MARYVILLE, Mo. – Central Missouri Mules football posted a 35-30 victory over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats Saturday afternoon, Oct. 19, at Bearcat Stadium. The win was the first for UCM in Maryville since 2003.
The Mules (4-3, 2-3 MIAA) are scheduled to host the Washburn Ichabods (2-5, 2-4 MIAA) in the annual UCM Homecoming Game Saturday, Oct. 26, at 1:30 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg.
Central Missouri trailed 21-14 late in the second quarter when
Jevean Brown blocked a 41-yard Bearcat field-goal attempt on fourth down, giving the Mules the ball back.
Quarterback
Zach Zebrowski wasted no time getting UCM in the end zone, finding
Zach Patterson on a 73-yard touchdown pass, knotting the game, 21-21, going into halftime.
Northwest Missouri State took back the lead, 24-21, with a field-goal on the opening drive of the third quarter, but
Isaac Montgomery picked off a Bearcat pass in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for the touchdown, putting Central Missouri back in front, 28-24, with 3:35 to go in the third stanza.
The Mules extended their lead in the fourth quarter, 35-27, when Zebrowski found Patterson in the end zone again, this time on a 63-yard, flea-flicker pass with 10:50 remaining in the stanza.
The Bearcats converted a 33-yard field-goal with six minutes to go, trimming the Central Missouri advantage to 35-30, but that was as close as Northwest Missouri would get the rest of the game.
Zebrowski went 23-for-39 for 325 yards and three touchdowns while Patterson compiled a game-high 152 receiving yards, including two touchdowns, on six catches, and
Keyon Butler added a rushing touchdown on seven carries, pacing UCM offensively.
Brown had 11 tackles, including two tackles-for-loss for four yards, Montgomery added his 100-yard interception return for a touchdown, and
Kendal Harmon recovered a fumble, pacing the Mules defensively.
For the game, Northwest Missouri State (4-4, 4-3 MIAA) outgained Central Missouri, 451-355, including a 130-30 advantage in rushing yards. UCM bested the Bearcats in passing yards, 325-321.
Quarterback Chris Ruhnke went 31-for-46 with 321 yards and two touchdowns, leading Northwest Missouri.
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