14 UIndy Greyhounds
at 15 Central Missouri Mules
Saturday, Nov. 23, 2 p.m. ET, Warrensburg, Mo.

ON TAP
The No. 14 Greyhounds open the 2019 NCAA DII playoffs with a first-round road trip to Warrensburg, Mo., for a clash with the 15th-ranked Mules of Central Missouri. The matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between the Super Region Three powers.

HOUNDS IN THE PLAYOFFS
UIndy is making its sixth trip to the playoffs in the last eight years, including a program-first third consecutive postseason berth. The Greyhounds are 2-5 in that span, with first-round wins coming against Midwestern State in 2012 and Fort Hays State in 2018. The Hounds are  0-3 in road playoff games.

STATE OF THE REGION
One of the toughest regions in Division II, Super Region Three is chock-full of nationally ranked teams. All seven members of this year's SR3 field are receiving votes in this week's AFCA DII Coaches Poll, with six of the seven ranked in the top 15. Click here for complete DII playoff bracket.

UIndy is one of five SR3 teams to qualify for each of the last three NCAA postseasons. Northwest Missouri State is the only squad with eight consecutive playoffs appearances, while UIndy, Ferris State and Harding can each claim six appearances in the last eight years.

The current construction of SR3, which includes the GLVC, GLIAC, MIAA and GAC, has only been around since 2017. Prior to that, the GLVC and GLIAC were members of SR4 along with the R-MAC and the Lone Star Conference.

With both UIndy and Lindenwood earning a spot in the field, this year marks the first time the GLVC has more than one playoff participant since the league began sponsoring football in 2012.

ABOUT CENTRAL MISSOURI
UCM earned the No. 4 seed in SR3 after a 10-1 regular season that included a co-MIAA championship. The Mules entered week 11 undefeated but lost at rival Northwest Missouri State, 45-23, last weekend. UCM is making their third playoff appearance under veteran head coach Jim Svoboda and first since 2016.

With senior quarterback Brooke Bolles at the helm, UCM sports the No. 1 offense in Division II, ranking first in both total offense (570.2 ypg) and passing offense (351.8 ypg). Bolles leads the nation with 3,660 passing yards and ranks second with 39 passing TDs.

SCORING UPDATE
Saturday's contest will feature the highest combined scoring average of any of the first-round matchups as UIndy leads all DII teams at 49.1 points per game and UCM sits third at 48.6 per. The Greyhounds' average easily surpasses the current program record for a season – 38.2 ppg set in 2017.

LAST TIME OUT
UIndy celebrated Senior Day last week by amassing the program's second-highest point total ever in a 70-6 rout of visiting Lake Erie. The Greyhounds racked up 599 total yards as eight different players found the end zone.

RECORD WATCH
Junior running Al McKeller continued his onslaught of the record books last week. Seven days after setting the program record for career rushing touchdowns, he added two more against Lake Erie to break the GLVC record in the category. The hometown product is the first player in program history with three consecutive 1,000-yard-rushing seasons, and he enters the postseason just 86 yards shy of claiming second place on UIndy's all-time rushing list.
 

UINDY CAREER RUSHING LEADERS
Rk	Name (years)	Yards
1.	Klay Fiechter (2010-13)	3,809
2.	Dick Nalley (1973-76)	3,559
3.	Al McKeller (2017- )	3,474
4.	Craig Jenkins (2004-06,08)	3,182
5.	Andrew  Walker (2014-17)	3,097

 

UINDY CAREER RUSHING TD LEADERS
Rk	Name (years)	TDs
1.	Al McKeller (2017- )	41
2.	Klay Fiechter (2010-13)	38
	Andrew  Walker (2014-17)	38
4.	Matt Ripp (2011-14)	32
5.	Jim Ware (1959-62)	30

JUST FOR KICKS
Sophomore special teams standout Paul Buisman set a number of records in the Lake Erie win last week. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native was true on all 10 extra-point attempts against the Storm, setting a single-game record for both UIndy and the GLVC. The performance upped his season total of made PATs to 66, which also set new school and conference marks. Meanwhile, he leads the GLVC in field goal percentage (.769) and ranks third in punting average (40.6).

BALL SECURITY
The Hounds continue to find themselves among the nation's leaders in fewest turnovers lost. They have committed just seven turnovers in 10 games this season, good for second in Division II. Last year, the Hounds led all DII teams with just 10 giveaways, marking the fifth time they ranked in DII's top 10 in the last eight years. In fact, the Hounds set the DII record for fewest giveaways in a season in 2011 with six, a mark since tied (Fort Lewis, 2015) but yet unbroken.