Kearney, Neb. – The No. 25/24 Nebraska-Kearney football team heads to Edmond, Okla., for just the fifth time in program history this Saturday.

The game between the Lopers (7-1) and the Central Oklahoma Bronchos (4-5) will kick off at 2 p.m. from the newly christened Chad Richison Field. This will serve as UCO's "Senior Day."Fans not in Oklahoma can watch via The MIAA Network, listen to KRVN 93.1/106.9 FM or following along with live stats.

It could be another barn burner as UNK is 5-1 in games decided by 12 points or less with UCO 2-4 in such contests. The Lopers have won three games in the final minute with the 'Chos seeing a 17-16 win over Washburn go by the wayside on Oct. 23 after the 'Bods brought back a kickoff for six points and then having a scoop-and-score, all in the final 3:10.

This short series dates back to the 1979 NAIA Playoff when then-Central State downed then-Kearney State, 42-22, at Foster Field. The 'Chos went on to win another game before losing the national title to Texas A&M-Kingsville. More recently, UNK out gained UCO by a 504-379 margin in a 2019 home game but lost 28-23. The 'Chos used three long scoring drives and recovered a fumbled kickoff to storm back from a 17-7 fourth quarter deficit. They now lead the all-time series by a 6-3 margin with UNK having won in Edmond in 2018 and 1994. 

In the Lopers last trip to Edmond, current junior Keats Calhoun was UCO's starting QB. He finished 21 of 30 for 136 yards and one TD while rushing for 29 yards. He's expected to be the starter Saturday with TCU transfer Stephon Brown (6-5, 220 lbs.) possibly playing in short yardage situations. He has as a team-best eight rushing scores.

The UCO offense comes in at 26 points and 350 yards per game. They convert 38% of the time on third down and have a 79% red zone rate. Receivers Markiese King (#1) and Josh Moore (#0) have combined for just over 1,000 receiving yards and seven TD's with the top back being 5-11 freshman Jayce Gardner (#20).

A stout defense is led by 6-2, 290-pound junior end Michael Slater (#90) who has an MIAA-best 15 tackles for loss. The St. Louis native and Iowa Central C.C. transfer has 2.5 sacks and is part of a unit that is allowing just 23 points per game. Sophomore free safety Dylan Buchheit (#10) leads in tackles with 69 while linebackers Elijah Wright (#15) and Lamontre Huval (#30) combine for 85 more. UCO has allowed only 15 TD's in 28 opponent red zone trips and forced 13 turnovers to boot. Finally, senior Alex Quevedo was a 2019 h.m. All-MIAA selection at place kicker.

Central Oklahoma is the last MIAA squad to have not seen Loper junior QB TJ Davis (Colorado Springs). Davis threw just one pass and didn't rush the ball in that 2019 loss. Three weeks later he recorded his first start and the rest is UNK history.

Davis has now thrown at least two TD passes in seven straight games, the longest such stretch by a Loper QB since Marcus Goldenstein had eight such efforts during the 2005 playoff season. Davis has completed exactly 60% of his career pass attempts (150 of 250), ranks 10th in school history in career scoring tosses (27) and is 145 yards shy of 3,000 for his career.

Junior receiver Michael Koch (Columbus) has six of UNK's 20 receiving TD's, the most in UNK's MIAA era (2012-pre.). The former high school quarterback is tied for the team lead in catches (15), is second in receiving yards (309) and averages a gaudy 20.2 yards a reception. UNK's offense remains in the MIAA top two in eight categories including sacks allowed (10), red zone rate (91%) and rushing yards per game (247).

Defensively the Lopers aim to bounce back after last Saturday's 66-13 loss at Northwest Missouri. Kearney is still in the top half of the MIAA in most categories including passing efficiency (128.6) and rushing TD's allowed (15).

Redshirt junior safety Darius Swanson (Aurora, Colo.) had 12 solo stops against the Bearcats, pushing his career total to an even 100. Showing the experience on this side of the ball, he is the sixth Loper with at least 68 career tackles. Swanson also paces the "D" in picks (three), PBU's (five) and has 4.0 tackles for loss.

Currently among the Loper tackle leaders are a trio of new linebackers in McCook redshirt sophomore Zach Schlager (50), New Mexico junior Jimmy Harrison (29) and San Diego redshirt junior Atoatasi Fox (28). Fox also has been the team's starting punt returner of late, bringing back four for 42 yards. UNK has now gone a decade (11/5/11) without a punt return for six points. Receiver/QB Matt Berry had the last one, a 79-yarder in a giant snowstorm at Fort Lewis (Colo.) College. That was part of a 54-7 win with the Lopers in the playoffs a few weeks later.

UNK hosts Northeastern State (2-7) next Saturday at noon. It'll be "Senior Day" with the RiverHawks hosting Fort Hays this Saturday.  

UNK Weekly Release/Depth Chart & Roster

UCO Weekly Release/Depth Chart & Roster