Football 9/14/2021 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Hosts Missouri Southern

Bronchos Back Home For Week 3 Contest With Lions

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma football team returns home in Week 3 and the Bronchos are set for a 7 p.m. kickoff Saturday against Missouri Southern.

UCO is 1-1 on the young season. The Bronchos won at home against Missouri Western in Week 1 but suffered a setback on the road at Emporia State in Week 2. Missouri Southern is 0-2 this season, having lost on the road at Nebraska Kearney in Week 1 before a home loss to Northeastern State this past weekend.

"We didn't play very well last week," UCO head football coach Nick Bobeck said. "We had some good moments and I really thought we were the better team. We had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter. But we didn't play very well down the stretch and now we need come out focused on executing our gameplan this week."

Central Oklahoma is averaging 22.5 points per game through two weeks of play. The Bronchos put up 24 in their home win and 21 in their road loss. UCO is averaging 315.5 yards of total offense per game, splitting that number between 184.5 passing yards per game and 131 rushing yards per contest.

Stephon Brown has taken almost every snap for the Bronchos through two games. The junior quarterback is a combined 30-for-57 passing through two games and has 360 yards and one touchdown. He also has a team-high 29 carries in two games for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Brown rushed for a 45-yard touchdown in Week 1 and found the end zone again in Week 2 on a 20-yard rushing score.

Jayce Gardner, a second-year freshman from Moore, Oklahoma, is Central's leading rusher with 119 yards on 26 carries after two weeks of play. Gardner has one touchdown, a 19-yard scamper at Emporia State last week.

Diego Richards tops the receiving corps in total yards, hauling in five passes for 103 yards. He has a long reception of 38 yards. Markiese King has a team-high six receptions and has 99 yards on those catches. He has one touchdown – a 30-yard pass from Brown in Week 1 – but also has a 6-yard touchdown run on what was really a screen pass from Brown last week at Emporia that went down as a rush since it was officially a backwards pass.

Payton Scott also has six catches in two games this season and has 21 yards. Gardner has four catches for 57 yards. Daunte McGee adds four catches for 16 yards from the tight end position. And Johnny Bizzell IV has three catches for 21 yards.

Defensively, Central is allowing 25.5 points per game. The Bronchos held MWSU to 20 in the opener before giving up 31 at Emporia State. UCO allows 374.5 yards of total offense each game, which includes 238.5 passing yards and 136 rushing yards per game.

Dylan Buchheit leads that defensive group with 16 tackles in two games this season. The sophomore was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week following Central's Week 1 win over Missouri Western. Buchheit has 13 solo tackles and three assisted stops. He also has one fumble forced and one pass breakup.

Lamontre Huval's 13 tackles are the second-most by a Broncho through two games. And he has two pass breakups to go with that. Elijah Wright is third on the list with nine tackles, including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage.

Derrick Shaw and Noah West both recorded sacks in Week 2 while Michael Slater and Tre'Vaughn Craig teamed up for one in Week 1.

Alex Quevedo had his senior season canceled in 2020 but took advantage of the NCAA's eligibility extension to return this fall and try to end his career on his own terms. The Azle, Texas native and kicker for UCO is in the Top 10 in school history for points scored.

He put up six points in Central's Week 1 win over Missouri Western, connecting on a 36-yard field goal to go with three successful extra-point tries. He posted three points at Emporia State, converting all three PATs. Quevedo's 140 PATs plus his 29 career field goals give him 227 points, the seventh-most in school history and the third-most of any kicker in school history.

Quevedo also owns the school records for most consecutive PATs made in a game (11) and in a career (56, 2017-18). Quevedo has made 32 consecutive PATs to date.

Missouri Southern comes to Edmond in search of its first win in 2021. The Lions are averaging 8.5 points per game. Southern was shutout in Week 1 before posting 17 points in Week 2. Missouri Southern is also averaging 277.5 yards of total offense per game, splitting that between a 151 rushing yards and 126.5 passing yards per game average.

Most of Southern's production in the run game has come by way of Nathan Glades, who has 35 carries for 169 yards and a touchdown through two games. Jeremy Brown also has 13 carries for 40 yards.

Dawson Herl has thrown all but one pass for Southern through two games. Herl is 27-for-44 for 241 yards and one touchdown. Brown has the one touchdown and leads the team with 54 receiving yards. Brian Boyd has a team-high seven catches for 53 yards.

Colton Winder (22) and Coleman Booker (20) lead Southern's defense in tackles.

UCO hits the road in Week 4, making a trip to Maryville, Missouri to take on Northwest Missouri, which is currently ranked No. 3 in the country in the latest AFCA Coaches' Poll. Northwest is No. 4 in the D2Football.com poll.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Johnny Bizzell IV: WR; 6' 0"; Junior

#10 Dylan Buchheit: DB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#20 Jayce Gardner: RB; 5' 11"; Freshman

#30 Lamontre Huval: LB; 6' 2"; Senior

#1 Markiese King: WR; 5' 8"; Junior

#85 Daunte McGee: HB; 6' 5"; Junior

#34 Alex Quevedo: K; 5' 11"; Senior

#5 Diego Richards: WR; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#33 Payton Scott: RB; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#93 Derrick Shaw: DL; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#4 Johnny Bizzell IV
: 6' 0"; Junior
: WR

#10 Dylan Buchheit
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: DB

#20 Jayce Gardner
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: RB

#30 Lamontre Huval
: 6' 2"; Senior
: LB

#1 Markiese King
: 5' 8"; Junior
: WR

#85 Daunte McGee
: 6' 5"; Junior
: HB

#34 Alex Quevedo
: 5' 11"; Senior
: K

#5 Diego Richards
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: WR

#33 Payton Scott
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: RB

#93 Derrick Shaw
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: DL