By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
The Wildcats football team’s season opener appeared to be the same old story as the past seven season openers, when the University of Central Oklahoma completed a fourth down desperation pass and was nine yards away from a fourth quarter comeback.
But head coach Chris Thomsen said “turnovers were the difference” in the 24-18 season-opening victory.
The turnover that made the biggest difference in the Wildcats’ season opener was a sack and fumble recovery by defensive end Willis Hogan with 1:49 remaining in the game. The recovery sustained ACU’s first season-opening victory since 1998.
“It’s good to get this off our backs,” Thomsen said. “I was an assistant when we won our last opener against Southwestern Oklahoma.”
Hogan’s game-defining play came just after UCO completed a 27-yard fourth down pass to earn the first down with less than two minutes remaining.
Before the nail-biting fourth quarter, ACU’s defense dominated the UCO offense throughout the game. ACU held the Bronchos to only 262 yards and prevented any first downs until the second quarter.
UCO took an early three-point lead with a field goal by Jason Dixon, but the Wildcats scored the first touchdown of the game after a 31-yard offensive drive sparked by a Patrick Ellison interception. Running back Chancy Campbell recorded the touchdown after ramming through the UCO offensive line, taking the lead 7-3 in the second quarter.
ACU extended its lead to 14-3 late in the second quarter when quarterback Billy Malone connected three times with receiver Jarale Badon in the 87-yard drive. Badon finished the night with 108 yards and six catches, including a 43-yarder.
“I knew we needed to make a big play at the moment,” Badon said. “We had two or three big plays back to back that led to that score.”
ACU continued its attack when running back Taber Minner broke through the defense on a draw play for a 74-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, extending the Wildcat lead 21-3. Minner and Campbell combined for 176 yards on the night with a touchdown a piece.
After scoring a touchdown late in the third quarter, UCO quarterback Ryan O’Hara seemed to be rallying his team for a fourth quarter comeback.
But Hogan’s big play got it done for the Wildcats.
