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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Dev Mathews
10
Fort Hays St. FHS 3-3 , 2-2
31
Winner Central Okla. UCO 3-3 , 2-2
Fort Hays St. FHS
3-3 , 2-2
10
Final
31
Central Okla. UCO
3-3 , 2-2
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FHS Fort Hays St. 3 0 7 0 10
UCO Central Okla. 3 14 0 14 31

Game Recap: Football | | Chris Brannick

UCO Pulls Away From Fort Hays State

Bronchos Win 31-10 Saturday Night In Edmond

EDMOND – A fourth quarter surge gave Central Oklahoma all it needed in a 31-10 win over Fort Hays State in an MIAA game at Chad Richison Stadium.
 
UCO improved to 3-3 on the season overall with the win and is now 2-2 in the MIAA. The win was the first for interim head football coach Cody Swanson.
 
"It's been quite a week and this was a great way to end it," Swanson said. "I'm just so proud of our guys for the way the responded. We had a good week of practice and they came out here tonight and got after it. It was great to see."
 
The Bronchos never trailed on Saturday night. Bradley Thao gave Central a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, then C.J. Williams and Dev Mathews helped make it 17-3 at halftime. Fort Hays made a push, cutting the lead to 17-10 in the third quarter and using almost every bit of the clock to try and get back in the game.
 
But in the fourth quarter, Talon Kendrick sacked the Hays quarterback and stripped the ball away in the process. Reese Roller recovered the fumble and darted 75 yards for the scoop-and-score touchdown to make it 24-10. Mathews added a second touchdown to push it to the final, 31-10.
 
"Our defense was great tonight given how much they were on the field," Swanson said. "Ideally, they wouldn't be asked to do what they did tonight. But like I said, they responded and got it done."
 
Fort Hays State had an even 40:00 time of possession to UCO's 20:00. In the second half, it was 23:14 for Hays to 6:46 for the Bronchos.
 
Roller finished with a game-high 12 tackles and the 75-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. Chris Fitzpatrick made eight tackles and Antwan Gilbreath had seven. Bryant Coley added six and had one interception.
 
UCO forced Hays into several turnovers. Coley picked off a pass in the second quarter that resulted in a Broncho touchdown one play later. Marcus Works also intercepted a pass to end the first half. And the Bronchos got the fumble recovery too.
 
Saturday was the first turnover free game for the Bronchos of the season.
 
Jett Huff led the offense with 193 yards passing and one touchdown. He went 19-for-29 in the game.
 
Tahkari Bethel had a team-high six catches for 45 yards. Williams had four receptions for a team-high 50 yards and the 11-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
 
Mathews led the rushing attack with 10 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He had a long of 36 yards, which came with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter when he scored to put the Bronchos up 31-10.
 
UCO is playing a road-heavy schedule in 2026. The Bronchos are 2-0 at home this season after six games played. Central will hit the road for the next two weeks, taking on No. 9 Emporia State (6-0) next Saturday before a trip to Pittsburg State (1-5) in two weeks.
 
Central returns home on Oct. 31 to face Nebraska Kearney.
 
 
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