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EDMOND (Aug. 28) -- Pittsburg State scored a pair of touchdowns in the final nine minutes to hand Central Oklahoma a disappointing 31-20 setback Saturday night before 8,425 Wantland Stadium fans in the 2010 season opener.
UCO led 14-7 at halftime, fell behind 17-14 midway through the third period and then regained a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter on a pair of Chris Robbs field goals before the Gorillas rallied for their third straight season opening win over the Bronchos.
Quarterback Zac Dickey had a 47-yard run with 8:52 remaining to put PSU on top 24-20 and the Gorillas added an insurance socre with 1:33 left to play after UCO had failed on a fourth-down try from its own 10-yard line.
The Bronchos outgained PSU 384-367, but tied a school record with five interceptions. Running back Josh Birmingham sparked the offense, rushing for 111 yards on 15 carries while adding 63 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
Linebackers Turner Troup (13 tackles) and Tucker Cason (12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one fumble recovery) paced the defense.
“We played well at times on both sides of the ball, but made some major mistakes that really hurt us,” UCO coach Tracy Holland said. “I thought our players fought hard and we had a chance to win the game.”
The Bronchos took an early 7-0 lead after recovering a fumbled punt at the PSU 20-yard line, with a pair of penalties pushing UCO back to the 28 before Birmingham took a swing pass from quarterback Ethan Sharp on a third-and-18 play from there and weaved his way into the end zone.
Pitt State tied it midway through the opening quarter with an 84-yard punt return, but the Bronchos answered right back with a six-play, 67-yard scoring drive. Sharp completed 4-of-5 passes for 65 yards in the march, capped by a 17-yard TD toss to Dolphin Davis that made it 14-7 with 2:58 left in the opening quarter.
UCO turned the Gorillas back twice in the second period to maintain that lead, with Troup causing a fumble that Cason recovered at the Broncho two and free safety Brad Harmon picking off a PSU pass in the back of the end zone on a first-and-goal play from the seven.
The Gorillas scored on their first two possessions of the second half, getting a 33-yard field goal from Jake Craig on their first drive to cut UCO's lead to 14-10 and then taking a 17-14 lead on Dickey's 28-yard TD pass to Jon Thomas.
The Bronchos came right back to tie it on Robbs' 39-yard field goal that ended an eight-play, 68-yard drive that was ignited by Birmingham's 40-yard run. PSU missed a long field goal on their next possession and UCO then took the lead on another Robbs field goal.
Quarterback Carter Whitson had runs of eight and 13 yards to spark a 54-yard drive that ended in Robbs' 36-yard field goal that gave the Bronchos a 20-17 lead with 10:06 left to play, but PSU scored in three plays on their next possession to regain the lead en route to the victory.
Sharp finished 14-of-23 passing for 136 yards, but he was picked off four times. Whitson was 9-of-16 passing for 97 yards and one interception while adding 35 yards rushing, while Tucker Holland caught six passes for 111 yards.
UCO is off next week before opening Lone Star Conference play at home on Sept. 11 against Tarleton State.
