Game Statistics
BOLIVAR, Mo. (Oct. 4) – In a game filled with more twists and turns than a Hollywood suspense thriller it was a missed field goal with three seconds remaining that enabled Central Oklahoma to escape with a wild 43-40 victory over Southwest Baptist here Saturday afternoon.
The Bronchos were clinging to the precarious 43-40 advantage when the Bearcats -- benefiting from two big 15-yard penalties -- moved from their own 29-yard-line to the UCO 10, but Justin Finch's 28-yard field goal that would have tied it and forced overtime wasn't even close.
It was the second straight win after four season-opening losses for the Bronchos (2-4), while SBU had its three-game winning streak stopped.
“We put ourselves in position to put the game away several times, but we made a bunch of mistakes and it almost cost us,” UCO coach Tracy Holland said. “Our guys hung in there under some tough circumstances and we got a good win on the road.”
The Bronchos racked up 480 total yards on 83 plays, with Brandon Noohi hitting 21-of-33 passes for 359 yards – the sixth-best game in school history – and three touchdowns.
Ryan Gallimore had nine receptions for 180 yards and two TDs while also scoring on a 95-yard kickoff return, Kendall Hendricks caught seven passes for 124 yards and a score and Da'Marean Pullen carried 31 times for 152 yards and a TD.
Gallimore finished with 294 all-purpose yards, the second-most in school history, and his 180-yard receiving effort was the ninth-best single-game effort at UCO.
UCO limited the Bearcats to 305 yards, including just 105 in the second half. But SBU scored on a long fumble return, recovered a bobbled punt for a touchdown and had a field goal set up by yet another fumbled punt.
Matt Gates had a team-high 10 tackles and Marcus Martinez had six stops, including three sacks for minus-22 yards as UCO limited the Bearcats to minus-23 yards rushing.
The Bronchos appeared safe after taking a 43-33 lead with 4:10 remaining on Noohi's 21-yard TD strike to Hendricks, but SBU came back with a long kickoff return and quick-strike score to pull within 43-40 with 2:57 left.
UCO couldn't manage a first down and the Bearcats took over at their own 29 with 1:58 to play, getting one first down on a pass interference call and another on a roughing-the-pass penalty after a fourth-down pass fell incomplete in moving to the Broncho 10.
SBU overthrew a receiver in the end zone on first down from there and then Finch's short field goal try was low and left as UCO held on.
The Bronchos, who had two first-half field goals blocked, took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on Noohi's two-yard sneak and went up 13-3 early in the second quarter when Gallimore followed an SBU field goal with his 95-yard kickoff return.
But the Bearcats came back with two Steven Gachette touchdown passes in the final seven minutes of the quarter to take a 17-13 lead into intermission.
UCO regained the lead quickly to start the third quarter, going on top 20-17 on Noohi's 67-yard TD bomb to Gallimore and then making it 22-17 on a safety when Jermelle Cudjo and Micah Howeth tackled Gachette in the end zone after he retrieved an errant snap.
SBU came back again, scoring on a 55-yard fumble return and a 28-yard field goal to go on top 26-22 with 4:54 left in the back-and-forth third quarter.
The Bronchos went ahead to stay on Pullen's tackle-breaking 25-yard scoring sprint with 3:13 left in the period and got the ball right back when Terry Hardeman stuffed SBU on a fake punt try.
UCO went 43 yards in five plays to make it 36-26 early in the final period on Noohi's 29-yard scoring pass to Gallimore, with Gallimore making a leaping catch in the end zone on the fourth-and-nine play.
Another mishap got the Bearcats right back in it, with SBU recovering the ball in the end zone for a touchdown after a punt bounced off a UCO player.
The pulled the Bearcats within 36-33, but again the UCO offense answered. This time the Bronchos went 59 yards in seven plays, with Noohi hitting a sliding Hendricks for 21 yards and the score with just 4:10 remaining to make it 43-33 to set up the wild finish.
The Bronchos return to Lone Star Conference North Division play next week, hosting Southeastern Oklahoma at 6 p.m.
