Football | 10/10/2023 3:41:00 PM

• No. 17 University of Central Missouri Mules football (5-1, 5-1 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Northeastern State (1-5, 0-5 MIAA) for a 2 p.m. MIAA contest Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Okla.
• Central Missouri is coming off a 38-14 win over Nebraska Kearney Saturday, Oct. 7, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg. The victory was the third straight triumph for UCM.
• The Mules are ranked number 17 in both the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and D2Football.com Top-25 Poll entering Saturday.
• Through six games, Central Missouri still leads the nation in passing offense with an average of 405.2 yards per game, first downs with 175 and total offense with an average of 532.5 yards per game. On the defensive side of the football, the Mules lead Division II in passes intercepted with 13.
• With six games in the books, quarterback Zach Zebrowski continues to lead NCAA Division II in passing yards (2,321), passing touchdowns (25) and total offense (414.8 yards per game) while receiver Arkell Smith ranks first in receiving TDs (9) and third in receiving yards (684), and running back Marcellous Hawkins is 13th in rushing TDs (8).
• 2023 marks the 126th season in Mules football history.
• In the MIAA Football Preseason Polls, UCM was picked seventh in both the preseason coaches' and media polls while Northeastern State was tabbed 11th in both polls.

• Redshirt senior wide receiver Arkell Smith set a new UCM career record after posting his 25th-career TD reception Saturday against Nebraska Kearney. His 25 career touchdown catches surpass former Central Missouri standout Jamorris Warren, who made 24 TD catches from 2009-10.

• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action, Joe Moore providing color commentary and Brinkley Beever on the sidelines.
• The game will also be webcast online through Central Missouri's MIAA Network 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.

• Offense: Through six games, the Mules are led offensively by quarterback Zach Zebrowski (207-of-305, 3 INT, 2321 yds., 25 TD, 64 LG, 386.8 yds./game), receivers Arkell Smith (52 rec., 684 yds., 9 TD, 61 LG, 114 yds./game), Jack Pospisil (33 rec., 411 yds., 4 TD, 64 LG, 68.5 yds./game), Demarcus Gregory (28 rec., 272 yds., 1 TD, 40 LG, 45.3 yds/game), Michael Fitzgerald (17 rec., 261 yds., 2 TD, 40 LG, 43.5 yds./game) and Price Morgan (23 rec., 214 yds., 4 TD, 20 LG, 35.7 yds./game), and running back Marcellous Hawkins (77 carries, 457 yds., 8 TD, 55 LG, 76.2 yds./game).
• Defense: UCM is paced defensively through six games by defensive backs Curtis Appleton II (37 tackles [19 solo, 18 asst], 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery) and Sharmari Reed (24 tackles [13 solo, 11 asst], 2.0-5 TFL, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles), and linebackers Cale Miller (39 tackles [13 solo, 26 asst], 4.5-17 TFL, 1.0-9 sacks, 1 INT) and Isaac Montgomery (26 tackles [9 solo, 17 asst.], 2.0-6 TFL, 1 pass breakup, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble).
• Special Teams: After six contests, the Central Missouri special teams unit is led by punter Ethan Brown (15 punts, 585 yards, 39 average, 51 long, 1 touchback, 7 fair catches, 7 inside 20, 1 50+) and place-kicker Luke Dobson (4-4 FG, 41 long, 16-16 PAT).

• Mules quarterback Zach Zebrowski has thrown for at least 300 yards and two touchdowns in all six of UCM's games so far this season. He's reached at least 400 yards passing three times, including a career-high 434 yards through the air in the win over Nebraska Kearney Saturday. Zebrowski has also thrown for five TDs four times this season.
• He leads all NCAA football divisions (FBS, FCS, II, III) in passing yards (2,321).

• MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week: Arkell Smith, WR, Sept. 11; Zach Zebrowski, QB, Sept. 25; Marcellous Hawkins, RB, Oct. 2
• MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week: David Olajiga, DL, Sept. 25

• The 2023 Mules feature 54 true freshmen and 24 transfers.
• UCM also has eight new coaches on the sidelines for 2023 in Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach Hayden Hawk, Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Justin Bane, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach Greg Jones, Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Stephen Franklin, Offensive Recruiting Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Adrian Duncan, Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks Coach Brian "BK" Smith, Offensive Player Personnel/Tight Ends Coach Chace Gadapee and Assistant Special Teams Coordinator/Kickers, Punters and Snappers Coach Terrance Dennis. These
• Central Missouri's eight new coaches join returning coaches Josh Lamberson (Head Coach), Joe Holtzclaw (Co-Offensive Coordinator Run Game/Offensive Line Coach), Dana Chambers (Defensive Line Coach/Alumni & Community Engagement Coordinator) and Kevin Kim (Defensive Player Personnel/Inside Linebackers Coach).

• Saturday's game against the RiverHawks will mark meeting 17 in the all-time series dating back to the first meeting in 1963. The Mules lead the series, 9-7. Last season, Central Missouri defeated Northeastern State in Warrensburg, 35-13.

• Arkell Smith set a new UCM program record for career receiving touchdowns and Zach Zebrowski threw for 434 yards with five touchdowns as No. 18-ranked Central Missouri Mules football stampeded past the Nebraska Kearney Lopers, 38-14, Saturday afternoon, Oct. 7, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Smith caught two touchdown passes on 11 catches and 154 yards, bringing his career total to 25, surpassing former Mule Jamorris Warren, who caught 24 touchdowns from 2009-10.
• Zebrowski went 38-of-56 for his 434 passing yards and five TDs, marking the third game this season he has compiled at least 400 yards through the air.
• Jack Pospisil also eclipsed 100 receiving yards in the victory, posting 109 yards on eight catches with a touchdown.
• Price Morgan and Marcellous Hawkins added touchdown catches, with Hawkins rushing for a team-best 31 yards on nine carries.
• Noah Blair paced Central Missouri defensively with seven tackles and a 31-yard interception. Wyryor Noil compiled four tackles and a 33-yard interception, and Jaden Dawson posted an interception, as well.
• For the game, UCM outgained Nebraska Kearney, 453-442, including a 434-288 advantage in passing yards. The Mules were also an impressive 4-of-5 in scoring chances in the red zone.
• TJ Davis threw for 235 yards and one touchdown, going 18-for-30 with three interceptions, pacing the Lopers offensively.

• Cedric Case threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Central Missouri Mules football team to a 35-13 victory over the Northeastern State RiverHawks in a MIAA game played on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field during UCM's annual Family Weekend.
• Case completed 19 of his 27 pass attempts for 237 yards through the air, including a 50-yard touchdown strike to Trevor Twehous in the second quarter. He added 36 yards rushing and scored a rushing TD on a six-yard run in the fourth quarter.
• Xavier Jackson rushed for 41 yards on a game-best 17 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns while fellow running back Weston Bridges rushed for a game-high 64 yards on seven attempts, pacing UCM on the ground.
• Arkell Smith and Twehous led the Central Missouri aerial attack, with Smith compiling five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown and Twehous tallying 67 yards on four catches and a TD.
• Weston King had a team-high seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss for seven yards and a five-yard quarterback sack while Noah Blair had four tackles, a pair of pass breakups and a 52-yard interception, pacing the UCM defense.
• For the game, the Mules out-gained the RiverHawks, 438-180, including a 201-77 advantage in rushing yards and a 237-103 edge in receiving yards.
• Central Missouri posted a 34:37 to 25:23 advantage in time-of-possession and were 8-of-14 in third-down conversions.
• THE MULES AT HOME
• The Mules are 258-187-13 overall and 2023 is their 91st season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 7-2 at home.

• Central Missouri has scored in 331 straight games.
• The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.

• In the 126 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 589-534-51 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.

• 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.

• The Mules host Emporia State in the annual UCM Homecoming Game Saturday, Oct. 21, at 1:30 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.