Bronchos Fall To NSU

11/16/2013 4:24:00 PM

Tanner Koons

Game Statistics

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Nov. 16) – A frantic fourth-quarter rally fell short as Central Oklahoma dropped a wild 45-38 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association decision to intrastate rival Northeastern State here Saturday afternoon.

The Bronchos trailed 38-17 early in the fourth quarter before making things interesting down the stretch with three touchdowns in the final 10 minutes, but a school-record-tying five interceptions -- including two inside the NSU 10-yard-line – was too much to overcome.

UCO had a two-game winning streak stopped in dropping its fourth straight President's Cup battle to the RiverHawks and finishing the season 2-8.

"We battled and gave ourselves a chance at the end, but you can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win," head coach Nick Bobeck said. "It's a tough way to end the season."

T.J. Eckert hit 33-of-50 passes for 385 yards – the sixth-best game in school history -- and three touchdowns as the Bronchos rolled up 551 total yards.

Marquez Clark tied his own school record with 13 catches for 156 yards in finishing with a single-season UCO record 82 receptions. Joshua Birmingham had 114 yards and two TDs rushing in 17 attempts, becoming just the second player in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark (1,071) three times.

The RiverHawks ended up with 490 total yards, including 284 rushing. Tanner Koons made 12 tackles, including 2.0 for loss, to lead the defense.

NSU appeared in control after taking a 38-17 lead early in the final period, but Clark's 35-yard kickoff return ignited a 55-yard scoring drive that Birmingham ended with a one-yard smash up the middle with 9:06 remaining.

The Bronchos forced a quick punt and Clark's 14-yard return set up another 55-yard TD march. Eckert had third-down passes of 10 yards to Christian Hood and 15 to Issac Whitney to keep the drive alive and he ended it with a 20-yard scoring strike to Sam Johnson.

Seth Hiddink's extra point pulled UCO within 38-31 with 6:03 still to play and the Bronchos had the momentum, but NSU quarterback Thor Long broke off an 85-yard run on a scramble to set up a one-yard TD that put NSU back in front by 14 at the 4:47 mark.

The Bronchos were intercepted at the NSU seven on their next possession before using all three timeouts and a defensive stop to get the ball right back at the RiverHawk 40 following a short punt.

Eckert hit Clark with a 31-yard pass on first down and the Bronchos scored five players later on Eckert's fourth-down pass to Hood from four yards out.

Hiddink's PAT made it 45-38 with 1:30 remaining, but NSU recovered the onside kick and ran out the rest of the clock.

The Bronchos started strong both offensively and defensively before the tide soon turned as grabbed a 24-10 halftime lead.

Eckert was intercepted near mid-field on UCO's first possession, but the Bronchos got the ball right back when Chase Talbert picked off an NSU pass at the Central 30-yard-line.

It took just two plays for UCO to take the lead, with Eckert throwing to Clark for nine yards on first down before Birmingham broke free for a 61-yard score on the next play. Birmingham burst through a big hole over the left side and sprinted untouched the rest of the way for his 10^th career TD run of 50-plus yards.

Hiddink added the extra point to make it 7-0 just four minutes into the game.

The RiverHawks tied it late in the opening quarter and then stopped Birmingham on a fourth-down run at the NSU 26 before going on a 16-play, 74- yard drive to take a 14-7 lead midway through the second period.

Eckert has passes of 22 yards to Hood and 24 to Clark as UCO followed with a 65-yard drive that stalled at the NSU 10. The Bronchos lost four yards after reaching a first-and-goal at the six before Hiddink came on to knock through his ninth straight field goal – this one from 27 yards – to make it 14-10 with 5:09 left in the half.

The RiverHawks scored 10 unanswered points the rest of the way, capping a 71-yard TD drive at 2:14 and adding a 50-yard field goal with 25 seconds left.

NSU took over at the Central 45 following Eckert's second interception of the half, but Adrian Shoecraft knocked down a third-down pass from the 33 five plays later to force the long, wind-aided field goal.

UCO opened the second half with a nine-play, 75-yard scoring drive to make it 24-17 as Eckert was 4-of-4 passing for 42 yards. Hood capped the march with a tough over-the-shoulder grab in the back of the end zone from six yards out for his first TD of the season.

The Bronchos forced a punt on NSU's first second-half possession as Kenny Allen had a pair of sacks, but UCO went nowhere after a drive-opening 27-yard screen pass from Eckert to Birmingham and the RiverHawks followed with an 81-yard TD drive to go ahead 32-17.

Eckert's fourth interception of the game – and the second after the ball was tipped in the air – led to a 45-yard NSU touchdown drive that made it 38-17 early in the final quarter.

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