Kameron Yancey (15) and Jaden Dawson (18)
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Football

Mules Welcome No.3 Pittsburg State Saturday for UCM Family Weekend Game

Game 3: Central Missouri (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) vs. No. 3/3 Pittsburg State (2-0, 2-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 16 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The BAR(Greg Hassler, pxp; Joe Moore, color; Brinkley Beever, sideline)
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)
**UCM Family Weekend**

Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes (PDF)
SCENE SETTER
  • University of Central Missouri Mules football (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) is scheduled to welcome the third-ranked Pittsburg State University Gorillas (2-0, 2-0 MIAA) to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg for the annual UCM Family Weekend game Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
  • The Mules are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2019 after defeating Central Oklahoma, 41-17, Saturday, Sept. 9, in Warrensburg.
  • In the victory over Central Oklahoma, UCM quarterback Zach Zebrowski threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns while wide receiver Arkell Smith had three TDs on nine catches and 152 yards.
  • UCM is receiving votes (RV) in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll. The Mules tallied 13 votes this week.
  • Through two games, Central Missouri leads the nation in passing offense with an average of 446 yards per game.
  • With two games in the books, Zebrowski leads NCAA Division II in both passing yards (790) and passing touchdowns (10) and is second in total offense (410 yards per game) while Smith ranks third in receiving TDs (4) and fourth in receiving yards (300).
  • 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 Pittsburg State, the defending MIAA Champion, was picked first in both polls.
ON THE AIR
  • 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.
UCM LEADERS
  • Offense: Through two games, the Mules are led offensively by quarterback Zach Zebrowski (65-of-94, 0 INT, 790 yds., 10 TD, 62 LG, 395.0 yds./game), receivers Arkell Smith (20 rec., 300 yds., 4 TD, 60 LG, 150.0 yds./game), Jack Pospisil (9 rec., 126 yds., 1 TD, 62 LG, 63.0 yds./game), Demarcus Gregory (10 rec., 117 yds., 33 LG, 58.5 yds/game) and Michael Fitzgerald (7 rec., 110 yds., 1 TD, 40 LG, 55.0 yds./game) and running back Marcellous Hawkins (34 carries, 124 yds., 2 TD, 24 LG, 62.0 yds./game).
  • Defense: UCM is paced defensively through two games by defensive backs Curtis Appleton II (12 tackles [9 solo, 3 asst], 1 fumble recovery) and Sharmari Reed (12 tackles [6 solo, 6 asst], 1.0-1 TFL, 1 forced fumble), and linebacker Cale Miller (10 tackles [4 solo, 6 asst], 2-0-11 TFL, 1.0-9 sacks, 1-2 INT)
  • Special Teams: After two contests, the Central Missouri special teams unit is led by punter Ethan Brown (8 punts, 286 yards, 35.75 average, 49 long, 1 touchback, 3 fair catches, 4 inside 20).
WEEKLY HONORS
  • Wide receiver Arkell Smith was voted the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week on Monday, Sept. 11, after making nine catches for 152 receiving yards and recording three touchdowns through the air in UCM's win over Central Oklahoma Sept. 9. Smith caught TD passes of 12, 21 and 27 yards in the victory.
NEW FACES
  • The 2023 Mules will feature 54 true freshmen and 24 transfers who will be donning the Red and Black for the first time.
  • 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).
SERIES HISTORY
  • Saturday's showdown in Warrensburg against the Gorillas will mark the 60th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1916. Pittsburg State leads the series, 45-12-2, and has won the last two meetings. UCM is 6-24-2 all-time against the Gorillas in Warrensburg. The last win over Pittsburg State was a 36-28 triumph in Warrensburg in 2019. Last season, UCM fell to Pitt State in Pittsburg, Kan., 21-10. 
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
  • Zach Zebrowski threw for 400 yards and five touchdowns and Arkell Smith tallied 152 yards and caught three touchdowns as the University of Central Missouri Mules football team stampeded past the Central Oklahoma Bronchos, 41-17, in the 2023 home opener at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field on Saturday, Sept. 9.
  • Zebrowski went 36-for-55 for 400 yards and tossed five touchdown passes for the second straight game while Smith, a redshirt senior wide receiver from Carthage, Mo., caught nine passes, including three for TDs, for his 152 yards, pacing the UCM offense.
  • Zebrowski's 400 yards passing marked the first time a UCM quarterback has thrown for at least 400 yards since 2021 when Logan Twehous tallied 400 yards at Missouri Western.
  • Running back Marcellous Hawkins compiled 57 yards and scored a touchdown on 18 carries, respectively.
  • Sharmari Reed and Wyryor Noil paced the Central Missouri defense, with Reed compiling a team-best eight tackles and one tackle-for-loss and Noil posting seven tackles and two tackles for loss, while Garrett Hormann tallied an interception and Cale Miller had a quarterback sack.
  • For the game, the Mules outgained Central Oklahoma, 484 yards to 332 yards, including an impressive 400-196 advantage in passing yardage. The Bronchos won the ground game, outrushing UCM, 136-84.
LAST TIME OUT VS. PITTSBURG STATE
  • Central Missouri Mules football was held to just one touchdown in a 21-10 setback to the Pittsburg State Gorillas in the 2022 season opener for both teams Thursday, Sept. 1, at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg, Kan.
  • UCM quarterback Cedric Case went 24-for-41 with a touchdown pass and 179 yards while Arkell Smith had a 15-yard touchdown reception, pacing the Mule offense.
  • Pittsburg State outgained UCM, 466 yards to 212 yards, including a 387-179 advantage through the air.
  • Gorilla quarterback Chad Dodson, Jr., threw for 387 yards, going 21-for-40, and had three TD passes, and Bryce Murphy hauled in two touchdowns on three receptions and 112 yards, pacing Pittsburg State.
  • Central Missouri kicker Samuel Knowlton converted a 42-yard field-goal, while David Olajiga blocked a Gorilla field-goal and Alex Millspaugh recovered a fumble, highlighting the Mule special teams.
  • Defensively for UCM, Travis DeGrate and Noah Blair each had a team-best nine tackles.
THE MULES AT HOME
  • The Mules are 256-186-13 overall and 2023 is their 91st season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 5-1 at home.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
  • Central Missouri has scored in 327 straight games.
  • The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.
MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
  • In the 126 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 586-533-51 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.
UP NEXT
  • The Mules travel to Topeka, Kan., for a 1 p.m. MIAA game at Washburn Saturday, Sept. 23, at Yager Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Travis DeGrate

#1 Travis DeGrate

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Alex Millspaugh

#96 Alex Millspaugh

DL
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
Curtis Appleton II

#1 Curtis Appleton II

DB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

DB
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

P
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
Cedric Case

#10 Cedric Case

QB
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

RB
5' 11"
Sophomore
Samuel Knowlton

#41 Samuel Knowlton

K
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Travis DeGrate

#1 Travis DeGrate

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Alex Millspaugh

#96 Alex Millspaugh

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
DL
Curtis Appleton II

#1 Curtis Appleton II

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
P
Cedric Case

#10 Cedric Case

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
QB
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

5' 11"
Sophomore
RB
Samuel Knowlton

#41 Samuel Knowlton

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
K
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
LB
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DL