Bronchos smash Hornets nest last Saturday; 55-38

The Central Oklahoma Bronchos smashed the Emporia State Hornets, defeating them 55-38. The Bronchos (10-1, 9-1) are in sole possession of the MIAA Championship, the first in program history. The NCAA revealed on Sunday that Central Oklahoma will be the number four seed in Super Region Three. UCO will host their first playoff game this Saturday at 1 p.m.  against fifth seeded Ouachita Baptist. That will be the first playoff game for the Bronchos since 2003 and the first time UCO has hosted a playoff game since 1998. 

Let me take you back to October 26th. 

The Bronchos just lost to Pittsburg State. I ran into Broncho Linebacker Jack Puckett after the game and he said to me “We’re winning out, I promise you. We’re going to win out.” 

Three weeks later, I ran into the sophomore from Bixby as the MIAA trophy ceremony was about to start. After exchanging pleasantries, he said, “I told you we would do it. I told you.” Indeed he did. 

After the 16 seniors were honored before the kickoff. The Bronchos went right to work getting into the end zone in 14 plays thanks to a William Mason two yard rush up the middle. The name Gundy carries a lot of weight. You see it all the time in other papers. But the Bronchos defense made Gunnar Gundy look like the freshman at Kansas State, with his hands shaking for dear life. The Bronchos defense sacked the Stillwater native four times, an interception by JK Moore and only allowed Gundy to throw for 44 yards and rush for negative five yards. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, the Bronchos scored on two of their next four drives. Dawson Herl scrambled for an eight yard score in the waning moments of the first quarter. Then Herl tossed one up to Terrill Davis for a 57 yard score and his 15th touchdown of the season. Davis balled out once again, tying his school record with 15 catches in a single game and 203 yards, his third 200+ yard game of the season. Which is another school record. “Just knowing I can contribute to my team and doing whatever I can to help us win,” Davis said. 

The Hornets eventually benched Gunnar Gundy and went to the backup Chase Ricke. Ricke, a redshirt senior from Tulsa, would drive the Hornets to their first score of the game. Punts were exchanged before a Nicky Quevado 44 yard field goal ended the first half. Bronchos leading 24-7. 

Then the shootout most experts were prepared for began. An Emporia State field goal started off the second half, William Mason would respond with his second touchdown of the game. Ricke stung the defense with a 73 yard touchdown pass to Trenden Collins to cut the lead to 14. After a punt from Grayson Miller, Emporia State went deep into the playbook and gained 37 yards on a flea flicker. But an interception by senior Dylan Buchheit would flip the field and give the ball back to the ‘Chos. A 41-yard run by Jaylen Cottrell put the Bronchos up 38-17 and on the doorstep of history. Emporia State tried to come back but could only pull within 10 points in the middle of the fourth. Herl would throw to tight end Dominique Dunn for a five yard touchdown and William Mason would get his third touchdown of the game on a 12 yard run which would break a school record set in Week 2 for most total offensive yards in a single game with 680. 

A trophy ceremony was held immediately following the victory. Where President Todd Lamb joined in on the celebration saying, “We are so, so proud of you. Being President of UCO is the best job I ever had, by far. Especially because this year, I get to be president of a university that happens to have the best football team in the state of Oklahoma.” It meant a lot to the players, too. “This win means everything to me.” Cornerback JK Moore said, “I’ve never been a part of a championship team in football, so this means everything to me. This feeling is unreal.” 

The Bronchos will appear in the playoffs for the first time since 2003. They will host a playoff game for the first time since 1998, as they will host the Ouachita Baptist Tigers from the Great American Conference. Ouachita went 10-1 on the year with wins over Harding and Southern Arkansas but had a loss to a 3-8 Southern Nazarene team on Halloween night. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m in Edmond.