CONWAY, Ark. – It was all Eastern Kentucky University on Saturday night as the Colonels knocked off the Bears of Central Arkansas, 34-13, in United Athletic Conference play.
 
"It's been a great week of practice for us," said head coach Walt Wells. "They came focused and ready…They came out and had great energy, and I think we are finding the right pieces in the right places."
 
Quarterback Myles Burkett and wide receiver Marcus Calwise Jr. were on fire as the duo connected for three touchdowns in the win.
 
Burkett ended the game with 209 passing yards to go with the three touchdown passes, going 18-of-27 through the air.
 
He also added one rushing touchdown with 61 yards on 11 carries.
 
Calwise ended the night with a career-high 106 receiving yards on six receptions.
 
The Maroon Doom defense was dominant as well, snagging three interceptions on the evening while linebacker Braden Sullivan led the team with nine total tackles.
 
The win sees EKU improve to 4-5 on the season and 2-3 in the UAC, while UCA drops to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in the conference.
 
How It Happened
 
The Bears struck first on the opening drive of the game with a 12-play, 53-yard drive ending with a 38-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 10:14 on the clock.
 
EKU answered with a touchdown on its opening drive, going 69 yards on 10 plays, culminating in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Myles Burkett to Marcus Calwise Jr. to go up 7-3 with just over five minutes left in the first quarter.
 
UCA punched back with a touchdown of its own via a leaping one-yard touchdown run to retake the lead at 10-7 with 1:17 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The score capped off an 11-play, 65-yard drive that took 4:17 off the clock.
 
The Colonels kept the points coming with a 75-yard scoring drive as Burkett recovered from a mishandled snap before scampering four yards into the end zone to give EKU the lead back with 11:11 left in the first half.
 
The scoring spree finally ended after that EKU score, with both teams punting on their next drives.
 
EKU's defense came up big on UCA's second drive of the second quarter as Khatavian Franks intercepted a pass that set up the Colonels on UCA's 16-yard line.
 
Three plays later, Burkett found Calwise again on a five-yard touchdown pass to extend the Colonels' lead to 21-10 with 5:54 left in the first half.
 
The Bears scratched three points back on their next drive with a 33-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to eight points with 1:58 remaining.
 
EKU threatened to score again before the end of the half, driving 59 yards to UCA's seven-yard line, but Burkett was intercepted on the left side of the end zone looking to find Calwise once more.
 
The nullified scoring opportunity saw EKU take only an eight-point lead heading into the halftime break.
 
The Colonels picked up where they left off in the second half as Calwise returned to the opening kick of the half, 51 yards to set EKU up at UCA's 42-yard line.
 
The return helped set up a 32-yard field goal by Buzz Flabiano to push EKU's advantage to 11 points at 24-13 with 11:41 left in the third quarter.
 
On UCA's ensuing drive, the EKU defense forced another turnover as Derek Taylor picked off the Bears in the end zone, returning it to the Colonels' 22-yard line.
 
EKU capitalized, as Burkett and Calwise connected for their third touchdown of the game on a 50-yard strike down the middle of the field, pushing the score to 31-13.
 
The Maroon Doom defense then forced their third turnover of the game as Jeffrey Kinley recorded his first collegiate interception as the Bears attempted a double pass.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Colonels added a 44-yard field goal by Flabiano with 9:02 left in the game, bringing the score to its final of 34-13.
 
Up Next
 
EKU returns home to Roy Kidd Stadium next Saturday, November 8, to face the Thunderbirds of Southern Utah.