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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Zacary Stilwell
24
Central Oklahoma UCO 4-5 , 4-3
35
Winner Neb.-Kearney UNKFB 6-4 , 4-4
Central Oklahoma UCO
4-5 , 4-3
24
Final
35
Neb.-Kearney UNKFB
6-4 , 4-4
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UCO Central Oklahoma 7 10 0 7 24
UNKFB Neb.-Kearney 0 7 21 7 35

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

Bronchos Fall at UNK

KEARNEY, Neb. – Central Oklahoma suffered a 35-24 loss at Nebraska Kearney Saturday afternoon in game with stark differences in each half.
 
UCO is now 4-5 on the season following the loss and 4-3 in the MIAA. Kearney improved to 6-3 overall and is also 4-3 in league play.
 
"Mistakes got us today," UCO head football coach Adam Dorrel said. "We didn't play a clean game and had some unfortunate miscues and they took advantage of every one of them. Credit to Kearney for the game they played today."
 
Central Oklahoma went ahead 17-0 early in the second quarter before UNK scored 28 unanswered points. UCO made it 28-24 in the fourth quarter but couldn't get the stops or scores needed to complete the comeback.
 
Central gained 379 yards of total offense, 217 through the air and 162 on the ground. But the Bronchos gave up 399 yards, including 230 on the ground and 169 in the pass game.
 
UCO forced three turnovers, all in the first half. The Bronchos forced a fumble on the opening possession. While defenses reigned supreme most of the first quarter. Dev Mathews broke free for a 40-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left in the opening frame to give Central a 7-0 lead.
 
Jett Huff connected with Dominique Dunn for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 13:37 to play in the second quarter to make it 14-0, and Joseph Kim made it 17-0 with a 21-yard field goal with 9:03 remaining before halftime.
 
But UCO wouldn't do much more in the game.
 
Kearney scored its first touchdown with 2:03 remaining in the first half and the game went to halftime 17-7. Then things turned on the Bronchos.
 
On the opening kickoff of the second half, UCO let the ball bounce assuming it would go out of bounds on the west sideline. But it bounced back toward the kickoff coverage team and the Lopers dove on the loose ball for the recovery. UNK scored two plays later. Then after a rare slip of the hand where Huff's pass fell to the ground as his hand moved forward, UNK scored on a 3-play, 7-yard drive to take a 21-17 lead with 7:00 remaining in the third quarter.
 
UNK then got its offense going and drove 71-yards on seven plays to score and go ahead 28-17.
 
UCO got one back with a 13-yard touchdown rush by Jaylen Cottrell with 10:31 to play in the fourth quarter. But couldn't get any closer down the stretch. Kearney spent just over four minutes scoring again to go up 35-24. Then UCO turned it over on downs at midfield. The Bronchos forced a punt but muffed it and turned it back over to UNK. Central had one last chance with less than 30 seconds left but needing a miracle, Clayton Creasey came in the game and threw an interception on his only pass attempt.
 
Huff went 17-for-30 with 217 yards and one touchdown. Ashton Schumann had a team-high five receptions for 43 yards and Kristian Valeriano had a team-high 71 yards on four catches. Dunn had two receptions for 40 yards and the 39-yard touchdown.
 
Mathews led UCO's rushing attack with 94 yards on eight carries with the 40-yard touchdown. Cottrell had 54 yards on eight carries with one score. William Mason had 28 yards on 10 carries.
 
Jack Puckett led UCO's defensive efforts with nine tackles and a sack. Bryant Coley made seven tackles. Lemuel Gordon made four tackles with one sack. Reese Roller and Antwan Gilbreath had interceptions. Connor Johnson forced the early fumble that Bradyn Smith recovered.
 
Central Oklahoma returns home for the final time in 2025 to host Missouri Southern Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. from Chad Richison Stadium.
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