After a 31-point second-half comeback by Griffon football (1-2) and 1,206 yards of offense, a 23-yard field goal was the difference between Missouri Western and No. 21 Central Missouri (3-0). Chris Diddle’s chip shot field goal in overtime gave Central Missouri a 48-45 win at Spratt Stadium, Saturday night.
MWSU got the ball to start overtime. The Girffons got the ball to the UCM 21 where Sam Aviles attempted a 38-yard field goal on fourth down that was wide right. UCM answered with a seven-play, 20-yard drive that ended with Diddle’s game winner.
The Griffons forced overtime by scoring 45 second-half points, 29 in the fourth quarter. UCM led 31-0 with 6:39 left in the third and 38-8 after MWSU’s first touchdown of the game with 6:08 left in the third quarter. Trey Vaval sparked the comeback with a 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first by a Griffon since 2013 and the first of his career. Deron Thompson made it 38-16 on a seven-yard run that capped a 10-play 67-yard drive by MWSU.
The Griffons got within two TDs with 8:54 left in the game when Wyatt Steigerwald hit Cooper Burton for a 30-yard touchdown strike. UCM answered with a 68-yard touchdown pass on a two-play drive. Then MWSU rattled off 21 unanswered, tying the game with 1:02 left on a 25-yard pass to Devon Holmes. Aided by two defensive penalties, Central Missouri drove to the MWSU 8-yard line with less than a minute in regulation, but the game got to overtime after the Mules rushed to the MWSU 4-yard line and couldn’t get off a field goal attempt in regulation.
Missouri Western plays the first of two straight road games when the Griffs travel to Northeastern State (0-3) next week. Kickoff in Tahlequah, Oklahoma is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sept. 28.