College football UCA has to bring its best for rest

CONWAY — It’s a threegame season for Central Arkansas.

The Bears host Southland Conference leader Southeastern Louisiana at 7 tonight at Estes Stadium in a game they must win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision postseason for a third consecutive season.

UCA (5-4, 2-2) lost 31-28 at Northwestern (La.) State last Saturday, leaving itself in a must-win position with three regular-season games remaining. After tonight’s game against Southeastern Louisiana, UCA plays next Saturday at Nicholls State before hosting Sam Houston State on Nov. 23.

“It’s now or never,” said UCA Coach Clint Conque, whose team is tied with William and Mary for 24th in the FCS coaches poll.

Southeastern Louisiana (72, 4-0), which is ranked No. 16 in the FCS Sports Network poll and 17th in the coaches poll, crushed McNeese State 41-7 last Saturday in Lake Charles, La. The Lions have won six consecutive, but today they start a twogame stretch against nationally-ranked opponents UCA and Sam Houston State.

“This one is huge,” UCA linebacker Justin Heard said. “They’re No. 1 in the conference right now. They have an explosive offense. We’re going to hope to slow them down a little bit.”

The Lions are led by Oregon transfer Bryan Bennett. Bennett, a junior, was beaten out by Marcus Mariota for the starting quarterback position at Oregon in 2012 but has thrived in Hammond this season. He has completed 127 of 204 passes for 1,867 yards with 11 touchdowns and 8 interceptions and has rushed for 621 yards on 109 carries and 11 scores.

“He’s extremely athletic,” Conque said. “Much has been made of his running ability, and rightfully so, but he’s vastly underrated as a passer. He’s playing at an extremely high level.”

Heard said Bennett, 6-3, 205 pounds, will be the best running quarterback UCA has faced.

“We’ve watched him on film and we’re like, ‘Wow, this guy is stiff-arming people,’ ” Heard said. “He’s a big quarterback, he’s not small. We have to hit him hard and make him not like it.”

A strong running game could help UCA keep Bennett and the Lions offense off the field.

Junior Willie Matthews rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns last Saturday at Northwestern State. He’ll be asked to carry more of the load tonight, along with senior receiver Jacoby Walker, who has practiced this week at running back. Sophomore Blake Veasley (knee) and Danzel Williams (hamstring) have been banged up, leaving the running back duties to Matthews and Walker.

“I feel like it’s time for me to step up, and I’m ready to do that,” Matthews said.

“He’s playing very fast,” Conque said. “He seems to be very fresh at the right time. He ran very determined. He’ll need to play a big game for us.”

UCA has had its share of setbacks this season. The Bears have lost seven players to season-ending injuries, the latest being freshman running back Kelton Warren who injured his leg last week. Warren joins senior quarterback Wynrick Smothers, senior tight end Chase Dixon, redshirt freshman tight end/ running back Cody Dauksch, senior defensive backs Karl Brady and Dominique Brown and redshirt freshman linebacker Aum’Arie Wallace on the shelf.

Conque admits the Bears have been hampered by injuries this season, but he believes they can still compete with Southeastern Louisiana.

“We don’t have to be the best football team that’s playing in that football game,” Conque said. “We just have to be the best playing 60 minutes.”