WARRENSBURG, Mo. – A fifth consecutive win over Central Missouri wasn’t in the cards for the Missouri Western football team Thursday night as they lost their 2015 season opener to the 20th-ranked Mules 18-17.

Turnovers and negative plays cost the Griffons who struggled to find anything on the ground.

The Griffon defense did its part, holding the Mules to 300 yards and just one touchdown but couldn’t force a turnover, while the Griffon offense had two. Missouri Western led 17-12 with six minutes to play after a 25-yard field goal from Tanner Pettet.

With less than five minutes remaining, UCM had the ball third and 20 from the UCM 20 and completed a 38 yard pass to the MWSU 42. Four plays later the Mules scored on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 3:45 to go that put the team ahead 18-17. The Griffons had two more opportunities offensively that ended in an interception and a turnover on downs.

Skyler Windmiller finished 21-38 for 313 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked four times. Brandynn Clark caught five of his passes for 104 yards and Dee Toliver finished with four catches for 84 yards and a touchdown before leaving with an injury. Raphael Spencer had 21 rushes for 30 yards and a touchdown. As a team, the Griffons rushed 35 times for 37 yards after 49 yards in lost rush yards on 86 gained.

It was just the second time in the last 13 meetings that Central Missouri has defeated Missouri Western and the first time in the last five. MWSU returns to St. Joseph to take on Central Oklahoma next Saturday, Sept. 12.

— MWSU Athletics —