Kickoff
The 7th ranked Missouri Western football returns to Spratt Stadium for an MIAA contest against league newcomer Central Oklahoma on Saturday, September 29 in the Wendy's Hall of Fame game. Kickoff is set for 6:00 pm in Spratt Stadium.

Game Information Date / Time: September 29, 2012 / 6:00 p.m. CST Site: St. Joseph, Mo. - Spratt Stadium (8,000) Radio: Griffon Sports Network (KFEQ 680 AM St. Joseph & KMRN 1360 AM Cameron)     Talent: Dave Riggert (pxp), Bob Orf (analyst),     Nick McCutcheon (sideline) Twitter Updates: @gogriffons Series: MWSU leads 2-0     St. Joseph, Mo.: MWSU leads 1-0     Edmond, Okla.: MWSU leads 1-0     First Meeting: August 25, 2005 - at MWSU            MWSU defeated #12 UCO 26-7     Last Meeting: August 31, 2006 - at UCO     MWSU won 32-29 2OT

Missouri Western Griffons (4-0, 3-0 MIAA) Football Page Roster Statistics (2012) Schedule Game Notes Athletic Website

Central Oklahoma (1-3, 1-3 MIAA) Football Page Roster Statistics Schedule Game Notes Athletic Website

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STORY LINES
• This marks just the third ever meeting between the Bronchos and the Griffons.
• This marks the second meeting in St. Joseph with the last coming in 2005 when the Griffons won 26-7 on August 25.
• The Griffons are 3-0 at home this season and 2-0 in MIAA play at home.
• This marks the 3rd time under Partridge that the Griffons have opened up the season 4-0 (2009, 2010 & 2012).
• The Griffons have opened up the season 5-0 once under Partridge (2009).
• This marks the second time under Partridge that MWSU has went 3-0 in MIAA play to start the season once as 2000 was the last time. The Griffons have never opened up the season 4-0 in MIAA play under Partridge.  
• This marks the fourth time that MWSU has opened up home action going 3-0 under Partridge (2003-2006-2010-2012).
• The Griffons have went 4-0  or better to start the season 7 different times in school history. The best start in history was in 1981 when they opened up 7-0.
• MWSU and UCO played both of its contest as non-conference games when Central Oklahoma was part of the Lone Star Conference.  
• The Bronchos are coming off a big 35-20 victory over 9th ranked Washburn last weekend in Edmond, Okla.
• Coach Partridge is 2-0 against UCO winning in 2005 and 2006.
• Missouri Western broke the single game record for yards per rush against William Jewell with 8.8 yard per carry average. The old record was 7.8 which was set on October 22, 2005 vs. Southwest Baptist.
• MWSU leads the MIAA in rushing yards per game averaging 307.25 yards per game while senior running back Michael Hill leads the nation averaging 184.25 yards per game.
• Western is coming off a season where they went 9-3 and made their third trip in school history to the NCAA Division II National Playoffs and hosted its first ever playoff game at Spratt Stadium.
• The nine victories tied a school record for most victories in a season. Missouri Western has done it six times (2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2011).

COACHES
MWSU head football coach Jerry Partridge. . .
• Named the sixth head coach of the Griffon football program in 1997
• Is 116-62 (.652) in his 16th season as the Griffon head coach.
• Is 87-48 (.644) against the MIAA.
• Has led the Griffons to three NCAA Playoff
appearances and six Mineral Water bowl appearance.
• Led the Griffons to the 2003  Co-MIAA regular season championship.
• Has recorded six winning seasons in last seven years
• Led the Griffons to a school record nine victories in six of his 15 seasons which included last season.
• Is Missouri Western's all-time winningest coach with 116 wins.
• Is third in all-time wins in the MIAA.
• This marks the third meeting with UCO...Coach Partridge is 2-0 against UCO and 1-0 in St. Joseph
• Played four years at Missouri Western.
• Partridge id 67-22 at home in his career with three undefeated seasons at home (2003, 2006, 2010).
• Marks the first meeting against coach Bobeck.

Central Oklahoma head coach Nick Bobeck. . .
• Is 1-3 in his first season as the Broncho head coach.
• Is 43-8 in his 5th season as being a head coach.
• Came to the Bronchos after a sparkling four-year head coaching stint at junior college powerhouse Navarro (Texas) College
• The Bulldogs won the 2010 national championship along with three regular season Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) titles.
• Bobeck was a four-year letterman and two-year starter at fullback for UCO from 1999-02, earning first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division honors as a senior. He stayed on with the Bronchos as a graduate assistant coach the next three seasons, helping UCO go 20-12 during that stint while making the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2003.

TEAM NOTEBOOK
Quick Starts Key for Griffons
• Missouri Western was 5-1 when leading after the first quarter last season and are 4-0 this season.

September Success
• In the month of September under Partridge the Griffons are 37-24 overall and 18-12 in Spratt Stadium and 19-12 on the road. This marks the first meeting for both teams in September. MWSU is 2-0 in August against UCO.

In Spratt Stadium
• The Griffons are 120-63-3 since 1979 in Spratt Stadium...MWSU is 3-0 this season and will look to go 4-0 at home this season.

Red Zone Success
• In their first four games of the season Missouri Western is 15-16 with 13 touchdowns and two field goals when in the red zone.

• In 2011 the Griffons continued that trend scoring on 46 of 51 trips into the red zone with 29 touchdowns and 17 field goals. Opponents scored on 29 of 37 trips in the Griffons red zone collecting 21 touchdowns with eight field goals.

• In the 2009 and 2010 seasons the Griffons were outstanding in the red zone converting on a combined 95 of 115 trips into the red zone scoring 71 touchdowns with 24 field goals.

Missouri Western at home when ranked since 1989
• When the Griffons are ranked and play at home under coach Partridge they are 15-7.
• The Griffons are 24-17 when they are ranked.
• Missouri Western is 24-15 when ranked under Partridge.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents
Western is 20-36 against DII ranked opponents after defeating 3rd ranked NW Missouri State 31-28 on November 4, 2011 in Spratt Stadium. Under head coach Jerry Partridge the Griffons are 16-29 against ranked opponents as their previous victory came on September 10, 2011 by a score of 23-6 against the 12th ranked Central Missouri Mules.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents at home
The Griffons are 12-14 under Partridge at home against ranked opponents after their victory against Northwest last season. The previous victory at home against a ranked opponent was on September 10, 2011 when they beat #12 Central Missouri by a score of 23-6.

Missouri Western against ranked opponents on the road Under Partridge
Missouri Western is 4-15 under coach Partridge on the road against ranked opponents. Western's last victory on the road came last season in Washburn by a score of 36-33 on September 18, 2010. The Griffons first victory against a ranked opponent under Partridge on the road was on October 2, 2004 when they defeated 16th ranked Central Missouri 49-44.

Griffons in TV Games Under Partridge
Missouri Western is 5-4 under Partridge in television games after defeating Nebraska-Kearney 38-14 on Saturday evening. Missouri Western went 2-1 last season in televised games. Last season MWSU defeated UCM and NWMSU on the MIAA Television Network and lost to Washburn on CBS College Sports. In 2010 the Griffons went 1-1 in television games defeating Pittsburg State 42-24 on September 25 in St. Joseph and falling 42-0- against Northwest Missouri State on October 2. Western fell at 10th ranked Pittsburg State 21-14 back on November 6, 1997 and to #18 Emporia State on October 8, 1998 by a score of 42-34 in St. Joseph, Mo. Western is 0-1 in nationally televised games falling to Washburn last season.

When rushing for over 200 yards since 2011
Last season the Griffons were 9-0 when they rushed for over 200 yards as a team. This season they are 4-0 as the went for 264 yards in a 21-3 victory over Fort Hays State. They rushed for 358 yards on the ground in a 38-14 victory over Nebraska-Kearney. Earlier this season they went for 216 yards in a 38-26 victory over the Central Missouri Mules and for 398 n a 56-0 victory over William Jewell.

When controlling the time of possession
When the Griffons lead in time of possession they are 11-1 since last season. They were 8-1 in 2011 and 3-0 this season controlling the ball for one minute and 24 seconds more than its opponents this season.

Record when ranked against UCO under Partridge
This marks the first time the Griffons have been ranked when taking on the Bronchos. The Bronchos were ranked in 2005 when the Griffons faced them in 2005. MWSU defeated the 12th ranked team in the nation 26-7 on September 25, 2005.

Defensive Success
This season the Griffons defense has been outstanding. MWSU leads the MIAA and is seventh in the nation giving up just 10.75 points per contest. They are also 20th in the nation and third in the MIAA sacking the quarterback 3.25 times per game. David Bass is tied for 24th in the nation and 2nd in the MIAA averaging 1.0 sacks per game.

About UCO:
• The Bronchos are 1-3 this season and 1-3 in MIAA play.
• The have had a tough first few weeks entering MIAA action falling to Pittsburg State, Missouri Southern and Emporia State before defeating #9 Washburn last week in Edmond 35-20.
• Central Oklahoma place-kicker/punter Chris Robbs was named one of the Special Teams Players of the Week for NCAA Division II by Beyond Sports Network
• Central Oklahoma's Joshua Birmingham has been selected Offensive Player of the Week in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The junior running back rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries while adding three catches for 17 yards and a kickoff return of 18 yards as UCO earned its first-ever MIAA win.  
• They have gotten off to slow starts this season getting outscored 76-26 in the first half and 32-7 in the first quarter.

Griffon Football History
Western is 249-203-9 in their 43rd year of Griffon football.

A win for Missouri Western would
Lift the Griffons to 250-203-9 in their football history...lift the Griffons to 3-0 all-time against the Bronchos and 2-0 in St. Joseph...give Missouri Western its 2nd 5-0 start under Partridge (2009)...lift Partridge to 3-0 against UCO and 2-0 in St. Joseph...lift the Griffons to 1-0 in September against UCO...give Travis Partridge a 1-0 record against UCO as the starting quarterback.

A loss for Missouri Western would
Drop the Griffons to 249-204-9 in their football history...drop Partridge to 2-1 against the Bronchos...snap his two game winning streak against UCO...drop Missouri Western to 2-1 against UCO...drop Missouri Western to 1-1 in St. Joseph against UCO all-time..drop Partridge to 0-1 in September against UCO...drop Travis Partridge to 0-1 against UCO.

Series Notes
This marks the 3rd meeting between the two schools. Missouri Western leads the series 2-0. The Griffons have controlled the series winning the only two meetings. The Griffons defeated the Bronchos 26-7 on August 25, 2005 in St. Joseph when UCO was ranked 12th in the nation. MWSU won the last meeting on August 31, 2006 in Edmond in double overtime by a score of 32-29.  Both meetings were in season openers and in 2006 the Griffons opened up the season with a victory which helped the Griffons to their first ever playoff appearance.

Climbing The Record Books
Griffon senior running back Michael Hill keeps climbing the record book in the rushing category. Hill sits in 1st all-time with 3,538 yards in his career. He is also first all-time in carries with 709 which broke the career mark of Thomas Hodges (693). Defensively David broke the MWSU record for sacks in a career with 33. He broke the record the second week of the season against William Jewell.  In 2011, Bass sent a single season record with 20.0 tackles for a loss last season. He broke Eric McDowells mark of 18.5 which was set in 2003. He had 14.5 sacks which was .5 sack behind Eric McDowell's record of 15 set in 2003 and he has 33.0 sacks in his career broke Kinney Redding 30.5 which he set during the stretch of 1974-1977. He is 5.5 tackles for a loss away from tying Michael Cobbins 50 which was set between 2002-2006.

Griffons in the National Polls
The Missouri Western Griffons were tabbed No. 7 in the AFCA preseason top 25 poll. Missouri Western has been ranked in the top 25 in the last 12 polls and has received votes in 30 of the last 34 polls by the American Football Coaches Association. Missouri Western was listed at No. 5 in the d2football.com media poll. The #5 ranking is the highest ranking for the Griffons.

Up Next
The Griffons will once again take on an MIAA newcomer on Saturday, October 6 when they head to Talequah, Okla. to take on the Northeastern State University RiverHawks. Kick off is set for 2:00 pm from Doc Wadley Stadium at Gable Field. The Griffons lead the series with NSU 2-0 with their last meeting coming on September 9, 1995. MWSU won that game 44-7.