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Mules Grab Homecoming Win over
Missouri Southern

John Wood had three of the Mules six quarterback sacks on the day

Senior defensive end Dallas Bryant came around the edge and blocked a game-tying extra point attempt with 1:39 remaining to help the Central Missouri Mules stave off the Missouri Southern Lions on Saturday by a 24-23 margin at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.

The Lions (5-3, 3-3 MIAA) got the ball back one more time after stopping the Mules (5-3, 4-2 MIAA) on three and out (using all three timeouts) after a recovered onside kick. They drove into UCM territory but MSSU kicker Brian Malette’s field goal attempt from 54 yards out as time expired was short and left, and the Mules came away with their seventh consecutive win on Homecoming.

It started out well for the Mules as they took advantage of good field position on a windy day (gusts of up to 30 mph). Quarterback Eric Czerniewski completed two passes of more than 20 yards to get the Mules down to the three yard line before Glenn Milner punched it in..

They followed that score by taking advantage of a muffed punt by Southern on the 18 yard line. Milner rolled in from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter, but the Lions would fight back.

MSSU’s Jordan Patton picked off the second of three interceptions by Czerniewski and returned it 12 yards to pay dirt to cut it to seven. The Lions would tie the game just before halftime on a 13 play, 80 yard drive, capped by a six yard touchdown pass from Adam Hinspeter to Isaac Norman.

The Mules held the Lions to negative four yards rushing in the half while putting up 47 yards, but neither team really found their rhythm offensively until the second stanza. Each team had two turnovers as well in the period.

Missouri Southern made it 17 unanswered points early in the third quarter with a Malette field goal but the Mules came back to tie it a couple drives later thanks to an Anthony Parks punt return that gave them the ball on the Lion 31.

Ryan Nesbitt forced an Alley Broussard fumble on the next possession to give the Mules another short field to work with. Milner raced into the endzone from 27 yards out on a quick snap swinging gate play with 33 seconds remaining in the third.

The Mules held the Lions offense in the fourth but an 88 yard drive that took the clock down to 1:39 resulted in a Broussard score from a yard out.

UCM used great field position all day long as its average starting field position was its own 48 yard line. They forced the Lions into several long field situations, pinning them inside their own 20 on five punts. Matt Frankel also used the wind to crush four kickoffs for touchbacks.

The Mules defense pressured the Lions all day long, getting 12 tackles for loss and six quarterback sacks. Junior defensive end John Wood led the way with a career-high three on the day while Layne Kreter had two and a forced fumble. With five starters out due to injury including free safety Kendall Ricketts, the Mules need guys to step up. Nesbitt and Jacob Glose did just that as they led the team 12 and 11 stops, respectively. Glose also had three for loss. UCM held the Lions to only 49 yards on the ground.

Offensively, the Mules were paced by Milner’s 118 yards and three scores. He also caught a pass for 22 yards.