USF Falls To UCF 49-42 In Epic Battle

ORLANDO, FL – In an epic battle for the ages – one that may have announced to the football world that the American Athletic Conference is part of the “Power 6” – USF could not hang on against its arch-rival UCF.

In front of a national television audience, UCF (11-0, 8-0 AAC) won the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Mike Hughes, his third of the season, pulling ahead 49-42 with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter. This was immediately after the Bulls (9-2, 6-2 AAC) had finally tied the score with an 83-yard touchdown throw from senior quarterback Quinton Flowers to Darnell Sullivan and a brilliant 2-point conversion, with Flowers throwing cross-field to a wide-open D’Earnest Johnson in the back of the end zone.

UCF will host Memphis on Saturday, Dec. 2 in the AAC championship game. The Knights are the first FBS team to go from winless to undefeated in less than 2 years.

The Bulls, who had a record-breaking offensive day, now will wait to hear where they will head for their bowl game. Tyre McCants had a career day, picking up a career best 227 yards, including a school-record 210 receiving yards in the first half. Flowers became only the sixth person in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and run for another 40 behind his five touchdown (4 pass, 1 run) 503 yard passing performance.

USF had led a good portion of the fourth quarter after taking a 34-28 lead late in the third on Flower’s lone rushing touchdown, a 24-yard scramble, capping a four-play, 40-yard drive. UCF didn’t answer until 7:33 left in the game with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Dredrick Snelson, who got behind the Bulls secondary, from McKenzie Milton to go ahead 35-34.

The teams traded haymakers on their opening drives. In a little more than a minute, the Bulls were on the board. On the second play of game, McCants drug a defender, holding onto the tail of his jersey, across the goal line on the second play from scrimmage for a 47-yard touchdown pass from Flowers.

The Knights answered with quick drive of their own, ending in a 3-yard scamper by Milton. However, UCF was helped by two major penalties on USF, helping keep the Knights’ drive alive.

After the first defensive stop of the game, UCF kept the offense going, capping off their next drive with Milton hitting Snelson for a 16-yard touchdown to go ahead 14-7. Despite a 55-yard catch from Flowers to McCants, USF was held off the board when Emilio Nadelman missed a 41-yard field goal.

UCF took advantage of the short field with another quick drive. Out of the triple option, Milton pitched the ball to Adrian Killins Jr., who scampered 15 yards for a touchdown and increasing the Knights lead to 14.

While the Bulls still had some issues in the second quarter, Flowers and McCants came up big. After a 10-yard pass play between the two of them, Flowers and McCants picked up another 55-yard pass play. The drive was capped with Flowers hitting Temi Alaka for a 20-yard touchdown catch, but Nadelman’s troubles continued, missing the extra point.

USF scored again with 2:37 left in the half when Flowers capped off an 84-yard drive with his third touchdown throw, this time a 21-yard strike to Mitchell Wilcox. Nadleman converted the extra point to pull the game within 1 at 21-20.

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