Pre-Game Notes

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COPPERAS COVE, Texas – McMurry University will close out an already-successful 2012 campaign on Saturday, as it takes on Southern Arkansas University in the inaugural NCAA Division II C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl at Bulldawg Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.

The game is the backend of a twinbill, with the JUCO HOT Bowl Game between Navarro (N.M.) and Georgia Military at 11 a.m.

This is only the third official Bowl Game - 1-1 record previously -  in McMurry school history and the first in 63 years for the War Hawks. The last time McM played in a Bowl was the 1949 Oleander Bowl in Galveston, Texas (which was actually played on January 2, 1950), with McM topping Missouri Valley College, 19-13. McMurry's only other Bowl was the 1947 Boy's Ranch Bowl (a 20-13 loss, also to Missouri Valley College). 

In 1994, McMurry played in the Aztec Bowl in Mexico City versus the Mexican All-Stars (a 32-20 loss), but the game is not recognized by the NCAA.

This will also be the second meeting between the Muleriders (8-2) of SAU – third place finishers from the Great American Conference - and the War Hawks (7-3)…although some time has passed since the schools last met. In 1956, McM won a 20-13 decision in Abilene in the final contest of the regular season in the only previous meeting between the schools.

For fans who enjoy watching high-octane football, Copperas Cove may well be the place to be. SAU enters the contest averaging 485.6 yards per game in total offense and 37.3 points per game on the scoreboard. On the other side of the field, the War Hawks' total offense is at 429.7 y.p.g, with better than 359 yards per game coming through via their “Air Raid Offense.”

McMurry scores at a clip of 32.5 p.p.g.

The Muleriders lone losses this season were both to NCAA Division II playoff teams. Harding topped SAU, 23-20, in week #5 to snap a four-game win skein and No. 9-ranked Henderson State scored a 44-36 win over the Muleriders in week 8.

McMurry was tested early in its schedule, dropping back-to-back games versus then No.-10 NCAA Division II ranked Abilene Christian and #21 NCAA Division I FCS McNeese State.  The War Hawks the won three straight before suffering what would be its last loss of the regular season at NCAA I FCS Lamar University.

The War Hawks closed the regular season with four-straight victories, as well as an exhibition win over the University of Mexico in a border battle two weeks ago.

The two teams have a pair of common opponents in Texas College and Southern Nazarene University. SAU trounced Texas College, 56-0, in its season opener, while McMurry had a similar result (53-0) in its ninth game of the year. The Muleriders soundly defeated SNU, 47-14, on October 27, while McMurry escaped with a 22-19 victory three weeks earlier.

The game will be the last War Hawk “hurrah” for the team's 15 seniors, suiting up for McM head coach Hal Mumme. Among them is starting center Kiefer Price, a graduate of Copperas Cove High School who will be playing his final collegiate game on the same site as his last prep game.

McM sports two other former CCHS players on its roster with starting offensive guard, junior Daquon Bratcher and freshman defensive lineman Ray Jones.

McMurry's Mumme will also be returning to familiar territory. The War Hawks' veteran coach was the head coach at Copperas Cove for three seasons (1986-88).

McM senior quarterback Jake Mullin – who owns virtually every War Hawks team passing record – will be adding to his career totals one final time, as well. Mullin enters the game with 3,030 passing yards (his second-consecutive 3,000-yard passing season) and 22 aerial touchdowns in 2012. In his career, Mullin has 12,009 yards passing and 111 TDs through the air.