2021 University of Central Missouri Homecoming
Game 8: Central Missouri (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) vs. Fort Hays State (3-4, 3-4 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 | 1:30 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field)
Radio: 1450 AM, 107.9 FM, 98.5 FM /
Video: MIAA Network (PPV)
UCM Game Notes (PDF) |
UCM Homecoming Information
THIS WEEK
• Mules football (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) welcomes the Fort Hays State University Tigers (3-4, 3-4 MIAA) to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field for the annual University of Central Missouri Homecoming Game Saturday, Oct. 23, at 1:30 p.m.
• Central Missouri is coming off a heartbreaking 30-28 loss at Missouri Southern Saturday, Oct. 16, in Joplin, Mo.
• The Tigers are coming off a 24-14 setback at home in Hays, Kan., to Central Oklahoma Saturday, Oct. 16.
• Central Missouri tied for second with Fort Hays State and received one first-place vote in the 2021 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Mules were also tabbed second in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and received a first-place vote.
• The Tigers were picked to tie with the Mules for second in the 2021 MIAA preseason coaches' poll and were voted third in the preseason media poll.
ON THE AIR
• The game will be broadcast on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar, the new 107.9 FM and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler and Joe Moore calling the action, and Brinkley Beever on the sideline. The Pregame Show will begin at 12:40 p.m. on the UCM Sports Network.
• The game will also be webcast online through Central Missouri's Blue Frame Internet portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/.
It is a pay-to-view webcast. MIAA Network content is available live via 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.
MULE TRAIN MEMBERS INVITED TO WATCH HOMECOMING PARADE AT ACHAUER HOUSE
• All UCM Mule Train donors are invited to watch the annual Homecoming Parade Saturday morning at the Achauer House in Warrensburg.
• The parade begins at 9 a.m. at the corner of Holden and Clark Streets and will run north down Holden in front of the Achauer House at 314 South Holden. Refreshments will be served beginning at 9 a.m. for all Mule Train donors.
SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday's homecoming game against the Tigers will mark the 17th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1964. The Mules lead the series, 10-6.
• Central Missouri is 5-1 against Fort Hays State in Warrensburg since 1966.
• Mules' head coach Jim Svoboda is 6-4 against FHSU, including a 3-1 mark at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. PREVIOUSLY AGAINST FORT HAYS STATE
• Central Missouri Mules Football put on quite the show in front of their home faithful. In a thrilling win, the Mules stormed back in the second half for 34-30 win over No. 11 Fort Hays State Sept. 5, 2019, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. The Mules scored 27 in the half, 13 in the final 5:35 to pull out a come-from-behind win over the 2018 MIAA co-champions.
• UCM put up 516 yards of total offense, most in the second half. It had a balanced attack with 245 rushing yards and 271 yards through the air.
• Quarterback Brook Bolles completed 14-of-26 passes for 271 yards and three scores. He also rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown.
•
Koby Wilkerson led UCM on the ground with 103 yards on 10 carried including a 66-yard score. He added a second score through the air and caught two passes for 24 yards.
• It was a big day for receiver
Shae Wyatt who hauled in four passes for 145 yards and a 65-yard touchdown.
MULES IN THE POLLS
• The Mules were picked to finish second in the MIAA preseason media poll and tied for second by the MIAA coaches.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
• The Fort Hays State Tigers are 3-4 overall and in the MIAA going into Saturday's game after falling to Central Oklahoma, 24-14, at home in Hays, Kan., Saturday, Oct. 16.
• The Bronchos held the Tigers scoreless in the second half, while scoring 14 points to take the lead and win by 10.
• The Bronchos held the Tigers to their second-lowest number of total yards this season at 347. UCO countered with 422 yards of total offense. Keats Calhoon led the Broncho passing game with 223 yards, completing 15-of-24 passes. Jayce Gardner led the Bronchos in rushing with 94 of his team's 193 yards on the ground and Markiese King had 134 receiving yards on five catches.
• Chance Fuller led the Tigers with 214 passing yards, completing 18-of-35 attempts. Manny Ramsey was his top target with 11 catches for 133 yards. Adrian Soto led the Tigers with 90 rushing yards. John Johnson led the Tigers in tackles with 12, while Dylan Buchheit led UCO with 11.
• Through seven games, FHSU ranks fourth in the MIAA in scoring offense, averaging 32.6 points per game, and fourth in scoring defense, holding opponents to 22.3 points per game. The Tigers are second in total offense, averaging 469.6 yards per game, and fifth in total defense, giving up an average of 367.9 yards per game. Fort Hays State excels through the air, ranking second in passing offense with 312.3 yards per game.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
• Missouri Southern's Nick Williams converted a 27-yard field-goal with two seconds remaining to rally from a 28-27 deficit and defeat the University of Central Missouri Mules football team, 30-28, Saturday, Oct. 16, at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
• Mules' quarterback
Logan Twehous went 20-for-35 with four touchdown passes and 288 yards, while receiver Cam Saunders posted 142 yards on six catches and scored a pair of touchdowns, leading the UCM offense.
•
Codie Bell had 17 total tackles, including a tackle-for-loss and a forced-fumble, pacing the Central Missouri defense.
• Missouri Southern outgained UCM offensively in the game, 554 yards to 382 yards, including a 320-99 advantage in rushing yards. Central Missouri had a 283-234 edge in passing offense.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 2-5 in the MIAA after their 30-28 setback at Missouri Southern Oct. 16 in Joplin.
• UCM now stands at 75-37 in conference games under Jim Svoboda.
• Through seven games, Central Missouri ranks third in the MIAA in passing offense, averaging 306 yards per game through the air.
• Cam Saunders leads the MIAA in receiving with an average of 114.3 yards per game.
Logan Twehous is third in passing with 275.3 yards per game and fourth in total offense with 293.3 yards per game.
THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules went a perfect 6-0 at home at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in 2019 and are 43-12 at home under Jim Svoboda.
• UCM outscored its adversaries at home in 2019, 46.5 points to 24 points. The Mules also outgained their opponents in total yards, 3,243 to 2,268.
• The Mules are 251-187-13 overall and 2021 will be their 89th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 32-23 in road games during the Jim Svoboda era following its 30-28 loss at Missouri Southern Oct. 16.
• The Mules finished 2019 with a 5-2 record away from Warrensburg.
WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 65-11 during the Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime.
• The Mules are 14-29 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime after falling at Missouri Southern.
21 AND UP
• UCM is 81-21 under Jim Svoboda when scoring at least 21 points.
• When scoring 30 or more points, UCM is 78-7 during the Svoboda era and 47-1 when scoring 40 or more points.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
• Central Missouri has scored in 320 straight games.
• The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.
MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
• In the 121 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 578-524-51 record in 1,153 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 tied the program-record for wins in a season with 11 in 2019. The Mules also won 11 games in 2010 -- Jim Svoboda's first season at the helm.
• 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 2019.
SVOBODA AT THE HELM
• Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda has a record of 83-41 (.669) during his eight-plus seasons leading the Mules. He has led the Mules to five postseason appearances.
• He is second on UCM's career wins list.
• Svoboda's .669 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. In 2019, the Mules hosted their second playoff game in program history, downing Indianapolis, 37-27.
• The Mules have set or tied 108 school offensive records and 21 MIAA offensive records during Svoboda's tenure.
• Under Coach Svoboda, UCM players have earned 28 All-American awards and 146 All-MIAA awards.
• Since entering the league, the Mules are the No. 1 team in total offense with 470.4 yards per game, and No. 2 in scoring offense with 37.1 points per game. UCM's six postseason appearances are also the second most in the league, and the 81 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 228 MIAA conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• Last season, UCM captured two regional championships in men's golf and baseball, and five MIAA Championships - women's indoor track and field, men's golf, softball and baseball (regular season and postseason tournament)
• Since 1983, the tenure of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 170 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 in 2017 and 2018) and 12 national championships overall.
• Central Missouri has won the MIAA Commissioner's Cup, presented by McCownGordon Construction, four times in the last five years, including 2020-21. The cup is presented at the end of each academic year to the conference's top performing school in league play.
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Central Missouri had 189 student-athletes named to the 2020-21 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• Thirty 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.
• Seventeen UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had six student-athletes earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in their respective sports and 18 Academic All-District.
• All-time UCM is third in NCAA-II with 122 Academic All-Americans.
• Jennies basketball's Gigi McAtee and Mules golf's Ian Barnes earned the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 Award for having the highest GPA at their respective NCAA Championships.
• Jennies track and field junior Ashlan Burton took home the 2021 MIAA Spring Student-Athlete of the Year award and was selected as a conference nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
MULES IN THE PROS
• Former Mules' All-American tight end
Zach Davidson (2016-2020) was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
• He marked the 12th Mules football player to be drafted in program history and the first since former UCM standout tight end Delanie Walker in 2006.
• In program history, 78 Central Missouri football players have either been drafted or signed professional free-agent contracts.
UP NEXT
• UCM travels to Jefferson City, Mo., for an MIAA contest at Lincoln Saturday, Oct. 30, at 2 p.m.
