Central Oklahoma slips past ACU, 17-14
Wildcat mistakes add up to loss to undefeated Bronchos
EDMOND, Okla. – Central Oklahoma capitalized on a season's worth of ACU mistakes Saturday night on its way to a 17-14 win over the Wildcats in a Lone Star Conference crossover game at Wantland Stadium.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the LSC, while the Bronchos – the No. 1 team in the NCAA Division II West region and the No. 13 team in this week's American Football Coaches' Association poll – improve to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the LSC. The Wildcats will return to action next Saturday at 6 p.m. when they take on Angelo State at 7 p.m. in San Angelo.
The Wildcats' mistakes were numerous Saturday night, and among them were a blocked field goal, a bad snap on a second-quarter field goal attempt that resulted in a 32-yard loss, nine dropped passes and four trips inside the UCO 20-yard line that resulted in no points. And on UCO's time-killing drive late in the fourth quarter, ACU committed a 15-yard pass interference penalty, a 15-yard personal foul penalty and gave up a 25-yard pass on third-and-9.
The mistakes added up to a loss in a game the Wildcats dominated statistically. ACU ran off 88 plays for 373 yards compared to 69 plays for 335 yards for the Bronchos. ACU quarterback Colby Freeman completed just 16 of 44 passes for 202 yards, but ACU receivers dropped nine passes one week after dropping 10 passes.
Central Oklahoma scored all of its points in the second quarter, overcoming a 7-0 ACU to take a 17-7 lead into halftime. Jarrod Manoy scored on an 11-yard run to make it 7-7, and two minutes later, Chad McGaugh returned a Chase Fishback punt 85 yards for a touchdown to give the Bronchos a lead they would not relinquish. A.J. Haglund booted a 44-yard field goal into a stiff breeze with 42 seconds left in the first half to make it 17-7.
The Wildcats had plenty of chances in the first half, but Eben Nelson had a 58-yard field goal attempt blocked on ACU's first drive, and then he missed a 37-yard field goal on ACU's second drive. With 1:35 left in the first half and ACU trailing just 14-7, the Wildcats lined up for a field goal, only to see the snap go over Nelson's head for a loss of 32 yards. The resulting UCO drive led to Haglund's field goal.
ACU trailed 17-7 midway through the third quarter when it mounted a drive to try and get back in the game. The Wildcats drove to the Broncho 11-yard line before Willie Williams – who played valiantly in place of the injured Richard Whitaker – was stopped on fourth-and-1 as the Bronchos turned away another ACU scoring chance.
The Wildcats finally got to within 17-14 with 11:03 left in the game when Freeman – who rushed for a season-high 43 yards on nine carries – scored from 15 yards out to cut the deficit to three points. But the Wildcats couldn't get any closer than the UCO 49-yard line on their final two possessions, and the Bronchos were able to run out the clock on their final possession.
