UCAFANS.COM | GO UCA BEARS!

Amen!

I knew if there was an FBS school we could beat, WKU was it (picked UCA on AGS and here). It was good to see Breylin looking good tonight. We kept in touch with him during the injury and would check on him occasionally through the recovery. He looked like nothing ever happened.

A couple of notes/thoughts I had about the game:

1. We started slow

This is nothing new for UCA. We always seem to start fairly conservative, taking our time to find our groove. It almost bit us tonight. If we do not give up a TD on WKU's first play from scrimmage, this game becomes a lot less stressful.

2. We adjusted well

Credit to Nathan Brown and all of the coaching staff. They saw what WKU was doing and adjusted accordingly. It showed in the 4th when we had them on their heels the entire quarter.

Just want to say this: I had some friends on FB questioning hiring Nathan. I was excited. If tonight does not convince them, I do not think anything will.

3. Breylin and the new receivers

I say new, because most of these guy were not starters next year, but they were incredible. Breylin could trust his throws to these guys. Sure, they dropped some. Sure, Breylin had a couple of nervous throws. But as a whole, these guys looked stout against a team that is supposed to be deeper in talent.

4. O-line needs more push.

I'm not nervous about this yet, playing against an FBS opponent. But, our O-line did not give Carlos a lot of room most of the night.

5. D-backs will be pick heavy this year.

Nothing else to say here.

Overall impressions - We just need to start faster on offense. Maybe this was first game/first possession jitters, combined with being conservative with Breylin and the receivers early. But if we can get past this slow start, and keep focused on the day to day improvement, week-to-week opponent, then look out SLC.

That first quarter scared me.

SLU leads Jville State 35-14 with 3 minutes left.

Way to go SLC!

TEs and backfield did a great job picking up blitzes. Breylin was under pressure a lot but play action and quick throws kept him out of trouble a lot. WKU simply never adjusted

D line had trouble getting to the qb, but this will be one of the better if not best lines they will face this year. Secondary is the strength of the D.

Can’t rest on our laurels. Austin peay will be a tough game

Wow, just all around great game by UCA. Now those guys just need to stay humble going in the next game and we could be 2-0 walking into the first home game. Possibly 3-0 walking into Hawaii.

Blackman to Winningham

Play of the game right there!

Thought you guys would like some of these posts from another board

This team is going to be moving up the ranks in the coaches poll next week. My guess would be 19 or 20.

Hell of a job adjusting at halftime hats off to them young fellas! 2009 all over but hopefully more wins! Oline got the jitters out of the way this game and I think they will gel and get things going for the stud backs we got. That number 10 for western is a hell of a player I can see him playing on Sundays, iron sharpens iron baby! Go Bears!

I forgot how good Breylin was.
He has the it factor.

GO BEARS

He’s special and only a sophomore in eligibility.
Here’s hoping he stays healthy.
Very proud of the Bears and the coaching staff.

Just think how much a win would have cost!!

Craig Haley has always treated UCA pretty well...….

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.aspi=20190901085544565192304&ref=hea&tm=&src=FCS

FCS Team of the Week: Central Arkansas grabs FBS win
By CRAIG HALEY
STATS FCS Senior Editor

(STATS) - A number of FCS teams stayed close with FBS opponents during the first full weekend of college football only to let their opportunity slip away in the fourth quarter.

Central Arkansas' aggressive mind-set made it happen.

The Southland Conference squad scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to dispose of Western Kentucky 35-28 Thursday night. The STATS FCS Team of the Week was the only subdivision team to beat an FBS opponent in 40 matchups.

"I thought the fourth quarter, we believed," second-year coach Nathan Brown said after Central Arkansas' third win over an FBS opponent - the first also against Western Kentucky in Bowling Green in 2009.

UCA totaled 176 offensive yards on just 12 plays in the fourth quarter. The Bears pulled within 28-21 on the first play of the quarter when quarterback Breylin Smith connected with Lujuan Winningham for a 20-yard touchdown - his third scoring pass of the game.

The next time, they got the ball at their 20, the Bears stunned WKU with a pass from running back Carlos Blackman to an open Winningham, who raced off for an 80-yard touchdown. The sophomore finished with eight receptions for 222 yards and three scores.

After the UCA defense forced a quick three-and-out, Smith completed 38- and 35-yard passes on the game-winning drive, which Blackman capped with a 1-yard run with 6:51 remaining.

"We had a lot of new faces that were having to learn on the fly," Brown said. "But man, what a great fourth quarter. And that's something I told our guys ... Last year's team may have struggled and may have lost (the game) because we lost a lot of close ones in the fourth quarter. But I thought we learned from that and I think our guys paid attention to details and made plays when it mattered."

HONORABLE MENTION: Northern Iowa (29-26, triple-OT loss to Iowa State); South Carolina State (28-13 win over No. 9 Wofford); Southeastern Louisiana (35-14 win over No. 6 Jacksonville State); Tennessee Tech (59-58 win over Samford)