Football | 10/7/2024 1:36:00 PM

• Central Missouri Mules football (3-2, 1-2 MIAA) is scheduled to return home to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field to host the Missouri Western Griffons (2-4, 1-4 MIAA) Saturday, Oct. 12, at 1 p.m.
• Saturday's contest is the annual Military Appreciation & UCM Faculty & Staff Day Game. All active and retired military personnel and their immediate family members will receive free admission to Saturday's contest with a valid military ID. All UCM Faculty & Staff members with a valid ID will also receive complimentary admission to the game.
• UCM is coming off a 31-21 loss at Fort Hays State Saturday night, Oct. 5, in Hays, Kan.
• Through five games, UCM leads NCAA Division II in passing offense (458.4 yards/game) and ranks third in total offense (558.6 yards/game).
• Individually, quarterback Zach Zebrowski is first in passing yards per game (456.2), passing yards (2,281), passing TDs (21) and total offense (489.2 yards/game), and ranks second in completions per game (35.2 completions/game).
• The Mules were tabbed the preseason favorite in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches' and Media Preseason Polls. Missouri Western was picked fourth in the preseason media poll and sixth in the preseason coaches' poll.

• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, "Your Country" 98.5 The BAR and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action, Joe Moore providing color commentary, and Ella Bland on the sidelines.
• The game will also be webcast online through Central Missouri's MIAA Network Internet portal at 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.
• Saturday's game is also the MIAA Game of the Week. The contest will be televised throughout the Kansas City Metro Area on 38 The Spot. For more info, please visit click here. 

• MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week: Sept. 9, Sept. 30, QB, Zach Zebrowski
• MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week: Sept. 23, DB, Noah Blair

• Passing: Zach Zebrowski (QB): 176-for-267, 2281 yards, 21 TDs, 4 INT, 456.2 yards per game.
• Rushing: LaAngelo Bell (RB): 38 carries, 161 yards, 3 TDs, 32.2 yards per game.
• Receiving: Zach Patterson (WR): 26 catches, 552 yards, 3 TDs, 75 long, 110.4 yards per game.
• Tackles: Austin Bressler (DB): 36 total, 9 solo, 27 assisted
• Tackles-for-Loss: Austin Bressler (LB): 4 total, 12 yards lost
• Sacks: Isaac Montgomery (LB): 2.0 sacks, 11 yards lost
• Takeaways: LaDarian Paulk (DB): 2 INTs

• Entering the 2024 season, the Mules roster will feature 37 true freshmen and 30 transfers.
• The Mules also welcome four new coaches for 2024 in Cornerbacks Coach Jarvis Harrod, Assistant Secondaries Coach and former UCM standout safety Codie Bell, Tight Ends Coach Cole McDowell and Linebackers Coach Zach McCarthy.
• Returning coaches for this season include 2023 MIAA and AFCA Division II Super Region III Coach of the Year Josh Lamberson, Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach Hayden Hawk, Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach Justin Bane, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach Greg Jones, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Run Game/Offensive Line Coach Joe Holtzclaw, Defensive Line Coach/Alumni & Community Engagement Coordinator Dana Chambers, Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Coach Adrian Duncan and Assistant AD for Football Operations/Player Personnel DeMarkco Butler.

• Going into Saturday's game, the Mules have four wide receivers who have at least 100 receiving yards on the season. Zach Patterson (552 yards, 26 catches, 3 TD), Hogan Wasson (307 yards, 24 catches, 1 TD), NyNy Davis (23 catches, 275 yards, 3 TD), Jack Pospisil (23 catches, 260 yards, 1 TD), Derrick Rose (14 catches, 159 yards, 1 TD), Jake Lippe (15 catches, 148 yards, 3 TD) and Cristian Dixon (9 catches, 101 yards, 3 TD) all have compiled at least 100 receiving yards through UCM's five contests.
• In Saturday's contest at Fort Hays State, Patterson tallied a UCM single-game 232 receiving yards on 10 catches. His 232 yards through the air bested the previous record of 230 yards set by Jamar Howard at Emporia State in 2011.

• Quarterback Zach Zebrowski continues to climb the UCM career records charts. Through 18 career games at UCM, he ranks second in career pass completions (593) and third in passing yards (7,438), touchdown passes (82) and total offense (8,117 yards - 679 rush, 7438 pass).

• Saturday's game against the Griffons will mark the 40th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1975. The Mules hold a slim 20-18-1. Last season, UCM posted a 45-38 win over the Griffons in St. Joseph in the season opener for both teams August 31.

• The No. 12-ranked Central Missouri Mules football team fell to the Fort Hays State Tigers, 31-21, Saturday evening, Oct. 5, at Lewis Field Stadium.
• Zach Zebrowski went 35-for-49 with three touchdowns and 471 passing yards, while Zach Patterson had 232 receiving yards -- a UCM single-game record -- on 10 catches, including a 75-yard touchdown reception, and Jake Lippe and C'ing Blanton both tallied touchdown receptions, leading UCM offensively.
• Austin Bressler compiled 13 tackles, and Cale Miller added a quarterback sack, eight tackles, and a tackle-for-loss, pacing the Central Missouri defense.
• For the game, the Mules outgained the Tigers (4-2, 2-2 MIAA), 533-445, including a 471-302 advantage in passing yards, but Fort Hays State bested UCM in rushing yards, 143-62, and time of possession, 34:22 to 25:38.

• The Mules are 263-187-13 overall and 2024 is their 92nd season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 12-2 at home.

• Central Missouri has scored in 343 straight games, a MIAA record.
• The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.

• In the 127 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 598-537-51 record.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games five times in the history of the program and have posted 14 seasons of eight or more wins.
• UCM tied the program-record for wins in a season with 11 in 2023. The Mules also won 11 games in 2019 and 2010.
• UCM has won or shared 14 MIAA championships in school history with the last coming in 2023.
• The Mules have qualified for the postseason 11 times in their history, including five trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2023.

• 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, 79 Central Missouri football players have either been drafted or signed professional free-agent contracts.
• For the 2024 season, UCM has two former players in the NFL, as Davidson (Buffalo Bills) and David Olajiga (Los Angeles Rams) are both on practice squads.

• Central Missouri travels to Maryville, Mo., for a 2 p.m. MIAA showdown at Northwest Missouri State Saturday, Oct. 19.