RICHMOND, Ky. - The Colonels of Eastern Kentucky University earned its second straight win over a ranked opponent on Saturday with a 31-24 win over No. 16 Central Arkansas.
 
In an ending that mirrored the Colonels' win over Tarleton State, the Colonels took the lead late with a three-yard touchdown run by Joshua Carter to go up by seven with 2:24 remaining.
 
Down to their third quarterback of the game, UCA drove the ball deep into EKU territory but came up short as the Colonels forced an errant throw on fourth down at their own 21 to secure the win.
 
The defense for EKU was a force for most of the game with two takeaways in the game while holding UCA to just 3-of-12 on third-down conversions.
 
Special teams played a big part in the win as well with punter Jacob Baker hitting five punts averaging 49.2 yards per kick, with a long of 56 yards, and he had two downed inside the 20-yard line.
 
In the return game, EKU got a surprise contribution from tight end Caeleb Schlachter who opened the second half with a 73-yard kick return for a touchdown off a pooched kick from UCA.
 
EKU's usual return man Jalen Montgomery also contributed with a 54-yard punt return to the UCA-15 that set up the second touchdown of the game for EKU, a 12-yard pass to Marcus Calwise Jr. over the middle to open the second quarter.
 
The win marks the first time since 2008 that the Colonels have defeated two ranked opponents in a single season.
 
Next up, the Colonels (6-4, 4-2) will travel to Clarksville, Tenn. to face long-time rival Austin Peay on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. ET.
 
How It Happened
UCA started the game with efficient movement of the ball on offense, on the fifth play from scrimmage the Bears struck on a 40-yard pass down the left sideline to set them up in the EKU red zone.
 
The Colonels' defense held strong though, holding the Bears to a 23-yard field goal that was converted to open the scoring.
 
An error on special teams for EKU then set UCA up on EKU's half of the field. The Bears were not kept out on their second trip to the red zone scoring on a five-yard slant pass in the end zone to extend their lead.
 
EKU answered on its next possession scoring quickly as on the fifth play of the drive, running back Brayden Latham got the Colonels on the board with a 39-yard touchdown run up the middle with 2:17 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Colonels' defense followed the score up with a three-and-out, as return man Jalen Montgomery took the ensuing punt 54 yards to the UCA-15.
 
Two plays later, Morrissey found freshman wide receiver Marcus Calwise Jr. on a 12-yard route in the end zone over the middle to put EKU in front, 14-10 early in the second quarter.
 
On their next offensive possession, the Colonels found their way to UCA's side of the field once again but were thwarted on fourth-and-three at the UCA-35.
 
UCA then marched down the field on a 5-play, 63-yard drive that ended with an acrobatic 17-yard touchdown reception on the side of the end zone with the Bears regaining the lead at 17-14 at 9:05 left in the first half.
 
Both teams then traded punts as both defenses sharpened their play.
 
UCA suffered a critical loss on offense in the middle of the second quarter as starting quarterback Will McElvain left the game due to injury being replaced by Austin Myers.
 
It was the EKU defense that came up with the first takeaway of the game as linebacker Frank Lee IV pounced on a bad UCA snap recovering it at the Bears' 12-yard line.
 
The Colonels were unable to find the end zone with the short field, but kicker Patrick Nations tied the game with a 21-yard field goal closing out the scoring in the first half.
 
EKU opened the second half up in a big way as tight end Caeleb Schlachter took the opening pooched kick of the second half back 73 yards down the sideline for a touchdown to give the Colonels the lead.
 
The score marked the first time the Colonels had scored on a kickoff return since November of 2021.
 
UCA answered right back with a touchdown of its own on just three offensive plays capped off with a 30-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 24 not even two minutes into the quarter.
 
The Bears threatened to score on their second possession of the half before defensive back Mike Smith Jr., came up with the sixth interception of his EKU career on a long pass over the middle deep in Colonel territory.
 
The Colonels were unable to make anything out of the turnover being forced to punt, but a 48-yard punt from Jacob Baker and two penalties on the Bears saw them backed up to their three-yard line.
 
Neither team scored for the remainder of the third quarter as the game headed to the final period of regulation tied at 24.
 
Early in the fourth, facing third down and 25 yards to go at the EKU 50, UCA's Myers scrambled for 19 yards before a hard hit Jaylen Houston that was initially ruled targeting before being overturned after review.
 
Myers left the game with an injury leaving UCA to turn to redshirt freshman Caleb Koger, who had not played a snap all season.
 
The overturned penalty left UCA with a 48-yard field goal attempt that was missed wide right with 13:59 left in regulation.
 
Late in the fourth, the Colonels entered UCA territory thanks in part to a pair of scrambles by Matt Morrissey and a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Bears' defense.
 
Another penalty against UCA, this time defensive holding in the secondary set the Colonels up with first-and-goal at the eight-yard line.
 
Two plays later, running back Joshua Carter punched the ball in up the middle on a three-yard run to put EKU up, 31-24 with 2:24 remaining.
 
UCA did not go away though, as Koger led the Bears down the field to the EKU 18, but just as they had done a week before, the Colonels' defense stood tall and got four stops to force the turnover on downs and secure the win.