven touchdowns to six interceptions. 
• The rushing attack is led by Taylor Peters. The freshman has totaled 187 yards on the ground and two scores. Percy Mitchell has scored four rushing touchdowns. 
• Washburn has a pair of 200-yard receivers. James Letcher, Jr. has 15 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns while Collin Wilson has caught 16 passes fro 213 yards and four scores.
• Letcher, Jr. is also third in the MIAA in kickoff returns averaging 29.8 yards with a touchdown.
• Kevin Neal, Jr. leads the defense with 8.7 tackles per game which is fifth in the league.

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 65-30 in conference games under Jim Svoboda after their win Saturday and are 3-0 this season.

THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules finished 2018 4-2 at home and are 38-11 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• UCM went undefeated at home in 2017, 4-0. 
• The Mules opened the season at home with a 34-30 win over No. 11 Fort Hays State.
• The Mules are 245-185-13 overall and 2019 will be their 88th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 33-20 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following their 48-45 overtime win last weekend at Missouri Western. 
• 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 57-8 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime. 
• The Mules are 13-25 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime.

21 AND UP
• UCM is 71-18 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 69-7 during the Svoboda era and 41-1 when scoring 40 or more points.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri has scored in 303 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.

2019 MULES STAT LEADERS
• The Mules offense is at it again. UCM leads Division II in total offense with 603.3 yards per game.
• They are mostly getting it done through the air as they are third in passing offense with 388.3 yards per game, but also 28th in rushing offense at 215 yards per game.
• UCM is in the top-five scoring as well averaging 50.7 points per game, fourth in D2.
• The numbers are just as gaudy for quarterback Brook Bolles. He is third in the nation in total offense at 379.7 yards per game and leads the country in yards per pass attempt (12.79) and yards per completion (23.79).
• His 12 passing touchdowns are second, he is third in passing efficiency at 205.7% and fourth in passing yards per game at 341.0. 
• Bolles' primary target is Shae Wyatt whose 387 receiving yards are fifth in the NCAA. His four touchdowns also lead the MIAA. 
• Koby Wilkerson is just outside the NCAA top-10 in scoring at 10 points per game. He also ranks eighth in the MIAA with 208 rushing yards. 
• Zach Davidson is back at the top of the MIAA in punting. He is averaging 44.3 yards per kick.
• Javon Kirks two sacks are in the top-10 in the MIAA, tied for sixth.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 120 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 568-517-51 (.522) record in 1,136 total games.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games three times in the history of the program and have posted 12 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 nine times in their history, including two trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2016.

SEASON STARTS
• The last time the Mules started out 3-0 was in 2016 when they made the NCAA playoffs. 
• This is the second time under Coach Svoboda has started 3-0. 
• The Mules have never started 4-0 under Coach Svoboda. The last time UCM went 4-0 was 2009.
• UCM is one of 32 teams in Division II still unbeaten and one of three in the MIAA. 

SVOBODA AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 73-34 (.682) during his eight-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to four postseason appearances.
• He is third on UCM's career wins list, five wins behind Terry Noland (78) for second all-time.
• Svoboda's .682 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 219 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• 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 are two former Mules currently on NFL rosters. 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.
• Walker was injured during the season opener in 2018 and placed on injured reserve, missing the rest of the season. He's off to a fast start in 2019 with 16 catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns. 
• Walker was inducted into the UCM Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2015.
• Former Mules offensive lineman Derrick Puni is currently on injured reserve with the Dallas Cowboys after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2019.