WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Griffon football dropped to 1-2 on the season after a crazy, 66-44 loss at Central Missouri, Saturday.
 
The two teams combined for more than 1,040 yards of offense in a back-and-forth contest. It was the most points a Missouri Western football team allowed since the first game in Griffon football history (72) at Morningside in 1970.
 
BACK AND FORTH
The game featured five lead changes and one tie. Central Missouri jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Missouri Western scored 10-straight to take a 10-6 lead. The Griffons scored 10 unanswered to end the first half and go to the locker room tied 20-20. MWSU took a 23-20 lead on a Tyler Basch 46-yard field goal on Missouri Western's first drive of the second half. UCM regained the lead again answering with an eight-play, 88-yard drive to take a 27-23 lead in the third quarter. Then the Griffons answered to take a 30-27 lead off a nine-yard Joshua Caldwell TD run with 5:44 left in the third quarter. Central Missouri led 45-30 when Dom Marino scrambled 67 yards for a touchdown to make it a one point game with 11:47 left in the game. Keylan Mack gave the Griffons their last home with 4:30 left on a four-yard touchdown run that made it 52-44, but UCM scored two more touchdowns to close it out.

RIDICULOUS NUMBERS
The two teams combined for 149 plays, 1,044 yards of offense and 110 points. There were 54 total first downs in the game and the teams combined for 11 turnovers. Both teams lost three fumbles each. Central Missouri threw three interceptions and Missouri Western threw two. The teams also combined for 24 penalties for a total of 197 yards. 
 
GROUND GAME WORKING
Missouri Western rushed for 284 yards in the game. Caldwell gained 130 net rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Marino's 67-yard scamper helped him to an 81-yard total for the game. Derek Gray Jr. rushed nine times for 54 yards and a score.

BASCH DOESN'T MISS
Tyler Basch went 3-of-3 on field goal attempts and all three were more than 40 yards. He connected on two 46-yard field goals and a 42-yard attempt along with making all five of his extra point attempts. Basch is 11-of-11 on extra points this season and 5-of-6 on field goal attempts with his only miss coming on a 49-yard attempt against Missouri Southern. 
 
UP NEXT
Missouri Western hosts Central Oklahoma, Saturday, Sept. 23 for a 6 p.m. kickoff. It will be Family Day/United Way Day at Missouri Western. Central Oklahoma (1-1) was at Fort Hays State Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.