Happy Homecoming

11/2/2013 6:47:00 PM

Connor Pulley

Game Statistics

EDMOND (Nov. 2) – It may seem strange to consider defense the difference in a game that featured 91 combined points, but such was the case for Central Oklahoma in Saturday afternoon's 49-42 Homecoming triumph over Lincoln at Wantland Stadium.

Lineman Kenny Allen led a dominating unit that stuffed the Blue Tigers the first 17 minutes of the game as the Bronchos built a 24-7 lead and the defense came up big twice late in the game to keep UCO in front after Lincoln had rallied to within four points.

The Bronchos forced a punt with 4:37 left to play after Tyler Newton and Allen had back-to-back tackles for loss and UCO followed with a clutch 63-yard drive capped by Seth Hiddink's 40-yard field goal that made it 49-42 with 1:25 remaining.

Then, on LU's final possession, Ashton Dandy crashed in for an eight-yard sack on a fourth-down play that gave the ball back to the Bronchos with 59 seconds left and clinched the win.

"That was a great win for our football team," head coach Nick Bobeck said. "We were inconsistent, but we still did some good things on both sides of the ball and made some big plays when we needed them down the stretch. I thought we fought hard and it was good to see our guys rewarded for their efforts."

UCO improved to 1-7 on the season and in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play while ending a nine-game losing streak and a seven-game home losing skid.

The Bronchos ended up with 475 yards, passing for 279 and rushing for 196.

Quarterback Adrian Nelson returned to the starting lineup after missing the last two and one-half games to injury and was 6-of-9 passing for 104 yards and a touchdown before being forced out of action again. T.J. Eckert went the rest of the way and hit 11-of-19 passes for 175 yards.

Running back Joshua Birmingham carried 29 times for 130 yards and four TDs in addition to adding 43 yards on three receptions. Electrifying wide receiver Marquez Clark caught nine passes for 165 yards and finished with 284 all-purpose yards, including a 55-yard punt return score.

Allen finished with a career-high 14 tackles, including 5.0 for loss with 2.0 sacks and a fumble recovery. Safety Thomas Hill added 10 tackles, while linebacker Adrian Shoecraft and cornerback Levonte Douglas made nine apiece.

UCO scored on its first two possessions to jump out to a quick 14-0 lead as Birmingham ran it in from 14 yards out and Nelson hit Connor Pulley with a 38-yard scoring bomb.

Lincoln got back in the game with an 85-yard punt return, but Birmingham had a 27-yard run in a drive that ended in Hiddink's 37-yard field goal and Clark opened the second quarter with his weaving 55-yard punt return that gave the Bronchos a 24-7 cushion.

The Blue Tigers had minus-one yard in 15 plays at that point in the game and it appeared UCO was on the verge of running away, but the Bronchos lost a fumble that set up a short LU scoring drive and Morris Henderson bolted 76 yards for another TD to quickly make it 24-21.

UCO regained the momentum with a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended on Birmingham's 11-yard burst up the middle with 38 seconds left in the half, though a blocked extra point left the lead at 30-21.

The teams traded touchdowns on four straight possessions in the third quarter to leave the Bronchos with a 43-35 lead, with Birmingham scoring from four and 16 yards out.

Hiddink booted through the second of his three field goals – this one from 26 yards – in the opening minute of the fourth period to up the lead to 46-35, but there were plenty of anxious moments the rest of the way.

Tanner Koons' diving interception stopped one LU drive in UCO territory, but the Blue Tigers drove in their final touchdown to cut the lead to 46-52 with 9:43 left.

The Bronchos were forced to punt on their next possession and that's when the defense made its first key stop, limiting LU to 21 yards and forcing a punt as Newton had a two-yard tackle for loss and Allen an eight-yard sack.

Jake Gandara broke off a big 43-yard run to key UCO's next possession, with Birmingham carrying five times for 16 yards in the clutch drive that ended in Hiddink's final field goal.

The Bronchos go on the road for their final two games, starting next Saturday with a trip to Boliviar, Mo. to face Southwest Baptist.

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