UCM Mules linebacker Azaiah Bello (2) during an MIAA college football game against the Lincoln University (LU) Blue Tigers at the Audrey J. Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri on October 29, 2022.
Andrew Mather Photography

Football

Mules Football Travels to Central Oklahoma Saturday to Conclude 2022 Season

Game 11: Central Missouri (4-6, 4-6 MIAA) at Central Oklahoma (5-5, 5-5 MIAA)
Saturday, Nov. 12 | 2 p.m. | Edmond, Okla. (Chad Richison Stadium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes (PDF)
SCENE SETTER
  • Central Missouri Mules football (4-6, 4-6 MIAA) is scheduled to wrap up its 2022 season with a MIAA road contest at Central Oklahoma (5-5, 5-5 MIAA) Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. at Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond, Okla.
  • The Mules are coming off a thrilling, 40-37, double overtime win over Missouri Western in their 2022 home finale Nov. 5 while the Bronchos fell at Nebraska Kearney that same day, 20-18, in Kearney, Neb.
  • 2022 marks the 125th season in Mules football history.
  • In the MIAA Football Preseason Polls, UCM was picked in a tie for seventh in the coaches' poll and ninth in the media poll. Central Oklahoma was tabbed eighth in the media poll and ninth in the coaches' poll.
ON THE AIR
  • Saturday's game will be broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar, the new 107.9 FM and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action.
  • 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 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.
WEEKLY HONORS MULE LEADERS
  • Offense: With 10 games in the books, the Mules are paced offensively by redshirt sophomore quarterback Cedric Case (218-of-326 with 7 INT, 2412 yds, 20 TD, 78 long, 241.2 yds/game, 207 yds rushing, 3 rushing TD), redshirt senior running back Xavier Jackson (44 catches, 506 yds, 1 TD, 55 long, 50.6 receiving yds/game, 98 carries, 337 net yds, 4 TD, 20 long, 33.7 yds/game) and redshirt junior receiver Arkell Smith (49 catches, 662 yds, 8 TD, 78 long, 66.2 yds/game).
  • Defense: Through 10 games, UCM is paced defensively by redshirt sophomore defensive back Noah Blair (65 tackles [40 unassisted/25 assisted], 2 TFL/3 yds, 3 INT/83 yds, 5 breakup), redshirt senior linebacker Kingsley Ayeni, IV (51 tackles [26 unassisted, 25 assisted], 2 TFL/6 yds, 2 breakup) and redshirt junior defensive back Diondre Glover (2 INT/65 yds, 14 breakup).
  • Special Teams: Redshirt junior kicker Samuel Knowlton is 8-for-10 in field goals converted, hitting a season-long 42-yarder at Pittsburg State...Redshirt freshman punter Ethan Brown has 43 punts for 1,824 yards with an average distance of 42.4 yards and a long of 62. He has placed 10 punts inside the 20-yard line and has six punts of at least 50 yards.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
  • Bo Reeves hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Cedric Case to lead the Central Missouri Mules football team to a thrilling 40-37 victory over the Missouri Western Griffons in double overtime on Senior Day Saturday, Nov. 5, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Reeves, a redshirt freshman tight end from Rossville, Kan., caught both touchdown passes for Central Missouri in overtime. He snaggled a 24-yard TD pass from Case on third-and-nine in the first OT frame before his game-winning catch the second overtime.
  • Case went 22-for-32 for 254 yards with three touchdowns and added 10 yards rushing and a rushing TD while Reeves added a career-high 102 receiving yards with two touchdowns and Xavier Jackson compiled 59 yards rushing on nine carries, pacing UCM offensively in the victory.
  • Diondre Glover had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown and tallied three pass breakups, and Weston King and Azaiah Bello each had 10 tackles, leading the Mule defense.
  • Missouri Western outgained Central Missouri in the game, 475-398, including a 266-144 advantage in rushing yardage, but UCM had the edge through the air, posting a 254-209 advantage in passing yardage.
  • Griffon quarterback Reagan Jones went 18-of-31 with an interception for 209 yards with one touchdown while Jared Scott rushed for a game-high 131 yards on 23 carries, leading Missouri Western.
  • The game marked the first double overtime contest for UCM since 2016. 
SERIES HISTORY
  • Saturday's season finale at Central Oklahoma will mark the 10th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the first meeting in 2012. The Mules lead the series, 7-2, and have won the last two meetings with the Bronchos. Last season, UCM slipped by UCO in Warrensburg, 30-29. Central Missouri has not played Central Oklahoma in Edmond since 2018 when the Bronchos posted a 33-26 win.
LAST TIME OUT VS. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
  • Logan Twehous threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns and Cameron Saunders rolled up 122 yards on seven catches leading University of Central Missouri Mules football to a 30-29 win over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Senior Day Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Twehous, a quarterback from Columbia, Mo., went 28-for-44 for his 373 yards through the air while also compiling 61 yards rushing with 18 carries.
  • A redshirt senior receiver from Orlando, Fla., Saunders ends his UCM career with the third-most receiving yards in program single-season history, compiling 1,316 yards through the air.
  • Saunders, Drew Slager, Jared Bubak and Malik Clayborn all scored touchdowns for the Mules in the win.
  • Redshirt senior Codie Bell paced Central Missouri defensively in his final game in the Red and Black, making a game-high nine tackles, while Joshua Terry had eight tackles and a game-high four pass breakups.
  • Aundra Gilbert had an interception for the Mules, and Deven Smith, Zack Aschemann and David Olajiga each had quarterback sacks in the contest.
  • UCM trailed Central Oklahoma 29-23 with just under four minutes remaining the fourth quarter before Twehous orchestrated a nine-play, 71-yard drive capped off by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Bubak with 45 second to go in regulation, tying the game, 29-29. Chris Diddle converted the extra-point, putting the Mules in front, 30-29.
  • The Bronchos weren't done, however, and drove down the field to set up a potential game-winning field-goal attempt, but UCO kicker Alex Quevedo's kick from 52 yards out fell short of the goalpost as time expired, sealing the dramatic win for Central Missouri.
  • Central Oklahoma quarterback Keats Calhoon went 24-for-42 for 207 yards, while fellow QB Stephon Brown rushed for 28 yards on nine carries, including three touchdowns, and Payton Scott had 74 yards on nine attempts on the ground, pacing the Bronchos.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
  • UCM is 4-6 in MIAA action entering Saturday's contest at Central Oklahoma.
  • Through 10 games, the Mules rank third in the conference in interceptions with 10 for 153 yards.
  • Noah Blair is tied for the MIAA lead with three interceptions for 83 yards entering Saturday.
  • Diondre Glover leads the MIAA in pass breakups through 10 games with 14.
  • Cedric Case is third in the conference in passing with 2,414 yards through 10 games. He is also third in total offense with 2,621 yards and 262.1 yards per game.
  • Arkell Smith is fourth in receiving through 10 contests with 664 yards on 49 catches. He is averaging 66.4 yards through the air per game.
THE MULES AT HOME
  • The Mules are 255-186-13 overall and 2022 is their 90th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 4-1 at home.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
  • Central Missouri has scored in 324 straight games.
  • The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.
MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
  • In the 124 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 584-532-51 record.
  • 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 -- Josh Lamberson's first season as offensive coordinator for UCM.
  • 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.
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.
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Players Mentioned

Azaiah Bello

#2 Azaiah Bello

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

DB
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

P
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Cedric Case

#10 Cedric Case

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Malik Clayborn

#8 Malik Clayborn

TE
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Xavier Jackson

#0 Xavier Jackson

RB
5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
Weston King

#95 Weston King

DL
6' 2"
Sophomore
Samuel Knowlton

#41 Samuel Knowlton

K
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Bo Reeves

#89 Bo Reeves

TE
6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
Arkell Smith

#6 Arkell Smith

WR
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Diondre Glover

#29 Diondre Glover

DB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Azaiah Bello

#2 Azaiah Bello

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
DB
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
P
Cedric Case

#10 Cedric Case

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
QB
Malik Clayborn

#8 Malik Clayborn

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
TE
Xavier Jackson

#0 Xavier Jackson

5' 8"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Weston King

#95 Weston King

6' 2"
Sophomore
DL
Samuel Knowlton

#41 Samuel Knowlton

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
K
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
DL
Bo Reeves

#89 Bo Reeves

6' 4"
Redshirt Freshman
TE
Arkell Smith

#6 Arkell Smith

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Diondre Glover

#29 Diondre Glover

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
DB