SWOSU Takes Aim at UCO

October 26, 2006

WEATHERFORD -- Southwestern Oklahoma State University has its best opportunity to showcase its rapidly improving football team against longtime rival Central Oklahoma Saturday in a 6 p.m. game at Milam Stadium.

The Bulldogs enter the homecoming contest eager to use the energy and enthusiasm they showed in a 32-6 romp over Northeastern State last week. SWOSU is 4-4 overall and 1-1 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. The Bulldogs are trying for what could be the team’s first winning season since 2002.

“The games against UCO have always been historically a big matchups for both schools. This year is no different,” SWOSU coach Ryan Held said. “We now have ourselves in position to make something special out of this year. Beating good football teams, like UCO, is important. Now we get that chance.”\

UCO brings in a 5-3 mark and has won the last three straight against the Bulldogs. The teams have met 81 times before with UCO winning 55 of them. SWOSU has beaten UCO 23 times, more than any school in the Bronchos 104 years of football.

For SWOSU to succeed the Bulldogs will have to move the ball on a Broncho defense that leads the LSC with 21 takeaways, including 16 pass interceptions. The Bulldogs have taken better care of the ball as of late and have given it back by fumble only three times in the last four games. 

SWOSU should flex its defensive muscle against a UCO offense that ranks near the bottom in the league statistics in both rushing and passing. The Bulldogs have yet to allow a rusher more than 100 yards in a game, and only once has a person --Raymorris Miller of A&M-Kingsville -- gained more than 70.       

SWOSU linebacker Greg Franklin, who began his career at UCO, is the current LSC North Defensive Player-of-the-Week while teammate Desmond Baker has returned  interceptions for touchdowns in each of the last two weeks.