EDMOND, Oklahoma – The Ouachita Baptist University football team had its season come to a conclusion on Saturday in a 38-31 overtime loss to the University of Central Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
After a back-and-forth game for the first two and a half quarters, UCO (11-1) took the largest lead of the game at 24-14 with 3:31 remaining in the third quarter.
Ouachita (10-2) rallied back on a breakaway 36-yard touchdown run by Kendel Givens early in the fourth quarter, and then late in the fourth, Eli Livingston found Carter McElhany down the middle of the field for a 47-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers up 28-24 with 3:18 remaining.
UCO responded with a quick scoring drive to regain the lead at 31-28 with 1:12 remaining. Ouachita then marched into Broncho territory to set up Dax Jaggers for a 40-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 31-31.
In the overtime period, UCO started on offense first and scored a touchdown on its fourth play of the possession. Ouachita drove to the UCO seven-yard line, but was unable to convert on fourth down.
It was 14-7 in favor of the Bronchos at halftime with UCO scoring on a 73-yard run from Jaylen Cottrell midway through the first, Ouachita answering on a one-yard jump pass by Kendel Givens to Garrison Jackson, and then Cottrell finding the endzone again on a 20-yard run midway through the second.
Chris Henley, Jr. started the second-half scoring for the Tigers on a 15-yard run midway through the third.
UCO held a 537-397 lead in total offense, including a 371-244 edge in passing. The Bronchos also came out on top in rushing yards at 166-153.
Livingston finished 13-for-22 for 198 yards passing. Givens had 11 carries for 66 yards. Livingston added 41 yards on 21 carries. McElhany had six receptions for 138 yards.
Dawson Miller paced the Ouachita defense with 11 tackles. Josiah Johnson had 10 tackles, all solo. Steven Weston had six tackles and also had an interception returned for 22 yards. It was his second pick of the season.
