Football 9/21/2021 9:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Visits Northwest

MARYVILLE, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma visits second-ranked Northwest Missouri in Week 3 MIAA football action. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. from Bearcat Stadium.

Central Oklahoma is 1-2 on the season and looking to snap a two-game slide after winning the 2021 season opener. Northwest Missouri is 2-0, having won in Week 1 and Week 3 around a canceled game in Week 2. Northwest Missouri posted a 15-7 win at Fort Hays State and a 47-7 win at Central Missouri. The Bearcats are averaging 31 points per game thanks in part to 244 rushing yards per game. NWMSU adds 179.5 passing yards per game. The Bearcat defense, allowing just seven points per game, gives up 79 rushing yards per game through two contests. Northwest does allow 280 passing yards per game. Al McKeller leads Northwest. The senior running back averages 128 rushing yards per game and has 256 yards and one touchdown on 42 carries through two games played.

UCO's run defense, allowing 129 rushing yards per game, is the fourth-best in the MIAA. Central has allowed 387 yards rushing on 93 carries this season through three games, an average of 4.2 yards per carry. UCO has a combined 21 tackles behind the line of scrimmage this season. Michael Slater leads that pack, having 10 tackles all season and 5.5 behind the line. Joseph Roque (2.5) and Derrick Shaw (1.5) are also both active up front keeping the opponents from crossing the line.

Dylan Buchheit was named MIAA Defensive Player of the Week following his Week 1 performane in Central's win over Missouri Western. He made 11 tackles and also forced one fumble. A sophomore from Moore, Oklahoma, Buchheit is the team's leading tackler after three weeks of play. He's made 20 stops, 16 solo tackles and four assisted. Buchheit also has one pass breakup and one forced fumble.

UCO has just one interception in three games, but it was the victory sealing pick in Week 1. The Broncho defense has also seen five fumbles in three games and UCO has recovered three of those. Rae'Quan Wicks got the INT in Week 1. Buchheit also forced a fumble that Slater recovered in that game. Noah West forced a fumble that Kobey Stephens recovered in Week 2. And Shaw jumped on a loose ball in Week 3. Offensively, Central has thrown three interceptions and lost one fumble leaving the turnover battle at an even 4-4 after three weeks of play.

Stephon Brown was impressive in his Broncho debut in Week 1, starting at quarterback for the Bronchos. The tall and athletic North Carolina native went 17-for-27 passing for 189 yards and one touchdown. He also had 14 carries for 126 yards and one touchdown. Now through three weeks, Brown is 46-for-78 passing for 431 yards. He's thrown one touchdown and has three interceptions. Brown is also the team's leading rusher through three games. He has 51 carries for 173 yards, a 3.4 yards per carry average, and two touchdowns. He scored one rushing TD in each of the first two games this season.

UCO's 152 rushing yards per game lands in the middle of the league leaders. Brown has a team-high 173 yards on 51 carries. Jayce Gardner has 30 carries for 138 yards and Payton Scott has 24 carries for an even 100 yards. Brown's two rushing touchdowns lead the team. Gardner and Scott both have one touchdown each. Tucker Pawley (eight carries for 37 yards) also has one touchdown and Markiese King has a 5-yard rushing touchdown on his only carry of the season, which was actually just a backwards screen pass.

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. Quevedo's 141 PATs plus his 30 career field goals give him 231 points, the seventh-most in school history and the third-most of any kicker in school history. He also owns the school records for most consecutive PATs made in a game (11) and in a career (56, 2017-18). Quevedo has made 33 consecutive PATs to date.

Central Oklahoma trails Northwest Missouri in the all-time series, 9-3. The Bronchos picked up wins in Maryville in 1985 and 1992 and had a 2-2 record against the Bearcats before UCO joined the MIAA in 2012. Northwest won six consecutive matchups as the teams became conference opponents. Central picked up its first MIAA win over Northwest Missouri in 2018. The Bronchos won 31-21 in Edmond that season. Northwest won the last meeting, a game in Maryville that had a three-hour delay in the first half.

Central Oklahoma will return home in Week 5 to host Lincoln in the annual UCO Athletics Hall of Fame Game. The Bronchos are 3-0 all time against the Blue Tigers of Jefferson City, Missouri. Central will hit the road again after that and play two consecutive matchups away from Edmond (at Northeastern State on Oct. 7 and at Fort Hays State on Oct. 16).

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#21 Tucker Pawley: RB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

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

#91 Joseph Roque: DL; 5' 9"; Junior

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

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

#2 Stephon Brown: QB; 6' 5"; Junior

#31 Rae'Quan Wicks: DB; 6' 0"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#21 Tucker Pawley
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: RB

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

#91 Joseph Roque
: 5' 9"; Junior
: DL

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

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

#2 Stephon Brown
: 6' 5"; Junior
: QB

#31 Rae'Quan Wicks
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: DB