Game Statistics
WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Oct. 24) -- Midwestern State quarterback Zack Eskridge showed why he leads the nation in passing efficiency and the Mustangs proved they are one of the top teams in NCAA Division II in handing Central Oklahoma a 43-16 Lone Star Conference setback Saturday night.
Eskridge completed 15-of-20 passes for 339 yards and three touchdowns for No. 17-ranked MSU, which scored 23 straight points to break away from a 14-14 first-half tie and used a series of big plays to subdue the Bronchos in the league crossover game.
Eskridge, who set a Division II single-game completion percentage record by hitting 24-of-25 attempts in a win over Texas A&M-Kingsville last week, had TD throws of 70 and 71 yards and the Mustangs also scored on a 32-yard interception return.
UCO dropped to 2-7 on the year and 2-5 in the overall conference standings, while MSU improved to 7-2 and 5-2.
“We played hard, but gave up too many big plays and that's hard to overcome on the road against a good team,” UCO coach Tracy Holland said.
The Bronchos finished with 312 total yards, with Brandon Noohi hitting 20-of-41 passes for 203 yards as he set school records for both single-season (218) and career completions (390). Daniel Morrell caught seven passes for 96 yards and a TD.
UCO overcame an early 14-0 deficit to tie the game by the end of the first quarter, but the Mustangs took a 23-14 halftime lead and then stretched it to 37-14 early in the fourth quarter to put it away. MSU gave up a safety late in the game before ending the scoring with a last-minute touchdown.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 14-0 lead barely four minutes into the contest, with Eskridge throwing a 71-yard TD pass on the fourth play of the game and Micah Hill scored on a 32-yard interception return after picking off a tipped Noohi aerial.
The Bronchos answered back with back-to-back TD drives, going 73 yards in 11 plays and 55 yards in 10 snaps to pull even.
UCO got a big break on its first scoring drive when an off-sides penalty on fourth-and-two enabled the Bronchos to maintain possession and Jason Palmer ripped off a 14-yard run on the first play after that.
Noohi hooked up with Morrell on two consecutive plays to end the drive, teaming up for a seven-yard gain to overcome a third-and-three and then getting the score on the next play with a 22-yard strike.
UCO forced a quick punt and promptly drove in for the tying score, with a 21-yard swing pass from Noohi to Palmer getting things started. The Bronchos reached a first-and-goal at the six and Palmer ran up the middle to the edge of the goal line on the first play from there.
Noohi was then stacked up at the line on two consecutive sneaks before Palmer finally capped the drive with a burst over the ride side. Chris Robbs booted through the extra point to make it 14-all in the final seconds of the first quarter.
MSU broke the deadlock midway through the second quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Jose Martinez and Eskridge hit Andy Tanner with a 17-yard scoring pass in the final minute of the half to give the Mustangs a 23-14 advantage. A bad snap forced Martinez to try and run for the two-point conversion after the late TD, but Freddie Harris chased him down short of the end zone.
An 80-yard scoring drive to open the second half upped MSU's lead to 30-14 and it became 37-14 early in the fourth period on Eskridge's 70-yard TD bomb.
The Bronchos return to LSC North Division play next week, going to Ada to take on East Central at 6 p.m.
