WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Sept. 28, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Football got off to a 4-0 start with a 55-27 thumping of Washburn Saturday afternoon in Warrensburg. The Mules totaled eight touchdowns, doing most of their work with the rushing attack, in a dominating performance.

How it Happened
• The Mules offense again put on a show, totaling 441 yards of offense. UCM's defense did a solid job as the Ichabods totaled 361 yards.
• It was the rushing attack that led UCM this week. After throwing for 500 yards last week, the Mules put up just 127 yards through the air compared to 314 on the ground.
• Central Missouri converted 50% of their third-down attempts, going 6-12 and made both of their fourth-down attempts. The Ichabods were barely over 33% on third downs going 7-18 and 3-6 on fourth downs.
• Washburn controlled the ball for 36 minutes of the game, compared to just 23:51 for UCM.
• It should come as no surprise, but the Mules again got on the board early. And quickly. Four plays into the game, Devante Turner scored his first touchdown, a 13-yard rush less than two minutes in. Turner set the drive up with a 41 yard rush to get into Washburn territory.
• Later in the first, UCM made it 14-0. Brook Bolles with a shovel pass to Drew Slager who rolled off a defender and into the endzone from 34 yards out. 
• Less than two minutes into the second, Turner again found the endzone. This time from 25 yards out for a 21-0 Mules lead.
• Ahead 21-0, the Mules went deep into their playbook for an onside kick. The kick had everyone fooled, the only problem was the ball didn't travel the necessary 10 yards. So an illegal touching penalty gave Washburn the ball at their own 43 yard-line.
• On third down from the UCM 30, Ubong Udom got to quarterback Mitch Schurig and knocked the ball loose. Schurig was able to recover, but suffered an injury and did not return in the game. The Ichabods went for it on fourth down and it paid off. Backup quarterback Ian Trapp connected with Austen Hubert for a 31 yard score on Trapp's first play.
• UCM got the touchdown back, thanks entirely to Koby Wilkerson. He rushed three times and picked up all 59 yards on the drive, capping it with a 13 yard score for a 28-7 lead.
• Washburn answered with an 11-play, 67-yard touchdown drive that ate up 5:55 in the second and at the half, the Mules led 28-13.
• Out of the half, Washburn returned the kickoff to their own 49, setting up a short field. Trapp completed a six yard touchdown pass to James Letcher, Jr. and with less than 12 minutes to play in the third, it was a one-score game, 28-20.
• The Mules took over from there though and outscored the Ichabods 27-7 the rest of the way. It started less than two minutes after the Letcher touchdown. Brook Bolles rushed 52 yards down to the Washburn six before running out of steam and being caught from behind. He handed off to Turner on the next play who finished the drive with his third touchdown of the day.
• After the two teams traded punts, Ubong Udom again came up with another strip sack and this time made sure to jump on the fumble himself. He recovered the ball at the Washburn 26 and six plays later, Bolles found Zach Davidson wide open in the endzone for a five-yard touchdown. 41-20 UCM.
• The Mules got the ball back with just three seconds left in the third. That was the start of an 11-play, 73 yard touchdown in 5:13. Devante Turner on third-and-goal leaped into the endzone, putting the Mules up 28, 48-20.
• Each team added another score in the fourth. Koby WIlkerson with his second for UCM made it 55-27 which was the final.

It Was Over When...
• The Mules made it a three-score game thanks to Udom and Bolles. Udom with his third sack of the game and second strip sack gave the Mules a short field. Brook Bolles found a wide-open Zach Davidson for six, putting UCM up 41-20 with 2:53 to play in the third.

Mules Stat Leaders
• There was an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Mules. Offensively, it was Devante Turner who totaled 245 all-purpose yards. He rushed 17 times for 138 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught a pass for 14 yard and totaled 93 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
• Defensively, it was Ubong Udom. He got to the QB three times and forced two fumbles. Udom finished with five total tackles.
• Koby Wilkerson was Turner's counterpart. He rushed 14 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught two balls for 17 yards.
• Brook Bolles had a quiet afternoon going 11-for-21 with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed seven times for 56 yards.
• Drew Slager caught five passes for 70 yards with a score.
• John Embrey led the defense with 10 tackles including a sack.
• Kolesen Crane came down with an interception. 

For the Ichabods
• Ian Trapp threw for 126 yards completing 12-of-21 passes with four touchdowns and an interception. Trapp also rushed 14 times for 46 yards.
• James Letcher totaled 241 all-purpose yards rushing for 58, pulling down six passes for 39 and picking up 144 return yards.
• Zach Willis ran eight times for 54 yards.
• Austen Hubert and Hunter Browning each came down with a touchdown reception.
• Kevin Neal had eight tackles to lead the defense.

News and Notes
• Devante Turner the ninth time in UCM history a Mule rushed for four touchdowns. The last was LaVance Taylor in 2014.
• Turner's four touchdowns give him 29 for his career, moving him into fifth all-time at UCM.
• Brook Bolles also moved up the all-time passing touchdown list into a tie for seventh with his 40th.
• The Mules now lead the all-time series with Washburn 28-19-2. Coach Svoboda is 7-1 against the Ichabods.
• Kolesen Crane's second quarter interception is the Mules first interception this season.
• The Mules recorded seven sacks, one shy of the team record. It's the 15th time in history UCM has picked up seven sacks in a game with the last coming in 2016 and just the fourth time since 2000. 
• Ubong Udom's three sacks tie him for sixth all-time for a single game.
• This is the first time under Coach Svoboda the Mules have started the season 4-0. The last time UCM was 4-0 to start the year was 2009.

Up Next
• The Mules will be on the road next week as they travel to Joplin, Mo. to take on Missouri Southern Oct. 5 at 2 p.m.