Box Score (html)
TEXARKANA, Ark. – After a high-scoring first half, the SWOSU Football team was held scoreless by Central Oklahoma after halftime and fell to the Bronchos 38-21 in the Live United Texarkana Bowl, played at Razorback Stadium.
After UCO scored midway through the first quarter, SWOSU scored on back-to-back drives to take a 14-7 lead on a four-yard touchdown pass from
Marc Evans to
Carlos Smith with 13:34 to play in the first half. UCO scored the next 21 points, including one touchdown after a controversial and confusing play that left the Bronchos with possession following a deflected punt that was recovered by UCO.
The Bronchos took a 28-14 lead on a one-yard touchdown run from Clay McKenzie with 1:45 to play in the half, but that left enough time for the Dawgs to get back on the board. Evans threw seven passes on the Bulldogs next drive, eventually finding
Teverick Boyd on fourth and four from the 11-yard line for a touchdown with 33 seconds to play to take the game to halftime with SWOSU trailing 28-21.
Halftime adjustments on both sides enabled the defenses to dominate the second half, which saw just three points scored before UCO scored the clinching touchdown with 94 seconds to play.
SWOSU had their chances to score but turnovers cost them twice in the red zone. After the Bulldogs had marched to the UCO 19,
Karltrell Henderson mishandled a handoff from Evans and the Bronchos pounced on top to halt the Bulldogs with 12:14 to play in the game. SWOSU's defense was up to the task, however, as
George Woods forced a fumble that
Collier Ward jumped on top of to get the Bulldogs back in business deep in UCO territory.
On the ensuing play, however,
Marc Evans pass intended for
D.J. Jones in the back of the end zone was intercepted by UCO's Cody Jones, ending another Bulldog threat. SWOSU's defense again forced a punt and got the ball back, but the Bronchos punt went out of bounds at the SWOSU one-yard line, backing the Dawgs up for a drive that ended as a three-and-out. After SWOSU punted, UCO needed six plays to cover 58 yards and score the final touchdown, which put the final margin at 38-21.
SWOSU finished with 390 yards of total offense, most of which came through the air as Evans finished 30-for-46 passing for 301 yards and three touchdowns.
Carlos Smith was his top receiver, set a Live United Texarkana Bowl record with nine receptions and a touchdown while Jones had eight receptions for 112 yards as he set a new Great American Conference single-season record for all-purpose yardage.
The Bulldogs defense finished with six sacks and 10 tackles for loss, with
Conner Bays leading the way with 10 tackles, giving him 115 for his junior season, the second-best single-season tackle total at SWOSU in the NCAA era.
Tyler George added nine stops while
Trevon Hartfield and
Austin Loomis had eight apiece.
Collier Ward secured two tackles and a fumble recovery in his final game as a Bulldog while fellow seniors
Jake Doyle and
Tanner Thompson also notched a sack.
The loss concludes a breakthrough season by the Bulldog football team, as they won eight games and made the postseason for the first time as members of NCAA after being picked to finish eighth in the GAC preseason.
Dan Cocannouer – the GAC Coach of the Year – directed the Bulldogs to their best season since 1996 and he finishes his seventh season at the helm of his alma mater with 29 victories, needing one more to tie for sixth on the all-time wins list at SWOSU.
