Box Score
Box Score

The Tigers used big offensive plays on Saturday (Oct. 22) to defeat Central Oklahoma by a score of 38-21 in non-conference action on the road in Edmond, Okla. Four of the five touchdowns the Tigers scored were from over 35 yards out and they posted their best offensive performance of the season with 529 yards of total offense. The win puts FHSU at 3-5 on the season.

Anthony Sheppard sparked the Tigers early with a 60-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive. It capped a 4-play, 85-yard drive that took just a minute and 32 seconds. Tyler Kimbrough put the Tigers up 10-0 later in the first quarter with a 42-yard field goal.

After the Bronchos tallied their first touchdown of the afternoon early in the second quarter, the Tigers struck with two more big plays. Sheppard found Keaton Callins for a 36-yard touchdown pass to go back up by 10. The Tigers extended their lead to 17 with just 1:11 remaining in the first half when Sheppard connected with Anthony Smith on a 49-yard touchdown pass.

Central Oklahoma looked to be making a run at the Tigers in the third. The Bronchos cut the lead to 10 with a touchdown at the 5:25 mark. The Tigers came up with a big fourth-down stop on the next possession for UCO, thwarting the Broncho drive at the FHSU 32-yardline. The Tigers capitalized with a 7-play, 68-yard drive capped by a 10-yard run by Edward Smith, pushing the lead back to 17 with 14:28 remaining in the third quarter.

Edward Smith put an exclamation point on his biggest rushing performance as a Tiger, scoring from 74 yards out with 6:49 remaining to put the game away for FHSU. Smith finished the day with 163 yards and two touchdowns. He helped the Tigers churn out 302 rushing yards in the game.

Anthony Sheppard, after struggling throwing the ball in the two previous games, finished 15-of-24 passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He also had the one rushing touchdown to go with 93 rushing yards, giving him 311 yards of total offense.

Anthony Smith posted the first 100-yard receiving game by a Tiger since last year with 112 yards on five catches. The 49-yard touchdown catch was his fifth of the season.

Zach Nash led the Tigers in tackles with nine. Jeff Balkenbush, Ricky Jacques, and Nick Dreitz all forced fumbles, while Layton Hickel and Kedron Paul each recorded fumble recoveries. Sherod Murdock and Marquies Richardson each had one interception in the game.

The win marked the first ever for Fort Hays State over Central Oklahoma. UCO held a 6-0 all-time advantage entering the game.

The Tigers are now 2-2 on the road this year, which matches their high since joining the MIAA in 2006. FHSU also recorded two road wins back in 2009 when they finished 6-5.

Fort Hays State travels to nationally ranked Washburn next weekend. The No. 3 ranked Ichabods suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday at No. 6 Northwest Missouri State by a score of 52-28, giving Pittsburg State the outright lead in the conference standings to this point.