Turnovers Cost Bears Road Game Against Weber State, 34-21.

Saturday, November 15

Ogden, Utah

1:00 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

3-6 , 2-5

Weber State

2-9 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UNCO

Weber State

Photo by: Robby Lloyd

11/15/2014 5:15:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Three fumbles and an interception was the achilles'

By: UNCBears.com

OGDEN, Utah. – Costly turnovers made all the difference for the Northern Colorado Football team (3-7, 2-5 Big Sky) on Saturday. The Bears totaled three fumbles and an interception in the, 34-21 loss at Weber State (2-9, 2-5 Big Sky).

"Too many turnovers, that's it," Head Coach Earnest Collins Jr., said. "We couldn't hold on to the ball today."

Sophomore quarterback Sean Rubalcaba ended his day, 27-39-1 for 305 yards passing and three touchdowns. This was the second 300-yard game the quarterback has posted this year.

The committee of senior running back, Robert Holland and redshirt freshman Anthony Davis mustered 69 yards on the ground.

Senior wide out, Dimitri Stimphil had his best game of the season, hauling in seven balls for 84 yards and all three touchdowns for UNC.

Northern Colorado's defensive unit was led by sophomore defensive back, Brandon Lenoir and senior defensive tackle, Lexington Smith. Lenoir topped the charts with 12 tackles, while Smith boasted 11 in the loss.

The Bears came out firing after a stellar return from redshirt freshman, Ellis Onic II. Onic escaped three tackles and took it 44 yards to the Weber State 41-yard line. Onic would post a road game best, 145 returning yards on the day.

Rubalcaba and the offense made quick work of the excellent field position, going 41 yards in six plays for the game's first points. On the very first play of the game, Rubalcaba connected with redshirt freshman tight end, Samad Hinds on a seam route for 18 yards. After two rushes, Rubalcaba went right back to Hinds on a button hook for 7 more yards, bringing up 4th and 2 and the Weber State 17 yard line. Coach Collins elected to go for it and it paid off. Rubalcaba threw to the end line and found Stimphil who did the rest, taking it 17 yards six points. The Bears took a, 7-0 lead three minutes into the game.

The touchdown celebration was short lived as the Wildcats turned around and took it 69 yards in eight plays for a touchdown of their own. Weber State quarterback Jadrian Clark threw a missle to wide out Kamana Kaimikaua from 23 yards out to even the score at, 7-7 midway through the first quarter.

After a quick three and out from the Bears, the Wildcats would jump back on the board again on a seven play, 63 yard drive. Clark went right back to Kaimikaua for his second touchdown catch of the day to take it to, 14-7 heading into the second quarter.

It took the Wildcats just a minute and twenty six seconds into the second quarter to take a two touchdown lead. WSU started from their own 20-yard line to the UNC end zone in five plays. Clark threw his third touchdown pass of the day, this time to wide out Cam Livingston from 16 yards out.

The Bears offense regrouped and put together another successful drive. Rubalcaba willed his way, 75 yards in 13 plays.

After two big passes to junior fullback, Leonard Rhodes, the sophomore quarterback found sophomore wide out, Stephen Miller for a big gainer of 19 yards. The reception pushed UNC into Weber territory at the 42-yard line. Rubalcaba picked apart the Wildcat secondary, getting down to the WSU 12-yard line. The quarterback again went right back to Stimphil when it counted, and the senior wide out muscled his way into the end zone for his second TD catch of the afternoon. Northern Colorado's deficit was cut in half, 21-14 with 6:44 left on the clock in the half.

After trading drives, Weber State would tack on three more points on a 28-yard field goal from kicker, Josh Kealamakia before the half came to an end.

Northern Colorado went into the locker room down by ten, 24-14.

"We needed to better than we were today, said Collins. "In this conference, you always have to play your absolute best to win on the road. We did not play to our potential today."

The Wildcats continued to stay hot on offense in the second half, scoring on the opening series of the third quarter to make it a three possession game in favor of Weber State, 31-14.

Weber also tacked on another field goal before the third quarter came to an end, making it, 34-14.

Northern Colorado had plenty of good opportunities to even the game up in the second half, but was haunted by fumbles.

In the third quarter, sophomore safety, Taylor Risner picked off Clark for his second INT of the game at the Weber State 42-yard line and looked destined for the end zone, but at the last moment the ball was pushed out of his hands by WSU receiver, Shaydon Kehano. The ball bounced out of the back of the end zone for a touchback, giving Weber State the ball back on their 20-yard line.

"Taylor's (Risner) fumble on the interception was one of those game changing moments, said Collins. "I try to tell my guys that every single play can make or break a game. He made a mental mistake and didn't finish the play."

Rubalcaba had the offense rolling at the beginning of the fourth quarter, going 73 yards in 12 plays. The QB rifled a pass to Miller who broke free on the outside and again, looked like he was going to score. The ball popped out of Miller's hands at the Weber St. 2-yard line and the Wildcats recovered, denying another six points to the Bears.

UNC managed a comeback effort midway through the fourth quarter. Rubalcaba went right back to what he had done all game, find Stimphil for a touchdown. The 23-yard touchdown grab was the senior's third of the game and cut the Weber State lead back down to two possessions, 34-21 with 7:00 to go in the game.

Both teams traded the ball back and forth over the next five minutes of action, with the Wildcats looking to close out the game. The Bears got the ball back with 3:29 remaining in the game on their own 15-yard line.

Rubalcaba quickly moved the ball to the Weber State 44-yard line on back-to-back 12-yard passes to Miller and junior wide receiver, Malcolm Whye and a 15-yard rush from the QB.

But as it had worked out all game, after another completion by sophomore tight end Derek Vander Velde, Rubalcaba didn't handle the snap correctly and the ball got kicked away from him with Weber State jumping on top of it to end the game.

UNC fell for the fifth time this season on the road, 34-21 to the Wildcats.

"Erase the two fumbles that were guaranteed 14 points, now we're looking at a whole different game," Collins stated.

Northern Colorado ends the season back at home next Saturday, Nov. 22 against North Dakota.The Bears will honor the 11 seniors on the roster. Kickoff from Nottingham Field is set for Noon.