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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State football team defeated Central Oklahoma 45-38 Saturday afternoon at Doc Wadley Stadium to retain the President's Cup for the fourth-straight year.
The RiverHawks (2-9, 2-8 MIAA) ended the season on a high note, winning two of their final three games. The Bronchos (2-8, 2-8 MIAA) saw their recent two-game win streak snapped.
NSU forced five interceptions, which tied the record for most allowed in UCO history. This was also the second time in 2013 the green and white registered five INT's.
UCO outgained the RiverHawks 551-490 and had a 383-206 passing advantage. NSU outrushed the Bronchos 284-166.
Sophomore quarterback
Thor Long ended the day 14-of-21 for 161 yards and a career-high two touchdowns. Freshman
Cory Meaders relieved Long for one series and finished 5-for-6 for 45 yards and a score.
Junior running back
Terrance Dixon finished with 140 yards rushing and one touchdown on 17 carries. Long also rushed for 90 yards and two scores, with 85 of those yards coming on one play late in the contest.
Senior linebacker
Langston Jones ended with 15 tackles, two interceptions and one forced fumble. He ended the season with 141 tackles, leaving him eight shy of the single-season school record.
UCO quarterback T.J. Eckert finished 33-for-50 passing with 385 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. Top wideout Marquez Clark registered 13 receptions for 156 yards. Running back Joshua Birmingham finished with 114 yards and two scores on 17 carries.
The two teams exchanged interceptions to kick off the contest, and it was the Bronchos who would take advantage of the first NSU mistake. Birmingham raced 61 yards two plays following the NSU turnover to put UCO on top 7-0.
The RiverHawks tied the game on an 11-play, 66-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard pass from Long to senior fullback
Nick Whitlow.
NSU took a 14-7 lead when Meaders hooked up with freshman tight end
Marco Renteria from one yard out to cap a 74-yard, 16-play drive midway through the second quarter. The 16 plays tied the longest drive of the season, and Northeastern State would not relinquish the lead.
Broncho kicker Seth Hiddink hit a 27-yard field goal at the 5:09 mark to cut NSU's advantage to 14-10, but Long hit junior wide receiver
Cruz Williams for 19 yards at 2:14 to put the RiverHawks up 21-10.
Jones' first interception of the season came on UCO's next drive, and Northeastern State was able to add three more points right before intermission.
Senior kicker
Drew Patton converted his longest-career field goal, nailing a 50-yard kick with 25 seconds left in the first half to push the score to 24-10. The field goal was the longest since Jared Homer connected from 55 yards out on Sept. 6, 2008, against Tarleton State.
The Bronchos opened the second half with a touchdown on a six-yard pass from Eckert to Christian Hood to cut NSU's lead to 24-17.
Northeastern State went back up 32-17 when Long plunged in from one yard out to cap an 8-play, 81-yard drive. Sophomore wide receiver
Prince McJunkins hit freshman
Lane Dortch for a two-point conversion.
Dixon scored from 20 yards out at the 11:36 mark of the third quarter and the PAT was missed to push the RiverHawks' lead to 38-17.
Central Oklahoma began making a comeback when Birmingham scored at 9:06 and Eckert connected with Sam Johnson at 6:03 to cut the lead to 38-31.
On the second play of NSU's next possession with the home team trying to run the clock out, Long scampered 85 yards on a broken pass play all the way the one-yard line. The quarterback scored from one yard out two plays later as NSU went back up by 14 points.
The Bronchos were able to score with 1:31 to play, but the RiverHawks recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock for the season-ending victory.
SCORING SUMMARY
|
Qtr. |
Time |
Team |
Play |
Score |
|
1 |
10:53 |
UCO |
Joshua Birmingham 61 run (Seth Hiddink kick) |
0-7 |
|
|
3:43 |
NSU |
Thor Long 1 pass to Nick Whitlow (Drew Patton kick) |
7-7 |
|
2 |
8:22 |
NSU |
Cory Meaders 1 pass to Marco Renteria (Patton kick) |
14-7 |
|
|
5:09 |
UCO |
Hiddink 27 FG |
14-10 |
|
|
2:14 |
NSU |
Long 19 pass to Cruz Williams (Patton kick) |
21-10 |
|
|
0:25 |
NSU |
Patton 50 FG |
24-10 |
|
3 |
11:33 |
UCO |
T.J. Eckert 6 pass to Christian Hood (Hiddink kick) |
24-17 |
|
|
3:27 |
NSU |
Long 1 rush (Prince McJunkins pass to Lane Dortch) |
31-17 |
|
4 |
11:36 |
NSU |
Terrance Dixon 20 run (kick failed) |
38-17 |
|
|
9:06 |
UCO |
Birmingham 1 run (Hiddink kick) |
38-24 |
|
|
6:03 |
UCO |
Eckert 20 pass to Sam Johnson (Hiddink kick) |
38-31 |
|
|
4:47 |
NSU |
Long 1 run (Patton kick) |
45-31 |
|
|
1:31 |
UCO |
Eckert 4 pass to Hood (Hiddink kick) |
45-38 |
