CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas Bears were on the wrong end of a second-half comeback this time as the Eastern Kentucky Colonels rallied for a 38-35 victory over the Bears on Saturday night at First Security Field at Estes Stadium.

The Bears (2-4, 1-2) had executed the same sort of stunning comeback two weeks ago, also on the road, in a 42-21 victory over Abilene Christian, outscoring the Wildcats 35-0 down the stretch. This time, with the Bears enjoying a seemingly comfortable 28-10 halftime lead, the Colonels turned the tables by outscoring UCA 28-7 after halftime, including 14-0 in the fourth quarter.

Still the Bears had a chance, taking over with 7:39 remaining after EKU had grabbed a 38-35 lead on a 40-yard quarterback keeper by Parker McKinney. UCA drove down to the EKU 28 but stalled. Hayden Ray's 46-yard field goal attempt that would have tied the game was blocked by Joseph Sayles to end the threat.

"We just let them snowball momentum,' said UCA head coach Nathan Brown. "And momentum is such a big deal in football. People don't realize how big it it. They got it, they took it, and we didn't stop it. So that's tough. 

"And we've been so good over the course of the last couple of years in the second half. We've been a second-half team. So that's the frustrating part, knowing that we do have that capability of coming out and finishing a game. And we didn't do it tonight. And it's a testament to Coach (Walt) Wells and his team, they kept fighting. They're a good football team. They kept chopping away at us and they made enough plays when it was all said and done.'  

The Bears' offense clicked in the opening half, particularly in the second quarter, tallying 315 yards on 40 offensive plays (7.8 yards per play. UCA got touchdown runs of 6 and 3 yards from freshman tailback Darius Hale, a 1-yarder from junior quarterback Breylin Smith and a 70-yard touchdown pass from Smith to sophomore wide receiver Tyler Hudson.

Hudson, from Spring, Texas, broke a 41-year-old school record with a career-high 251 receiving yards, catching nine passes for a 27.8-yard average per reception. The record of 242 yards was held for four decades by UCA and College Football Hall of Famer and three-time NAIA All-American Ron Mallett and was set against Ouachita Baptist way back in 1980.

Smith finished 19 of 31 for 330 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against a team that entered the game with 10 interceptions, three returned for touchdowns, this season. Hale put up 99 rushing yards and a career-high three touchdowns on 20 carries, giving him nine scores on the year.

But as hot as the Bears' offense was in the first half, the Colonels matched it in the second. The comeback started with a 47-yard field goal by Patrick Nations midway through the third quarter. UCA answered with Hale's third rushing touchdown that actually extended the Bears' lead at 35-16. at the 8:13 mark of the quarter.

It was all Colonels after that as they scored three consecutive touchdowns and took advantage of UCA's only turnover of the night, a lost fumble at the end of a 27-yard kickoff return by Christian Richmond. That led to a quick EKU touchdown _ a 5-yard pass from Parker McKinney to Jayden Higgins at with 1:24 left in the third period that closed the gap to 35-24 after a two-point conversion pass.

A pair of punts by UCA allowed the Colonels to set up two fourth-quarter touchdowns, a 4-yard run by Kyeandre Magloire and McKinney's 40-yard scamper that gave them the cushion they would need. 
 

The Bears, who have had 14 come-from-behind wins over the last three seasons, including one over EKU a year ago, were outgained 230-166 in the second half and also did not help their cause with six penalties for 70 yards in the decisive final 30 minutes. EKU recorded eight tackles for loss for minus-23 yards and got 13 tackles from junior linebacker Matthew Jackson.

"Like I told our team, it doesn't matter if you make the plays in the first quarter of the fourth quarter, it's the same amount of plays,' said Brown. "They made more than we did tonight, but three points. And that's the frustrating part, you feel like you played a pretty good game for the most part. They you look up and they took the game away from us.'  

The Bears return to the road next Saturday, facing the Lamar Cardinals at Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, Texas. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.