Football | 10/21/2026 1:57:00 PM

Game 8: Central Missouri (5-2, 4-1 MIAA) at No. 8 Emporia State (7-0, 5-0 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (Francis G. Welch Stadium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO AM, 92.1 FM, 98.5 The BAR FM (Greg Hassler, pxp; Jim Svoboda, color; Ryan Anderson, sideline)
TV: Sports Illustrated TV (SI-TV)
Live Video (PPV): TheMIAANetwork.com/UCMMULES

 Live Stats | Live Audio | UCM Game Notes | SI-TV Info

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SCENE SETTER

• University of Central Missouri Mules Football (5-2, 4-1 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Emporia, Kan., for a key MIAA contest against the No. 8-ranked and MIAA-leading Emporia State Hornets (7-0, 5-0 MIAA) on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. at Francis G. Welch Stadium.
• UCM is coming off a 49-43 victory over the Washburn Ichabods in the annual UCM Homecoming Game on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field in Warrensburg.
• Through seven games, Central Missouri ranks in the top 10 in NCAA-II in passing offense (4th at 336.7 yards per game) and first downs (8th with 185). Individually, quarterback Jordan Pachot leads Division II in completions per game (27.9 per game), ranks fourth in passing yards per game (319.1) and overall passing yards (2,334), while running back DJ Brown is seventh in rushing TDs (12), eighth in total touchdowns (13), and ninth in scoring (11.1) and total points scored (78).
• 2026 is the 130th season in the history of Mules Football. UCM has played football every year since 1895, except for 1918 due to World War I.
• The Mules are ranked No. 7 in the first NCAA NPI Super Region 4 rankings released on Oct. 18. The top eight teams in the final NPI rankings released after the conclusion of the regular season will advance to the NCAA-II Football Playoffs.
• Central Missouri was voted fourth in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Media Poll and fifth in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.

ON THE AIR

• Saturday's game will be broadcast live on "Your Country" 98.5 The BAR, "Good Time Oldies" 1450 KOKO, 92.1 FM, and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action and former Mules Football Head Coach Jim Svoboda providing color commentary. UCM Assistant AD for Communications Ryan Anderson will be on the sidelines for the contest.
• A pay-per-view webcast of the game will also be available via the MIAA Network at TheMIAANetwork.com/UCMMULES.
• Saturday's contest will also air live nationally on Sports Illustrated TV (SI-TV). Please visit TheMIAA.com for more information on SI-TV and how to watch.

CURRENT UCM STATISTICAL LEADERS

• Passing: Jordan Pachot (QB): 195-294; 7 interceptions; 66.3 completion percentage; 2,234 passing yards; 15 touchdowns; 75 long; 319.1 yards per game
• Rushing: DJ Brown (RB): 123 carries; 644 rushing yards; 5.2 yards per carry; 12 touchdowns; 41 long; 92 yards per game
• Receiving: Jack Pospisil (WR): 55 catches, 454 yards, 8.3 yards per catch, 2 touchdown, 39 long, 64.9 yards per game; Jake Weber (WR): 34 catches, 412 yards, 12.1 yards per catch, 3 touchdowns, 39 long, 58.9 yards per game; Marlon Lindsey, Jr. (WR): 21 catches, 407 yards, 19.4 yards per catch, 5 touchdowns, 75 long, 58.1 yards per game
• Tackles: Marcus Williams (DL): 57 tackles (28 solo, 29 assisted)
• Tackles-for-Loss: Kyan Franklin (DL): 5.5 TFL for 19 yards
• Sacks: Marcus Williams (DL): 3.5 sacks for 23 yards
• Takeaways: Abraham Hoskins III (DB): 3 interceptions; Marcus Williams (LB): 2 interceptions

LINDSEY, JR., EARNS MIAA SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS

• Marlon Lindsey, Jr. was voted the MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week for his performance on the football field during the week of Oct. 12-18, the conference office announced on Monday, Oct. 19.
• Lindsey Jr. earned his first-career MIAA Athlete of the Week honor after helping the Mules to a 49-43 win over the Washburn Ichabods in the annual UCM Homecoming Game on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. He became the first UCM football student-athlete to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Jack Pospisil at Emporia State in 2022, when he went 90 yards to the end zone on a kickoff with 7:13 to go in the fourth quarter. On the day, Lindsey Jr. had 174 return yards on four returns.

POSPISIL CLIMBING THE RECORD CHARTS

• Wide receiver Jack Pospisil continues to climb the UCM receiving record charts. Entering Saturday, he is the UCM career receptions leader with 225, ranks third in career receiving yards with 2,494, and is tied for fifth in career TD receptions with 19.

GROUND GAME

• Running back DJ Brown leads the MIAA in rushing TDs through seven games with 12, overall rushing yards (644 yards on 123 carries), and rushing yards per game (92 per game).
• As a team, UCM is currently fourth in the conference in rushing with 994 rushing yards and 142 rushing yards per game.

AIRING IT OUT

• Quarterback Jordan Pachot paces the MIAA in passing through seven games with 2,234 passing yards on 195 completions and 319.1 passing yards per game.
• The Mules as a team are currently second in the MIAA with 2,357 passing yards and 336.7 passing yards per game.

EXTENDING THE DRIVE

• The Mules lead the MIAA in both first downs (185 total, 26.4 per game) and third down conversions (51.3 percent).

NEW FACES

• Mules Football welcomes 57 new student-athletes to their roster in 2026, including 33 high school freshmen and 24 transfers.
• In addition, UCM has four new coaches for the 2026 season. New coaches include: Brandon Clayton (Defensive Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Backs), Cody Fayette (Tight Ends), Isaiah Wilson (Running Backs), and Austin Alewel (Kickers, Punters, Long Snapper).

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday's game against the Hornets will mark the 71st meeting in the all-time series dating all the way back to 1901. UCM leads the series, 44-22-4. Last season, Emporia State posted a narrow 31-27 win over the Mules in Warrensburg on Oct. 25.

LAST TIME OUT: MULES FOOTBALL TURNS BACK WASHBURN IN HOMECOMING GAME SATURDAY, 49-43

• University of Central Missouri Mules Football posted a 49-43 victory over the Washburn Ichabods during the annual UCM Homecoming Game on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 17, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• UCM raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Jake Weber reeled in an eight-yard pass from quarterback Jordan Pachot for the opening touchdown of the contest before DJ Brown snagged a six-yard feed from Pachot with 1:45 remaining in the opening stanza to double Central Missouri's advantage.
• After a Washburn TD with 11:01 to go in the second quarter, wide receiver Marlon Lindsey, Jr., scored his first-career rushing touchdown on a nine-yard run, upping the Mules' lead to 21-7 at the 6:45 mark of the second.
• Jack Pospisil caught a 20-yard feed from Pachot in the end zone with 2:36 to go in the second quarter, building the Central Missouri lead to 28-7, before the Ichabods scored with one minute remaining, sending the game into halftime with the Mules in front, 28-14.
• Washburn trimmed the UCM lead to 28-21 before the Mules responded.
• Brown recorded back-to-back rushing TDs of 22 and 23 yards at the 1:27 mark of the third quarter and 10:09 mark of the fourth quarter, before Lindsey, Jr., returned an Ichabod kickoff 90 yards into the end zone for the first kickoff return for a touchdown since Pospisil at Emporia State in 2022, giving the Mules a 49-28 cushion with 7:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.
• Washburn had two touchdowns in the final five minutes, but the Mules stopped the Ichabods on one final pass attempt with seven seconds to go in the final stanza, sealing the win.
• Pachot went 41-of-50 for 339 passing yards with three touchdowns, while Brown had a game-high 112 rushing yards on 24 carries with two rushing touchdowns, and added a receiving TD on seven catches and 40 yards through the air, and Pospisil tallied 111 receiving yards on 13 catches with a touchdown, leading Central Missouri offensively.
• Abraham Hoskins III compiled six tackles, including a tackle-for-loss, and snagged his team-best third interception of 2026, pacing the UCM defense.
• For the game, Washburn outgained the Mules, 503 yards to 488 yards, including a 444-339 advantage in passing yards. UCM won the ground game; however, it out-rushed the Ichabods, 149-59.
• The Mules also bested Washburn in first downs, 30-29, and time-of-possession, 33:18 to 26:42. UCM was also a perfect 5-of-5 in red zone scoring.
• Washburn quarterback Logan Madden was 28-of-51 for 441 passing yards with three touchdowns, and Tre Calhoun had 166 receiving yards on 11 catches with a touchdown, leading the Ichabods.

THE MULES AT HOME

• The Mules are 270-192-13 overall, and 2026 will be their 94th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
• Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 19-7 at home.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES

• Central Missouri has scored in 368 straight games, a MIAA record.
• The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.

MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY

• In the 130 seasons of UCM Football, the Mules have compiled a 614-546-51 record. Central Missouri has fielded a football team every year since 1895, except in 1918, when World War I was underway.
• The Mules have won 10 or more games six times in the history of the program and have posted 15 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 13 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, 80 Central Missouri football players have either been drafted or signed professional free-agent contracts.

UP NEXT

• UCM returns home to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field to host Fort Hays State on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. The game will be Cancer Awareness and Youth Day.