Omolo Leads Central Arkansas Past UT Martin 36-24

In Thursday night's season opener, Central Arkansas defeated UT Martin 36-24 as Donovyn Omolo starred in his first game with the Bears, throwing for 243 yards on 20-of-27 attempts and adding 118 rushing yards. He connected on two touchdown passes to Arlie Lee, while a 56-yard pick-six by Trey Cotton offset one of his scores. Jalen Washington iced the game with a 27-yard TD run late, while UT Martin quarterback Julian Calvez passed for 147 yards but was picked off twice. UT Martin entered the game as a preseason favorite and a Top-25 team, contrasted with Central Arkansas’s debut of a new quarterback amid notable roster turnover. The matchup was framed as a test of UT Martin’s defense and Central Arkansas’s stability, with each program carrying momentum and turnover—UT Martin with 53 new players and UCA with 42. The result provided a meaningful early gauge for both programs as they look to rebound from recent seasons.