Football 9/23/2025 4:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

No. 15 Central Oklahoma Visits Northwest Missouri

Bronchos, Bearcats Tangle In Maryville

MARYVILLE, Mo. – No. 15 Central Oklahoma travels to Northwest Missouri for Week 4 MIAA action Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

The Bronchos are 2-1 on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA. Northwest Missouri is 3-1 this season and also 2-0 in the MIAA.

"It's a big game and I think everyone knows it's hard to win in Maryville," UCO head football coach Adam Dorrel said. "We have to stick to our game plan and not get into doing what they try to force. Our defense has been good and we'll need to be good this week and the same goes for offense. We need to play a really good game for 60 minutes."

Central Oklahoma opened the season with a Week 0 non-conference loss at UT Permian Basin, which is ranked No. 11 in the country now with a 3-0 record. UCO returned home and beat Pittsburg State, which is ranked 18th this week and 2-2 on the season. And after a bye week, the Bronchos are coming off a 34-28 win over Washburn in Edmond this past Saturday.

Northwest Missouri opened the season with a non-conference loss at Minnesota State, which was ranked No. 5 at the time. MSU is 3-1 and No. 14 this week. The Bearcats have won three in a row, beating Washburn, Texas A&M Kingsville, and Missouri Southern. Both MIAA wins came on the road for NWMSU.

The series record tilts the Maryville way, with Northwest ahead 11-5. The Bronchos have won three in a row in Edmond but are looking for their first win at NWMSU since the early 1990s. Since joining the MIAA in 2012, UCO is 3-9 against Northwest and 0-6 in Maryville. The Bronchos won there in 1985 and 1992.

UCO is averaging 25.0 points per game through three games this season and 435 yards of total offense. The Bronchos split that production 219.7 rushing yards per game and 215.3 passing yards per game. Defensively, the Bronchos allow 28.6 points per game and 352.7 yards of total offense. Opponents pass for 215.0 yards per game and just 137.7 yards per game.

The offensive rushing attack is mainly split between senior Jaylen Cottrell and junior William Mason. The duo accounts for 163.3 yards per game and together rush 21 times per game. Cottrell has 258 yards on 35 carries and three touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per rush. Mason has 232 yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns, averaging 8.3 yards per carry. They also have the two longest plays from scrimmage for Central this season. Mason has a 71-yard rush and Cottrell a 66-yard run.

Clayton Creasey is orchestrating the offense after starting quarterback and All-American Jett Huff was injured in Week 1 against Pitt State. Creasey is 34-for-55 for 433 yards and two touchdowns in three games this season. He appeared in the Week 0 game at UTPB but did not throw a pass. His 433 in the last two games includes a 54-yard completion in Week 1 and a 52-yard touchdown pass last week. Creasey also has 90 rushing yards on 14 carries, with a 22-yard touchdown run and a 41-yard rush.

Ashton Schumann leads the receivers that have helped the Bronchos put up 215 yards per game. The sophomore has 18 receptions for 201 yards, 11.1 yards per catch. Hagen Hacker has five catches for 99 yards and he caught the 52-yard touchdown against Washburn. Cottrell adds eight receptions for 77 yards and Javohn Thomas has four for 70. Zayden Martinez has just one catch this season but it's the longest pass play of the year at 54 yards.

The defensive efforts by the Bronchos are led by Connor Johnson, who has a team-high 18 tackles and one sack. Johnny Wilson has 16 tackles, four in the backfield, and one sack. Jack Puckett, in two games, has 14 tackles including three in the backfield. Reese Roller adds 13 tackles, two in the backfield, and one and a half sacks. Abner Dubar and Braden Waters also have 12 tackles each.

Antwan Gilbreath has UCO's lone interception in three games this season. That came against Pitt State. Willie Rice and Marcus Works have three pass breakups to lead the team.

UCO specialist Joseph Kim is 4-for-8 on field goal attempts in three games, making two 37-yarders, a 45-yarder, and tying the Central Oklahoma record with a 51-yard field goal. Davis Barr handles punting duties and is averaging 40.8 yards per punt on 13 attempts. Barr has four inside the 20-yard line and three 50+ punts with a long of 62.

Northwest Missouri is averaging 29.5 points per game through four games and its defense allows 19.7 points per game. The Bearcats put up 453.5 yards of total offense per game, 232.7 passing and 220.8 rushing. Northwest gives up 318.5 per game, 215.2 passing and 103.3 rushing yards per game.

Central Oklahoma will wrap up September with this weekend's game in Maryville. The Bronchos begin October at home with Central Missouri, Saturday, Oct. 4 in Edmond. Kickoff next weekend is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#0 Jaylen Cottrell: RB; 6' 2"; Senior

#10 Clayton Creasey: QB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman

#14 Antwan Gilbreath: DB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#2 Hagen Hacker: WR; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#3 Jett Huff: QB; 5' 8"; Junior

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

#22 William Mason: RB; 6' 2"; Junior

#30 Jack Puckett: LB; 6' 1"; Junior

#1 Willie Rice: DB; 5' 10"; Senior

#33 Reese Roller: LB; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#0 Jaylen Cottrell
: 6' 2"; Senior
: RB

#10 Clayton Creasey
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Freshman
: QB

#14 Antwan Gilbreath
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: DB

#2 Hagen Hacker
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: WR

#3 Jett Huff
: 5' 8"; Junior
: QB

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

#22 William Mason
: 6' 2"; Junior
: RB

#30 Jack Puckett
: 6' 1"; Junior
: LB

#1 Willie Rice
: 5' 10"; Senior
: DB

#33 Reese Roller
: 5' 10"; Junior
: LB