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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Stephon Brown
20
Missouri Western MWS 0-1 , 0-1
24
Winner Central Okla. UCO 1-0 , 1-0
Missouri Western MWS
0-1 , 0-1
20
Final
24
Central Okla. UCO
1-0 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
MWS Missouri Western 0 7 7 6 20
UCO Central Okla. 10 14 0 0 24

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

Central Wins Opener

First Football Game in Over 650 Days Ends In Broncho Victory

EDMOND – The University of Central Oklahoma football team returned to the field for the 2021 season opener Thursday night at Wantland Stadium and came away with a 24-20 victory over Missouri Western in an MIAA play before 5,428 fans.
 
Central (1-0, 1-0 MIAA) got a huge interception from Rae'Quan Wicks on a 4th & 20 from Missouri Western's own 21-yard line with 1:20 left in the game. UCO's kicker Alex Quevedo missed a 36-yard field goal with 1:57 to play but a stout defensive effort from the Bronchos followed and Central kneeled down the ball to run out the clock on the victory.
 
"It was really just kind of surreal," UCO head football coach Nick Bobeck said. "We haven't played a real football game in so long this is kind of surreal. But I think we played really well tonight. There were some pretty high highs and a few not so good moments. What matters is the team found a way in the end."
 
Stephon Brown led the way for the Broncho offense, which put up 383 yards on the night. Brown was 17-for-27 passing with 189 yards and one touchdown. He also had a team-high 14 carries for 126 yards and one score. Brown had a 30-yard touchdown strike to Markiese King in the second quarter. That followed his own 45-yard touchdown scamper earlier in the frame.
 
King led UCO with four catches for 64 yards and the 30-yard score. He totaled 36 yards after the catch on the night. Daunte McGee had three catches for 17 yards and Diego Richards managed two grabs for 44 yards. Sherrod Davis (2-24), Jayce Gardner (2-18), Payton Scott (2-12) and Jalen Teague (1-11) also helped out in the pass game for Central Thursday night.
 
Gardner ran the ball out of the backfield 13 times Thursday. The second-year freshman from Moore, Oklahoma tallied 43 yards for a 3.3 yards per carry mark in his Broncho debut. Scott also had nine carries for 25 yards and one touchdown.
 
Scott got the first score for the Bronchos since 2019 when the sophomore running back from Sand Springs darted left for a 12-yard rushing touchdown to give Central a 7-0 lead with 8:26 to play in the opening quarter.
 
Just two plays into Missouri Western's ensuing drive, Dylan Buchheit forced a fumble that Derrick Shaw recovered to give the Bronchos a golden opportunity starting their second drive at the MWSU 13-yard line. Central did go three & out but Quevedo made it 10-0 with a 36-yard field goal.
 
Central took a 10-0 lead into the second quarter.
 
Missouri Western finally got on the scoreboard to cut the lead to 10-7 with 12:09 to play in the second quarter. But Brown's 45-yard score capped off a 4-play, 65-yard scoring drive right after MWSU got on the board and Central had a 17-7 lead.
 
Missouri Western seemed to be moving with an answer but missed a 32-yard field goal. Brown followed again with a big drive, capping off the 7-play, 80-yard scoring drive with the 30-yard touchdown to King that put UCO ahead 24-7 with 3:34 to play.
 
Both teams settled in in the third quarter, with MWSU's 1-yard touchdown rush with 2:05 to play in the frame the only score. And MWSU had the only fourth quarter score as well, getting a 3-yard touchdown rush with 13:26 to play to make it 24-20.
 
Central punted on all three possessions in the third quarter and the first two possessions of the fourth quarter. Quevedo's miss from 36 yards, wide right, came on UCO's third possession of the final quarter. After Wicks's pick in the fourth, Brown took a knee on three-straight downs to end the game.
 
Buchheit led the defensive effort for Central. The sophomore from Moore, Oklahoma made a game-high 10 tackles, including eight solo. Lamontre Huval made six tackles and Elijah Wright had five, including one for a loss.
 
Central posted four tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Tre'Vaughn Craig and Michael Slater teamed up for the only sack of the game.
 
UCO hits the road in Week 2. The Bronchos take on Emporia State in Emporia, Kansas Saturday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Central Oklahoma returns home in Week 3 to take on Missouri Southern.
 
 
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