Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Cody Jones

UCO Takes Sting Out Of Hornets

Cody Jones
Game Statistics

EMPORIA, Kan. (Sept. 20) – Levonte Douglas scored on a school-record 99-yard fumble return and Central Oklahoma's defense thwarted Emporia State's high-octane offense at nearly every turn in pulling off a 24-14 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association upset here Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bronchos led 17-7 at halftime and stopped ESU's first six possessions of the second half before a UCO fumble near midfield led to the Hornets' only offensive score of the game with 2:49 left in the game.
 
That made it 24-14 and Emporia -- ranked No. 23 by d2football.com -- couldn't recover the ensuing onside kick.   Central then ran out the clock to secure its second straight win over a top-25 team in improving to 3-0 for the first time since 2004.
 
"Our defense really laid it on the line and made a ton of big plays against a really good offensive team," head coach Nick Bobeck said.  "We've got a bunch of high-character guys on this football team and that showed today.  It's a great win for us, but we're a long ways from where we want to be."
 
UCO forced four turnovers while holding the Hornets, averaging nearly 500 yards a game entering the contest, to 385 yards on 81 plays.
 
Linebacker Malcom Howard made a team-high nine tackles, while cornerbacks Cody Jones (eight tackles) and Douglas (seven) helped keep ESU's passing attack at bay.
 
The Bronchos, who played without injured All-American wide receiver Marquez Clark, managed 319 yards (161 rushing, 158 passing).  Running back Jake Gandara had 97 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, while quarterback Chas Stallard hit 16-of-29 passes and a score.
 
Jones, last week's MIAA Defensive Player of the Week, delivered three huge plays in stopping ESU scoring threats and the Bronchos ended up getting seven points of their own out of his heroics.
 
The junior cornerback made a touchdown-saving tackle on a 57-yard pass play that carried to the UCO two-yard-line and the Bronchos quickly took advantage in stunning fashion.
 
On first down from the two, linebacker Chass Glaspie's jarring hit caused a fumble that Douglas picked up at the one.  The junior cornerback had nothing but clear sailing as he sprinted 99 yards down the sideline in front of the UCO bench for the record-setting touchdown that put the Bronchos on top 17-7 with 8:58 left in the half.
 
Jones came through with another TD-saving tackle in the final minute of the half when he knocked ESU quarterback Brent Wilson out of bounds at the UCO seven following a 66-yard scramble.  Two plays later, Jones picked off Wilson's pass in the back corner of the end zone with 42 seconds left.
 
The Hornets scored their lone first-half touchdown on a 69-yard punt return barely four minutes into the game and ESU was in business again a minute after UCO lost a fumble at midfield.
 
But defense bailed out the Bronchos again, with Tyler Newton's quarterback hurry forcing a third-down incompletion after the Hornets had reached the UCO 23 and Antonio Guy tipping a pass at the line on fourth down.
 
The Bronchos needed just five plays to cover 77 yards in tying the game.
 
Stallard completed all three pass attempts for 27 yards to get UCO to midfield and on second-and-four from there Gandara burst through a huge hole up the middle and raced 50 untouched yards for the tying TD with 5:22 left in the opening quarter.
 
Christian Hood's 33-yard punt return to the Emporia 37 set up UCO's go-ahead score, a 20-yard field goal by Seth Hiddink with 14:14 left in the half.
 
The defense forced ESU to punt on its first two possessions of the third quarter and Glaspie's interception stopped the Hornets the third time, with his 26-yard return setting UCO up at the ESU 39-yard line.
 
The Bronchos couldn't take advantage, but Newton had two big plays in forcing the Hornets into another punt and a 15-yard kick had UCO in business at midfield.
 
Four runs netted 15 yards and on a third-and-five from the 35 Stallard went to freshman wide receiver Josh Crockett, who caught the ball at the 30 and then spun through a tackle before sprinting into the end zone for his first college TD.
 
Hiddink's extra point pushed UCO's lead to 24-7 with 8:35 left to play and the Hornets couldn't recover.
 
The Bronchos return home next Saturday to host top-ranked and defending national champion Northwest Missouri at 1 p.m.
 
 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Now Playing:

Related Stories

Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors