This is the first game for Missouri Southern in what should be the toughest stretch for just about anyone in the MIAA. Their final four games will all be against teams with winning records (Central Missouri, Missouri Western, Truman, and Northwest Missouri).

“Three of our next four games are against ranked teams and they are all on the road,” said Bart Tatum, head football coach.

Last week’s game was both good and bad for the Lions.

It was good in that they won, of course. But, also because they were able to hold Fort Hays to a goose egg on the scoreboard and play opportunistic defense. It was bad however, because junior quarterback Adam Hinspeter threw two interceptions and although senior running back Alley Broussard ran for 100 yards, it took him 29 carries to do it and redshirt freshman Renard Johnson had four carries for zero yards.

In order for Southern to win their next four games, especially against Central Missouri and Northwest in a few weeks, the offense has to play to its full potential.

Defensively, Missouri Southern is first in the MIAA in scoring defense (16 ppg), pass defense efficiency allowing just five passing touchdowns compared to forcing 11 interceptions and total defense (290 ypg) among other categories.

“Corderial Collier, Jamel Smith, Justin Cowper, Antwan Dyer these guys all had really big-time hits in that game, said Tatum, “and that is what championship defense is about.”

The Southern defense faces junior running back Glenn Milner on Saturday. Milner is currently ranked third in the conference in rushing averaging 107 yards per game.

“He is a big physical runner with speed,”said Tatum of Milner.

“He is a lot like Alley.”

Southern is allowing 150 yards a game on the ground to their opponents.

The X-factor in this game for Central Missouri will be the play of their quarterback. After the Mules lost Toby Korrodi to the NFL last year, the quarterback position was a question coming into this campaign. Sophomore Eric Czerniewski and junior transfer Dean Stinson have done a very good job of keeping defenses honest so that Milner has had room to run.

“Their two quarterbacks don’t throw as well as Korrodi did but they are more athletic, leaps and bounds,” Tatum said.

Southern’s best chance in this game will be to force Central to play one dimensional and make either the quarterback or the running back do it alone. It would be better for the Lions if the game were in the Mules’ quarterback’s hands at the end of the game.

Offensively for Southern, this might be the best secondary they have seen yet. Senior free safety Kendall Ricketts is an All-American and he leads a very talented team defense.

“Kendall had as good a year as I have been around as a safety in the running game he is a tremendous tackler and has worked hard to improve his cover skills, which are very good as well,” said Mules head football coach Willie Fritz.

Hinspeter will need to have time to throw and more importantly, when he has time he needs to make good decisions with the ball.

Junior Adrian Singletary leads a talented group of linebackers for Central. Broussard and Johnson need to have some early success on the ground to put the Mules on their heels.

Southern’s X-factor will be limiting Central’s big plays. This is their homecoming game and so you know that the turnout should be very good. Central fans are some of the rowdiest in the MIAA if you give them a reason to get going, it can seem like a long afternoon.

Kickoff for the game is at 1:30 in Warrensburg.