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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Jake Gandara
19
Central Oklahoma UCO 5-2 , 5-2
31
Winner Central Missouri UCM 5-2 , 5-2
Central Oklahoma UCO
5-2 , 5-2
19
Final
31
Central Missouri UCM
5-2 , 5-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UCO Central Oklahoma 0 3 3 13 19
UCM Central Missouri 14 0 7 10 31

Game Recap: Football |

Mules Hand UCO 31-19 Setback

Game Statistics
 
WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Oct. 18) – An early 14-0 deficit and three interceptions were too much for Central Oklahoma to overcome here Saturday as the Bronchos dropped a 31-19 to Central Missouri.
 
The Mules scored on their first two possessions of the game to jump on top quickly and UCO never recovered.  It was 14-3 at halftime and UCM built a 31-6 lead before the Bronchos scored their only two touchdowns of the game in the final seven minutes.
 
UCO fell to 5-2 on the year and in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while the Mules improved to the same record.  The Bronchos return home next Saturday to host Washburn at 1 p.m.
 
"We got off to a slow start on both sides of the ball and put ourselves in a hole we just couldn't get out of," head coach Nick Bobeck said.  "I was proud of the way we kept fighting, but turnovers really hurt us and we just didn't play well enough to win the football game."
 
All three UCO turnovers were costly, with the first coming at the Central Missouri six-yard-line in the final minute of the first half to end a streak of 155 passes without an interception.
 
The Mules also picked off a pass in their own end zone early in the fourth quarter while leading 21-6 and quarterback Chas Stallard was intercepted again on UCO's next possession at the UCM 28.
 
The Bronchos finished with 473 total yards to 444 for the Mules.  UCM running back LaVance Taylor racked up 228 yards and two TDs on just 21 carries.
 
Stallard ended up 31-of-43 passing for 312 yards, with Marquez Clark catching eight aerials for 97 yards.  Jake Gandara had 120 yards rushing in 15 attempts.
 
Linebackers Logan Orso and Malcolm Howard had nine tackles apiece to lead the defense. 
 
Central Missouri scored the first two times it had to ball to take a 14-0 lead just 10 minutes into the contest and the Bronchos were forced to battle for behind the rest of the way.
 
UCO got on the scoreboard with 3:42 left in the half when Seth Hiddink drilled a 40-yard field goal to cap a 15-play, 64-yard drive highlighted by Stallard passes of 18 yards to Caleb Moss and 16 yards to Connor Pulley.
 
The Bronchos got the ball right back when Cade Shearwood forced a fumble that Nick Koenig recovered at the UCM 38 and a 24-yard Stallard-to-Pulley pass gave UCO a first-and-goal at the 10.
 
Two runs and a penalty pushed the Bronchos back to the 24 and Stallard's third-and-goal pass from there was picked off at the six.
 
The Mules pushed their lead to 21-3 early in the third quarter and UCO answered with another field goal drive keyed by Gandara's 41-yard run.
 
The Bronchos had a first-and-goal at the UCM 4, but gained only one yard in three plays and were forced to settle for Hiddink's 20-yard field goal to make it 21-6.
 
UCO had a chance to draw closer early in the final period after getting a 42-yard pass from Stallard to Clark in moving to a first-and-goal at the Mule 10, but an end zone interception stopped that threat and Taylor broke off an 80-yard scoring run minutes later to give UCM a 28-6 advantage.
 
Stallard threw his third interception at the Central Missouri 28 on UCO's next possession and the Mules used a 63-yard pass to set up a 19-yard field goal for a 31-6 lead with 9:10 left to play.
 
The Bronchos came back with their first TD drive of the game, Gandara Gandara's 40-yard burst setting up Stallard's one-yard scoring scamper with 6:20 remaining.
 
UCO couldn't recover the onside kick, but quickly forced a punt and then drove 75 yards for another score.  Stallard ended it again, this time from 10 yards out with 1:58 left, and it was a 31-19 deficit after the two-point conversion failed.
 
Again the Bronchos couldn't recover an onside kick try and UCM then ran out the clock.
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