Kearney, Neb. – For a second straight season the Nebraska-Kearney football ventures to Edmond, Okla., for a tilt with the Central Oklahoma Bronchos.

UNK won its season opener last Thursday at home over Missouri Southern State, 45-0. The Bronchos were on the road at Pittsburg State and fell, 21-7. Check the Loper schedule page for media links.

Every couple of seasons the MIAA schedule is redone and this is the first of a two-year cycle. That means UNK is at UCO and Washburn again while Missouri Western State comes to Cope Stadium once more. Next year the Lopers will face the same opponents in the same order with the locations flipped. 

GAME NOTES/DEPTH CHARTS

Nebraska-Kearney

Central Oklahoma

Rain, thanks to Tropical Storm Gordon, is in the Edmond forecast so it could be a sloppy and slick track. Both defenses were among the MIAA's best in 2017 and return plenty of talent. Last Thursday UNK allowed MSSU just 246 yards of offense while UCO held now-No. 28 Pitt to 332 yards despite being on the field for 35 minutes.

The 'Chos had a crazy 2017 season, going 2-4 in games decided by a touchdown or less and winning its last six games to finish 8-4. That winning streak included a victory in the Corsicana Bowl. Thanks to a 98-yard interception return for a score right before halftime, UCO downed UNK in October, 27-13.
Out gained 407-383 in that game, the win makes UCO 5-2 all-time against the Lopers.

A stout front seven features 2017 All-MIAA linebackers Alex Figueroa (79 tackles) and Colton Lindsay (100 tackles) and redshirt freshman JUCO transfer Tyrell Cummings (6-0, 315 lbs.). The linemen had an impressive seven stops at Pitt State.

Maybe no MIAA offense lost more to graduation than the 'Chos. Quarterback Chas Stallard, 2017 MIAA Offensive Player of the Year J.T. Luper and receiver Josh Crockett (Kansas City Chiefs practice squad) have all departed.

Sophomore QB Keats Calhoun takes over for Stallard after appearing in a few games last fall. He did the heavy lifting at Pitt, throwing for 123 yards and rushing for 86 more. Senior back Clay McKenzie, a 2016 All-American, is back after missing 2017 with injury. However, he had just one carry at Pitt.

Five-two Bruce White (150 lbs.) may be undersized but he had 527 rushing yards last year and should get more work in 2018. Junior L'liott Curry (5-11, 195 lbs.) is the most experienced receiver, having 600 receiving yards on 32 catches last fall. A new corps around him includes D1 transfers Kaden Mendenhall (Oklahoma State) and Ronnie Turner J. (UAB).

Up front is 2017 All-MIAA right guard Noah Hammons (6-2, 290 lbs.). The special teams must replace Luper and Crockett in the return game but All-MIAA kicker Alex Quevedo is back.

Looking to start 2-0 for the first time in seven years, UNK ran around, through and past Missouri Southern last week to the tune of 474 yards and five scores. Both totals are among the best in school history. 

Juniors David Goodwin (Lauderhill, Fla.) and Darrius Webb (Allentown, Pa.) had big Loper debuts, each rushing for over 100 yards. Webb picked up MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors after managing 163 yards and three TD's (three, 10 and 98 yards) on only eight carries with Goodwin tallying 113 yards and two TD's on eight totes. His scores came from 38 and 58 yards out, respectively.

Fourth-year junior Alex McGinnis (Crete) had a productive second start at QB, throwing for 111 yards and running for 94. He had a team-high 18 carries and completed passes to seven different teammates.

Defensively, UNK saw 25 different players record at least one tackles. The three sacks came from players who had never gotten to the opponent's QB before; junior OLB Alec Sovereign (Lincoln SW), sophomore OLB Travis Holcomb (Cairo) and sophomore NG Shane Henderson (Elkhorn South).

Finally, on special teams, junior Kendall Raschein (Red Bluff, Calif.) and true freshman Brian Covarrubias (Grand Island) had solid UNK debuts. Raschein averaged 39.6 yards in five punt attempts with Covarrubias made all four of his PAT's and booted a 28-yard field goal in his first collegiate try.

UNK hosts No. 38 Emporia State (1-0) next weekend for Homecoming. The Hornets host Pitt State Thursday night.