UCO football continues to win; Current 9-1 record

The Bronchos squeaked out a victory over the Washburn Ichabods 28-27 and have now clinched at least a share of the MIAA Football crown, the first in school history. The Bronchos are now 9-1 heading into the final week of the regular season. 

The saying, “Sometimes you would rather be lucky than good,” could be an appropriate description of how this game went for the Bronchos. 

The game began as a defensive chess match in the capital of Kansas. A Bronchos punt, then a turnover on downs for the Ichabods, followed by a Jett Huff fumble and a Washburn punt in just the first six minutes of the game. The offense would get clicking after a nine play, 80 yard drive capped off by a Jett Huff 47-yard touchdown pass to Terrill Davis, which would set a new single season school record for most touchdown catches in a single season. An offsides penalty on Washburn would have the extra point attempt at the one yard line. UCO attempted to go for two but failed.

Washburn would score a touchdown off a Sam Van Dyne throw to Maury Sullivan on the first possession of the second quarter and kick the extra point to go up by one. But the Bronchos would storm right back with a 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by a Jett Huff touchdown pass to Jaylen Cottrell. With that touchdown pass, Huff would break a school record for most passing touchdowns in a single season with 30. The score was 13-7 in favor of the Bronchos at halftime. After linebacker Noah West blocked Ichabod kicker Trenton Brehm’s 43-yard field goal attempt to conclude the second quarter. 

Then the game would swing in favor of the Ichabods. On the second play of the 2nd half, Sam Van Dyne would find Tre Richardson, who would take it 80-yards for the touchdown. A Trenton Brehm extra point would put the Ichabods up by one. Then, Jett Huff would throw an interception to Julius Jackson, who would return it twelve yards and give the 2-7 Ichabods a short field. Van Dyne would find Tre Richardson on the very next play to add to the Ichabod lead early in the fourth quarter. A Broncho punt, followed by an Ichabod interception to Dylan Buchheit. Huff would fumble on a quarterback run. Fortunately, the defense would force a three and out the Ichabods would punt. 

Enter Dawson Herl… again. 

In relief for the second straight game, the sixth year senior would execute an 87-yard drive, starting at the end of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter. Herl found Ashton Schumann for a 19-yard touchdown score followed by a Herl to Jacob Delso for the two point conversion to even things up at 21-21. Central’s defense would force a big time turnover thanks to a Zane Adams forced fumble that David Williams would recover with 8:11 to go in the game. The Bronchos just needed three plays to find the end zone again. William Mason ran for nine yards on the first play, then ran for 40 on the second play. Herl would finish the job finding Terrill Davis in the end zone for the go ahead score. Putting the ‘Chos up 28-21 with just six minutes to go. The Ichabods offense was desperate, however, as Van Dyne marched down the field and led the Ichabods to another touchdown score. But on the extra point, Trenton Brehm missed it wide right, providing the Bronchos with a one point lead and no room for error. The Bronchos stalled for as long as they could, Dawson Herl had a 46-yard run, but the Bronchos were forced to punt. Giving the ball back to the Van Dyne led the Ichabod offense. Van Dyne would drive down to the UCO 36 yard line and set up a potential game-winning 43-yard field goal to grab a big upset at home. 

There’s just one problem. Trenton Brehm was 2-9 for field goals before this potential game winner. Two of his field goals this season have been blocked, including that one field goal in the second quarter of Saturday’s contest. His career long is 42 yards, which he made this year vs Missouri Western. Plus, Brehm just missed an extra point. 

Brehm’s field goal attempt was blocked by Zane Adams. Zeros would hit the clock and Central Oklahoma had just clinched a share of the MIAA Conference title for the first time in program history in a nail-biter of a victory 28-27. 

The Bronchos return home for Senior Day and the final regular season game against a 7-3 Emporia State Hornets team, whose playoff hopes are all but dead following a nine point loss to Central Missouri. Kickoff is Saturday at 1 p.m. should the Bronchos win Saturday’s game or Pittsburg State lose their game against Northwest Missouri. The conference title belongs to Central Oklahoma and no one else. But if Pitt State wins and UCO loses, the ‘Chos and Gorillas would be co-champions.