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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Team
21
Central Okla. UCO 1-1 , 1-1
31
Winner Emporia St. ESU 2-0 , 2-0
Central Okla. UCO
1-1 , 1-1
21
Final
31
Emporia St. ESU
2-0 , 2-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UCO Central Okla. 7 0 7 7 21
ESU Emporia St. 7 7 7 10 31

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

UCO Downed At Emporia

EMPORIA, Kan. – The University of Central Oklahoma football team lost 31-21 at Emporia State Saturday night at Welch Stadium. The Bronchos are now 1-1 in 2021 following the setback.
 
"We put ourselves in a bad spot with the way we played football in the first half," UCO head coach Nick Bobeck said. "We found a way to get back in it and tie the game, but we didn't play well tonight. They were a better team and we need to play better moving forward."
 
Central Oklahoma got off to a good start Saturday night. The Bronchos came out strong, forcing two punts on each of Emporia State's first two possessions and holding the host Hornets to just 26 yards of offense on 11 plays.
 
Stephon Brown then capped off a 6-play, 64-yard scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to give Central a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
 
But UCO would punt on its next five possessions and the second quarter clock ran out on the sixth as the Bronchos went to the locker room down 14-7.
 
Late in the third quarter though, a different story. Central took advantage of an Emporia fumble deep in its own territory. The Bronchos recovered the fumble and scored on the first play of its ensuing drive. Brown hit Markiese King in the backfield and the receiver darted in for a 6-yard touchdown run to make it 21-14.
 
Then in the fourth, following a three & out by ESU, Jayce Gardner had a 19-yard touchdown run to cap off a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive that tied the game, 21-21, with just over 12 minutes left in the game.
 
But as most of the game went early, it went late. Emporia State added a short 22-yard field goal to take a 24-21 lead with under eight minutes to play. Then a late touchdown was the nail in the coffin for the Bronchos as ESU pulled ahead 31-21 with four minutes to play.
 
UCO had its share of struggles on offense Saturday. The Bronchos managed 248 yards of offense on 70 plays. Central had 68 rushing yards on 33 attempts and as a team, UCO was 16-for-37 passing for 180 yards.
 
Gardner was Central's leading rusher Saturday. The freshman running back totaled 76 yards on 13 carries and the one 19-yard touchdown pass.
 
Brown was 13-for-30 passing with 171 yards and one interception – on UCO's final hail mary attempt in the fourth quarter. Keats Calhoon also went 3-for-7 for nine yards.
 
Payton Scott had a team-high four receptions and had 10 yards with that. Gardner added two catches for 39 yards, Diego Richards had two catches for 36 yards, and King had two grabs for 35 yards.
 
Lamontre Huval's seven tackles led UCO Saturday. Dylan Buchheit, who was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week last week, had five tackles.
 
Central Oklahoma is back home in Week 3. The Bronchos welcome Missouri Southern to Wantland Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 18, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.
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