Josh Lamberson
Ryan Anderson/UCM Athletics

Football

Mules Host Central Oklahoma for 2023 Home Opener, Get The Red Out & Military Appreciation Day Saturday

Game 2: Central Missouri (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) vs. Central Oklahoma (1-0, 1-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Sept. 9 | 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)
**Get the Red Out & Military Appreciation Day**

Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes (PDF)
SCENE SETTER
  • University of Central Missouri Mules football (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) is scheduled to host the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) in the 2023 home opener Saturday afternoon, Sept. 9, at 1 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg, Mo. The game will also be the annual "Get the Red Out" contest and Military Appreciation Day.
  • As part of Military Appreciation Day, all active and retired military personnel will receive FREE admission to the game with a valid military ID. 
  • The Mules are coming off a 45-38 victory over the Missouri Western Griffons in their 2023 season opener Thursday, Aug. 31, in St. Joseph, Mo.
  • In the contest, UCM rolled up 599 yards of total offense -- the most total offensive yards since 2019 when the Mules compiled a school-record 790 yards against Lincoln.
  • Central Missouri returns 10 starters and 43 letterwinners from last season's team, including All-MIAA performers David Olajiga (1st team defensive lineman), Arkell Smith (2nd team receiver), Cedric Case (honorable mention quarterback), Gabe Clark (honorable mention offensive lineman), Curtis Appleton II (honorable mention defensive back), Noah Blair (honorable mention defensive back), Ethan Brown (honorable mention punter) and Jack Pospisil (honorable mention kick/punt returner).
  • 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 Central Oklahoma was tabbed to tie for fifth in the preseason coaches' poll and picked fifth in the preseason media poll.
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 one game, the Mules are led offensively by redshirt junior quarterback Zach Zebrowski, who went 29-of-39 for 385 yards while recording five passing touchdowns in UCM's win at Missouri Western...Central Missouri's leading receivers after one contest are redshirt senior Arkell Smith (11 rec., 136 yds., 1 TD, 58 long at Missouri Western) and redshirt sophomore Michael Fitzgerald (6 rec., 106 yds., 1 TD, 39 long at Missouri Western)...On the ground, UCM is led by sophomore running back Marcellous Hawkins (15 carries, 66 yds., 1 TD at Missouri Western).
  • Defense: UCM is paced defensively through one game by redshirt junior defensive back Curtis Appleton II (7 tackles [5 solo, 2 asst], 1 fumble recovery at Missouri Western), redshirt junior defensive back Noah Blair (1 interception at Missouri Western), redshirt junior linebacker Cale Miller (1 inteception at Missouri Western) and redshirt senior defensive back Wyryor Noil (1 inteception at Missouri Western).
  • Special Teams: After one contest, the Central Missouri special teams unit is led by redshirt sophomore punter Ethan Brown (4 punts, 111 yards, 27.75 average, 43 long, 2 fair catches, 2 inside 20 at Missouri Western).
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 home opener against the Central Oklahoma Bronchos will mark the 11th meeting in the all-time series dating back to the first meeting in 2012. The Mules lead the series, 7-3. Last season, UCM fell to the Bronchos, 13-10, in Edmond, Okla.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
  • Quarterback Zach Zebrowski threw for 385 yards and five touchdowns leading the University of Central Missouri Mules football team to a 45-38 victory over the Missouri Western Griffons in the 2023 season opener for both teams Thursday, August 31, at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
  • A redshirt junior from Woodbury, Minn., Zebrowski converted 29 out of 39 pass attempts for his 385 yards through the air in his debut with Central Missouri.
  • Arkell Smith added 136 yards on 11 catches and reeled in a 58-yard touchdown pass while Michael Fitzgerald II tallied six catches for 101 yards with a touchdown. Zion Perry, Price Morgan and Jack Pospisil also each compiled touchdowns through the air.
  • Marcellous Hawkins ran for 66 yards with a touchdown, pacing UCM on the ground.
  • Defensively for the Mules, Curtis Appleton II tallied a team-high seven tackles and recovered a fumble while Cale Miller, Noah Blair and Wyryor Noil each had interceptions. Noil's interception with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Mules.
  • Central Missouri outgained Missouri Western (0-1, 0-1 MIAA) for the game, 599-362, including a 486-247 advantage in passing. The Griffons narrowly bested UCM in rushing yards, 115-113.
LAST TIME OUT VS. CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
  • Central Missouri Mules football fell to the Central Oklahoma Bronhcos, 13-10, in their 2022 season finale Saturday afternoon, Nov. 12, at Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond, Okla.
  • Cedric Case went 26-for-40 for 208 yards and threw for one touchdown while Trevor Twehous had 60 receiving yards and reeled in a 29-yard TD pass, pacing Central Missouri offensively.
  • Cale Miller had seven tackles and forced a fumble, Noah Blair and Isaac Montgomery each recovered fumbles, and David Olajiga added a forced fumble, leading UCM defensively. Olajiga and Montgomery also each had quarterback sacks in the contest.
  • For the game, Central Oklahoma outgained Central Missouri, 330-269, including a 172-61 advantage in rushing yardage. The Mules bested the Bronchos in passing yardage, 208-158.
THE MULES AT HOME
  • The Mules are 255-186-13 overall and 2023 is their 91st 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 326 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 585-533-51 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 welcome No. 3-ranked Pittsburg State to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field for the annual UCM Family Weekend game Saturday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
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Players Mentioned

Trevor Twehous

#2 Trevor Twehous

WR
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
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
Gabe Clark

#77 Gabe Clark

OL
6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

RB
5' 11"
Sophomore
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Isaac Montgomery

#3 Isaac Montgomery

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Trevor Twehous

#2 Trevor Twehous

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
WR
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
Gabe Clark

#77 Gabe Clark

6' 5"
Redshirt Junior
OL
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

5' 11"
Sophomore
RB
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Isaac Montgomery

#3 Isaac Montgomery

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
LB
David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DL