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Football

No. 11 Mules Head to Davenport Saturday Morning

Game 3: No. 11 Central Missouri (1-1, 0-1 MIAA) at Davenport (2-0, 0-0 GLIAC)
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 11 a.m. CT | Caledonia, Mich. (Farmers Insurace Athletic Complex)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The BAR (Greg Hassler, pxp; Ella Bland, sideline)
TV: FloSports (PPV) 

Live Stats | Live Audio | UCM Game Notes (PDF)
SCENE SETTER
  • No. 11-ranked Central Missouri Mules football (1-1, 0-1 MIAA) will look to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it travels to Grand Rapids, Mich., for a non-conference game against the Davenport Panthers (2-0, 0-0 GLIAC) Saturday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. CT/Noon ET at the Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex.
  • The Mules dropped a 57-40 decision at Central Oklahoma Saturday, Sept. 14, in Edmond, Okla., while the Panthers defeated Bowie State, 17-14, in Bowie, Md., that same day.
  • Through two games, UCM leads NCAA Division II in passing offense (475.5 yards/game), ranks second in total offense (565 yards/game) and fourth in scoring offense (51.5 points/game).
  • Individually, quarterback Zach Zebrowski is first in completions per game (32.5), passing touchdowns (12), passing yards per game (470) and total offense (488 yards/game), and ranks second in passing yards (940).
  • 2024 marks the 127th season of football at the University of Central Missouri.
  • The Mules were tabbed the preseason favorite in both the MIAA Preseason Coaches' and Media Preseason Polls. Davenport was picked third in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) preseason poll.
  • UCM is ranked No. 11 in the both the latest AFCA Division II Coaches' and D2Football.com Polls released Monday, Sept. 16.
ON THE AIR
  • 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 and Ella Bland on the sidelines.
  • The game will also be webcast online on a pay-per-view basis via FloSports. Visit UCMAthletics.com for a link to the stream.
WEEKLY HONORS UCM LEADERS TRIO OF MULES EARN SPOTS ON D2FOOTBALL.COM ELITE 100 PRESEASON WATCH LIST
  • Three University of Central Missouri football student-athletes earned spots on the 2024 D2Football.com Elite 100 Preseason Watch List.
  • Reigning Harlon Hill Award winner and consensus First Team All-American quarterback Zach Zebrowski and 2023 All-American offensive lineman Gabe Clark earned First Team Offense accolades while 2023 All-Region and All-MIAA running back Marcellous Hawkins secured a spot on the SQUAD Offense team.
  • The D2Football.com Elite 100 Preseason Watch List was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with the input of numerous sitting head coaches as well as professional football scouting veteran Josh Buchanan.
PREVIEWING 2024
  • Entering the season, Central Missouri welcomes back 20 letterwinners, including 15 starters. 2023 Harlon Hill Award winner and consensus All-American quarterback Zach Zebrowski returns in addition to All-American offensive lineman Gabe Clark. Zebrowski and Clark are among 10 total student-athletes who earned All-MIAA accolades last season that return to UCM in 2024.
  • Other returning All-MIAA selections include running back Marcellous Hawkins, wide receiver Jack Pospisil, offensive linemen Liam Wortmann and Reed Kaburick, defensive lineman Weston King and Joshua Bean, linebacker Cale Miller and defensive back Noah Blair.
  • Zebrowski set new NCAA Division II records for passing touchdowns (61), total offensive yards (5,690), points responsible for (380) and TDs responsible for (63 - 61 pass, two rush) in UCM's 13 games last season. He also established new UCM and MIAA records for passing touchdowns (8), passing yards (615 yards) and total offense (673 yards) in a single-game in the Mules' 77-27 win over then No. 23-ranked Emporia State Oct. 21, 2023.
  • The Mules set numerous offensive records in both the MIAA and NCAA-II in 2023 and averaged an NCAA Division II-best 49.4 points per game.
NEW FACES
  • 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.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Saturday's contest at Davenport will mark the first-ever meeting between the Mules and the Panthers in the sport of football.
THE MULES AT HOME
  • The Mules are 262-187-13 overall and 2024 is their 92nd season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 11-2 at home.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
  • Central Missouri has scored in 340 straight games, a MIAA record.
  • The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.
MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
  • In the 127 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 596-536-51 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.
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, 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.
UP NEXT
  • Central Missouri returns home to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field to host Nebraska Kearney in the annual UCM Family Weekend Game Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m.
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Players Mentioned

David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

DL
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Joshua Bean

#9 Joshua Bean

DL
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

DB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Jevean Brown

#6 Jevean Brown

DB
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
Gabe Clark

#77 Gabe Clark

OL
6' 6"
Redshirt Senior
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

RB
5' 11"
Junior
Reed Kaburick

#73 Reed Kaburick

OL
6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Weston King

#95 Weston King

DL
6' 2"
Senior
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

LB
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Jack Pospisil

#2 Jack Pospisil

WR
5' 7"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

David Olajiga

#55 David Olajiga

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DL
Joshua Bean

#9 Joshua Bean

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
DL
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
DB
Jevean Brown

#6 Jevean Brown

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
DB
Gabe Clark

#77 Gabe Clark

6' 6"
Redshirt Senior
OL
Marcellous Hawkins

#8 Marcellous Hawkins

5' 11"
Junior
RB
Reed Kaburick

#73 Reed Kaburick

6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
OL
Weston King

#95 Weston King

6' 2"
Senior
DL
Cale Miller

#30 Cale Miller

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Jack Pospisil

#2 Jack Pospisil

5' 7"
Redshirt Junior
WR