Beleaguered Mules hold on for 21-14 win at Emporia State
Injuries depleted the line and a suspension left the secondary short-handed, but the Central Missouri State University Mules found a way to hold on for a 21-14 win at Emporia State University. It was the Mules’ sixth consecutive win over the Hornets. The win assured CMSU (6-3, 4-3 MIAA) would have an eighth consecutive winning season.
In the first quarter it looked like Central Missouri State would run away with it. After stopping the Hornets on fourth-and-three at the CMSU 21, the Mules drove 79 yards on 12 plays, Will Caldwell covering the final 25 yards for the touchdown with 4:03 to go in the first period.
The Central Missouri State defense held Emporia State three-and-out on the Hornets’ next possession. Forced to punt from its own 22, ESU’s front wall allowed true freshman James Scully to plow through and block the kick. Junior quarterback Toby Korrodi hit Caldwell on a swing pass two plays later, the junior tailback taking it in for a 14-0 CMSU lead.
It was 21-0, Mules, with 6:58 to go when Korrodi scored the first rushing touchdown of his CMSU career on a four-yard run. That effort capped a 14-play, 64-yard drive that ate 7:09 off the clock.
The Hornets finally got on the board with 1:06 to go in the half on a Ryan Hulings end-around from seven yards out. The Mules defense seemed to have stopped Emporia State when Justin Whitworth’s pass to Sean Partridge on third-and-eight fell incomplete, but senior cornerback Ricky Armstrong was called for pass interference, keeping the drive alive.
The Mules seemed to be driving on their opening possession of the second half. They went 48 yards on nine plays to the ESU 27. But a bad quarterback-center exchange resulted in a fumble, with the Hornets’ Adam Melichar falling on the ball to stop the drive. From there Emporia State marched 74 yards on nine plays with Whitworth bursting up the middle from 18 yards out to make it 21-14, CMSU, with 7:21 to go in the third quarter.
Central Missouri State looked ready to take control again to open the fourth quarter. The Mules drove 80 yards on eight plays to the Emporia State five to start the final period. But on third and goal, Korrodi threw only his second interception of the season.
The Hornets took over and were forced to punt on fourth down from their own 11. The Mules, though, were called for a roughing the kicker penalty, keeping Emporia State’s drive alive. ESU got to the Central Missouri State 15 before the drive stalled again, and when Jeff Edwards’ 31 yard field goal attempt was wide right, the Mules still maintained the 21-14 advantage.
After a CMSU punt, Emporia State had one more chance. Armstrong, though, got some redemption, as he stepped in front of Whitworth’s pass at the CMSU 23 and returned it 61 yards to 00:30 left to ice the win.
The CMSU defense was under fire much of the day. Already playing without junior defense end Andrew Jilles (shoulder injury) and suspended cornerback RoShawn Marshall, the Mules suffered ankle injuries to defensive linemen Maurice White and Tyler Nay on successive plays.
Still, short-handed Mules were able to limit Emporia State to 276 yards of total offense (80 passing, 196 rushing) and 14 points. That marked the sixth time this season the Swarm & Punish unit held an opponent to 17 points or less. Sophomore free safety Kendall Ricketts once again led the defensive effort with 12 tackles (two for losses). Junior linebacker Roderick Washington, who was questionable before the game because of an injury suffered two weeks ago, added 10 stops.
Offensively, Korrodi completed 20-of-26 passes for 243 yards and also ran for 32. Senior wide receiver Micah Hefner had the best receiving day of his CMSU career with eight receptions for 138 yards.