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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Aaron Williams (68) and Chas Stallard (7)
24
Nebraska-Kearney UNK 0-5 , 0-5
36
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 1-4 , 1-4
Nebraska-Kearney UNK
0-5 , 0-5
24
Final
36
Central Oklahoma UCO
1-4 , 1-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UNK Nebraska-Kearney 10 7 7 0 24
UCO Central Oklahoma 6 10 13 7 36

Game Recap: Football |

Bronchos Outlast UNK

EDMOND (Oct. 3) – Clay McKenzie's down-the-stretch running toughness, Malcolm Howard's continued linebacker brilliance and a key fourth-down defensive stop lifted Central Oklahoma past big-play Nebraska-Kearney 36-24 Saturday afternoon at Wantland Stadium.
 
McKenzie rushed for 48 of his career-high 141 yards in the fourth quarter and clinched the win with an 11-yard touchdown run in the final minutes, while Howard was all over the field in a dominating 17-tackle outing as the Bronchos snapped a six-game losing streak.
 
The Lopers had touchdown passes of 73 and 80 yards in addition to scoring on a 67-yard interception return, but UCO scored the final 13 points to rally for the much-needed win.  The Bronchos improved to 1-4 on the season and in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play, while UNK dropped to 0-5 and 0-5.
 
"We needed that win and found a way to get it done," head coach Nick Bobeck said.  "We still made a bunch of mistakes and gave up some huge plays that put us in a bind, but we hung in there."
 
UCO racked up 269 of its 420 yards on the ground, getting 141 on 22 carries from McKenzie and 105 in 21 tries from quarterback Chas Stallard in winning its 37th straight game when rushing for 250-plus yards.
 
Stallard was also 19-of-32 passing for 151 yards, completing passes to eight different receivers. Place-kicker Seth Hiddink was clutch with three field goals and three extra points.
 
The Lopers had 431 yards, including 330 passing, with 153 of that total coming on the two long TDs.
 
Howard had his fourth straight game with 13 or more tackles in finishing with 17 stops, which included 1.5 trackles for loss, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.  Safety David Busby added eight tackles and an interception, while linebacker Ben Jones had seven tackles with a sack.
 
The Bronchos came up with their fourth-down stop late in the game when Carson Smith and Kenny Allen led a defensive charge that prevented UNK from converting a fourth-and-one at its own 30-yard-line.
 
UCO took over with 2:33 remaining and the offensive line asserted itself on four consecutive McKenzie carries straight up the middle.  The hard-charging sophomore crashed in from 11 yards out on the final one to make it 36-24 and seal the verdict.
 
Hiddink gave the Bronchos an early 3-0 lead with a 39-yard field goal after a Cade Shearwood fumble recovery at the UNK 17, but the Lopers hit an 80-yard TD pass seconds later to go up 7-3 barely two minutes into the game.
 
UNK made it 10-3 midway through the opening quarter before Hiddink hit again from 39 yards out to cut the deficit to 10-6.
 
Central regained the lead at 13-10 with 9:01 left in the half on Stallard's 19-yard scoring toss to Caden Locke.  McKenzie sparked that five-play, 68-yard drive with a 33-yard gain on a screen pass.
 
A 67-yard interception return put the Lopers back in front 17-13, but Stallard had scrambles of 18 and 20 yards in a last-minute drive that ended with Hiddink's last-second 27-yard field goal that had the Bronchos within 17-16 at intermission.
 
The back-and-forth battle continued in the second half when UCO opened the third quarter with a 75-yard drive capped by Stallard's 27-yard keeper to move in front 23-17.
 
That lead lasted 47 seconds as the Lopers hit a 73-yard TD pass to go up 24-23.
 
The Bronchos finally took the lead for good on their next possession, going 75 yards in 10 plays.  McKenzie rushed for 24 yards on four carries and Greg Johnson picked up 14 tackle-breaking yards on a screen pass before back-up quarterback Darrack Harger got the score on a five-yard keeper.
 
Hiddink's extra point made it 29-24 with 5:52 left in the period and it stayed that way until McKenzie's late TD iced it.
 
UCO goes on the road next week, traveling to Joplin, Mo. to take on Missouri Southern.
 
 
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