WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Zach Zebrowski threw for seven touchdowns and 467 yards as the No. 6-ranked Central Missouri Mules football team rolled past No. 24-ranked Henderson State, 56-14, in the first round of the NCAA-II Football Championship Saturday, Nov. 18, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
The Mules (11-1) advance to the second round of the playoffs and tie the UCM single-season program record for victories at 11 with the win and will face third-ranked Harding (11-0) Saturday, Nov. 25, at a to be determined time in Searcy, Ark.
Zebrowski, a redshirt junior quarterback from Woodbury, Minn., went 24-for-34 for his 467 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns while posting 36 rushing yards on three carries. The 467 yards through the air mark the 11th game in 2023 he has compiled at least 300 yards passing.
Michael Fitzgerald tallied a team-best 121 receiving yards on four catches, including a 41-yard touchdown reception, while
Jack Pospisil had three touchdowns catches (39, eight and nine yards), and
Weston Bridges compiled a team-high 59 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Marcellous Hawkins (two),
Bo Reeves (one) and
Arkell Smith (one) also had TDs in the contest.Â
Cale Miller led Central Missouri defensively with eight tackles, and
Wyryor Noil and
Garrett Hormann each compiled interceptions.
The Mules outscored Henderson State (9-3) in the first half, 49-14, before shutting out the Reddies in the second half, 7-0, to roll to the 56-14 triumph. It's the third time this season UCM has held an opponent scoreless in the third and fourth quarters.
For the game, Central Missouri outgained Henderson State, 599-420, including a 467-219 edge in passing yards. The Reddies bested the Mules in rushing yards, 201-132, but UCM inched past HSU in first downs, 25-24.
Running back Jeremiah Davis compiled 116 rushing yards on 20 carries, and quarterback Andrew Edwards went 21-of-41 for 219 yards and one touchdown, pacing Henderson State.
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