The Lamar University Cardinals fell short to the University of Central Arkansas Bears, 49-38, Oct. 23 in Provost Umphrey Stadium. However, the Cardinals showed plenty of heart in the loss, nearly rallying to come back from a 28-point deficit.
“Hats off to our kids, and the heart they showed tonight,” coach Blane Morgan said. “They battled. They didn’t quit. They made plays. I like the heart of this team. We’ve just got to figure out how to start faster.”
Central Arkansas asserted their dominance in the rushing attack on their first drive. Running back Darius Hale gained 35 yards on the first play from scrimmage, rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on the Bears’ opening drive.
Lamar’s offense lost a fumble at their own 20 on the next drive. After recovering the football, Central Arkansas capitalized on the red zone opportunity. After five consecutive rushes, Breylin Smith punched in a one-yard attempt for another UCA touchdown.
Trailing 14-0 just halfway through the first quarter, Lamar’s offense fired back. Quarterback Mike Chandler connected with Kirkland Banks for a 59-yard touchdown pass. A Bailey Giffen PAT brought the Cardinals back within one score, 14-7.
However, Central Arkansas’ offense continued to impose their will on the Cardinals. Kylin James found Tyler Hudson downfield for a 42-yard score, extending the UCA lead to 21-7.
The Cardinals only mustered 10 yards of offense on their next drive, punting to the UCA 17-yard line. The Bears then rattled off a 17-play, 83-yard drive running more than seven minutes off the game clock. The effort ended with Hale rushing for his second touchdown to push ahead 28-7.
Lamar’s slow start on offense continued as they went three-and-out. Central Arkansas’ ground attack continued to dominate as Hale broke free for a 69-yard house call, his third touchdown of the evening.
LU’s ensuing drive would be stopped on a failed fourth-down conversion. However, cornerback Anthony Ruffin intercepted a pass to end the first half — a play which began a major momentum shift for Lamar.
The Cardinals came out of halftime with a renewed intensity. The defense forced a quick three-and-out at the UCA 29-yard line. Tyson King blocked the punt all the way out of the back of the end zone, forcing a safety and bringing the score to 35-9.
LU’s special teams unit came up big on the next punt return when Kirkland Banks made it to the UCA 42-yard line. Riding this newfound momentum, the Cardinals’ offense finally shook off their slow start. Three plays later, Erik Pizarro made a diving catch in the end zone resulting in a 26-yard touchdown, pulling Lamar closer, 35-16.
On Central Arkansas’ next drive, the Cardinals’ defense came up with another crucial stop. Banks kept shining on special teams, returning the punt 30 yards to the Bears’ 40. LU then ran six plays before Chandler scrambled for a nine-yard touchdown. Suddenly the game was within reach for the Cardinals, 35-23.
Despite the newfound energy, Lamar’s defense couldn’t hold the Bears down forever. Kylin James broke loose for a 42-yard rush midway through the third quarter, effectively killing LU’s momentum. James ran for a 17-yard touchdown on the next play as the Bears lead increased to 42-23.
The Bears basically iced the game when Darius Hale rumbled 67-yards to the end zone for another UCA score and his fourth TD of the night. At the end of the third quarter, Central Arkansas led 49-23.
The Cardinals continued to fight tooth-and-nail to mount a comeback. The team would score twice in the fourth quarter. Luke Ferguson found paydirt on a 15-yard run and Jalen Dummett ran for a 33-yard touchdown. Jalen Jackson also converted a two-point rush attempt. The final score read 49-38, Central Arkansas on top.
No team ever wants to lose, but the Cardinals put forth an effort to be proud of against a worthy opponent.
“We’re building on the foundation of this program,” Morgan said. “Tonight, we got some hope. We battled against another talented, good team.”
The Cardinals fall to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play. They will travel to Eastern Kentucky for a conference matchup on Oct. 30. The game will air at 1 P.M. on Newstalk 560 KLVI.
