Sophomore wide receiver Terrill Davis has a team-high 15 receptions this season. [UCO Photo Services]

Football 9/20/2023 6:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

Bronchos Visit Emporia In Week 4 Road Trip

UCO Takes On Highly Rated Hornets Saturday Afternoon

EMPORIA, Kan. – Central Oklahoma hits the road for Week 4 MIAA football Saturday afternoon when the Bronchos visit Emporia State University. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 1-2 on the season. Emporia, ranked No. 11 in the country, is 3-0 overall with a 2-0 record in the MIAA.

"We need to be consistent," UCO head coach Adam Dorrel said. "That's probably our biggest issue right now. When we play well, we're a really good football team, but we're not playing at that level for four quarters, and we need to be better. We have to be better."

UCO beat Nebraska Kearney in Week 1 before falling at Central Missouri in Week 2 and again to Missouri Western in Week 3. The Bronchos played well in the first half of Weeks 1 & 2, and the second half of Week 3. In those three halves, Central has outscored its opponents 62-42. However, in the second halves of the first two games and the first half of last week's contest, UCO has been outscored 54-10.

That overall total is 96-72, leaving the Bronchos with a minus-8 scoring average heading into Emporia. UCO is putting up 385.7 yards of offense per game, splitting that mark between 202.0 passing yards per game and 183.7 rushing yards per game.

UCO's run game has been strong. The Bronchos had more rushing yards than any other MIAA team in Week 1. Trevon Woolfolk has been the key reason why. The junior running back has two 100-yard games already this season and has 292 rushing yards in Central's three games combined. And Woolfolk, who is from Fort Valley, Georgia, is averaging 7.5 yards per carry. He's only rushed the ball 39 times in three games. Woolfolk also has three rushing touchdowns, finding the end zone on carries of 19, 30, and 10.

UCO also has 116 rushing yards, and three more touchdowns, by quarterback Stephon Brown. Andrew Carney has 82 yards and one touchdown, and Payton Scott has 51 yards.

All four chip in to give the Bronchos the third-best run game in the MIAA by the slimmest of margins. Pittsburg State leads the league at 186.7 rushing yards per game, Missouri Western is second at 185.7 rushing yards per game, and UCO comes in third at 183.7 rushing yards per game, leaving just three yards between the top three schools.

UCO also has a top-rated run defense in the MIAA. The Bronchos are third there two, trailing Northwest Missouri (62.3) and Pittsburg State (81.3). Central Oklahoma allows 118.0 rushing yards per game.

Connor Johnson leads the team with 18 tackles in three games. Noah West, Grant Lohr, and Reed Lindsey all have multiple tackles for a loss. Both of Lindsey's are QB sacks. West also has one QB sack.

UCO has one interception on the season, a 54-yard pick six by JK Moore in Week 1. Kobey Stephens leads the team with five pass breakups in three games. Moore has three as well.

Back on the offensive side of the ball, Brown is leading the pass game for the Bronchos. He is 52-for-80 (65.0 percent) with 583 yards passing through three games. He has one touchdown, a 33-yard pass to Oscar Hammond in Week 1.

Hammond leads the Bronchos with 143 yards receiving on 11 catches. Terrill Davis leads UCO with 15 receptions and has 113 yards. Jacob Delso, eight catches for 133 yards, is also among the leading targets. Christian Romero, seven catches for 77 yards, is another threat through the air.

Emporia State is 3-0 hosting UCO. The Hornets have a high-powered offense led by the passing game and is putting up big numbers. ESU is tied for first in the MIAA with UCM with 17 touchdowns. Emporia is second in total offense (498.0 yards per game) and second in total passing (1,093 yards).

Defensively, ESU is third in the MIAA at 320.0 yards per game and has given up just three touchdowns in three games.

Emporia State beat Lincoln in what is a non-conference contest. The Hornets then went to Maryville and beat Northwest Missouri and went to Tahlequah and beat Northeastern State.

Central Oklahoma owns a marginal 12-10-1 lead in the all-time series. The two schools have met 10 times since UCO joined Emporia in the MIAA. The Bronchos won last season's matchup in Edmond, 21-13. UCO is looking for its first win in Emporia since 2014.

UCO and ESU kickoff Saturday at 1 p.m. The Bronchos will return home next weekend for their Homecoming game, taking on Missouri Southern Saturday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

#18 Andrew Carney: RB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

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

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

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

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

#25 Grant Lohr: LB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

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

#3 Kobey Stephens: DB; 6' 0"; Junior

#40 Noah West: LB; 6' 3"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

#18 Andrew Carney
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: RB

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

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

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

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

#25 Grant Lohr
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LB

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

#3 Kobey Stephens
: 6' 0"; Junior
: DB

#40 Noah West
: 6' 3"; Junior
: LB