Kearney, Neb. – The 18th-ranked Central Missouri Mules got 434 yards and five touchdown passes from quarterback Zach Zebrowski, and three interceptions from the defense, to down Nebraska Kearney, 38-14, Saturday afternoon in Warrensburg.
The Mules (5-1, 5-1) snap a two-game losing streak to the Lopers (2-4, 2-4) and now lead the series by a 10-4 margin.
Zebrowski, who spent the last four years at FCS-member Southern Illinois, came in averaging 377 yards per game with 20 TD tosses. He was very busy as UNK held UCM’s rushing attack to 19 yards on 13 attempts. Thus, Zebrowski finished 38 of 56, setting a new season-high attempts total, and completed passes to seven teammates. Redshirt senior Arkell Smith, among the league’s top receivers, had 11 receptions for 154 yards and two scores.
UNK had one of its best offensive days, tallying a season-high 442 yads over 79 plays (5.6 avg.). The Lopers rushed for 154 yards with QB’s TJ Davis (Colorado Springs) and Sean Johnson Jr. (Orlando, Fla.) combining to go 22 of 35 for 288 yards and two scores.
“We knew we had to keep the ball away from them, we knew we needed to score when we had our opportunities. When it’s all said and done, obviously we didn’t,” said Loper head coach Ryan Held. “We did a lot of good things offensively. We ran the ball better; we also had chances at some shots and were very aggressive with the game plan.”
However, the Lopers had drives stall out at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second half. UCM was ahead 17-7 at the time with the drives covering 54 and 58 yards, respectively. But field goals of 48 and 34 yards didn’t go through the uprights. UCM countered with a 16-play, 80-yard drive that made it 24-7 late in the third quarter.
“When you don’t score when you get those opportunities, it’s hard as a defense to keep going out there and playing. They are good at what they do,” said Held. “We didn’t execute the game plan, in all three phases, at the level we needed to beat a team like UCM.”
UCM finished 8 of 14 on third down and 2 of 3 on fourth down and turned each of those INT’s into TD’s. Several of Zebrowski’s scoring tosses (61, 26, 12, 11, 9 yards) came right after big third and fourth down conversions.
After Zebrowski hit Smith from 61 yards out to start the scoring very early on, UNK countered with a 10-play, 59-yard match. The drive took 5:12 off the clock and was capped when Davis hit junior receiver Cole Brown (Dallas, Ga.) from 21 yards out.
UCM came in among the MIAA leaders in INT’s with their first coming on 3rd & 11 from their own 47-yardline late in second quarter. The Lopers countered the Mules second TD drive with another 10-play march but that 48-yarder was off to the right. An 11-play drive to start the second half stalled at the Mule 12 with a 34-yard attempt hitting the right upright.
“We’ve got to be able to make field goals when we get chances. We’ve got to score points when we can,” said Held. “You get a bit deflated after that. Worse case there, it was going to be 17-10 and you’re in it.”
A 33-yard INT return by Wyryor Noll helped set up UCM’s fourth TD with the final one coming after the Mules converted on 4th & 2 from the Loper 25-yard line.
Grad transfer back DeMareus Hosey (Justin, Texas) had seven carries for 25 yards and a catch for 26 yards with sophomore back Zane Schawang (Waverly) at a team-best 38 rushing yards and 17 receiving yards. Next, Brown had five grabs for 60 yards with Davis at 235 passing and 32 rushing yards. At the end of the game, Johnson Jr. tossed a 22-yard scoring pass to senior receiver Bailey Torres (Cerritos, Calf.).
Besides Zebrowski and Smith, slot receiver Jack Pospisil was at eight grabs for 109 yards and a score with linebacker Cale Miller and linemen Weston King at eight tackles apiece.
UNK’s defense was paced by junior defensive back Jamere Jones (Clayton, N.C.) and junior backer Devin Guggia (Santa Clarita, Calif.). Both had eight tackles with junior corner Jerome Houston Jr. (Bellevue) at seven stops and a pass breakup. Finally, sophomore Parker Wise (Kearney) had a 15-yard sack to stop a UCM drive in the red zone.
“Guys are frustrated because they want to win bad. We do a lot of good things, but we still must clean up some stuff,” said Held.
The Lopers travel to rival Fort Hays State next Saturday. The Tigers (4-2, 3-2) bested Missouri Southern State today, 35-22.
