The University of Central Arkansas clinched a share of the Southland Conference championship with a 56-10 rout of Incarnate Word on Saturday in San Antonio.
UCA (9-1, 8-0 Southland Conference) has won nine consecutive games since its season-opening loss at Kansas State on Sept. 2. The Bears can earn an outright Southland title with a victory over Abilene Christian in Conway on Saturday.
The Bears outgained the Cardinals 527-294 and forced four turnovers.
Hayden Hildebrand completed 20 of 30 passes for 226 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions for the Bears.
Brandon Cox caught 5 passes for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns. Roman Gordon and Joe Hampton each caught a touchdown pass.
Kierre Crossley rushed for 68 yards and 1 touchdown on 14 carries. Carlos Blackman had 65 rushing yards and 1 score on 8 carries. Cedric Battle added 61 yards and 1 touchdown on 8 carries.
Breylin Smith threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter in relief of Hildebrand.
Juan Jackson returned an interception by Incarnate Word quarterback Taylor Laird 43 yards for a touchdown to give the Bears a 7-0 lead with 14:50 left in the first quarter.
Hildebrand threw scoring passes of 9 and 69 yards to Gordon and Cox, respectively, to extend the Bears' lead to 21-3 with 14:22 remaining in the second quarter. He later threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Cox for a 28-3 lead at the 8:18 mark of the first half.
UCA stretched its advantage to 42-3 on scoring runs of 4 yards by Blackman and 17 yards by Crossley before halftime.
Battle's 20-yard run made it 49-3 UCA with 13:25 left. Smith's 35-yard touchdown pass to Hampton extended the lead to 56-10.
Laird finished 15-of-27 passing for 242 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception for the Cardinals (1-9, 0-8).
Phillip Baptiste rushed for 128 yards on four carries while Breylann McCollumn had a rushing touchdown.
SWAC
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 35,
ARK.-PINE BLUFF 12
Neiko Hollins threw for 410 yards and 4 touchdowns, Khadarel Hodge caught 3 scoring passes, as Prairie View A&M (4-5, 3-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) jumped out to a quick lead and held off Arkansas Pine-Bluff (2-8, 1-5) on Saturday in Prairie View, Texas.
Hollins drove the Panthers 66 yards in nine plays in the opening quarter, capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Pierce, and then hooked up with Hodge on a 70-yard scoring play three minutes later as Prairie View grabbed a quick 14-0 lead. Hodge made eight catches for 232 yards — giving him 723 on the season with two games to go. In the second half, he took off with a Hollins pass for 88 yards and a score. Hodge broke his previous season high by 100 yards.
Jamie Gillan kicked field goals of 31 and 36 yards as UAPB trailed 21-6 at the half. But after the Golden Lions scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter, Gillan’s PAT kick was blocked.
Sports on 11/12/2017