Healthcare Workers Appreciation Day
Game 6: Central Missouri (1-4, 1-4 MIAA) vs. Emporia State (3-2, 3-2 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field)
Radio: 1450 AM, 107.9 FM, 98.5 FM /
Video: MIAA Network
UCM Game Notes (PDF)
THIS WEEK
• Mules football (1-4, 1-4 MIAA) is back in the friendly confines of Walton State/Kennedy Field for an MIAA game against the Emporia State Hornets (3-2, 3-2 MIAA) Saturday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.
• Saturday's game is Healthcare Workers Appreciation Day. All healthcare workers and their family members are eligible to receive FREE general admission to the game against Emporia State. To receive free admission, healthcare workers must show a valid healthcare worker ID at the Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field ticket office.
• The Mules will wear throwback uniforms for the game Saturday to recognize the 1970 Pecan Bowl qualifying Mules football team. Although the NCAA's Division II playoff format did not begin until 1973, the Mules' bid to the Pecan Bowl in Arlington, Texas, to face top-ranked Arkansas State was the equivalent to receiving a playoff bid. The team will be honored at halftime of the contest.
• Central Missouri is coming off its first win of the 2021 season -- a 41-10 victory at Northeastern State Saturday, Oct. 2, in Tahlequah, Okla.
• The Hornets are coming off a 35-30 home win over conference rival Washburn Oct. 2 in Emporia, Kan.
• Mules football finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 11-2 and won a share of the MIAA Championship -- the 13th in program history. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UCM did not play an official schedule in 2020.
• Emporia State went 4-7 overall and in the MIAA in its last official season of football in 2019. Like the Mules, ESU did not play an official schedule in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 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 Hornets were picked eighth in the MIAA preseason coaches' poll and ninth in the MIAA 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 12:10 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.
SERIES HISTORY
• The Mules and Hornets have a storied history, meeting 65 times in the all-time series since the inaugural meeting all the way back in 1901.
• Central Missouri is 15-6 against Emporia State in Warrensburg since 1966.
• Mules' head coach
Jim Svoboda is 5-3 against ESU, including a 2-2 mark at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
PREVIOUSLY AGAINST EMPORIA STATE
• No. 14 Central Missouri Mules Football survived a scare Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Emporia, Kan. UCM's defense came up big time and time again, none bigger than a fourth quarter interception return for a touchdown to walk out of Emporia with a 34-27 win and move to 7-0 on the season.
• The Mules outgained the Hornets 461-456 in total offense. UCM threw for 341 yards and rushed for 120 yards.
• Turnovers played a big factor with the Mules losing the ball three times and Hornets twice. The Mules turned both turnovers into touchdowns.
• On second-and-10 after Emporia State recovered a UCM fumble,
Codie Bell made the play of the game, picking off Dalton and bringing it back 58 yards for a touchdown. Brooke Bolles threw to
Dominick Puni who barreled into the end zone for a two-point conversion and a 34-20 lead with 1:40 left in the fourth quarter.
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 HORNETS
• The Emporia State Hornets enters the weekend at 3-2 overall and in the MIAA after posting a 35-30 win over conference and in-state rival Washburn Saturday, Oct. 2, in Emporia, Kan.
• The Ichabods would outgain the Hornets 519 yards to 292 but Washburn turned the ball over five times on the day with three interceptions and two fumbles.
• Braden Gleason went 18 of 25 for 183 yards with four touchdowns while adding 35 yards on ten carries. Billy Ross, Jr. had one reception for 63 yards and a touchdown, Dalton Cowan had three for 18 yards and a score, three catches for 12 yards and a touchdown while Tyler Kahmann had two receptions for 14 yards and a touchdown. Canaan Brooks was the leading rusher for the Hornets with 72 yards on 21 carries.
• Gee Stanley was the leading tackler for the Hornets with 11 stops. Jace McDown had five tackles and the 45-yard interception return for a touchdown. Kyle Rinck added two tackles and a 49-yard interception return while Derrick Maxwell had five stops and an interception as well.
• Through five games, ESU ranks third in the MIAA in scoring offense with 33.8 points per game and in passing offense with 301.4 yards passing per game. ESU has excelled at defending the ground game through five contests, ranking second in the conference in rushing defense, holding adversaries to just 101.4 rushing yards per game.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
•
Logan Twehous threw for a career-high 405 yards and five touchdowns and
Arkell Smith snagged a career-best three TDs, helping the University of Central Missouri Mules football team roll to a 41-10 victory at Northeastern State Saturday, Oct. 2, on Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium.
• Twehous completed 28 of 34 passes for his 405 yards and five touchdowns, while Smith found the end zone three times on seven receptions and rolled up 133 yards through the air, and
Koby Wilkerson rushed for 81 yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown, pacing the UCM offense.
•
Chima Dunga tallied a team-high six tackles, while
Tre'Von Letts had a six-yard sack,
Aundra Gilbert intercepted a pass, and
Deven Smith had a 12-yard tackle-for-loss, leading the Mules defensively.
• Central Missouri tallied 569 yards of total offense, including 405 yards passing and 188 yards rushing, while limiting Northeastern State to 352 yards overall, 34 rushing yards and 318 passing yards in the game.
• The Mules were 9-for-14 on third-down conversions and an impressive 3-for-4 on converting fourth downs and posted a 34:16 to 25:03 advantage in time of possession.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
• The Mules are 1-4 in the MIAA after their 41-10 win at Northeastern State Oct. 2 in Tahlequah, Okla.
• UCM now stands at 74-36 in conference games under
Jim Svoboda.
• Through five games, Central Missouri ranks fourth in the MIAA in passing offense, averaging 291.2 yards per game through the air.
• Cam Saunders ranks fourth in receiving in the latest MIAA statistics with an average of 90 yards per game.
Logan Twehous is sixth in passing with 241.5 yards per game and total offense with 270.5 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 250-187-13 overall and 2021 will be their 89th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
THE MULES ON THE ROAD
• Central Missouri is 32-22 in road games during the
Jim Svoboda era following its 41-10 victory at Northeastern State Oct. 2.
• The Mules finished 2019 with a 5-2 record away from Warrensburg.
WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
• The Mules are 64-11 during the
Jim Svoboda era when leading at halftime.
• The Mules are 14-28 all-time under Coach Svoboda when trailing at halftime after falling to No. 3 Northwest Missouri Sept. 18.
21 AND UP
• UCM is 80-20 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 318 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 577-523-51 (.523) record in 1,151 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 82-40 (.672) 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 .672 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
• The Mules head to Joplin, Mo., for an MIAA contest at Missouri Southern Saturday, Oct. 16, at 4 p.m. at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
