Game Statistics
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Sept. 18) – A blocked extra point and untimely fourth-down penalty cost Central Oklahoma a chance to pick up a big Lone Star Conference road win here Saturday night as the Bronchos dropped a 42-41 overtime thriller to Incarnate Word.
UCO got the ball first in OT and went on top 41-35 on Josh Birmingham's four-yard touchdown run, but Chris Robbs' PAT was smothered to keep the lead at six. UIW got a big break on its initial offensive try when the Bronchos were called for pass interference on an incomplete fourth-and-10 pass.
That gave the Cardinals new life at the UCO 10 and they took advantage when Paden Lynch hit Trent Rios with a nine-yard scoring pass. Thomas Rebold then knocked through the extra point to give UIW its first-ever LSC win.
The Bronchos fell to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in the league, while the Cardinals improved to 1-2 and 1-1.
“It's a huge disappointment,” UCO coach Tracy Holland said. “We made a lot of mistakes in all phases of the game and just didn't get it done.”
Quarterback Ethan Sharp was sensational for the Bronchos, hitting 30-of-51 passes for 350 yards – the seventh-best game in school history – and four touchdowns as UCO racked up 444 total yards. Daniel Morrell had five catches for 111 yards and Tucker Holland had seven receptions for 76 yards.
The Cardinals had 413 total yards, including 304 rushing.
UCO opened the game with an impressive seven-play, 76-yard touchdown drive to grab a quick 7-0 lead, gaining 72 of those yards in the air as Sharp completed 4-of-5 passes. He had a big 30-yarder to Morrell on the first play of the game and Matt Jackson ended it when he snared an eight-yard bullet for his first career touchdown.
The Cardinals answered right back with a 73-yard TD drive to tie it and needed just three plays to cover 71 yards – keyed by a 66-yard run -- to grab a 14-7 lead late on their next possession.
UCO tied it early in the second period when Sharp and Morrell teamed up for a 54-yard score, with a wide-open Morrell gathering in Sharp's aerial at the UIW 35 and outracing the Cardinal secondary the rest of way.
Incarnate Word regained the lead midway through the period, but the Bronchos came right back with a lengthy scoring drive to tie it with just 34 seconds left in the opening halff on Birmingham's two-yard burst up the middle.
The Cardinals went back on top 28-21 with their opening possession of the third quarter, using a crucial 15-yard personal foul penalty on UCO to key a 52-yard drive after a short kickoff.
Both defenses stiffened after that and UIW remained in the lead until the Bronchos got a break to set up the tying touchdown as Tucker Cason recovered a fumbled punt at the Cardinal 18-yard-line with less than 10 minutes left to play.
Two Birmingham runs netted five yards before Sharp tossed his third TD of the night, scrambling out of trouble before rifling a pass to a diving Carter Whitson – who started the season as UCO's back-up quarterback -- in the end zone for the 13-yard score. Robbs knocked through his fourth extra point of the night to make it 28-all with 8:49 remaining.
It didn't stay tied long, with UIW taking just over three minutes to move back on top on a 31-yard scoring run by quarterback Lynch made it 35-28 with 5:19 left.
Artrel Woods' 30-yard kickoff return set UCO up at its own 34 and the Bronchos promptly drove 66 yards to tie it again. The big play was a 26-yard swing pass from Sharp to running back Dante Lipscomb on his first play in the game after coming on for Birmingham, who was shaken up on the previous play.
Sharp ended it five plays later when he drilled a 12-yard scoring pass to Holland crossing the middle in the end zone. Robbs' PAT tied it at 35-all with 1:19 to play.
Strong safety Keno Meadows came up big on UIW's last possession, making two tackles and forcing an incomplete pass with a blitz as the Cardinals ended up punting the ball away in the final seconds to set up the extra session.
