- Box Score
EDMOND , Okla. – Penalties and missed opportunities downed the Tarleton Texan football team in Edmond, Okla. Saturday as the Texans fell 37-21 at Central Oklahoma.
Tarleton had 11 penalties for 116 yards, and several of those extended UCO drives. Tarleton also had turnovers and special team problems – including two missed field goals and two very short punts. Tarleton turned the ball over three times with two interceptions thrown and a fumble.
“It's embarrassing the way we play tonight,” said Tarleton head coach Cary Fowler. “We decided that penalties are more important, and we need to fix those things. The kicking game killed us again, and we didn't make the plays when we needed to. That's my job, and this all falls on me. I won't use the excuse that we are young, we just need to execute and take care of business. We'll get them ready to play next Saturday.”
The Tarleton kickoff that started the game was kicked out of bounds and gave the Bronchos the ball at their own 40-yardline. Twelve plays and 52 yards later, Chris Robbs hit a 25-yard field goal to give the home team a 3-0 lead with 10:06 left in the first quarter.
The Texans were forced to punt on their first offensive series before Matt Knicky intercepted the ball on the at the UCO 23-yardline. The offense stalled, and Blake Wiest missed a 33-yard field goal attempt.
The two teams traded series before UCO scored again on a one-yard run by Josh Birmingham with 6:15 left in the first half. Robbs' kick attempt was good, and the Bronchos led 10-0.
The Texans took the ensuing drive 74 yards on nine plays as Robertson scored on a three-yard rush with 2:28 left in the half. Wiest's extra point was good to make it 10-7 UCO.
Tarleton's defense then held strong and got the ball back to the purple and white offense with 39 seconds left on the clock. The Texans got a first down and moved the ball to the UCO 30-yardline, but they were forced to kick on a fourth down with just three seconds left. Wiest missed the 47-yard attempt wide right, and the Bronchos led 10-7 at the half.
The Texans were stopped on the opening drive of the second half, and a four-yard punt gave the Bronchos the ball at the Texans' 40. Four plays later, Ethan Sharp hit Dolphin Davis for a 29-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was good to give the home team a 17-7 lead with 11:27 left in the third quarter.
Doyle found Jeken Frye for a 35-yard touchdown at 6:52 in the third quarter. Jerry Owens had the extra point for Tarleton to cut the lead to 17-14 in just two plays that stretched over 67 yards.
UCO then scored to make it 24-14 with 3:12 left in the third quarter. Sharp found Davis for a 10-yard touchdown pass, and Robbs hit the extra point to close a nine-play, 67-yard drive that took 3:12 off the clock.
Regal punched the ball in from one yard out with 12:27 left in the fourth quarter. Owens' kick was good. The drive took 11 plays and 81 yards.
A personal foul on the extra point forced Tarleton to kick the ensuing kickoff from the 15, and the Bronchos started from the Tarleton 30 after the return and a face mask. Sharp rushed into the endzone from two yards out with 10:05 on the clock to extend the lead. Robbs added the extra point to make it 31-21. The drive was five plays and 39 yards long as the Texans helped move the ball with two penalties.
An interception by UCO's C Pennon was returned 32 yards to the Tarleton 20-yardline. Three plays later, Birmingham scored from 25 yards out. The PAT was missed, but the Texans trailed 37-21 with 1:24 left in the contest.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against UCO had the Bronchos kick from their own 15, and Will Randle fumbled the ball. The Bronchos recovered on the Tarleton 37 and ran out the clock.
The Texans gained 295 yards of total offense with 122 yards on the ground and 173 yards through the air while the defense allowed 333 total yards, including 143 yards rushing and 165 yards passing.
The Texans had 16 first downs to the Bronchos' 22 and UCO led in time of possession 32:03 to 27:57.
Robertson led the Texans in rushing with 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown while Regal had 12 carries for 37 yards and a score. Doyle had seven carries for 14 yards.
Doyle ended the game 14-of-26 for 173 yards and a touchdown and interception.
Frye had six catches for 103 yards and a touchdown while Arthur Buckingham had three catches for 42 yards.
Terrence Henry led the defense with 12 total stops, including three solo and nine assisted tackles while Damian Perkins was second with one solo and nine assisted tackles for 10 total stops. The Texans had six tackles for a loss of minus-16 yards, but no sacks.
Birmingham led the Bronchos with 26 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns while Sharp was 19-of-24 for 190 yards and two scores. He threw one interception.
M. Jackson had seven receptions for 53 yards to lead the home team while Birmingham had five catches for 46 yards.
K. Wallace had 10 tackles to lead the Bronchos who had just three tackles for a loss of minus-eight yard as a team with no sacks. UCO did have six pass breakups.
Tarleton will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision school.
