ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- Perhaps inspired by Friday's record-setting performance by Griffon Volleyball on its Senior Night, Missouri Western honored its football seniors with a pair of new program records in a 58-29 rout of Central Missouri. The Griffons piled up 687 yards of total offense on the afternoon with all eight touchdowns coming on the ground, both new MWSU records. Jonas Bennett, Shen Butler-Lawson, Jr., and Brandon Hall each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns . Evan Chohon led Missouri Western on the defensive side, racking up 10 tackles (2 TFL for 8 yds) and claiming one of MWSU's seven sacks on the afternoon.
Missouri Western scored on each of its first three drives, but the Mules were eventually able to answer, and the teams went into halftime tied 21-21.
After opening the second half with a 56-yard pass from Reagan Jones to a wide-open Hall, the Griffon drive stalled at the UCM 8-yard line, forcing Thomas Kopcho into a 25-yard field goal.
The Griffon defense stepped up on the next drive, as Dakari Streeter wrapped up Logan Twehous for a three-yard loss, one of three sacks on the day for Streeter, and the Mules were only able to get back to the original line of scrimmage before punting it away. Seven plays later, Missouri Western tacked on another touchdown as Hall finished off the drive with a seven-yard rush.
Central Missouri managed to pull within 31-28 as the third quarter wound to a close, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the ensuing kickoff put Missouri Western at the 40-yard line after a touchback.
MWSU took advantage of the short field and drove nine plays for the touchdown, the first of four unanswered in the fourth quarter.
The Griffon defense clamped down, forcing Central Missouri into three straight three-and-outs. And even with a brief scare with 3:49 left in the game as Jones and Brison Cobbins fumbled the exchange in the backfield, giving the Mules the ball at their own 30, Nicholas Durant picked off Twehous on the next play, tipping the ball to himself at the 23-yard line. Bennett romped in for a touchdown on the next play, sealing the rout.
Missouri Western closes out the 2021 season next Saturday at Lincoln University. Breakfast is on the tailgating menu, as kickoff is set for 11 a.m.

Notables:
- MWSU's 687 yards of offense breaks a 42-year-old record. The previous best was 671 yards against William Jewell in 1979, when both teams were members of the NAIA.
- The eight rushing touchdown record is slightly younger, as the Griffons racked up seven in 2013 at Central Oklahoma and in 2012 vs. Washburn.
- Nebraska-Kearney was the victim of MWSU's previous seven-sack performance, on Nov. 18, 2014.