THIS WEEK IN GRIFFON FOOTBALL
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Missouri Western (4-2) at Central Oklahoma (2-4)
 
ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Football rides a three game win streak into Edmond, Oklahoma, this weekend to take on Central Oklahoma.
 
Missouri Western is looking for its first four game win streak in five years and brings a string of seven straight wins away from St. Joseph into Edmond.
 
SETTING THE STAGE

• The Griffons enter week seven 4-2 for the sixth consecutive season. They head to Edmond, Oklahoma looking to get to 5-2 for the first time since 2014.
• A win would extend the Griffs' current streak of seven straight wins away from Spratt Stadium and give the program four straight victories for the first time since starting the 2013 season 7-0.
• This will be the fourth consecutive week the Griffons face a team that has lost three-straight games. That streak comes after opening the season with three-straight nationally ranked opponents (Northwest Missouri, Fort Hays State and Central Missouri) that enter this weekend with a combined record of 16-2. Coincidentally, UCO's three-game skid came to the same three opponents MWSU opened the season 1-2 against.
• UCO totaled 1,010 yards and 43 points in its last three games with the Griffons totaling 1,580 yards and 147 points in its last three.
• Don't expect many interceptions, Saturday. The two teams are tied for the fewest thrown in the MIAA with three each.

 
SCOUTING THE GRIFFONS

• An offensive resurgence has the Griffons riding into Edmond on a three-game win streak and receiving votes in the AFCA poll for the second time this season.
• The Griffons snapped a five-game home losing streak last week with a 43-34 win over Missouri Southern that gave the team its fourth consecutive game over 40 points. MWSU fell 43 yards short of extending its program record of 500-yard total offensive outputs to four games.
• Missouri Western now ranks third in the MIAA, averaging 42.5 points per game and fourth in total offense, averaging 467 yards per contest.
• Markel Smith gave the team three-straight weeks with at least one 100-yard rusher last week (136). Smith is one of three Griffon backs with at least one 100-yard game this season, he has two, and the grad transfer leads the conference with nine rushing touchdowns. Smith ranks second in the MIAA, averaging 93.2 yards per game and fourth by averaging 7.1 yards per carry.
• Wyatt Steigerwald ranks fourth in the MIAA with 1,435 passing yards and third with 15 passing TDs. His five touchdowns to every interception ratio (15:3) is the best in the MIAA. The senior is 10^th in DII with 110 points responsible for.
• Devon Holmes has nearly a fourth of the team's receptions (27) and receiving yards (393), but Steigerwald has spread the wealth. Fifteen Griffs have at least one catch and nine have at least one receiving TD. The Griffons had 10, 12 and eight different receivers log catches each of the last three games, respectively.
• 16 different Griffs have scored at least one touchdown this season – 15 offensive - and other than Markel Smith (9), none have more than three. The rushing TDs have been spread between four running backs, Steigerwald and offensive tackle Shawn Rouse. Five receivers and four tight ends have receiving touchdowns and Trey Vaval has one on a kickoff return.
• Vaval moved back into the DII lead, averaging 35.8 yards per kick return. He leads the nation in average while being tied for the sixth most returns (18) in DII. The true freshman's 644 total return yards are 59 more than any other DII returner.

 
SCOUTING CENTRAL OKLAHOMA

• Picked fourth and fifth, respectively, in the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media polls, UCO is 2-4 after a daunting early schedule. The Bronchos' previous six opponents are a combined 25-11 with Lincoln accounting for six of those opponents' losses. After Saturday, the Bronchos will have played all six teams currently above them in the MIAA standings and only one below.
• The Bronchos are tied with Missouri Western for the fewest interceptions thrown in the MIAA with three.
• UCO is rushing for 147 yards per game and passing for 224. The Bronchos' 371.2 yards per game ranks 9^th in the conference.
• The UCO defense has one sack this season while the offense has given up 20.
• Will Collins leads the team with 625 passing yards and is 49-of-89 for five touchdowns and two interceptions. Keats Calhoon is 48-of-91 for 575 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Chandler Garrett has three completions for three touchdowns.

 
SERIES HISTORY

• MWSU leads the all-time series 6-3.
• The Bronchos handed the Griffs their fifth consecutive Homecoming loss last year at Spratt Stadium, 17-16.
• MWSU is 2-2 in Edmond.

 
MISSOURI WESTERN HEAD COACH MATT WILLIAMSON

• The 1996 MWSU graduate and two-time All-MIAA defensive lineman is 15-14 in his third season as a head coach.
• After beginning his coaching career at MWSU as a graduate assistant, Williamson spent 11 years as an assistant at Arkansas-Monticello, Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin.

 
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HEAD COACH NICK BOBECK

• In his eighth season leading his alma mater, Bobeck is 40-45.
• Prior to UCO, Bobeck went 42-5 over four seasons at Navarro (Texas) College, winning the 2010 Juco national championship.