No. 11 Mules Football Back Home Saturday for UCM Family Weekend & Black Out Game vs. Nebraska Kearney

Football | 9/24/2024 8:30:00 AM

• No. 11-ranked Central Missouri Mules football (2-1, 0-1 MIAA) returns home to the friendly confines of Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field after a two-game road swing, hosting the Nebraska Kearney Lopers (2-1, 1-1 MIAA) Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. for the annual UCM Family Weekend game.
• Saturday's game is also the annual Mules Football Black Out Game. The Mules will be wearing all black jerseys and encourage all UCM fans to wear black to the game. 
• The Mules are coming off a thrilling 32-31 win at Davenport University Saturday, Sept. 21, in Caledonia, Mich.
• Through three games, UCM leads NCAA Division II in passing offense (433.3 yards/game), ranks third in total offense (544 yards/game) and fourth in scoring offense (45 points per game).
• Individually, quarterback Zach Zebrowski is first in passing yards per game (429.7) and total offense (463.3 yards/game), and ranks second in completions per game (32 completions/game) passing yards (1,289) and passing touchdowns (13).
• After Zebrowski's 349 passing yards and one passing TD at Davenport Saturday, he moved into second place in program history in career passing TDs with 74 and fifth place in career passing yards with 6,446 yards.
• 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. Nebraska Kearney was voted 10th out of 10 teams in the conference's preseason coaches' and media polls.
• UCM is ranked No. 12 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches' and No. 11 in the D2Football.com Polls released Monday, Sept. 23.

• 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.

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

• Noah Blair was named the MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week for his performance on the football field during the week of Sept. 16-22, the conference office announced Monday, Sept. 24.
• Blair sealed No. 11-ranked UCM's 32-31 comeback win at Davenport Saturday, Sept. 21, in Caledonia, Mich., intercepting a Panther pass with 42 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. In addition, Blair added three tackles in the contest, posting two assisted and one solo tackle.

• Passing: Zach Zebrowski (QB): 96-for-150, 1289 yards, 13 TDs, 2 INT, 429.7 yards per game.
• Rushing: Marcellous Hawkins (RB): 31 carries, 150 yards, 2 TDs, 48 yards per game.
• Receiving: Hogan Wasson (WR): 16 receptions, 250 yards, 1 TD, 83.3 yards per game.
• Tackles: Jevean Brown (DB): 20 total, 7 solo, 13 assisted
• Tackles-for-Loss: Austin Bressler (LB): 3 total, 9 yards lost
• Sacks: Tyler Shuey (DL): 1.0 sacks, 10 yards lost
• Takeaways: LaDarian Paulk (DB): 2 INTs

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Saturday's game against Nebraska Kearney will be the 14th meeting in the all-time series dating back to 1960. UCM leads the series, 9-4. Last season, Central Missouri posted a 38-14 win over the Lopers in Warrensburg.

• Arkell Smith set a new UCM program record for career receiving touchdowns and Zach Zebrowski threw for 434 yards with five touchdowns as No. 18-ranked Central Missouri Mules football stampeded past the Nebraska Kearney Lopers, 38-14, Saturday afternoon, Oct. 7, 2023, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Smith caught two touchdown passes on 11 catches and 154 yards, bringing his career total to 25, surpassing former Mule Jamorris Warren, who caught 24 touchdowns from 2009-10.
• Zebrowski went 38-of-56 for his 434 passing yards and five TDs, marking the third game this season he has compiled at least 400 yards through the air.
• Jack Pospisil also eclipsed 100 receiving yards in the victory, posting 109 yards on eight catches with a touchdown.
• Price Morgan and Marcellous Hawkins added touchdown catches, with Hawkins rushing for a team-best 31 yards on nine carries.
• Noah Blair paced Central Missouri defensively with seven tackles and a 31-yard interception. Wyryor Noil compiled four tackles and a 33-yard interception, and Jaden Dawson posted an interception, as well.
• For the game, UCM outgained Nebraska Kearney, 453-442, including a 434-288 advantage in passing yards. The Mules were also an impressive 4-of-5 in scoring chances in the red zone.
• TJ Davis threw for 235 yards and one touchdown, going 18-for-30 with three interceptions, pacing the Lopers offensively.

• 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.

• Central Missouri has scored in 341 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 597-536-51 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.

• 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 is back on the road for a MIAA game at Fort Hays State Saturday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m. in Hays, Kan.