Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney football team hopes the fourth time is the charm when Central Oklahoma stops by this Saturday, October 15th, at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

The MIAA game kicks at 2:00 p.m. The contest can be heard live locally (KRNY 102.3 FM) and over the internet at www.krny.com. To watch the action, log on to UNK's Stretch Internet page; cost is $9.95 or $69.95 for a season pass. Finally, live stats will be available HERE.

Fans attending the game can receive a $5.00 general admission ticket if they bring a canned food item. The promotion is part of "United Way" Day at UNK. And all tickets are good for admittance into the UNK-UCO volleyball match that night at 7:00 p.m. Both clubs are ranked in the nation's top 10.

This will just be the sixth all-time meeting between the Lopers (0-6) and Bronchos (1-5). UCO leads 4-1 and is 3-0 all-time in Kearney. Every other current MIAA squad has dropped at least one game at venerable Foster Field.

UCO's wins in Kearney came in three different eras of football for each institution. First, then-Central State University bested then-Kearney State College, 42-22, in a 1979 NAIA quarterfinal playoff game. CSU went on to be national runners up.

Fourteen years later, UCO and UNK began a two-game series with the first contest held in Edmond. This is when the Lopers were an NCAA Division II independent and UCO was a member of the Lone Star Conference. While they beat the 'Chos 22-21 in the 1994, the Lopers fell at home a year earlier, 14-7.

Finally, two seasons ago, the series resumed at Cope Stadium with both schools now members of the MIAA. Behind six rushing TD's and a 421-358 yard advantage, UCO won by a 49-0 score. 

Last fall, a bit of a shootout ensued with the 'Chos coming out on top, 36-24. Current UCO junior back Clay McKenzie tallied 141 yards and one TD on 22 carries with current Loper senior Preston Foley having 161 yards and one TD on four catches.

Central Oklahoma, with a home win over Missouri Western State to its credit, has gone to back-to-back bowl games. In 2014, they were paced by current juniors Chas Stallard (QB) and Jake Gandara (RB). Last year, senior T.J. Eckert took over starting QB duties midway through the year while McKenzie replaced an injured Gandara.

Currently, UCO is averaging 23 points and 410 yards per week. They are converting 43% on third down but have committed 12 turnovers.

Stallard, the 2014 MIAA Freshman of the Year, was the starting QB the past two years against Kearney. Eckert, a 2015 All-MIAA pick, has rushed for 184 yards and is averaging 241 yards through the air.

He has three tall receivers to throw to in Kansas transfer Rodriguez Coleman (36 recep., 407 yds.), Josh Crockett (26 recep., 487 yds.) and Conner Pulley (23 recep., 382 yds., one TD). Note Coleman isn't on the two-deep this week.

McKenzie (5-11, 209 lbs.) and Gandara (5-10, 201) have combined for gaudy 3,619 yards and 48 rushing TD's in their careers. McKenzie had an MIAA-best 19 rushing scores last year and the dynamic duo is averaging 119 yards per week to date. Senior tackle Deontay Wilson (6-2, 296 lbs.) and sophomore tackle Carson Smith (6-2, 316 lbs.) are among their blockers.

A defense with only one senior starter is giving up 40 points and 494 yards per game. UCO has allowed an MIAA-high 21 TD passes, forced six turnovers and has seen the opposition convert 55% of the time on third down. Last fall, the 'Chos allowed 27 points and 403 yards per week while forcing 20 turnovers (eight INT's and 12 fumbles).
 

Junior strong safety Riley Galyon (5-11, 190 lbs.) has made a team-best 50 tackles with redshirt freshman backer Chris Pogi (6-1, 231 lbs.) and junior backer Hank Humphers (6-1, 210 lbs.) both at 32 stops. Pogi's total includes a team-high 4.0 TFL's. Up front, is senior tackle Deontay Wilson (6-2, 296 lbs.) and sophomore tackle Carson Smith (6-2, 316 lbs.).

On special teams, senior Seth Hiddink (6-4, 223 lbs.) has been one of the top kickers in the MIAA the past few seasons. Currently, he has made 9 of 11 field goals, including a 48 yarder, and is 14 of 15 on PAT's. Next, senior Christian Fulham (6-0, 243 lbs.) has an MIAA-best 12 punts landed inside the opponents 20-yard line.

Finally, Crockett (23.2 avg.) and true freshman WR Alec Davidson (18.8 avg.) have been dangerous on the kick and punt return teams, respectively.

Loper junior kicker Brendan Wentling is coming off a banner game in which he booted field goals of 35, 38 and 52 yards. He also made one PAT and had two touch backs on kickoffs in a 36-16 loss at Central Missouri.

The 52 yarder is the longest by an MIAA kicker this fall and ties for the fourth best in Loper lore. Wentling (Grand Island H.S.) is the first Loper to have three made field goals in a game since Nic Stoll in 2011.

Also on special teams, senior Payton Fluckey (Springfield) continues to lead the MIAA in fair caught punts. Twenty of his 41 boots haven't been returned with nine landing inside the 20-yard line. 

While UNK has healthy kick return (20.0) and punt return (4.0) averages, they have yet to reach the end zone. That continues a mighty long drought for the Lopers. The last kick return TD came back in the 2007 opener vs. Nebraska-Omaha (406 returns) with the last punt return for six coming at Fort Lewis in November 2011 (103 returns).

One player who has reached the end zone of late is sophomore receiver Blake Holtmeier (Kearney Catholic H.S.). The former Nebraska walk-on has 15 receptions for 133 yards (8.9 avg.) over the last two weeks, twice scoring in the fourth quarter.

Third-year redshirt frosh Steve Worthing (Elkhorn South H.S.) threw one of those scoring passes to Holtmeier. He currently ranks seventh in the MIAA in total offense at just under 225 yards per week.

Following in the footsteps of predecessors Jake Spitzlberger and Bronson Marsh, Worthing had some nice ground gains last week. One of his three big rushes covered 38 yards, the longest scamper by a Loper this fall. Worthing has seen his number called more of late, recording 38 of his 60 rushes in the last three games.

Defensively, UNK ranks second in the MIAA to only No. 1 Northwest Missouri State in opponent completion percentage. The Lopers allow a 53.4 (123 of 241) completion rate with NW coming in at 44.8.

Kearney has two interceptions to date along with 28 pass break ups. Individually, senior corner/safety Antwan Hadley (Lake Wales, Fla.) has a team-best six PBU's with sophomore corner Famous McKinnon (Miami) and redshirt freshman safety Dallas Vaughn (St. Louis) at four apiece.

Up front, true freshman end Hinwa Allieu (Gaithersburg, Md.) has three QB hurries with seven Lopers having a sack.That group of includes sophomore end Tye Spies (Mullen), redshirt freshman backer DJ Curtis (St. Charles, Mo.) and junior corner Justin James (Charlotte). James also has three PBU's.

UNK heads to Northeastern State next Saturday. The RiverHawks (1-5) are at Northwest this weekend.