The Emporia State football team scored the last 14 points of the game for a come-from-behind 31-27 victory over Central Missouri at Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Mo. on Saturday. After a UCM field goal on their opening drive, the teams traded punts before the Mules took a 10-0 lead. ESU got on the board with a one-yard rush by Camden Crooks late in the first half. Central Missouri scored twice in the second quarter with the Hornets keeping pace on a 12-yard pass by freshman quarterback Jamison Sarver to Kingsley Bennett and the Hornets trailed 24-14 at the break. ESU took the opening drive inside the five in the third quarter and settled for a field goal to get within three before the Mules answered with a third-quarter 3-pointer to retake a 10-point edge. ESU scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and outscored UCM 17-3 after halftime to pick up the win. Sarver finished 24-for-51 for 288 yards and two touchdowns and was 14 of 17 after halftime while the Hornets outrushed the Mules 96 to 37 after the break. Sarver talked about picking up his first win after the game.
With the win, Garin Higgins picked up his 117th victory as the head coach at Emporia State, passing Fran Welch to stand alone as the winningest head coach in Hornet history. He said the players get the credit for his record.
He was emotional when talking about former athletic director Kent Weiser, who hired Higgins and provided color analysis on the Mix 104.9 radio broadcast.
Landon Boss led the Hornets defensively with 10 tackles. ESU (4-4, 3-3 MIAA) returns home to host homecoming against #16 Northwest Missouri on Saturday, November 1. Pregame coverage begins at 1:00 p.m. with kickoff at 2:00 p.m. on Mix 104.9.
