Kearney, Neb. – For the first time in 40 years, the Central Missouri football team will make a visit to Kearney to take on the Lopers.
 
Kickoff time is set for high noon for just the fifth all-time meeting between UCM (4-4) and UNK (3-5).

The series is tied at two games apiece and both squads are currently tied in the MIAA standings with identical 3-4 league records.
 
Central Missouri's record is a bit deceiving as UCM led nationally-ranked NW Missouri State, Pittsburg State and Missouri Western State by at least a touchdown but dropped each game by 10 points or less.
 
Last year in Warrensburg, UNK surprised the Mules with QB/WR Matt Berry. Directing a run first and run second offense, Berry helped the Lopers upset UCM, 24-18.
 
The winning score came with just over five minutes left and after the Mules used a TD and two-point conversion to knot things up. On the ground, Kearney finished with 332 yards and three scores.
 
This year, UNK has had three 300 yard rushing days, all coming in the last month.
 
Led by former Nebraska Wesleyan head coach Jim Svoboda, UCM has been one of the top passing teams in the MIAA the past four seasons. The current signal caller, junior Hayden Hawk, has Nebraska ties as well as he took a redshirt year at UNO before the Mavericks disbanded the program.
 
In his first year as a starter, Hawk (6-0, 195 lbs.) is averaging 297 yards per game with 21 TD's and only five INT's. He also has rushed for 91 yards and two scores and completed passes to 12 different teammates.
 
The top pass catcher, Ronrei Lloyd (6-3, 190 lbs.), is the only senior starter on the offense. He has caught nine TD's and averages a healthy 115 receiving yards per game.
 
A young line, with three sophomore starters, blocks for a ground game that produces 150 yards on a weekly basis. Junior LaVance Taylor (5-11, 190 lbs.) averaged 75 yards per game and has reached the end zone four times.
 
The Mule defense has three players with at least 50 tackles in sophomore MLB Ricky Spratley (69), senior SS Ryan Berry (57) and junior Alex Perlin (50).
 
Spratley (6-2, 220 lbs.) leads in TFL with six, redshirt freshman end Josh Powell (6-3, 250 lbs.) has a team-best 4.5 sacks for a loss of 36 yards and senior backer Zach Quines (6-2, 225 lbs.) has three picks for 50 return yards.
 
Central Missouri is in the middle of the pack in the MIAA in most catego­ries, giving up 22.5 points (sixth) and 402 yards (eighth) per game. The Mules also have forced 10 turnovers (six INT's and four fumbles), tying them with Missouri Southern State for second fewest in the league.
Finally, UCM changed its punter after having two blocked early in the season. Kicker Zach Gebhardt is averaging 42.0 yards in 16 attempts while being 7 of 8 on field goals and 31 of 34 on PAT's.
 
In the return game, receiver Anthony Kirkwood has brought back 10 kicks for 228 yards with a long effort of 31 yards.
 
Early in Saturday's game, senior ILB Kellen Werner (Grand Island) will become UNK's all-time tackle leader in the Division II era (1990-present).
 
Averaging over 10 stops per game this year, Werner is sitting at 280 tackles; current Missouri State assistant coach D.J. Vokolek, a safety in his Kearney playing days, had 283 tackles from his sophomore through senior seasons.
 
Werner managed 33 tackles as a true freshman in 2010 and then amassed 82 and 84 tackles, respectively, the past two seasons.
 
His running mate, redshirt freshman Tyke Kozeal (Sargent), may just challenge the new record four years from now. Kozeal already is at 74 tackles (27 solo), second most on the Lopes, with four going for lost yardage.
 
He also has 74-yard INT return for a score at NW Missouri and ran 13 yards for a first down on a fake punt vs. Lindenwood.
 
Offensively, UNK welcomes back sophomore QB Bronson Marsh (Millard South) this week.
 
The team's starter for the first four games, Marsh hasn't seen the field since suffering an injury in the first half at NW Missouri on September 28th.  

For the season, Marsh is averaging 79 rushing and 131 passing yards per game with six total TD's.
 
True freshman Luke McNitt (Kearney), who has two wins as a starting QB, may return to his role of WR/TE/QB this week. He ranks first on UNK in rushing scores (six) while having 100 yard efforts vs. Lindenwood and Southwest Baptist. As a receiver, he has seven catches for 45 yards and one TD.
 
Central Missouri will also keep a close eye on sophomore back Romero Cotton (Hutchinson, Kans.), who has carried the ball 109 times for 515 yards (4.7 ypc) and three TD's since becoming the starter October 5th.
 
The nation's No. 1 ranked wrestler at 197 lbs., Cotton is now among the MIAA rushing leaders (70.2 ypg).
 
UNK remains at home next weekend when independent South Dakota Mines stops by. The Hardrockers (5-3; 2-3 vs. D2 competition) are at Fort Hays State tomorrow.
 
Last year in Rapid City, the Lopers beat the 'Rockers, 59-7.