September 8, 2007--Emporia State used a pair of interception returns for a 17-7 victory at Central Oklahoma on Saturday in Edmond, Okla.

UCO took the opening kickoff down to the ESU 20 yard line before Emmanuel Howard picked off a Ryan O'Hara pass in the endzone to stop the trheat. After a scoreless first quarter, Howard got ESU on the board with a 40 yard interception return with 8:46 left in the first half. The two teams traded punts after the score setting UCO up on their own 24 yard line. The Bronchos drove 71 yards to the ESU five yard line and were facing third and goal when Travis Lee picked off an O'Hara pass in the endzone and returned it an NCAA record tying 100 yards for a 14-0 lead at the half.

Five of the first seven possessions in the third quarter resulted in third and outs. The Hornets five play, 16 yard drive was the best of the quarter until the Bronchos mounted a five play 42 yard drive to score the first offensive touchdown of the game on a Maurice Little 11 yard run.

With 5:35 left in the game, A.J. Brinkman picked off the fifth interception of the game to set ESU up at the UCO 27 yard line. ESU gained nine yards on seven plays to set up a Johnny Torres 38 yard field goal with 2:02 left for a 17-7 lead. On the ensuing Broncho drive, ESU forced three incomplete passes and held O'Hara to a five yard gain on fourth and ten.

Howard had two interceptions for the Hornets to along with four tackles. Brinkman had a team high nine tackles and the one interception.

The Hornets will make their 2007 home debut on September 15 when the take on Southwest Baptist. Kick-off for the Family Day contest is set for 1 p.m. on Jones Field at Welch Stadium.

NOTES
Lee's 100 yard interception return is the first ever for ESU and the first in the MIAA since Lincoln's Bruce Johnson had one against Missouri-Rolla on Nov. 23, 1972. The previous ESU record was 95 yards by Kelly Nusser against Ft. Hays State in 1983.
ESU held UCO to 72 yards of total offense in the second half.
ESU's 67 yards of total offense and 29 yards passing are school record lows since joining the NCAA in 1991.
With the win ESU goes to 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2003 and opens the season with two road wins for the first time since 1997.
Torres field goal was the first of his career.
Free safety Jake Richter had ESU's longest rush of the night at 16 yards on a reverse in the third quarter.

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