ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Griffon Football (1-1) opens up MIAA play Saturday, as the Griffons welcome Central Missouri to Spratt Stadium.
 
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed live on the MIAA Network and broadcast on the Griffon Sports Network (GoGriffons.com/listen, Varsity Network App) with pregame coverage starting at 5:30. Voice of the Griffons Tommy Rezac and News Press Now's Kyle Schmidt have the call.
 
MoWest is coming off of a 27-10 victory in its home opener vs. Missouri S&T this past Saturday.
 
The Griffons ended the first half with four consecutive scoring drives, lifting them to a 24-0 halftime lead. MoWest was dominant on defense throughout, holding S&T to just 34 rushing yards on 30 attempts. The Miners were held to 212 total yards on 63 snaps.
 
Offensively, quarterback Kane Donovan was sound for MoWest, completing 21-of-34 passes for a career-high 260 yards and career-high three touchdown passes. He also rushed for 24 yards.
 
Damir Abdullah caught four passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. Kamron Lee and Desmond Green snagged interceptions on defense.
 
Turn Back the Clock
This game marks the 'Turn Back the Clock Night' for MoWest, as the Griffons will honor members of the 1975 football team throughout the night.
 
Under the direction of second-year head coach Rob Hicklin, the Griffons turned things around in a big way in 1975, going from 3-7 in '74 to an 8-3-1 record in '75.
 
In just the sixth season of football, MoWest turned in its first winning season in 1975, ending with its first postseason appearance and victory - a 44-0 win over Graceland in the 27th Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.
 
Seven players from that team were NAIA All-Americans, and the Griffons were Missouri NAIA Champions and champions of NAIA District 16. MoWest's ranking rose as high as No. 7 that year, and the Griffs were a perfect 7-0 at home in 1975 as well.
 
Three QBs, Please
Missouri Western returned each of their top three quarterbacks from the 2024 season. Junior Kane Donovan started each of the first four games in 2024 before going down with a season-ending knee injury at Emporia State in week four.
 
Donovan has since recovered and is performing well in 2025, throwing for 486 yards and five touchdowns while completing 59% of his passes through the first two games.
 
Donovan's injury last season opened the door for seniors Branden Berwald and Kody Kirk to also get a heavy dose of snaps.
 
Statistically, Berwald was the leader in 2024, starting each of the last six games and finishing with 1501 passing yards and 11 touchdowns to go with 439 rushing yards and a running TD.
 
Together, all three QBs combined for 2547 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. In fact, the Griffons set a school record in 2024 with 402 total pass attempts.
 
Stopping the Run
MoWest currently ranks No. 1 in the MIAA and No. 4 in the nation in rush defense, allowing opponents an average of just 49.5 rush yards per game. The Griffons are allowing only 1.9 yards per carry (7th nation) and have allowed only one rushing score so far this season (t-2nd nation).
 
Defensive Diagnosis
MoWest is currently No. 1 in the MIAA scoring defense, allowing just 20 points per contest.
 
The Griffons brought back eight starters on defense this season, including three all-MIAA performers. Among them is last year's tackle leader and linebacker Kienen Gaskin (third team all-MIAA), who finished with 84 total tackles - fifth most in a single season in program history.
 
Also back on defense is corner Desmond Green (second team all-MIAA), who shined with a team-high four interceptions in 2024. He now has seven INTs in his career, including a pick-six against Northwest Missouri State in 2023.
 
Another senior, defensive tackle Grant Finley (third team all-MIAA), looks to make an even bigger impact up front after leading Missouri Western in 2024 with five sacks, including three solo sacks against Nebraska-Kearney. He finished 2024 with 9.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
 
Mulling the Mules
Starting 0-2 for the first time since 2022, UCM comes into St. Joseph after a loss to Delta State on the road (31-22) and then a loss in Warrensburg to No. 13 CSU-Pueblo (29-24) last Thursday. UCM was preseason ranked No. 22 and picked to finish fourth in both the MIAA preseason coaches and media polls.
 
Central Missouri is the No. 1 passing offense in the MIAA currently, averaging 345 pass yards per game (5th nation).
 
UCM has a new face at QB this season. With the departure of two-time Harlon Hill trophy winner Zach Zebrowski, the Mules have turned to redshirt freshman Donovyn Omolo, who has thrown for 514 yards and a touchdown through the first two games. He's also the team's lead rusher with 101 yards and an additional score.
 
Omolo, however, threw three interceptions against CSU-Pueblo last Thursday. That forced the Mules to put in senior backup Jordan Pachot, who completed 11-of-20 passes for 160 yards and a score.
 
UCM's top receiving threat is a familiar face indeed - three-time all-MIAA recipient and redshirt senior Jack Pospisil, who set a program record with 252 yards receiving against CSU-Pueblo last week. His 323 receiving yards on the season currently leads the MIAA.
 
Central Missouri made a big change to its coaching staff in the offseason, hiring former Northwest Missouri State head coach Rich Wright as their defensive coordinator. As head coach of the Bearcats from 2017-24, Wright posted a 65-22 record and won three MIAA championships.
 
Wright was a part of 12 MIAA titles, four national championships and eight national title game appearances as a member of the Northwest coaching staff from 2004-24.
 
Saturday marks the 41st all-time meeting with UCM. The Mules hold a slim 20-19-1 advantage all-time, though UCM has won seven of the last nine meetings since 2015.
 
MWSU went into Warrensburg last October and beat UCM, 38-28, behind a school-record 481 all-purpose yards by quarterback Branden Berwald.
 
Halling the Load
Two-time all-MIAA running back Brandon Hall is back for a fifth and final season after a promising 2024 was cut short with an ankle injury in week four. Even though he missed seven games last year, Hall is the lead returning rusher with 557 yards and five touchdowns in 2024. He averaged 139.25 rush yards per game and 8.3 yards per carry. He also hauled in 11 passes for 66 yards and an additional score.
 
Hall currently ranks No. 6 in program history with 2320 career rushing yards, just surpassing Mike Connaker for 6th most all-time. Hall's career average of 6.1 yards per carry is currently No. 5 in the program record books, and his 382 career carries currently ranks ninth.

Personnel Pieces
Missouri Western welcomes back a plethora of talent in 2025 with 21 total starters back, including 11 players on the offensive side who started four games or more in 2024.
 
The Griffons also made some key additions in the offseason, signing 30 freshmen and 10 transfers. The position of choice in this class was defensive backs with 14 DBs joining the team. Missouri Western also signed seven new receivers, as each of the top four pass catchers from 2024 graduated.

Tune Into the Griffons
The Griffon Sports Network will once again provide live and free coverage all season long for all home and away games.
 
Tommy Rezac is back as 'Voice of the Griffons' for a fifth season. All games can be heard for free on the Varsity Network App and at GoGriffons.com/listen. To listen on the Varsity Network App, simply search "Missouri Western" once you have the app downloaded on your mobile device. Pregame coverage for each radio broadcast starts 30 minutes prior to kickoff.
 
Game of the Week
The MIAA has announced its partnership with Scripps Media and their independent television station, KMCI (38 The Spot), will broadcast an MIAA Football 'Game of the Week' again in 2025.
 
MoWest will play in the 'Game of the Week' twice in 2025 - first at Missouri Southern on Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. and then at home the following week vs. Washburn on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. The 'Game of the Week' can be viewed in St. Joseph on Optimum Channel 17. Every game, as usual, will be available to stream on the MIAA Network as well.
 
What's Next
MoWest goes back on the road to face Fort Hays State on Saturday, September 27. Kickoff from Lewis Field Stadium in Hays, Kansas is set for 7 p.m.