Bronchos Ready For Bowl Showdown With SWOSU

11/30/2015 2:06:00 PM

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UCO GOES BOWLING: Central Oklahoma makes its second straight post-season appearance Saturday when the Bronchos travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. to take on long-time rival Southwestern Oklahoma in the Live United Texarkana Bowl.

Kickoff at Texarkana High School's Razorback Stadium is 12:00 p.m.

UCO has won four straight games, is 6-5 on the season and finished tied for fifth in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The Bulldogs, 8-3 and riding a six-game winning streak, tied for second in the Great American Conference.

The Bronchos played in the Mineral Water Bowl last year in Excelsior Springs, Mo., losing to Sioux Falls 42-10.

ABOUT THE BOWL GAME: The Live United Texarkana Bowl is in its third year of existence and pits the highest-finishing team from the GAC that didn't qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs against an MIAA or Lone Star Conference team of the bowl committee's choosing.

Harding of the GAC routed Texas A&M-Commerce of the LSC 44-3 in the first game in 2013, with Central Missouri of the MIAA beating Southeastern Oklahoma of the GAC 48-21 last season.

UCO IN THE POST-SEASON: The Bronchos have made 11 previous post-season appearances, 10 of those coming in the playoffs.

UCO is 10-9 in the post-season, 11-8 with a forfeit victory.

The Bronchos went to the NAIA playoffs in 1962, '72, '79, '82, '83 and '85 and advanced to the Division II playoffs in 1996, '98, '99 and '03.

UCO won NAIA national championships in 1962 and '82, beating Lenoir-Rhyne 28-13 in what was called the Camellia Bowl in Sacramento, Calif. for the 1962 title and claiming the 1982 national crown with a 14-11 home victory over Colorado Mesa.

The Bronchos were NAIA runners-up in 1979, falling to Texas A&M-Kingsville 20-14.

UCO ended an 11-year post-season drought with last year's appearance in the Mineral Water Bowl.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Bronchos have played SWOSU more than any other team, with the Live United Texarkana Bowl showdown the 88th meeting between the two teams in a rivalry that started in 1905.

UCO won that first game 41-0 and has a big 58-26-3 lead in the series, though the Bulldogs have won the last two meetings (31-24 in 2010, 27-20 in 2011).

The teams met every year from 1915-41 before breaking during World War II and then played again every season from 1946-83. The series resumed in 1994 and the rivals met every year through the 2011 season, after which UCO joined the MIAA and SWOSU the GAC.

The series is tied 6-6 in the 2000s and eight of those 12 meetings were decided by seven points or less.

LAST TIME OUT: UCO hasn't played since a 48-31 road rout of league rival Pittsburg State in the regular season finale on Nov. 14.

It was the fourth straight win -- and fifth in six outings -- for the Bronchos, who scored twice in the first five minutes of the game and led 35-10 at halftime en route to beating the Gorillas for the first time since 1968.

Quarterback T.J. Eckert hit 31-of-41 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns to lead a 635-yard offensive assault. Wide receiver J.T. Luper had nine catches for 149 yards and two TDs, while running back Clay McKenzie rushed for 167 yards and three scores.

Linebacker Malcolm Howard had 15 tackles to lead the defense, with linebacker Ben Jones adding six tackles with 3.0 for loss along with an interception and forced fumble.

PROGRAM HISTORY: Central Oklahoma has a rich football tradition dating back to the early 1900s, with the Bronchos in their 110th season of intercollegiate competition.

UCO ranks as the fifth-winningest program in NCAA Division II history with an all-time record of 613-384-46.

The Bronchos have captured 31 conference or division titles during their storied history and have won seven or more games in a season 39 times.

Individually, UCO has had more than 500 all-conference players and 116 All-Americans. Twenty players have made it to the National Football League and former star Keith Traylor won three Super Bowl rings (two with the Denver Broncos, one with the New England Patriots) during a 17-year pro career that ended in 2007.

The Bronchos have also had eight Harlon Hill Trophy candidates, the award that goes to the Division II Player of the Year.

RUN TO WIN: UCO has won 39 straight games dating back to 1993 when rushing for 250-plus yards.

The Bronchos have accomplished that feat in three wins this year, rushing for 269 yards against Nebraska-Kearney, 293 against Missouri Southern and 436 against Northeastern State.

RACKING UP THE YARDS: UCO went over the 400-yard mark in total offense for a school-record seventh straight game in the regular season finale against Pittsburg State, racking up 635 yards (410 passing, 225 rushing) in a 49-31 rout.

The Bronchos have also eclipsed the 500-yard barrier a school-record five times this season, with those games ranking second (661), fourth (644), fifth (635), eighth (584) and 36th (510) on the school's single-game yardage list.

UCO has already set a single-season school record for total yards with 5,378 behind an incredibly balanced attack (2,847 passing, 2,531 rushing), breaking the record of 4,991 yards set in 1979.

The Bronchos are averaging 488.9 yards a game (258.8 passing, 230.1 rushing), which leads the MIAA and ranks eighth in NCAA Division II.

LATE SURGE: UCO has won six of its last seven games, averaging 43.6 points and 550.8 yards total offense (262.8 rushing, 288.0 passing) in those seven contests.

FIRST AND 10, DO IT AGAIN: UCO has also set a single-season school record for first downs with 286, shattering the previous record of 250 set in 1979.

The Bronchos have had 25-plus first downs in six of 11 games with three of 30-plus, capped by a school-record 37 in a 55-21 romp over Missouri Southern.

UCO ranks 10th nationally in total first downs.

SCORING MACHINE: The Bronchos are averaging 35.8 points a game and have scored 394 total points, needing 25 to break the single-season school record of 418 set in 1916.

UCO has been remarkably effective on offense, having scored on 40.7 percent of its possessions this season with 66 scores (50 touchdowns and 16 field goals) in 162 tries.

KEEP THE BALL: The Bronchos have been a ball-control team all season and rank ninth in Division II in average time of possession (33:24). UCO held the ball longer than its opponent in 10 of 11 regular season games, the lone exception coming against Pittsburg State (49-31 win) when the Gorillas had a 16-second advantage.

The Bronchos are 45.3 percent (77-of-170) on third down conversions and have punted just 49 times this season, their lowest total since 2004.

IN THE ZONE: UCO has scored on 82.7 percent (43-of-52) of its red zone opportunities this season. The Bronchos have 31 touchdowns (22 rushing, nine passing) and 12 field goals when advancing inside their opponents' 20-yard-line.

TWO 3,000-YARD PASSERS: UCO has two quarterbacks who have thrown for 3,000-plus yards in their career.

Junior T.J. Eckert ranks ninth on the school's all-time list with 3,376 yards, while sophomore Chas Stallard is 11th with 3,096 yards. Stallard started 11 of 12 games last year and the first five this season, with Eckert having started the last six this season after getting one start last year and four in 2013.

ABOUT THE DEFENSE: The Bronchos are giving up 404.5 yards a game -- 226.3 passing, 178.2 rushing.

UCO held five opponents to less than 400 total yards during the regular season and limited two to under 300 -- Northeastern State (199) in a 47-17 win and Lindenwood (264) in a 37-20 victory.

Opponents racked up 45.6 percent of their yardage on big plays, gaining 2,030 yards in just 45 plays of 25-plus yards, a 45.1 average. The Bronchos gave up 14 plays of 50-plus yards, runs of 64, 70, 79 and 87 yards and passes of 54, 55, 56, 62, 65, 73, 76, 76, 80 and 99 yards.

UCO allowed just 2,419 yards on the remaining 725 snaps, a 3.3 average.

Opponents scored on 50 of 157 possessions (31.8 percent) during the regular season with 39 touchdowns and 11 field goals.

The Bronchos have forced 71 punts this season, the most since 2007.

ABOUT THE KICKING GAME: Junior place-kicker Seth Hiddink has enjoyed a stellar season, having made a single-season school-record 16 field goals in 22 attempts along with 46-of-48 extra points.

He made eight straight field goals during one stretch, has had three games with three field goals and ranks eighth in Division II with 1.45 per game. Hiddink also owns the school career record for field goals with 42 in 58 tries.

Hiddink, who has hit 44 consecutive PATs, ranks fifth on UCO's career scoring list with 224 points.

Junior Christian Fulham is averaging 35.3 yards a punt and opponents have only returned 12 of his 47 kicks for 109 yards (9.1 average). He's forced 20 fair catches and has had 13 kicks inside the 20-yard-line.

Junior J.T. Luper leads the return game, averaging 14.4 yards a punt return (20-287) and 22.4 yards a kickoff return (14-313).

ALL-MIAA SELECTIONS: Senior defensive lineman Kenny Allen, senior offensive lineman Landon Chappell and sophomore running back Clay McKenzie earned first-team honors to highlight 15 UCO players recognized on the All-MIAA Team.

Senior linebacker Malcolm Howard, junior kick returner J.T. Luper and junior offensive lineman Brandon Waggoner were second-team selections, while junior quarterback T.J. Eckert, junior place-kicker Seth Hiddink, junior defensive lineman Deontay Wilson and Luper at wide receiver earned third-team accolades.

The Bronchos also had six honorable mention picks in senior wide receiver Caden Locke, senior deep snapper Ryan Kowalewski, sophomore defensive lineman Collis Walker, junior linebacker Ben Jones, senior defensive back David Busby and senior defensive back Levonte Douglas.

ACADEMIC ALL-MIAA HONORS: Twenty-two UCO players were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, including four selected for the Scholar-Athlete Award.

Earning the Scholar-Athlete Award for the Bronchos were senior linemen Landon Chappell and Ryan Kowalewski, senior wide receiver Caden Locke and junior quarterback T.J. Eckert.

Student-athletes must have a 3.50-plus cumulative grade point average in at least two terms at the nominating school and earn All-MIAA recognition to be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete Award.

On the Academic Honor Roll were seniors Nick Koenig and Tanner Koons, juniors Kyle Aschenbrenner, Dylan Cox, Jake Gandara, Micah Goodman, Seth Hiddink, Connor Pulley and Jas'sen Stoner, sophomores DeVaughn Abram, Hunter Chalfant, Trent Ellis, Clay McKenzie, Caleb Moss, Cade Shearwood and Chas Stallard and redshirt freshmen Colton Hinnrichs and David Seagle.

Student-athletes must have a 3.00-plus cumulative GPA in at least two terms at the nominating school to be eligible for the Academic Honor Roll.

THE COACH: Former Central Oklahoma standout Nick Bobeck is 18-25 in his fourth year at the helm of his alma mater.

He's led the Bronchos to a 14-9 record the past two seasons after going 4-16 the first two years.

Bobeck guided UCO to its first winning season since 2008 and the first eight-win campaign since 2004 last year when the Bronchos finished 8-4.

Bobeck became UCO's 13th head coach on Jan. 4, 2012 following a sparkling four-year head coaching stint at junior college powerhouse Navarro (Texas) College.

Nick compiled a sensational 42-5 record at Navarro, winning three regular season Southwest Junior College Football Conference titles and the 2010 national championship during his tenure.

Bobeck was a four-year letterman at fullback for UCO from 1999-02, earning first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division honors as a senior.

He stayed on with the Bronchos as a graduate assistant coach the next three seasons, helping UCO go 20-12 while making the 2003 Division II playoffs.

Bobeck went to Texas A&M as an offensive line coach in 2006 when the Aggies finished 9-4 and earned a berth in the Holiday Bowl. He moved on to Navarro the following season and served as offensive coordinator in 2007.

Bobeck took over as head coach the next year, with the Bulldogs finishing 10-1, 11-1, 11-1 and 10-2 during his four seasons at the helm.

Nick and his wife, Keely, have two children -- a son (Tucker, born in April 2012) and a daughter (Miller, born in June 2014).

ON THE AIR: All UCO games are broadcast live on 99.7 Hank FM.

Veteran broadcaster David Garrett calls the action, with former UCO All-American John Fitzgerald adding color commentary.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: SWOSU was 2-3 and coming off back-to-back shutout losses before catching fire and winning six straight games to finish 8-3 in tying for second in the Great American Conference.

The Bulldogs, led by GAC Coach of the Year Don Cocannouer, are averaging 401.5 yards and 33.2 points a game on offense and allowing just 347.7 yards and 20.3 points a game on defense.

Quarterback Marc Evans leads the offense, having completed 180-of-328 passes (54.9 percent) for 2,380 yards and 22 touchdowns. Wide receiver D.J. Jones has 46 catches for 791 yards (17.2 average) and seven TDs.

Karltrell Henderson leads the ground game with 771 yards and 11 TDs on 169 carries. Jones is averaging 19.6 yards a punt return -- second-best in Division II -- and 27.1 yards a kickoff return.

Safety Conner Bays tops the defense with 105 tackles and three interceptions. Linebacker Tyler George, safety Kapena Olsen and cornerback Trevon Hartfield have 65 tackles each, with Hartfield also having 18 broken up passes.

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