Football 10/18/2023 6:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO, NSU, Battle For President's Cup Saturday Night

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The President's Cup is on the line this week as Central Oklahoma visits Northeastern State in Week 8 in the 25th annual battle for the trophy between longtime rivals. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Doc Wadley Stadium.

UCO is 3-4 on the season, 2-4 in the MIAA. NSU is 1-6 on the season, 0-6 in the MIAA. The two teams have met 81 times over the past 108 years, but in 1998, the two RUSO schools began competing for a trophy. The Bronchos won the inaugural battle and have a 15-9 advantage in the series since then. The President's Cup, a three-feet-tall silver cup with a wooden base equipped with scores from each meeting, lives with the winning school for the year until the next game. The cup has lived in Edmond since Nov. 1, 2014. That's when the Bronchos started their current eight-game win streak in the series.

Central Oklahoma is averaging 29.9 points per game through seven games this season. The Bronchos average 438.0 yards of total offense per game, splitting that mark between 257.0 passing yards and 181.0 rushing yards per game. UCO also averages 24.0 first downs per game. Defensively, Central Oklahoma is giving up 30.3 points per game through seven games this season. Opponents average 398.3 yards per game, with 243.4 coming through the air and 154.9 yards per game on the ground.

Trevon Woolfolk has been the centerpiece of the UCO running game through six weeks of play. The junior from Fort Valley, Georgia has four 100-yard rushing games in seven weeks, and has 633 total yards rushing. Woolfolk has run for 101, 67, 124, 137, 106, 38, and 60 yards this season. He averages 6.1 yards per carry. Woolfolk ranks second in the MIAA in carries and yards and he ranks fourth in the league in touchdowns (eight).

Dawson Herl transferred to Central Oklahoma from Missouri Southern in January and the junior quarterback has made two starts this season. In Week 4 at Emporia State, Herl threw for 363 yards. In Week 7 against Lincoln, he threw for 358 yards. Those marks rank 15th and 18th for a single game at UCO. Herl is 65-for-112 with 942 yards passing this season. He has thrown seven touchdowns and four interceptions.

Terrill Davis has a team-high 30 receptions through seven games this season. The sophomore from Choctaw, Oklahoma has 375 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Oscar Hammond adds to the mix. He is second in receptions (25) and leads the team with 387 receiving yards. He also has a team-high three touchdowns. Jacob Delso (19-282), Darius Melton (16-212), and Christian Romero (11-167) are all key contributors in the passing game. UCO has 15 different players with a catch this season, and 13 of them have two catches. Melton also has two TD catches and Jaylen Cottrell and Madison Ridgeway both have one.

Connor Johnson continues to lead the Central Oklahoma defense. The sophomore linebacker has 40 tackles (26 solo) on the season. He also has 3.5 behind the line of scrimmage and one sack, one pass breakup, and one QB hurry. Rae'Quan Wicks, a senior safety, has 31 tackles and four pass breakups. Jack Puckett (29), J.K. Moore (28), Johnathan Mosely (28), Zane Adams (27), and Zhyon Bell (25) are all leaders on defense as well.

Jack Puckett leads the Bronchos with two sacks this season. The redshirt freshman from Bixby recorded a half-sack at Central Missouri and at Emporia State before getting a solo sack at Northwest Missouri. Reed Lindsey has 1.5 sacks, all at Central Missouri. Kalvin Hutchings also has a 1.5 sacks, joining Puckett for one at Emporia before slamming Lincoln's QB last week. Connor Johnson, Noah West, and Zane Adams all have one, and Hunter Largent and Zhyon Bell both have a half-sack on the season.

J.K. Moore and Noah West have one interception each and both returned those for touchdowns. Moore did from 54-yards out in Week 1 against Nebraska Kearney and it proved to be the difference in Central's 24-21 win. West did from 20-yards out at Northwest. The two interceptions are the only turnovers forced by UCO this season. Hutchings forced a fumble on his QB sack last week against Lincoln, but the offense fell on the ball. Central Oklahoma does have 35 pass breakups on the season.

Nicky Quevedo, David Vargas, and Grayson Miller have all handled kicking duties of some sort this season. Quevedo has done all of the field goals and PATs, and started the year on kickoff duty. Vargas began the year on punting duty. Miller, a sophomore transfer, has since taken over both kickoff and punting responsibilities. Quevedo is 7-for-9 on field goal attempts and a perfect 26-for-26 on PATs. He has 16 kickoffs averaging 60.9 per kick. Miller has 23 kickoffs, averaging 55.2 per kick. He also has eight punts averaging 44.5 per punt. Miller has put three inside the 20-yard line. Vargas has 17 punts with an average of 42.1 yards per punt. He has five inside the 20 and three 50+ kicks.

Central Oklahoma leads the series 57-27-2 since it started in 1915. The Bronchos and the Riverhawks began playing for The President's Cup in 1998 and UCO owns a 15-9 advantage in the series since then. The Bronchos have won eight in a row against NSU. The longest win streak in the series is nine games, done twice by the Bronchos. Central won every game from 1915-1932 and from 1938-50.

Central Oklahoma has two weeks away from home including this week at Northeastern State. The Bronchos visit Fort Hays State next weekend. In November, UCO hosts Washburn in the final home game of the season before wrapping up 2023 on the road at Pittsburg State.

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Players Mentioned

#57 Zane Adams: DL; 6' 1"; Junior

#46 Zhyon Bell: LB; 6' 1"; Senior

#20 Jaylen Cottrell: RB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#8 Terrill Davis: WR; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#1 Jacob Delso: WR; 6' 0"; Junior

#23 Oscar Hammond: TE; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#91 Kalvin Hutchings: DL; 6' 4"; Senior

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

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

#30 Jack Puckett: LB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

#57 Zane Adams
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DL

#46 Zhyon Bell
: 6' 1"; Senior
: LB

#20 Jaylen Cottrell
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: RB

#8 Terrill Davis
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: WR

#1 Jacob Delso
: 6' 0"; Junior
: WR

#23 Oscar Hammond
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: TE

#91 Kalvin Hutchings
: 6' 4"; Senior
: DL

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

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

#30 Jack Puckett
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman
: LB