ST. LOUIS — Missouri Baptist University football (2–6, 1–3 Heart) returns home Saturday night to host Central Methodist University (2–7, 1–3 Heart) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference South Division matchup at 5 p.m. inside Spartan Field. The game marks Homecoming and Senior Night, with 12 members of the senior class set to be honored prior to kickoff.
Game Notes | Live Stream | Live Stats
The Matchup
MBU enters the contest looking to close its home slate on a high note after last week's game against Baker. The Spartans are 1–3 at home this season and aim to finish strong under the lights in St. Louis.
Quarterback Jacob Jones continues to pace the offense with 1,646 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and a team-high 456 rushing yards with eight scores on the ground. Senior receiver Gavin Claud leads all Spartans with 575 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while senior running back Lionel Banks enters the week just one rushing touchdown shy of tying the MBU career record.
Defensively, senior linebacker Evan DeWilde anchors the unit with 78.0 total tackles, including 18 last week against Baker, and freshman Kenner Bye has added 7.5 tackles for loss to lead the team.
CMU arrives in St. Louis looking to snap a four-game skid. The Eagles are led by sophomore quarterback Jordan Gile, who has thrown for 943 yards and 11 touchdowns, while senior wide receiver Zyon Slade headlines the receiving corps with 22 receptions and four scores. CMU averages 22.8 points per game, narrowly ahead of MBU's 21.0, setting up a tightly contested matchup.
By the Numbers
- MBU averages 207.6 passing yards and 147.0 rushing yards per game.
- The Spartans' defense has produced 11 sacks and six interceptions by six different players this season.
- Senior linebacker Nick Stepney ranks second on the team with 50.0 tackles.
- Freshman defensive end Talon Hance recorded a career-high eight tackles last week and has 4.5 tackles for loss this season.
The Series
Saturday marks the third meeting all-time between Missouri Baptist and Central Methodist, with the Spartans holding a 2–0 advantage in the series. MBU has averaged 43.0 points per game across the two previous contests, including last year's 30–14 victory in Fayette, Mo. The Spartans are 1–0 at home against the Eagles and look to remain unbeaten in the series.
From the Sideline
"Homecoming and Senior Day — there's going to be a lot of excitement," said head coach Jason Burianek. "Senior Day, as we all know, is a meaningful day for those guys and for the entire team to get a chance to thank them. It'll be a lot of fun."
Kickoff Information
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. Saturday at Spartan Field in St. Louis. The game will stream live on the Urban Edge Network with live stats available at mbuspartans.com.
