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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 1-2 , 1-2
40
Winner Mo. Southern St. MSS 2-1 , 2-1
Central Okla. UCO
1-2 , 1-2
21
Final
40
Mo. Southern St. MSS
2-1 , 2-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UCO Central Okla. 7 0 7 7 21
MSS Mo. Southern St. 10 7 3 20 40

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Fall In Joplin

Central Oklahoma Let Missouri Southern Run Away With 40-21 Win

JOPLIN, Mo. – Central Oklahoma fell short 40-21 against Missouri Southern on Saturday evening at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

"We didn't win the physical battle and you don't win many games like that," UCO head coach Adam Dorrel said. "We got in a hole and they made it hard for us to get out of it. Credit to Missouri Southern. They deserve this one."

Central Oklahoma was 2-for-14 on third downs and that was too much to overcome. 

Stephon Brown was 14-for-27 with 125 yards and a touchdown. He carried the ball 12 times for 49 yards and another score. Jaylen Cottrell (8-47) and Nasir Kemper (5-32) also helped out in the run game. Andrew Carney (4-6) had a solid game in the fullback spot with his first career touchdown run and one of the two UCO third-down conversions. 

Central Oklahoma's defense was led by Dylan Buchheit's 10 tackles. Hunter Largent made nine stops up front, and Connor Johnson, Blake Barron and Kobey Stephens all made eight tackles. UCO had Missouri Southern 8-for-16 on third downs but only made two stops in the backfield. 
 
Saturday, UCO got the ball to start the game and went three & out before Missouri Southern took its first drive 49 yards on five plays for the game's first score. The Bronchos responded though and put together a 6-play, 59-yard scoring drive to tie the game, 7-7. 
 
Central ran the ball on all five plays to score. Carney, a true freshman from Collinsville, Oklahoma, scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Kemper ran for six and 22 yards before Brown scrambled for 15 yards to the MSSU 9-yard line. Antonio Smith Jr. then rushed for eight yards to the one before Carney punched in the score.
 
Missouri Southern answered that scoring drive with another, although UCO held the Lions to a field goal. MSSU took a 10-7 lead with 3:21 to play in the first quarter.
 
The defense on both sides of the ball settled in after that and the game was still 10-7 going into the final minute of play in the first half after nine consecutive punts between the two squads. Southern though finally put together another scoring drive and took a 17-7 lead into the half, scoring with 21 seconds to play on a 9-yard pass play. 
 
In the second half, Southern opened the half with a three & out, but the Bronchos fumbled it back on their first play from scrimmage. MSSU then kicked a field goal to take a 20-7 early second half lead.
 
Central Oklahoma needed a big drive and it got one toward the end of the third quarter.
 
The Bronchos went 43 yards on seven plays and scored on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Daunte McGee. Brown connected with Johnny Bizzell IV on a 28-yard pass before that set up the score.
 
Unfortunately for Central Oklahoma, Southern responded again. This time by way of a 9-play, 75-yard scoring drive, MSSU took a 26-14 lead after failing a 2-point conversion attempt.
 
Still not giving up, UCO bounced back with a huge 14-play, 85-yard scoring drive that included two fourth-down conversions to get within a score. Brown's 2-yard touchdown rush made it 26-21 with 8:16 to play in the game.
 
The back and forth continued. UCO tried an early onside and gave Southern short field position and the Lions took advantage. MSSU scored on 42-yard touchdown pass on 3rd & 7 to get a 33-21 lead with 5:23 to play in the game. The Lions tacked on a late score after getting another short-field advantage with three minutes to play. The two-play, 27-yard scoring drive made it the final, 40-21. 
 
Central Oklahoma is home again in Week 4. The Bronchos are scheduled to take on Northwest Missouri Saturday, Sept. 24 in the annual Hall of Fame Game. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Chad Richison Stadium.
 
 
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