Central Oklahoma senior running back Clay McKenzie totaled 94 yards and one touchdown in a Week 1 win over Lindenwood. The Bronchos play at Pittsburg State in Week 2, Saturday, Sept. 9 in Pittsburg, Kan. [UCO Photo Services]
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EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma football team heads to Pittsburg, Kan. for a Week 2 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association matchup with Pittsburg State on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. in Carnie Smith Stadium.
The Bronchos (1-0, 1-0) look to win at Pitt State for the second consecutive trip. UCO toppled the Gorillas 49-31 in Week 11 of the 2015 season. Pitt State edged the Bronchos last season in Edmond.
"This has become a big game given Pittsburg's close proximity to Edmond," UCO head football coach Nick Bobeck said. "We've had some pretty good games with Pitt. I'm looking forward to seeing what our kids can take from Week 1 and improve on in Week 2."
UCO beat Lindenwood 35-14 in the season-opener Thursday, Aug. 31. The Bronchos scored first in the game, then scored twice in the final five minutes of the first half to take a 21-14 halftime lead. UCO scored in both second half quarters to win the game.
Chas Stallard had a solid all-around performance, throwing for 157 yards and four touchdowns on 11-of-22 passing. The senior quarterback also ran for 73 yards on 11 carries.
Stallard connected to Josh Crockett twice for scores. Crockett, also a fifth-year senior, had four catches for 68 yards and touchdowns of six and 13 yards. In his past two games – he didn't play the season finale against Northeastern in 2016 – Crockett has five touchdown receptions on 12 catches for 167 yards.
But to the benefit of Bobeck, Stallard, and the Bronchos, Crockett wasn't the only receiver putting in work in Week 1.
J.T. Luper's return to the field after missing last season was a big one. The senior receiver hauled in three catches for 44 yards, including a big 37-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14 in the second quarter. Luper also had a 16-yard punt return and 74 yards on three kick returns. In his All-MIAA 2015 season, Luper averaged 118 all-purpose yards per game. In Week 1, he had 139.
Neither Crockett or Luper was the first to the end zone in the Broncho passing game. L'liott Curry hauled in a 36-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter of Week 1's win over Lindenwood. It was Curry's only catch on the night, but the sophomore receiver did prove to be a threat requiring attention on every play.
Bobeck also got another ho-hum 94-yard day out of Clay McKenzie. The punishing back carried the ball 21 times, often opting to run through defenders rather than around them. McKenzie also had a 12-yard touchdown run.
Defensively, Riley Galyon was the culprit in instigating a fired up and aggressive attack for the Bronchos. The senior safety – who in 2016 made a school-record 70 solo tackles – had eight solo tackles in Week 1.
In the second quarter against Lindenwood, Galyon made a huge play on special teams that sparked the defense into forcing a three-and-out and set up the Bronchos for two scores in 4:11.
Following McKenzie's rushing touchdown, Galyon blitzed down the field on the kickoff. Lindenwood's Kendell Sparks took the return out of the end zone and met Galyon at the 9-yard line, where Galyon made the stop.
UCO then got a big stop, four yards in the backfield, from Carson Smith and Justin Stewart. Followed by back-to-back 1-yard losses thanks to tough defending from Josh Morgan and Stephan Robinson. Lindenwood had to punt out of its own end zone, a punt that was downed at the 32, setting up a quick two-minute drill that the Bronchos scored on.
Looking forward to Pittsburg State (0-1, 0-1), the Gorillas came up short in a close 28-23 game in Warrensburg, Mo. last week.
Pitt State had a big, 75-yard scoring drive to go up 16-9 heading into halftime against 21st-ranked Central Missouri. But UCM reeled off 19 unanswered points in the second half and went ahead 28-16 with just under four minutes to play. Pitt State scored agains to make it 28-23, but couldn't recover an onside kick and Central Missouri ran out the clock.
Pittsburg was led in passing by Thomas LePage, who went 12-of-26 with 140 yards and one touchdown. But for the second year in a row, the Gorillas used both LePage and John Roderique, who also went 7-of-12 for 102 yards.
Tucker Horak was Pitt's leading rusher, gaining 66 yards on 13 carries. D'Vontae Brown (2 carries, 5 yards), and Kiah Kintchen (1 carry, 2 yards), both scored rushing touchdowns for Pittsburg.
Defensively, Pittsburg didn't have any sacks or force any fumbles, but came away with two interceptions. UCO, for as well as the defense played, didn't force any turnovers in Week 1.
Pittsburg State does own a 9-4-1 advantage in the all-time series with Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos win in 2015 was the only win against Pittsburg State since joining the MIAA in six years ago.
