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October 24, 2026-The #8 Emporia State football team used a 31 point third quarter to take control on the way to a 58-38 win over Central Missouri on Homecoming at Welch Stadium. The Hornets scored on offense, defense and special teams as they improved to 8-0 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Mules jumped out to a 14-3 lead on a pair of Jordan Pachot touchdown passes around a 22 yard Brandon McCary field goal.  Victor Chionuma scored the first touchdown for the Hornets on a one yard touchdown run to make it 14-10 after the first quarter.
 
Pachot hit Marion Lindsey for a 42 yard pass at the start of the second quarter to put UCM up 21-10.  The Hornets would start their comeback with a 19 yard pass from Jamison Sarver to Ethan Schultze with 3:55 left in the half. On the ensuing drive the Mules drove down to the ESU five yard line before an illegal formation penalty pushed them back five yards.  On the next play Clem McCullough intercepted Parchot two yards deep in the endzone and returned it 100 yards to put the Hornets up 24-21 with 47 seconds left in the half.
 
After an extended half time for Homecoming festivities, Corey Turner II returned the second half kick off 91 yards for a touchdown to give Emporia State a 31-21 lead.  The Mules would not get within single digits the rest of the night.  The Hornets forced a three and out on UCM's first drive and took a 38-21 lead on a 47 yard touchdown pass from Sarver to Ethan Schultze with 11:40 left in the quarter. Will Peacock broke the 28 point run with a 33 yard field goal at the 6:33 mark. The Hornets answered 26 yard pass from Sarver to Trenden Collins with 3:35 left for a 45-24 lead.  On the next drive Pachot hit Armand Russell for 81 yards to get within 45-31 with 2:39 left in the quarter.   Emporia State answered with a 39 yard field goal from McCary with 50 seconds remaining in the period. Two plays into UCM's drive Tyler Schultze picked off Parchot to set ESU up at the 38 yard line.  On first down Sarver hit a streaking Vudrico Roberson for a 42 yard touchdown with 12 seconds left and a 55-31 lead headed into the fourth quarter.
 
On the first drive of the fourth quarter Landon Boss picked off Parchot and returned it down to the UCM 19 yard line. McCary would connect with his third field goal of the game, this one from 33 yards to give Emporia State a 58-31 lead.   The Mules would get their final points of the night with just 56 second left on a three yard touchdown run by TJ Brown for the final score of 58-38.
 
A LOOK AT THE STATS
Jamison Sarver was 28 of 40 for 304 yards with four touchdowns, hitting ten different receivers.  Ethan Schultze had five catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns, Vudrico Roberson had three catches for 54 yards and a score while Trenden Collins had one touchdown among his four catches for 37 yards.  Charles Morgan had a team high 49 yards on five carries while Ondraye Beasley had a 45 yard rush on a reverse and Camden Crooks had 14 carries for 40 yards.  Victor Chionuma carried the ball one time for a one yard touchdown.
Clem McCullough had nine tackles with two interceptions including a 100 yard pick six.  Aidan Hicks had nine tackles and Landon Boss added eight tackles with one for a loss, a fumble recovery and an interception. 
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State travels to Maryville, Mo. on Halloween for a match up with #11 Northwest Missouri. Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
 
NOTES
McCullough's 100 yard pick six was the first 100 yard interceptions return for a touchdown by a Hornet since Travis Lee did it against Central Oklahoma in 2007.
Turner's 91 kickoff return for a touchdown was the first kick off return for a touchdown by a Hornet since Austin Willis had am 89 yard return against Neb.-Kearney in 2014.
The 58 points were the most by the Hornets since they scored 63 against Missouri Southern in 2023.