Warrensburg, Mo. – The Missouri Southern football team drove deep into UCM territory late in the game, but Southern couldn't complete the comeback and the Lions fell 20-17 at Central Missouri today
 
Southern (4-3, 4-3 MIAA) got a touchdown pass from Dawson Herl to Jaedon Stoshak as Stoshak caught six passes for 91 yards and Herl was 13-of-25 for 166 yards. Nathan Glades ran 16 times for 105 yards, while Dwayne Lawson added a rushing touchdown.
 
Defensively, Richard Jordan Jr. had 12 tackles with 1.5 tackles for a loss of five yards. Colton Winder had 11 tackles including a fumble recovery. Coleman Booker added nine tackles and a forced fumble, while Jalen Dennis had an interception.
 
Nick Williams had a 29 yard field goal and a punt for 42 yards.
 
Central (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) got touchdowns from Arkell Smith and Marcellous Hawkins.
 
Central got on the board first as the Mules intercepted a pass and drove the field, settling for an 18-yard field goal to give Central a 3-0 lead early in the 2^nd quarter.  The Mules added a six-yard run with 5:48 left in the half to go up 10-0.
 
On the Lions' ensuing possession, Southern took the ball at their own 48-yard line and started to move. Herl hit Stoshak for 32 yards putting the ball at the UCM 26-yard line. Glades then rushed for 22 yards on the next play to put the ball on the four-yard line. After a short pass from Herl to Trace Willhite, Southern brought Lawson in for a direct snap to put the ball in from one with 3:24 left.
 
The Mules took the ball and started to drive. Central got inside the Southern 31 before a holding call on the Mules pushed it back ten yards. On the next play, Dennis intercepted a pass at the Southern one-yard line to make the score 10-7 at the break.
 
The Lions took the opening kickoff of the second half and used a 12-yard run from Glades, as well as a 30-yard pass from Herl to Nick Panella to put the ball in the redzone. Williams capped the drive with a 29-yard field goal to tie the score at 10 with 9:36 left in the 3^rd.
 
The Mules went up 20-10 in the fourth quarter before the Lions answered back with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Herl to Stoshak. During the drive, the Lions got a 14-yard run from Lawson and a 16-yard rush from Glades.
 
The Southern defense posted a big stop and forced a punt resulting in a drive start at the Lions' own 15-yard line with five minutes to go in the game. The Lions drove into UCM territory, but a fumble gave the ball back to the Mules with 1:41 left in the game.
 
The Lions will be back in action next week as Southern plays host to Emporia State for its Hall of Fame Game. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium is set for 2 pm.