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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Clay McKenzie
26
Washburn WU 2-6 , 2-6
35
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 6-2 , 6-2
Washburn WU
2-6 , 2-6
26
Final
35
Central Oklahoma UCO
6-2 , 6-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WU Washburn 10 6 3 7 26
UCO Central Oklahoma 7 14 0 14 35

Game Recap: Football |

Stallard Sparks UCO Past Ichabods

Game Statistics

EDMOND (Oct. 25) – Quarterback Chas Stallard broke free for a game-clinching 60-yard touchdown run in the final minutes and Central Oklahoma's defense came up with some key stops as the Bronchos subdued stubborn Washburn 35-26 Saturday afternoon at Wantland Stadium.
 
The Ichabods trailed just 28-26 after a short TD pass with 6:56 remaining, but Stallard went up the middle on a draw and was untouched on his cross-county scoring jaunt with 3:40 left that pushed the lead to nine and sealed the verdict.
 
UCO improved to 6-2 on the season and in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play in clinching its first winning season since 2008 and equaling its number of wins over the last three years combined.  The Bronchos are home again next week, hosting Northeastern State for Homecoming at 2 p.m.
 
"It wasn't pretty, but we found a win to win and that's the important thing," head coach Nick Bobeck said.  "There were a lot of mistakes on both sides of the ball, but we also made some big plays when we needed to and that was a big key to the game."
 
The Bronchos overcame a 10-0 first-quarter deficit and the defense forced WU to settle for field goals of 20, 23, 25 and 28 yards after the Ichabods had reached a first down inside UCO's 20-yard-line.
 
Stallard rushed for 158 yards -- a single-game school record for a quarterback -- on just 14 carries while also completing 11-of-19 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.  Jake Gandara ran 16 times for 123 yards and two TDs as UCO finished with 338 rushing yards, winning for the 35th straight time when rushing for 250-plus yards.
 
The Ichabods rolled up 493 total yards, including 244 rushing.
 
UCO was without two injured defensive standouts in linebacker Chass Glaspie and cornerback Cody Jones, with Michael Harris stepping in for Glaspie and making a career-high 13 tackles.  Safety Matt Pruitt added 10 tackles, two broken up passes and an interception and linebacker Cade Shearwood had 10 tackles with 1.5 for loss.
 
WU drove to a first-and-goal at the Broncho 10 on the opening drive of the game before UCO held and forced the Ichabods to settle for Justin Linn's 20-yard field goal.  The Ichabods made it 10-0 with 2:40 left in the opening quarter with a 78-yard TD drive.
 
The Bronchos answered back with 14 unanswered points in taking the lead for good.
 
Gandara capped a short drive after a failed Washburn onside kick attempt with a 19-yard scoring dash with 1:51 left in the period and Pruitt's interception at the UCO 10 led to a 90-yard TD march.
 
Stallard had a pair of 15-yard runs and a 17-yard pass to Josh Crockett in the nine-play drive that Clay McKenzie ended with a tackle-breaking 11-yard smash up the middle that made it 14-10 with 11:11 left in the half.
 
A long kickoff return helped the Ichabods reach a first-and-10 at the UCO 17 before the Bronchos again stiffened to force a short field goal, with Linn's 25-yarder cutting the lead to 14-13 midway through the second period.
 
UCO came right back with a nine-play, 74-yard TD drive, getting Stallard runs of 14 and 16 yards before Gandara ended it with a 10-yard score that upped the lead to 21-13 with 3:35 remaining.
 
Washburn cut that the 21-16 with a 28-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half.
 
The Ichabods drove to a first-and-10 at the UCO 12 on their first possession of the third quarter before the Bronchos once again forced a field goal, with Linn hitting from 23 yards to make it 21-19.
 
It stayed that way until Gandara's tackle for a four-yard loss on a fake punt gave UCO a short field and led to a 55-yard touchdown drive.  Stallard's 33-yard scramble was the key play before the redshirt freshman hit Caleb Moss from seven yards out for a 28-19 lead with 9:33 remaining.
 
WU responded quickly and scored in just six plays to pull within 28-26 at the 6:56 mark.
 
The Bronchos picked up one first down on Marquez Clark's 20-yard gain on a double reverse, but a sack had UCO facing third-and-nine at their own 40 when Stallard dropped back and then sprinted straight up the middle of the field past WU's stunned defense for the game-clinching score.
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