EDMOND, Okla. - The University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos took advantage of four turnovers to record a 19-14 victory over the No. 7-ranked Northwest Missouri State University football team Saturday at Chad Richison Stadium.
Northwest scored all 14 of its points in the first quarter and was held scoreless over the final three quarters. The Bearcats dropped to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the MIAA. The Bronchos evened their mark at 2-2 overall and 1-1 in league play.
Northwest scored touchdowns on both of its full possessions in the first quarter and carried a 14-7 lead into the second. The opening drive covered 75 yards in 10 plays, with
Zechariah Owens completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to
Jaidyn Doss at 10:34 before
Mo Alwaely added the extra point. After UCO answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive to tie it, Northwest Mo. St. responded with another 75-yard march, highlighted by
Quincy Torry runs of 19 and 16 yards before his 4-yard touchdown at 5:08. Northwest also forced a late punt after tackles for loss by
Jackson Torry,
Kaden Lutjen-Williams and
Eric Smith III, and
Te'Shaun Porter's 24-yard run from the 6-yard line closed a quarter in which Northwest ran for 93 yards and completed all five passes for 81 yards.
Northwest was held scoreless in the second quarter, but its defense limited the Bronchos to two field goals and kept a 14-13 lead at halftime. Earlier, Owens converted third-and-7 with a 10-yard run on the opening drive, but a 15-yard loss stalled the possession before
Davis Barr's 49-yard punt was fair caught at the UCO 16. The Bronchos put together a 55-yard drive, but Northwest got tackles for loss from
Zylen Saddler-Robinson,
Jack Jansen and
Jacob Stockard, plus a
DeKaleb Rudolph sack, before Bradley Thao's 46-yard field goal made it 14-10 with 3:34 left. After the Bearcats' next drive ended with another Barr punt,
Eli Bertz helped force a UCO punt with a pass breakup on the ensuing possession. Owens was intercepted with 50 seconds left, giving UCO the ball at the Northwest 13, but Antwon Jenkins broke up a throw near the goal line and the Bearcats held the Bronchos to Thao's 22-yard field goal as time expired.
Northwest's third quarter turned on a sack-fumble at its 24-yard line, and UCO used the short field to kick a 27-yard field goal that left Northwest Mo. St. down 16-14 with 6:58 left. Earlier, the defense got off the field on the opening possession when
Patrick Martin broke up a third-down pass, and the offense answered with a ground-driven series featuring two
Quincy Torry first-down runs before a holding penalty and the turnover halted it. Northwest went back to Torry on its next drive, picking up another rushing first down, but two incompletions forced Barr's 51-yard punt to the UCO 13. The Bronchos held the ball for the final 5:01, converting two third downs before an illegal-formation penalty wiped out a punt as the quarter ended with Northwest trailing 16-14.
Northwest had a final possession after UCO missed a 51-yard field goal with 1:10 left, moving from its 34-yard line to the UCO 30 before
Mason Shorb's fourth-down pass to
Cooper Warren fell incomplete with eight seconds remaining in a 19-14 loss. Earlier, after Owens was intercepted on Northwest's first snap of the quarter, the defense answered with a Saddler-Robinson sack and a
Holden Zigmant interception at the Northwest 11.
Quincy Torry helped the offense move the chains on the next Northwest series, but a face mask penalty and another interception gave the Bronchos possession at the Northwest 38. Northwest kept UCO out of the end zone after a first-and-goal at the 1, with Bertz recording a third-down sack before Bradley Thao's 23-yard field goal accounted for the quarter's only points. Shorb then completed passes to
Trevor Spady,
Erwin Nash and
Karsten Pate on the last drive, including a 10-yard fourth-down conversion to Pate at the UCO 40, but the drive ended on downs and the Bronchos ran out the clock.
Quincy Torry rushed 19 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. Bertz led Northwest with 11 tackles and added a sack. Doss caught two passes for 39 yards and a touchdown. Zigmant recorded three tackles and an interception.
Following a bye week, Northwest will play host to Central Missouri Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.
NOTES: UCO has won four straight games vs. Northwest at Chad Richison Stadium ... Northwest leads the all-time series with UCO, 12-6 ... Northwest had won 95 straight games when leading at the half ...
Quincy Torry tallied his fifth career 100-yard rushing game ... Northwest is 307-55 as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25 ...
Zylen Saddler-Robinson had a team-high three tackles-for-loss ... Northwest had nine tackles-for-loss.
