Mavericks Gear for 2nd Central Washington Test
UNO will end its two-week layoff when it hosts Central Washington in a second-round NCAA Division II playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 24 at Al F. Caniglia Field (9,500). Kickoff will be at 1:05 p.m. Gates will open at 11:30 a.m.
Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast over the Maverick Football Network, with David Gustafson and Curt Bohn calling the action. In the Omaha area, the game will be carried over the flagship station, KOZN, 1620 AM. It will also be broadcast over KTTT, 1510 AM, in the Columbus area. Radio air time is at 12:50 p.m. The game will not be televised.
The Records
UNO is 10-0 and is ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 3 by various polls and is the No. 1 seed in the Northwest Region. Central Washington is 9-2 after a 40-24 win over Ashland in the first round of the playoffs last Saturday.
The Coaches
Nebraska-Omaha’s Pat Behrns is now in his 14th season as the head coach with a 105-52 record at UNO and a 141-79 record in 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Behrns is the all-time leader in wins at UNO. He is a 1972 graduate of Dakota State. Under Behrns UNO has won NCC titles in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and has made six NCAA II playoff appearances. He has been named the NCC Coach of the Year five times. Behrns is 3-0 vs. Central Washington. Beau Baldwin is in his first season as the Central Washington head coach.
The Series
This is the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools and the second of the season. UNO defeated Central Washington 59-21 in the final regular season game Nov. 10, the first time the teams had played in Ellensburg. UNO won both previous games, which were played in Omaha, in 2005 and 2006. This is the first time ever that UNO has played the same team in back-to-back games.
Last Game vs. Central Washington
The Mavericks completed their first undefeated regular season in 53 years with a 59-21 triumph in Ellensburg Nov. 10. Senior running back Nate Wurth scored on runs of 81 and 60 yards, Brian McNeill on an 80-yard run, Keith Eloi returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score and the Maverick defense set up a pair of first half touchdowns with an interception by Reed Taylor and a fumble return by Jeff Souder. UNO’s defensive front also recorded 10 quarterback sacks. McNeill gained 159 yards and Wurth 156 yards as UNO rolled up 361 yards on the ground and 415 yards in total offense to 315 for the Wildcats, who were held to just 23 rushing yards.
Central Washington Last Week
The Wildcats pulled away from Ashland the second half to post a 40-24 win in Ellensburg. Mike Reilly passed for 218 yards and a touchdown and ran for another and Johnny Lopez rushed for 153 yards and two scores. The Wildcat defense held high-scoring Ashland to a fourth quarter field goal after halftime, while the offense pulled away from a 24-21 lead at the break.
Looking Ahead
The winner of the UNO-Central Washington game will meet the winner of the North Dakota-Grand Valley game on Saturday, Dec. 1. If UNO wins, the game would be in Omaha; if Central Washington wins, the game would be at North Dakota or Grand Valley.
Media Coverage
The game will be broadcast over the Maverick Football Network, with David Gustafson and Curt Bohn calling the action. In the Omaha area, the game will be carried over the flagship station, KOZN, 1620 AM. It will also be broadcast over KTTT, 1510 AM, in the Columbus area. Radio air time is at 12:50 p.m. The game will not be televised.
The Records
UNO is 10-0 and is ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 3 by various polls and is the No. 1 seed in the Northwest Region. Central Washington is 9-2 after a 40-24 win over Ashland in the first round of the playoffs last Saturday.
The Coaches
Nebraska-Omaha’s Pat Behrns is now in his 14th season as the head coach with a 105-52 record at UNO and a 141-79 record in 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Behrns is the all-time leader in wins at UNO. He is a 1972 graduate of Dakota State. Under Behrns UNO has won NCC titles in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and has made six NCAA II playoff appearances. He has been named the NCC Coach of the Year five times. Behrns is 3-0 vs. Central Washington. Beau Baldwin is in his first season as the Central Washington head coach.
The Series
This is the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools and the second of the season. UNO defeated Central Washington 59-21 in the final regular season game Nov. 10, the first time the teams had played in Ellensburg. UNO won both previous games, which were played in Omaha, in 2005 and 2006. This is the first time ever that UNO has played the same team in back-to-back games.
Last Game vs. Central Washington
The Mavericks completed their first undefeated regular season in 53 years with a 59-21 triumph in Ellensburg Nov. 10. Senior running back Nate Wurth scored on runs of 81 and 60 yards, Brian McNeill on an 80-yard run, Keith Eloi returned a kickoff 80 yards for a score and the Maverick defense set up a pair of first half touchdowns with an interception by Reed Taylor and a fumble return by Jeff Souder. UNO’s defensive front also recorded 10 quarterback sacks. McNeill gained 159 yards and Wurth 156 yards as UNO rolled up 361 yards on the ground and 415 yards in total offense to 315 for the Wildcats, who were held to just 23 rushing yards.
Central Washington Last Week
The Wildcats pulled away from Ashland the second half to post a 40-24 win in Ellensburg. Mike Reilly passed for 218 yards and a touchdown and ran for another and Johnny Lopez rushed for 153 yards and two scores. The Wildcat defense held high-scoring Ashland to a fourth quarter field goal after halftime, while the offense pulled away from a 24-21 lead at the break.
Looking Ahead
The winner of the UNO-Central Washington game will meet the winner of the North Dakota-Grand Valley game on Saturday, Dec. 1. If UNO wins, the game would be in Omaha; if Central Washington wins, the game would be at North Dakota or Grand Valley.
