THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON FOOTBALL
Homecoming
Missouri Western (4-2) vs Central Oklahoma (3-3)
Saturday, Oct. 13, 1 p.m. | Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Football puts its three game win streak and an undefeated home record on the line as Central Oklahoma travels to St. Joseph for homecoming at Missouri Western.
 
THIS WEEK ON CRAIG FIELD AT SPRATT MEMORIAL STADIUM

• Missouri Western Homecoming – Griffons Under The Big Top
• Homecoming recognitions throughout the game
• Pavilion Party Deck on the Bill Snyder Pavilion featuring VanZinos BBQ and Budweiser products from Hi-Ho Bar & Grill
• Plasma Biological Services Tailgate Zone featuring live music from Dixie Union Band and inflatable games for all ages

 
FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

• It's been home sweet home this season for the Griffons. Missouri Western is 3-0 at The Spratt and 1-2 on the road. The Griffons have outscored opponents 127-36 at home. It's also the third home game in the last four weeks for the Griffons who picked up their first road win last week at Missouri Southern.
• With three-straight games well over 200 yards rushing and three straight weeks with a 100-yard rusher, the Griffon ground game is clicking. Missouri Western enters this week ranked second in the MIAA with an average of 224.7 rushing yards per game. More impressive, is the team's 5.5-yard per rush average which is tied for the best in the MIAA.
• In what looks to be a tight contest, special teams could be the difference. If that's the case, the Griffs should like their chances. Brandin Dandridge's 54-yard punt return TD last week was the team's second this season. Backup kicker Sam Aviles is 5-of-6 on field goal attempts the last two weeks after four makes at Missouri Southern. Missouri Western leads the MIAA in punt returns, averaging 16 yards per return. The Griffons have the second-best kickoff coverage unit in the MIAA; the second most made field goals in the association (10) and rank fifth in net punting (36.6). As a team, MWSU ranks 11^th in kickoff returns, but Carlos Thompson's 19.4-yard per kick return average is sixth best.
• The ball hawking Griffon defense is at it again this year. After leading the nation through the first half of last season, MWSU currently ranks 20^th in Division II and leads the MIAA with 14 gained turnovers. After two more interceptions last week, the Griffs lead the MIAA and rank 11^th in the nation with 10.
• The MIAA schedule this week presents the Griffons a chance to come out of the weekend tied for first or all alone in second place. More than halfway through the season now, MWSU is tied for second with Fort Hays State and Nebraska Kearney. That trio is a game behind Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg State for first. Fort Hays hosts Pitt State this week and Nebraska Kearney is at Northwest Missouri.

 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS (4-2)

• Missouri Western has won three-straight after a 33-10 victory at Missouri Southern last week
• The Griffons rank fifth in the MIAA, scoring 30 points per game and sixth allowing 20.8
• Missouri Western's 406.7 yards per game are fifth most in the MIAA while its 367.3 allowed rank seventh
• The Griffons rank second in the MIAA, averaging 224.7 rushing yards per game and also second allowing just 111.8
• Missouri Western's 182 passing yards per game rank eighth in the MIAA and its 255.5 passing yards per game are the second most

 
SCOUTING THE BRONCHOS (3-3)

• UCO came back to defeat Central Missouri 33-26 last week and handed Northwest Missouri its only loss of the season three weeks ago
• The Bronchos rank ninth in the MIAA in scoring offense at 25 points per game and eighth in scoring defense at 26
• UCO's 355.2 yards per game rank 10th in the MIAA with the defense giving up the eighth fewest at 386
• At 117.2 rushing yards per game, UCO ranks 11th in the MIAA and the defense is allowing 164.8 rushing yards per game, eighth fewest
• The UCO pass game is the fifth-best in the MIAA at 238 yards per game while the pass defense ranks ninth allowing 221.2

 
THE SERIES

• Missouri Western leads the all-time series 6-2
• The Griffons won a shootout, 41-37 last year in St. Joseph
• UCO is 0-4 all-time at Spratt Stadium
• MWSU is 2-2 in Edmond, Oklahoma

 
MISSOURI WESTERN HEAD COACH MATT WILLIAMSON

• Second year at MWSU and second overall as a head coach
• 8-9 all-time record as a head coach
• 1996 Missouri Western graduate and a two-time All-MIAA defensive lineman

 
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HEAD COACH NICK BOBECK

• 33-40 record in his seventh season as head coach at UCO
• Won a junior college national championship (2010) and three conference championships while going 42-5 over four seasons as head coach of Navarro College
• Four-year letterman at fullback at UCO