Football 10/12/2022 10:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Central Hosts Fort Hays State

Surging Bronchos Look To Extend Win Streak

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma, with its three-game win streak, welcomes Fort Hays State to Chad Richison Stadium Saturday for an MIAA clash. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

UCO is 4-2 on the season, flipping a 1-2 record with three consecutive wins, including two at home. The Bronchos are 3-0 at Chad Richison Stadium this season. The Bronchos beat Emporia State in Week 2, then No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri in Week 4, and rival Northeastern State in Week 6, all in addition to its win at Lincoln in Week 5.

Fort Hays State comes to Edmond with a 1-5 record. The Tigers of Hays, Kansas got in the win column in Week 3 (at Lincoln) but have dropped three straight since.

Central leads the all-time series with Fort Hays State, 8-6. The Bronchos won six in a row over an extended period of time from 1955-1995. Hays finally won in 2011, and then won five in a row from 2015-19. UCO won 24-14 in Hays, Kansas last season, which gave the Bronchos their last three-game win streak.

UCO is averaging 27.5 points per game after six games in 2022. The Bronchos average 351.2 yards of total offense per game, splitting that mark 184.8 passing, to 166.3 rushing. UCO has the third best rushing average per game in the MIAA this season.

Stephon Brown leads that Central offense. The 6-foot-5 quarterback has more than 800 yards passing and almost 300 yards rushing in six games while accounting for UCO 13 touchdowns. Brown is 77-for-119 passing the ball this season. His 64.7 percent completion rate is the third-best in the MIAA. Brown has 883 yards and eight touchdown passes. Brown also has 58 rushes for 279 yards and five touchdowns, including a 65-yard TD run last week.

Brown leads the rushing attack, but a slew of Bronchos have gotten in the mix.

Jaylen Cottrell has 218 yards rushing on 31 carries this season. His 7.0 yards per carry average is the second-best mark in the MIAA. His 83-yard touchdown run in Week 4 against Northwest Missouri is also the longest play from scrimmage this season. Cottrell has two touchdowns.

Nasir Kemper has also ran the ball 31 times in six games. He has 129 yards and one touchdown. Jayce Gardner has 30 carries for 127 yards and also has one touchdown run.

Payton Scott (14-78) and Andrew Carney (15-52) have also been regulars in the run game.

Kemper has also been active in the pass game and is one of four receivers with more than 100 yards this season. He has 14 receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacob Delso leads the Central passing attack. He has 16 receptions for 254 yards and four touchdowns, including a 53-yard TD catch.

Oscar Hammond has 12 receptions for 129 yards and Dominique Dunn has eight for 116 yards.

Daunte McGee (8-87) also has a touchdown catch. Cottrell (12-36) and Diego Richards (11-50) have also been active in the passing game for the Bronchos.

Defensively, Central Oklahoma aims to improve its already good standing in the MIAA. The Bronchos rank third defensively in first downs allowed, and rank fourth defensively in total yards, rushing yards, and scoring.

The Bronchos give up 18.5 points per game on 339.3 yards per contest. Opponents pass for 211.2 yards per game against UCO, but just 128.2 rushing yards per game.

UCO's linebackers have been big this season. Blake Barron leads the team with 35 tackles while Chase Faber (30) and Connor Johnson (27) are close behind. Noah West, who has 23 tackles, leads the team with 4.5 sacks and seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage. West ranks fourth in the MIAA in individual sacks.

UCO's secondary has been key too, pulling down six interceptions in six games. The Bronchos average a fraction under four pass breakups per game.

Up front, Michael Slater, Robert Fuentes, Hunter Largent, and Kalvin Hutchings have all sacked the quarterback this season.

In special teams, Nicky Quevedo and David Vargas have been solid for the Bronchos. Quevedo is 6-for-7 on field-goal attempts this season, missing only a 53-yarder that had the distance but drifted wide left. Quevedo is 3-for-3 from 40+ yards and 5-for-5 from 30+. He also 21-for-21 on extra points and leads the team with 39 points this season.

Vargas is averaging 40.9 yards per punt this season. He has pinned the opponents inside the 20-yard line 12 times and has six punts over 50 yards, including a season-high of 55 yards.

Fort Hays State comes to Edmond averaging 24.5 points per game this season. The Tigers allow 31.6 per outing. FHSU averages 378.3 yards of total offense per game, splitting that mark 267.6 for passing yards and 110.7 rushing yards. Fort Hays State gives up 379.7 yards per game with a near even split of 195.8 passing to 183.8 rushing.

Central Oklahoma begins the second half of the season Saturday afternoon against Fort Hays State. The Bronchos will travel to Topeka, Kansas to take on Washburn next weekend as UCO alternates home and away games for the rest of the year.

Central is scheduled to host Pittsburg State for Homecoming in Week 9 before visiting Nebraska Kearney in Week 10. UCO hosts Central Missouri in Week 11 to close out the 2022 regular season.

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Players Mentioned

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

#27 Jaylen Cottrell: RB; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#87 Dominique Dunn: HB; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#0 Robert Fuentes: DL; 6' 4"; Senior

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

#21 Connor Johnson: LB; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#97 Hunter Largent: DL; 6' 2"; Sophomore

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

#96 Nicky Quevedo: K; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#34 Payton Scott: RB; 5' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#27 Jaylen Cottrell
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: RB

#87 Dominique Dunn
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: HB

#0 Robert Fuentes
: 6' 4"; Senior
: DL

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

#21 Connor Johnson
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: LB

#97 Hunter Largent
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: DL

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

#96 Nicky Quevedo
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: K

#34 Payton Scott
: 5' 5"; Junior
: RB