The UCA football team secured its first win of the season against the Lindenwood Lions, 34-13. UCA looked to improve off its first outing, where the Bears lost to Arkansas State 34-31. Bears head coach Nathan Brown said the first quarter was “a little frustrating”, after not scoring at all in the first quarter. “We were able to turn it on and get it to a two-possession game at halftime.”
Lindenwood got the ball first, and after one first-down conversion, the Lions found themselves in a third-down situation.
Then Bears senior linebacker David Walker sacked junior quarterback Nate Glantz for a 17-yard loss, bringing up fourth and 21.
Brown said, “David is just doing David things.”
The Bears started their first drive of the game with 11:30 to go in the first quarter.
Senior running back ShunDerrick Powell, who rushed for over 150-yards, picked up his first carry of the day, a 12-yard rush that would put Central Arkansas across midfield into Lion territory.
After a couple of rushes by Powell, and an 18-yard gain by senior running back Darius Hale, the Bears were well in field goal range in their opening drive.
Then, disaster struck for the Bears as senior quarterback Will McElvain was forced out of the pocket by a slew of Lions, and then fumbled the ball.
The ball was recovered by Hale, putting the Bears back to the 26-yard line.
The Bears sent out Senior kicker Jake Gaster to attempt a 35-yard field goal.
The Lion’s second drive went nowhere, as the offense went three and out.
After UCA was forced to punt on its next drive, Lindenwood got the ball with 4:58 to go in the first quarter.
After a 40-yard pass to junior receiver Jeff Caldwell put the Lions across midfield, they were in a position to score their first points of the game.
The Bears’ defense stopped Lindenwood, holding the Lions to a field goal.
With roughly 12 minutes left in the second quarter, McElvain completed a pass to redshirt freshman receiver Malachi Henry, putting the Bears on the Lindenwood 4-yard line.
In the very next play, Powell walks in for a UCA touchdown. UCA then attempted and failed a 2-point conversion.
The Bears lead 6-3. The next score came with 3:37 left to go in the second quarter, and it was a handoff to Powell, which he took 55-yards to the house. The PAT put UCA up 13-3 with 3:36 to go in the half.
Neither team would score again in the first half, keeping the score at 13-3.
Lindenwood’s offense came out on fire to start the second half, getting the ball all the way to the UCA 1-yard line. That wouldn’t be a problem for the Bears’ defense as Walker would tackle Lion senior running back Cortez Jones for a loss of two, forcing Lindenwood to kick the field goal, making it 13-6, Bears with 8:11 left in the third quarter.
UCA was quick to strike back as McElvain pitched the ball to Powell, and Powell ran to the outside, stiff-arming one of Lindenwood’s receivers, and took it 69-yards to the house.
Brown said that McElvain is “playing like a veteran, and protecting the football.”
The point after touch would put the Bears up 20-6 with 6:30 to go in the third quarter.
Neither team would score again in the third quarter, but the fourth quarter began with UCA in the red zone, and Hale was able to walk right in for six, making it a 27-6 game.
Later in the quarter, McElvain threw a pass that was intercepted by Senior defensive back Jordan Knapke, but the referees called a holding penalty against the Lions, meaning UCA got to keep the ball and got a first down.
Hale would later walk right into the end zone for a three-yard touchdown run.
After the extra point was made, UCA led Lindenwood 34-13 with 03:12 left to go in the game.
Lindenwood would get the ball again but failed to score.
The Bears would run the clock all the way to zero, picking up their first win of the season, 34-13 being the final score.
“We made some adjustments at halftime, just like we did last week,” Brown said.
UCA will take on Austin Peay at 6 p.m. Sept. 14 for its home opener.