CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears got four rushing touchdowns from three different players and a school-record 14 receptions from wide receiver Desmond Smith in downing the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks 36-24 on Saturday at First Security Field at Estes Stadium.

    The win improved the Bears to 6-3 overall and 6-1 in the Southland Conference and put them in sole possession of second place, one game ahead of third-place Sam Houston State. The Lumberjacks, coached by former UCA head coach Clint Conque, dropped to 3-6 and 3-4 with their first loss in four games. UCA is now 2-0 against Conque's Lumberjacks after last year's 49-39 victory in Nacogdoches.

    The Bears, who have won three straight games and six of their past seven, got a pair of second-half rushing touchdowns from junior Kelton Warren to go with sophomore Jeff Anderson's 55-yarder in the first quarter and senior Blake Veasley's 1-yard run in the second. UCA finished with 220 yards on the ground, its third consecutive game of at least 200 rushing yards, and a total of 522 yards of offense. UCA played without senior quarterback Taylor Reed, sophomore tailback Dominique Thomas, senior cornerback Dillion Winfrey and junior defensive tackle Jordan Toliver, all starters out with injury.

    Sophomore quarterback Hayden Hildebrand, who missed last week's victory over Southeastern Louisiana with a shoulder injury, completed 20 of 29 passses (69 percent) for 278 yards and a touchdown. Smith, a junior from Bentonville, caught 14 passes for a career-high 182 yards, breaking the single-game reception record held jointly by Aaron Fairooz (2005) and Jessie Grandy (2012). He broke his own career best of 159 yards set earlier this season against McNeese State.

 

    The Bears grabbbed an early 3-0 lead on Jace Denker's 32-yard field goal at the 6:30 mark of the first quarter. Anderson's 55-yard touchdown burst over the left side made it 10-0 less than two minutes later. SFA then scored 10 consecutive points on two field goals by Mason Juhl and a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Zach Conque to take a 13-10 lead midway through the second period.

    UCA re-took the lead before halftime, 17-13, on Veasley's short run. The Lumberjacks came out of the locker room at halftime and scored twice in the third quarter to assume a 24-17 advantage. But the Bears then scored the final 19 points of the game, first on a 38-yard pass from Hayden Hildebrand to junior wide receiver Jatavious Wilson. UCA's extra point was blocked, leaving SFA with a 24-23 lead with 2:24 left in the third quarter.

    Warren then took over, scoring on a 37-yard run with 1:08 left in the third to give the Bears a 29-24 lead, then adding a 21-yard score with 9:54 to play to set the final at 36-24.

    UCA's defense got two big interceptions in the fourth quarter, on back-to-back plays, to stop SFA drives. Junior safety Bobby Watkins intercepted Conque at the 14:21 mark of the quarter with the Lumberjacks deep in UCA territory. The Bears started their drive at the SFA 9 and drove 91 yards in 10 plays, capped by Warren's first touchdown.

    Sophomore cornerback Tremon Smith did the honors on the first play of SFA's next drive, picking off Conque at the UCA 47. The Bears reached the SFA 47 and went for it on fourth down and failed. Conque finished 26 of 48 for 279 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.

    Smith finished with six tackles, including one sack, had one interception and broke up three passes. UCA's defense finished with eight tackles for loss, including four sacks and forced the Lumberjacks into 42 yards in rushing losses. Sophomore rover Chris Chambers finished with two sacks for minus 18 yards and freshman tackle Rickey Dobbins added the other sack.

    UCA, which improved to 23-4 on "The Stripes" at Estes Stadium, hits the road next week to take on the Nicholls Colonels in Thibodaux, La. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Guidry Stadium.