SID Streak To End

9/11/2009 7:55:51 AM

By Mike Kirk
UCO Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

As sports streaks go it may not rank up there with Joe DiMaggio's, but it was mine and I sure hate for it to be over. But, like DiMaggio's record 56-game hitting streak set with the New York Yankees way back in 1941, all good things must come to an end.

Since Oct. 31, 1987 – first as sports information director and now as assistant athletic director for media relations – I have witnessed every Central Oklahoma football game the Bronchos have played. Be it in Edmond or Langston, Okla. or Blackwater Draw, N.M. or Northridge, Calif., I was there.

But that streak of 229 consecutive UCO games –- or CSU when I first started – will end Saturday when the Bronchos travel to Kingsville, Texas to take on Texas A&M-Kingsville in a big Lone Star Conference crossover contest.

A home volleyball tournament Friday and Saturday in Hamilton Field House will prevent me from making the long trek to Kingsville. And while I'm obviously disappointed to have the long streak snapped, it's okay because I'll get to watch another Broncho team in action.

Actually, as a one-man operation, it's rather amazing that the streak lasted this long. It took some creative traveling, occasional assistance from area sports information directors and scheduling help from our volleyball coaches to make all the away games over the years, but somehow I found a way. Until now.

I saw my first Central game on Oct. 31, 1987 – a 28-24 win over Southeastern Oklahoma, by the way – and started work two days later. That Oct. 31 date has added significance in my life as later that night, while out with friends who already lived in Edmond, I met Debbie Descher at a Halloween party. Just over a year later, she became my wife.

There were plenty of big wins, crushing losses and seasons to remember – and forget -- during the streak. An 0-10-1 season in 1989 was painful to watch, both home and away. A magical 1998 season that ended with a devastating defeat in the playoffs was exhilarating the whole way through.

As I looked back at the long list of games that the Bronchos played with me in the press box, I came up with a couple of lists and I know people like those. So, for what it's worth, here are the top 10 wins and top 10 losses for the UCO football team from Oct. 31, 1987 to Sept. 5, 2009.

Top 10 Wins
1. UCO 36, Northeastern State 10 (1998). Alton Lusk returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to quiet an overflow crowd at NSU and the Bronchos rolled in winning their first-ever Lone Star Conference title.
2. UCO 23, Chadron State 21 (1996). A last-minute touchdown pass from Stanley Pena to Alton Lusk gave UCO its first-ever NCAA Division II playoff victory at Wantland Stadium.
3. UCO 21, Chadron State 19 (1998). The Eagles missed a last-second field goal and the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Bronchos held on for a first-round playoff win at Wantland Stadium.
4. UCO 19, Angelo State 11 (1988). The winless Bronchos (0-5) went on the road and knocked off highly-ranked Angelo State for their first-ever LSC win.
5. UCO 38, Texas A&M-Kingsville 9 (1998). An 80-yard touchdown run by Reggie Donner put UCO in control early and the Bronchos dominated to end a long losing streak to the Javelinas and jump-start a record year.
6. UCO 36, Abilene Christian 33 (1994). Stanley Pena hit Tony Bryson with a 77-yard TD pass on 4th-and-20 in the final minute to lift the Bronchos to victory.
7. UCO 38, Langston 10 (1994). Joe Aska went wild, rushing for a school-record 312 yards before an overflow crowd at Wantland Stadium.
8. UCO 17, Eastern New Mexico 7 (1996). Johnny Luter recovered two fumbles and the Bronchos shut down the Greyhounds to clinch their first-ever Division II playoff berth on the road.
9. UCO 28, Western Washington 24 (2001). With no timeouts left, Greg Briley scored on a five-yard run with eight seconds left to lift the Bronchos to a huge season-opening road win.
10. UCO 24, West Texas A&M 17 (2009). The Bronchos bounced back from a big loss the week before to run wild over the Buffs in picking up a huge road upset.

Top 10 Losses
1. Texas A&M-Kingsville 24, UCO 21 (1998). The Bronchos tied the game with a late touchdown pass and then missed a field goal on the last play of regulation to win it before TAMUK won in overtime. The loss ended UCO's perfect season and the Javelinas later forfeited because of ineligible players.
2. Texas A&M-Commerce 33, UCO 31 (1989). The Bronchos built a big lead before the Lions roared back to win it on a last-second field goal, a sign of things to come in an 0-10-1 season.
3. Texas A&M-Kingsville 49, UCO 6 (2003). The Javelinas blew out UCO in the second round of the playoffs, a loss made more embarrassing by an ugly second-half brawl.
4. Abilene Christian 35, UCO 31 (1992). The Bronchos threw five interceptions in a bad loss to a horrible ACU team.
5. Cal State-Northridge 31, UCO 28 (1989). Again the Bronchos built a big lead only to lose on a last-second score.
6. Southeastern Oklahoma 20, UCO 14 (1999). The Bronchos had a long touchdown pass called back by a questionable penalty and Southeastern went on to end UCO's 21-game regular-season winning streak.
7. Stephen F. Austin 38, UCO 31 (2000). The NCAA I-AA-ranked Lumberjacks tied the game with a last-second field goal and then won it in overtime to keep UCO from a gigantic road upset.
8. UC Davis 33, UCO 17 (1999). Officials twice denied Brett Manning after he scored on short quarterback sneaks and Davis responded with a 99-yad TD drive to clinch a first-round playoff win.
9. Nebraska-Kearney 22, UCO 21 (1994). Joe Aska ran wild at Muddy Wantland Stadium, the Bronchos blew a big lead and had a game-winning field goal bounce off the upright on the final play.
10. Southwestern Oklahoma 24, UCO 21 (2002). A botched punt in the final minute enabled the Bulldogs to kick a game-winning field goal in Weatherford as SWOSU won its third straight from the Bronchos.

Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories