UCO Football Season Preview

As the University of Central Oklahoma’s football team gets set to kick off its 2026 season, the Bronchos will look to bounce back from a mediocre 2025 season by focusing on internal development, improved defense, and better road play.

After going 11-2 in the 2024 season and earning a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II second-round tournament appearance during Head Coach Adam Dorrel’s first year in Edmond, UCO saw a regression last season despite high expectations. 

The Bronchos were slated at No. 5 nationally in the AFCA pre-season coaches poll but finished the year 6-5 overall and placed third in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), missing out on a postseason appearance.

Looking ahead to 2026, UCO was ranked just outside the Top-25 of the AFCA poll and third in the pre-season MIAA rankings, giving the Bronchos plenty of room to outperform expectations this season after failing to meet them a year ago.

Central will need to improve in the areas that hindered them last season, most notably, an improved away record. UCO went 2-3 on the road last season, with all three losses being by double digits.

This season, the Bronchos will have a challenging opportunity right away to rectify their road woes as they open the season with three-straight away games beginning in Fort Worth. In week three, coming off a bye, UCO will travel to Conway, Arkansas, to face Central Arkansas University, a Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent. This will be the first Division I opponent UCO has faced since 2011. 

UCO will then begin conference play with their road test versus Washburn before their home opener at Chad Richison Stadium against No. 8 Northwest Missouri on Sept. 26. 

On the offensive side of the ball, UCO is a dynamic force; however, a high-risk offense can increase the possibility of turnovers, which was another struggle last year.

UCO had 20 turnovers in 11 games, including 12 interceptions. Central will look to shrink that number this season with the return of starting quarterback Jett Huff, who was sidelined most of last season with an injury.

Defensively, the Bronchos will also be looking for a significant step forward. Central Oklahoma will need to become more consistent at getting off the field and preventing opponents from turning mistakes into points. With several returning pieces and another year in Dorrel’s system, internal development could be a major factor in whether UCO takes the next step.

With 60 players returning, including 11 starters, it should be a more manageable task to improve on both sides of the ball. 

Central enters this season with something to prove. If UCO can clean up its turnover issues, improve defensively, and find a way to win more consistently away from Edmond, another successful season and potential return to the postseason could be well within reach.