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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Omari Cole
27
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 6-4 , 6-4
10
Washburn WU 6-4 , 6-4
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
6-4 , 6-4
27
Final
10
Washburn WU
6-4 , 6-4
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UCO Central Oklahoma 7 6 7 7 27
WU Washburn 3 0 0 7 10

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

Defense shines in UCO win

TOPEKA, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma beat Washburn 27-10 Saturday afternoon at Yager Stadium in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association action.
 
The Bronchos improve to 6-4 on the season and have now won four straight games heading into the final regular season game next week against long-time rival Northeastern State in Tahlequah.
 
"I'm really proud of our defense today," UCO head football coach Nick Bobeck said. "This game didn't start out very pretty for us on offense, but our defense had their backs. The ball hit the ground too many times in the first half, but the defense just kept forcing turnovers to give us a shot."
 
UCO fumbled twice in the first half and lost both. But UCO also forced three fumbles and recovered all of them. The Broncho defense ended the day with seven total turnovers – two interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and two turnovers on downs.
 
Colton Lindsey again led the way for the defense, making 11 tackles on the day. He had one stop in the backfield, that coming on 4th & goal from the Central 1-yard line. And the junior also had a fumble recovery.
 
The Broncho defense got interceptions from Stephan Robinson and Trent Ellis. Justin Stewart made two sacks on the day. He also forced and recovered a fumble on the same play. Alex Figueroa also had a big game for the Bronchos, making seven tackles and a sack.
 
Washburn scored first Saturday. After forcing a UCO fumble on the game's opening possession, Washburn drove a short 19 yards on six plays and kicked a 31-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 12:18 to play in the first quarter.
 
UCO went 73 yards on 14 plays on the next drive, however, Chas Stallard had a 40-yard touchdown run called back on a penalty, and the Bronchos then missed a 24-yard field attempt.
 
That's when the defense kicked into action.
 
Omari Cole forced a fumble three plays later, Lindsey recovered, and the Bronchos went to the end zone on an 8-play, 85-yard drive capped off by a 30-yard touchdown pass from Stallard to Josh Crockett.
 
Stewart's sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery halted the next Washburn drive, and UCO added a field goal to make it 10-3 with 13:28 to play in the second quarter. Alex Quevedo kicked his second field goal of the day on the Bronchos' next drive to make it 13-3. That's how the teams went to halftime.
 
Robinson grabbed his team-high fourth interception of the season on Washburn's first drive of the third quarter, and the Bronchos punctuated the win on the next possession.
 
Stallard hit J.T. Luper for a 6-yard gain, then ran for one yard on 2nd & 4. On third down, he hit Luper again, and the nation's leading receiver raced to the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown to give the Bronchos a 20-3 lead.
 
The teams traded punts throughout most of the second half. Washburn got its only touchdown with 6:27 to play, and the Bronchos answered with a 12-play, 75-yard clock-killing drive that ended with Chandler Garrett rushing in his fourth touchdown of the season to make it 27-10.
 
UCO's six wins on the season guarantees a winning season. Bobeck has coached the Bronchos to such now three times in six seasons.
 
Offensivley, Stallard finished 29 of 37 with 287 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran the ball 14 times for 79 yards. Bruce White was the leading rusher for the Bronchos, gaining 81 yards on 18 carries.
 
Luper led the receiving corps as has become the norm at Central. The senior wideout had 12 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown put Luper tied for first place in school history for most in one season. He tied Ryan Gallimore's mark of 11 set back in 2009.
 
Luper also finished just 22 yards short of Dee Dee Carter's single season record for yards receiving. Carter had 1,469 back in 2001. Luper, who already holds the single season receptions record with 95 catches, has 1,456 yards receiving.
 
The Bronchos turn to the final week of the season and a trip to take on rival Northeastern State in the President's Cup. The Bronchos have won three straight in the series that dates back to 1915. NSU is 1-9 on the season.
 
 
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