Nationally 19th-ranked Central Missouri overcame a quick start by Arkansas Tech to defeat the Wonder Boys 42-16 in non-conference football at Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Mo., on Saturday afternoon.
Arkansas Tech (1-4) led 10-0 after one quarter, but the Wonder Boys lost two fumbles and had a punt blocked — all inside their own 25-yard line — during the second quarter.
Central Missouri (4-1) took full advantage, scoring on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs by quarterback Tommy Corwin and a 6-yard touchdown pass from Corwin to Taylor Dyer as the Mules built a 21-10 halftime lead.
Before the turnovers and the blocked punt turned the tide in Central Missouri’s favor, the Wonder Boys dominated the first quarter behind a potent running attack.
Arkansas Tech rushed 15 times for 110 yards in the opening 15 minutes. A 30-yard run by Trayshun King led to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Preston Conder to A.J. Whitmore with 12:45 left in the first quarter. Jorge Vazquez tacked on the extra point and it was 7-0 Wonder Boys.
Vazquez made his fifth field goal of the season — a 22-yard boot at the 3:47 mark of the first quarter — to increase the Arkansas Tech advantage to 10-0. His kick capped a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive for the Wonder Boys.
Arkansas Tech’s lead evaporated in the second quarter because of a fumbled snap, a fumbled punt return and a blocked punt. Central Missouri only had to travel 25, 21 and 3 yards for its three second-quarter touchdown drives.
The Mules pulled away in the third period on touchdown passes of 7 and 35 yards from Corwin to Jamar Howard. Central Missouri led 35-10 after three quarters.
Arkansas Tech cut into the UCM edge with a 33-yard touchdown pass from James Landry to King at the 13:30 mark of the fourth quarter, but that 35-16 deficit was as close as the Wonder Boys could get.
Corwin’s fourth touchdown pass of the day — a 4-yard toss to Howard with 4:15 to go — set the final score.
Corwin completed 29-of-49 passes for 390 yards and four touchdowns. Howard made 10 catches for 185 yards and three scores.
King accounted for 147 yards (85 rushing, 62 receiving) for Arkansas Tech. Whitmore had three receptions for 80 yards. Chris Strong made eight tackes, including a sack and two tackles for a loss, to lead the Tech defense.
The Wonder Boys will host nationally second-ranked North Alabama at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Oct. 8. The Lions will be Tech’s third nationally-ranked opponent in the last four weeks.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Party at the Plaza, Arkansas Tech’s pre-game tailgating celebration outside the stadium on Centennial Plaza, will begin at 4 p.m.
Click here to learn more about Arkansas Tech football.
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