WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Central Washington University Football Team (7-1, 6-0 LSC) sat through over five hours and two lightning delays to finally earn a 56-13 victory over the Midwestern State Mustangs (2-6, 2-4 LSC) Saturday evening in Memorial Stadium. A special shoutout to the handful of CWU fans that stayed and cheered on the 'Cats through both delays. 
 
QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH CHRIS FISK:
 
"We are very proud of the way this team continues to handle adversity and travel, they are road warriors! We are excited to get home and celebrate senior week next week in a big game against Angelo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
 

• Both teams started off to a slow start with the first three possessions ending quickly as three and outs. 
• The Wildcats took over at their own 47 and Kennedy McGill immediately found Ryder Bumgarner for a quick first down, then adding eight yards on the ground himself before a 12-yard connection to Samaje Featherstone. McGill then found Bumgarner once more for a 22-yard touchdown and the first points of the game. David Weber tacked on the PAT and made it 7-0 CWU with 8:14 left in the first. 
• The next two possessions were stories of the defense who both forced punts, with Wyatt Redding pinning the Mustangs at their own one-yard line. 
• The Mustangs ran with the challenge as Jakolby Longino connected with Jaden Coulter for a 90-yard pass, then followed it up with a nine-yard touchdown connection to Demonte Greene. Kohen Maroney added the PAT and tied things up with 3:44 left in the first. 
• Justice Taylor started the next Wildcat possession with a five-yard gain only for McGill to take over and run his way down to the MSU 24-yard line to end the first quarter knotted up at seven apiece. 
• Taylor opened the second quarter with a quick seven-yard gain which was followed by McGill finding Andrew Molloy in the endzone for a 17-yard touchdown. Weber's PAT was successful and put CWU up 14-7 with 14:17 left in the second. 
• The Mustangs took from the Wildcat playbook, rushing their way down field, adding in a couple deep shots in there including a 28-yard pass from Longino to Jamarion Carroll to set the Mustangs up at the CWU three-yard line. A holding penalty on the Mustangs nullified a touchdown and the Wildcat defense held strong from there, forcing MSU to settle for a 31-yard field goal that was good by Maroney to make it 14-10 CWU with 11:26 left in the second. 
• McGill once again connected with Bumgarner for a five-yard pass to begin the crimson and black's next possession. Bumgarner then tacked on a first down with a 12-yard rush only to pave way for McGill to run it the last 58-yards on the next play for a touchdown. Weber added the PAT and put the 'Cats up 21-10 with 9:45 left in the second. 
• Despite the Mustangs finding momentum in the air and back-to-back pass interference penalties on the 'Cats setting MSU up in the red zone, the Wildcat defense held strong after Chase Coalson broke up a pass that landed in the hands of Brett McCalla who returned it 90 yards for his second pick six of the season. Weber tacked on the PAT and the CWU lead grew to 28-10 with 6:07 left in the second. 
• The Wildcat defense did its job once more as the Mustangs couldn't make it past midfield, giving the ball back to the Wildcat offense.
• An incomplete pass paired with two rushes for short gain saw CWU at fourth and one at their own 39-yard line, but the 'Cats had other plans as Redding faked the punt and ran for 19 yards to give CWU a first down. They made the most of it as Taylor added a quick five yards on the ground followed by McGill taking it the rest of the way on the next play for a 37-yard touchdown. Weber kicked the PAT and the 'Cats ballooned their lead to 35-10 with 1:44 left in the second. 
• MSU saw momentum maneuvering their way to the CWU side of the field only to see the drive stall thanks to a pass breakup by Jaylen Clay and a hurry to force an incomplete pass by Chase Loidhamer. The Mustangs settled for a 50-yard field goal which sailed through the uprights to make it 35-13 with 18 seconds before half. 
• Featherstone had other plans, returning the kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. Weber's PAT was good to increase the lead to 42-13 with seven seconds left in the second. 
• Coulter found a gap for a 26-yard gain to end the first half with the 'Cats on top 42-13. 
• McGill began the third quarter with back-to-back connections, first to Logan Brady for nine yards, then to Camden Loidhamer for 21 yards and the first down. McGill then ran the ball for 19 yards to set the 'Cats deep in Mustang territory. Bumgarner took it from there, running in the final 24 yards for the touchdown. Weber added the PAT and made it a 49-13 lead in favor of CWU with 12:34 left in the third. 
• The Wildcat defense once again held tall, forcing the Mustangs to punt once more. 
• The Wildcats took to the ground on their next drive as McGill and Bumgarner tag teamed the duties all the way down to the MSU 25-yard line setting up Weber for a 48-yard field goal that went wide left. 
• CWU defense forced a huge fourth down turnover on fourth and one, but Wahi Emmsley and Brogan De'Asis stopped Reginald Williams for no gain and gave the ball back to the offense with 1:42 left in the third at the MSU 40-yard line. 
• Three rushes by Ki'Marree Washington got the 'Cats the first down and ended the third quarter with CWU on top 49-13. 
• Washington only needed two more plays before punching it in for a 25-yard touchdown. Weber converted the PAT and made it a 56-13 game with 14:07 left. 
• The duo of Coulter on the ground and Longino in the air helped the Mustangs get three first downs to get to the CWU 45, but it would stop there as the Wildcat defense once again held tall, forcing a punt. 
• Washington, Caleb Christensen, and Antoine Lee split the rushing duties on the next drive as the 'Cats tried to eat up the clock. Lee notched a 40-yard gain on his first collegiate rush to put the 'Cats at the MSU 14-yard line, however they couldn't keep the momentum going, turning the ball over on downs. 
• Another three and out by the Mustangs gave the ball back to the CWU offense with 1:57 left and three kneel downs by Christensen put the game away for a 56-13 final score. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• McGill finished the game completing seven of nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns while leading the rushing attack with 174 yards and two more touchdowns. 
• Bumgarner and Washington each had a rushing touchdown with Bumgarner adding 64 yards and Washington adding 55, respectfully. 
• Bumgarner led the 'Cats in receiving, making three catches for 39 yards and a touchdown while Molloy tacked on 17 yards and a touchdown. 
• Jalen Webber led the 'Cats with eight tackles. 
• McCalla added five tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pick six. 
• Kuma Scanlan also added five tackles and Mikaio Edward finished with one tackle with both logging a tackle for loss.  
• Logan Lisherness finished with three tackles while Chase Loidhamer finished with two, but both contributed a sack. 
• Redding had two punts for 94 yards and nine kickoffs for 590 yards. 
• Weber was 0/1 on field goal attempts but was a perfect 8/8 on PAT attempts. 
• Mika Roberson returned four punts for 39 yards while Featherstone returned one kickoff for an 85-yard touchdown. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• The 'Cats will be back home one last time for the regular season when they host the 19th-ranked Angelo State Rams for Military Appreciation and Senior Day on Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 p.m. from Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.