No. 19 Mules Football Travels to No. 11 Northwest Missouri Saturday for Key MIAA Contest

Andrew Mather | University Photographer

Football | 10/7/2026 1:30:00 PM

Game 6: No. 19 Central Missouri (4-1, 3-0 MIAA) at No. 11 Northwest Missouri State (3-1, 2-1 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 10 | 1:30 p.m. | Maryville, Mo. (Bearcat Stadium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO AM, 92.1 FM, 98.5 The BAR FM (Greg Hassler, pxp; Jim Svoboda, color; Ryan Anderson, sideline)
Live Video (PPV): TheMIAANetwork.com/UCMMULES

Live Stats | Live Audio | UCM Game Notes

SCENE SETTER

No. 19/24-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Football (4-1, 3-0 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Maryville, Mo., for a key MIAA showdown against No. 11/14-ranked Northwest Missouri State (3-1, 2-1 MIAA) on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 10, at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
The Mules, who have won four straight games, are coming off a thrilling 33-31 win over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Oct. 3 in Warrensburg.
UCM is ranked No. 19 in the latest D2football.com Top 25 and debuted at No. 24 in the most recent AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll Top 25 this week.
Through five games, Central Missouri ranks in the top 10 in NCAA-II in passing offense (4th at 339.4 yards per game), third-down conversions (6th at 54.5 percent), first downs (8th with 136), and total offense (8th at 503.8 yards per game). Individually, quarterback Jordan Pachot is third in Division II in completions per game (25.8 per game) and passing yards per game (325.6), seventh in overall passing yards (1,628), and 10th in total offense (316 yards per game), while running back DJ Brown is fifth in rushing TDs (10) and scoring (12.0), and seventh in total points scored (60) and total touchdowns (10).
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.
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, and UCM Athletics Assistant AD for Communications Ryan Anderson on the sideline.
A pay-per-view webcast of the game will also be available via the MIAA Network at TheMIAANetwork.com/UCMMULES.

CURRENT UCM STATISTICAL LEADERS

Passing: Jordan Pachot (QB): 129-200; 5 interceptions; 64.5 completion percentage; 1,628 passing yards; 10 touchdowns; 75 long; 325.6 yards per game
Rushing: DJ Brown (RB): 84 carries; 495 rushing yards; 5.9 yards per carry; 10 touchdowns; 41 long; 99 yards per game
Receiving: Jake Weber (WR): 26 catches, 319 yards, 12.3 yards per catch, 2 touchdowns, 30 long, 63.8 yards per game; Marlon Lindsey, Jr. (WR): 16 catches, 332 yards, 20.8 yards per catch, 4 touchdowns, 75 long, 66.4 yards per game; Jack Pospisil (WR): 35 catches, 293 yards, 8.4 yards per catch, 1 touchdown, 39 long, 58.6 yards per game
Tackles: Marcus Williams (DL): 42 tackles (26 assisted, 16 solo)
Tackles-for-Loss: Kyan Franklin (DL): 5.5 TFL for 19 yards
Sacks: Marcus Williams (DL): 2.5 sacks for 22 yards
Takeaways: Abraham Hoskins III (DB); Marcus Williams (DL): 2 interceptions each

WEEKLY HONORS

Running back DJ Brown earned MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week, while kicker/punter/long snapper Colton Brunke-Brown garnered MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week for the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4.
Brown, a fifth-year from Leonard, Texas, rushed for a game-high 93 yards on 20 carries and posted three rushing touchdowns to help then No. 21-ranked Central Missouri to a thrilling 33-31 win over Central Oklahoma on Saturday in Warrensburg. He posted rushing TDs of one, four, and 18 yards in the game and also had 61 receiving yards on six catches in the victory.
Brunke-Brown converted the game-winning, 19-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in UCM's comeback win over Central Oklahoma on Saturday. It was just the second field goal attempt of his UCM career. He converted his inaugural attempt, a 46-yard field goal, at the 4:57 mark of the fourth quarter. In addition, he was 2-for-2 in PAT attempts.

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 205, ranks fourth in career receiving yards with 2,333, and is tied for sixth in career TD receptions with 18.

GROUND GAME

Running back DJ Brown leads the MIAA in rushing through five games with 495 rushing yards on 84 carries. He also paces the conference with 10 rushing TDs and is averaging a conference-high 99 rushing yards per game.
As a team, UCM is currently third in the conference in rushing with 816 rushing yards and 163.2 rushing yards per game.

AIRING IT OUT

Quarterback Jordan Pachot paces the MIAA in passing through five games with 1,628 passing yards on 129 completions and 325.6 passing yards per game.
The Mules as a team are currently second in the MIAA with 1,697 passing yards and 339.4 passing yards per game.

EXTENDING THE DRIVE
The Mules lead the MIAA in both first downs (136 total, 27.2 per game) and third down conversions (53.8 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 Northwest Missouri State will be the 105th meeting in the all-time series dating all the way back to 1921. The Bearcats lead the series, 65-37-2. Last season, Northwest Missouri defeated UCM in Warrensburg, 49-32.

LAST TIME OUT: LATE FIELD GOAL LIFTS NO. 21 MULES TO 33-31 WIN OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA SATURDAY

Colton Brunke-Brown converted a 19-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, sealing a 33-31 comeback win for the No. 21-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Football team in the annual Military Appreciation Game on Saturday night, Oct. 3, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
Central Missouri trailed Central Oklahoma (2-3, 1-2 MIAA), 31-30, with 3:25 to go in the fourth quarter before UCM orchestrated a 15-play, 84-yard drive that ended with Brunke-Brown's field goal with seven seconds to go.
Facing a fourth down and seven yards to go at the UCO 35-yard line, quarterback Jordan Pachot found Jack Pospisil for a 12-yard catch, giving the Mules first and 10 at the Broncho 23-yard line. Trevor Garlington hauled in a 22-yard pass from Pachot, setting up the Mules with first and goal at the one-yard line. After the Bronchos stopped the Mules short of the end zone on the first three downs, Brunke-Brown split the uprights from 19 yards out on fourth down, putting UCM in front, 33-31.
Pachot went 27-of-45 for a career-high 450 yards passing and had one 47-yard TD pass to Garlington in the first quarter, while running back DJ Brown tallied 93 rushing yards on 20 carries with three rushing TDs and added 61 receiving yards on six catches. Pospisil added 88 receiving yards on seven receptions, and Garlington tallied 87 receiving yards on three snags with a touchdown, rounding out the UCM offensive leaders.
Marcus Williams tallied 10 tackles, including a nine-yard sack and an interception, while Keiair Lewis had a seven-yard sack, and Brian Dykstra made a 23-yard tackle-for-loss on the final play of the game, leading Central Missouri defensively.
For the game, UCM outgained UCO, 553 yards to 352 yards, including a 103-73 rushing and 450-279 passing advantage.
Quarterback Jett Huff was 28-of-45 for 296 yards with three touchdowns, and Makel Paiva had 131 receiving yards on 15 catches, pacing Central Oklahoma.

THE MULES AT HOME

The Mules are 269-192-13 overall, and 2026 will be their 94th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 18-7 at home.

SCORING STREAK CONTINUES

Central Missouri has scored in 366 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 613-545-51 record. Central Missouri has fielded a football team every year since 1895, except for 1918, when World War I occurred.
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.

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