Eastern Kentucky University Athletics

CONWAY, Ark – The Eastern Kentucky University football team came up short on the road at conference foe Central Arkansas, 27-24, on Saturday night at Estes Stadium in Conway, Arkansas.
 
Trailing 21-16 with 1:13 remaining in regulation, Parker McKinney led the Colonels on an 11-play, 97-yard drive with no timeouts to give EKU the lead, 22-21, after the 17-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Bednarczyk. McKinney found Braedon Sloan out of the backfield to give the Colonels a 24-21 lead with 24 seconds remaining.  With 24 seconds remaining, Central Arkansas drove the length of the field and scored on a 46-yard Hail Mary from Will McElvain to Jarrod Barnes as time expired to give the Bears the win. 

Central Arkansas got on the board first intercepting the first pass of the game by McKinney and returning it for a touchdown. EKU responded with a 15-play, 75-yard drive after a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Burbage to tie the game, 7-7, in the first quarter. Eastern Kentucky took its first lead of the game, 10-7, after the 37-yard field goal from Pat Nations with 3:09 remaining in the first half. 
 
EKU's defense stymied the Bears for nearly the entire first half, forcing two punts and a fumble on UCA's first three drives. Central Arkansas finally scored an offensive touchdown on a two-yard touchdown pass to Trustin Oliver with six seconds left in the first half to send UCA to the locker room with the lead, 14-10.
 
Central Arkansas took its biggest lead of the game, 21-10, after McElvain found Christian Richmond in the back of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 4:36 remaining in the third quarter.  

McKinney ended the day 38-for-54 passing with 377 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Sloan finished with 157 total yards from scrimmage. Jaden Smith and Burbrage each finished with nine catches for 85 yards. Burbrage had a touchdown score. Defensively, Franky West Jr. led the way for the Colonels with 10 tackles. EKU finished the day 5-of-13 on third-down conversions. 

EKU wraps up the season next Saturday at home against UAC foe Stephen F. Austin. Kick-off at Roy Kid Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.