By Jeff Murphy,
                                                									November 21, 2023
                                             
                                                
                                                
The University of Central Missouri Mules football team  celebrates a victory Nov.
                                                      18 allowing them to advance in the NCAA-II Championship playoffs.  (Photo by Sam Lutz)
WARRENSBURG, MO – An opportunity for University of Central Missouri students and others
                                                   to support Mules football in person during the second round of the NCAA-II Championships,
                                                   UCM Intercollegiate Athletics is making possible a “spirit bus” to transport fans
                                                   to Searcy, Arkansas this weekend. The bus will leave the UCM Multipurpose Building
                                                   at UCM at 6 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 and return to Warrensburg after the game. All seats
                                                   must be reserved in advance. While the majority of seats will be reserved for students,
                                                   there are also seats for other fans who want to be at the game when the Mules play
                                                   the Harding University Bisons.
All students taking the bus will ride free of charge complements of the Office of
                                                   Student Activities. They will also receive free game tickets provided by President
                                                   Roger Best. Non-student bus riders will pay $20 per person to reserve their spirit
                                                   bus seats, and must obtain tickets to the game on their own. Tickets for community
                                                   support can be purchased by clicking on the Harding tickets . For students who reside in UCM residence halls and plan to ride the spirit bus,
                                                   campus residence halls will open after 5 p.m. on Friday to help make travel to the
                                                   game on Saturday morning more convenient.
Students and other individuals who are interested in registering for spirit bus tickets
                                                   can do so via the  or by calling 660-543-4007. Additional information can be obtained at the Office
                                                   of Student Activities, Elliott Student Union 217.
The No. 6-ranked Mules advanced to the second round of the playoffs by defeating No.
                                                   24-ranked Henderson State 56-14 in the first round of the NCAA-II Football Championship
                                                   on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field. The Mules are 11-1 and have
                                                   tied the UCM single-season program record for victories at 11. They face the third-ranked
                                                   Harding Bisons, which are 11-0 in their conference. Learn more about the Mules by
                                                   visiting the UCM Intercollegiate Athletics .