UCF: 2021 Gasparilla Bowl Champions

TAMPA, Fla. -- — Isaiah Bowser ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan O'Keefe had 85 yards on seven receptions, and Central Florida earned Sunshine State bragging rights by beating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night.

UCF (9-4) took a 26-17 lead late in the third when Daniel Obarski made a 21-yard field goal and Mikey Keene threw a 54-yard scoring strike to O'Keefe in the span of about two minutes. Obarski then made it 29-17 on a 33-yarder with 2:41 to play.

"Yeah, we are the best in Florida," said O'Keefe, who also had 110 rushing yards. "We always thought that, but now we finally got to prove it."

Florida quarterback Emory Jones, playing in his final game with the Gators before entering the transfer portal, completed 14 of 36 passes for 171 yards. He also ran for 62 yards on 10 carries.

"Not thinking about my future right now," Jones said. "Will talk to my mom and family, and then made a decision."

Florida was led by interim coach Greg Knox, who took over when Dan Mullen was fired before the regular-season finale against Florida State. Former Louisiana coach Billy Napier will take over for the 2022 season. Florida (6-7) finished with its first losing record since 2017.

The Gators had eight penalties for 85 yards.

"You can't make the mistakes we made and expect to win," Knox said. "I think our guys played hard, just was not able to overcome the mistakes we made."

UCF outgained Florida 436-376.

"We beat 'em handily," UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. "The best is yet to come. We're fighting against the three big in-state schools. A lot of them, the logos are really cool, but I really believe we're the program of the future."

It was the first time the time the two teams played since Florida won 42-0 during its 2006 national championship season. The Gators also won 58-27 in 1999.

Florida led 10-9 at halftime behind Chris Howard's 26-yard field goal with 1:36 left in the second quarter.

O'Keefe had a 74-yard run in third quarter, setting up Bowser's TD run from 4 yards out to put UCF up 16-10. Florida regained the lead, 17-16, on its next possession when Malik Davis had a 19-yard rushing TD. But UCF ended up scoring again in the quarter, taking the lead for good.

Keene replaced starting QB Dillon Gabriel, who broke his left collarbone against Louisville in September. The true freshman went 14 of 22 for 144 yards on Thursday.

The announced crowd at Raymond James Stadium, the home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was a Gasparilla Bowl record of 63,669.

SCARY MOMENT

Florida wide receiver Justin Shorter was taken off the field on a cart after a hard hit late in the fourth quarter. His neck was immobilized by medical personnel on the field. Knox had no update postgame.

A TRIBUTE

UCF brought a No. 2 uniform onto the field before the game to honor former Knights running back Otis Anderson Jr., who died last month at the age of 23.

"Otis was like a big brother to me and when he passed away, it hit me hard," O'Keefe said. "I saw his jersey in the locker room and I decided I was going to play for him."

STRANGE STOPPAGE

The game was briefly delayed in the first quarter when Florida linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper lost his helmet. It got caught in the facemask of UCF guard Cole Schneider, and it took a couple of minutes to separate the two helmets. Later, Hopper was ejected in the third quarter after throwing a punch.

PUSH AND SHOVE

After the game ended, the teams were involved in a scrum that featured pushing and shoving near midfield.

Central Florida: 2019 Gasparilla Bowl Champions

It may not be where UCF has become accustomed to playing this time of the year, but the Knights are ending their 2019 season with 10 wins and a bowl victory. UCF (10-3, 6-2 AAC) finished off their season on a winning note by topping Marshall (8-5, 6-2 Conference USA)in the highest-scoring Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl Monday afternoon, 48-25.

Marshall imploded early in the game with five turnovers on each of their first five offensive possessions. Isaiah Green had a third-down pass intercepted on the third play of the game and Richie Grant returned the football 39 yards for a defensive touchdown to give UCF an early lead. Green connected on a 45-yard pass to Armani Levias on the first play of the ensuing possession but LEvias fumbled the football at the end of the play. After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, Marshall turned the football over again and the Knights defense struck again with Tre’Mon Morris-BRash returning a fumble 45 yards for a score.

UCF built a 31-7 lead in the third quarter before Marshall began to get the ball moving and a better grip on the football. But by then, the damage had essentially been done.

Dillon Gabriel passed for 260 yards and two touchdowns for UCF before getting some rest at the end of the game. Marlon Williams had a big day with seven receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown in the winning effort. As a team, UCF rushed for 310 yards and out-gained Marshall 587-351. The game was also a bit testy in the second half as Big Ten officials did their best to keep control before things devolved into something ugly. Marshall’s Darrius Hodge was ejected from the game late in the third quarter after coming off the bench to get involved in some verbal jabbing at the end of a play. It was his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game, which results in an automatic ejection. Making his ejection unique was the fact Marshall was on offense at the time. The two teams combined for 18 penalties and 167 penalty yards with a handful of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties distributed to players on both teams.

The 73 combined points scored in the game are the most in a Gasparilla Bowl. The previous record point total was 69 scored by Rutgers and UCF in 2009 (Rutgers won 45-24) when the game was called the St. Petersburg Bowl. It was the second year of the bowl game’s existence.

With the win, UCF head coach Josh Heupel has won his first bowl game as a head coach. UCF also has won 10 or more games for a third consecutive season for the first time in program history. UCF could be lining up a possible spot in the final top 25 rankings, which would also be the third consecutive season for the first time in program history.

UCF’s 2020 season will begin at home next year with a home game against Mack Brown and UNC. The 2020 season opener is currently scheduled for a Thursday night kickoff on Sept. 3, 2020. UCF will also face Georgia Tech in Atlanta for a second game against a power conference opponent. The Knights also host FIU and Florida A&M in non-conference play. UCF will get some key division and conference games at home with home dates against Cincinnati and Temple, but a road trip to Memphis also looms.

Marshall’s 2020 season is currently scheduled to begin on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 at East Carolina. The Thundering Herd will host Pittsburgh and Boise State and travel to Ohio in other non-conference matchups before jumping into the Conference USA schedule.

Central Florida: 2018 Peach Bowl Champions

ATLANTA -- McKenzie Milton wanted to throw a blanket of 13 wins and no losses over the College Football Playoff.

After Milton and Central Florida capped a perfect season, he suggested it was time to respect the Knights, even if they weren't invited to the playoff.

Milton threw two touchdown passes and ran for 116 yards with another touchdown, leading No. 10 UCF to a 34-27 Peach Bowl win over No. 7 Auburn on Monday.

Then it was time to boast.

"I said on the podium you can go ahead and cancel the playoffs," Milton said. "I'm not changing my mind."

UCF (13-0) led 34-20 before having to stop a late Auburn comeback. Antwan Collier's interception in the end zone with 24 seconds remaining clinched the win.

The UCF players launched a joyous postgame celebration, rolling around in confetti on the field while wearing T-shirts that read "Champions."

The Knights won in their final game with coach Scott Frost, who stayed with the team through the bowl game after accepting an offer to become the new coach at Nebraska , his alma mater. Frost will bring most of his UCF assistants to Nebraska.

"It was the right thing to do to come coach these guys," Frost said, holding the game ball. "I'm not happy for me. I'm so happy for these guys."

The Knights thought they deserved a higher ranking after winning the American Athletic Conference and leading the nation in scoring. They made a strong statement by beating Auburn (10-4).

Frost said "it wasn't right" for UCF to not receive more consideration for the four-team playoff.

"They deserve more credit from the committee than they got," he said.

Auburn was held to 90 yards rushing on 44 carries.

"That was probably the main stat that was disappointing for me," Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said.

More dominance: The Knights sacked Jarrett Stidham six times. Auburn had only one sack.

After Auburn took a 20-13 lead in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Kerryon Johnson, Milton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Otis Anderson to tie the game. Milton, under pressure, zipped an 8-yard scoring pass to Dredrick Snelson early in the fourth to give the Knights the lead.

Chequan Burkett's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown pushed the lead to 14 points.

Auburn suffered its second straight loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where it was beaten by Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game one month ago.

Johnson, who said he was almost fully recovered from a late-season shoulder injury, ran for 71 yards.

UCF led 13-6 at halftime despite being held under 14 points at the break for the first time this season.

TROPHIES

Frost lofted the football-shaped Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl trophy before passing it on to his players. Milton was named offensive MVP. Shaquem Griffin, who had 12 tackles including 1 1/2 sacks, was defensive MVP.

TAKEAWAYS

UCF: The Knights passed every test, including on the line of scrimmage, as they proved they could match speed and strength with the Tigers. Milton overcame a slow start after completing only 3 of 17 passes for 30 yards in the first half. He completed 16 of 35 passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.


Auburn: The Tigers couldn't maintain momentum after opening the second half with two touchdowns for a 20-13 lead. Auburn insisted motivation would not be a problem after the crushing loss in the SEC championship game, but after the game, cornerback Javaris Davis said the Knights "just wanted it more and they came out and played like it." Stidham completed 28 of 43 passes for 331 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

UP NEXT

UCF: The Knights will begin a new era with coach Josh Heupel , the former Missouri offensive coordinator. Their opening game has not been set, but they will play at North Carolina on Sept. 15.

Auburn: The Tigers will return for their third straight game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when they play Washington on Sept. 1 to open the 2018 season.

Central Florida: 2014 Fiesta Bowl Champions

Central Florida, making its first appearance in a BCS bowl, posted a massive 52-42 upset victory over Big 12 champs Baylor in Wednesday night's Fiesta Bowl. The Knights (12-1), who were 17-point underdogs at kickoff (the largest margin ever overcome in a BCS bowl), posted 558 yards of total offense and overcame three first-half turnovers with a balanced attack.

UCF running back Storm Johnson ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Blake Bortles contributed four scores of his own. Meanwhile, Baylor (11-2) looked sloppy throughout. The Bears were flagged 17 times for 135 yards, including a number of crucial penalties in pass coverage that kept UCF drives alive.

The Knights jumped on Baylor early, posting two quick Storm Johnson touchdowns to take an early 14-0 lead. Baylor got a touchdown late in the first quarter on a plunge by quarterback Bryce Petty, but Central Florida held a 14-7 lead after the first 15 minutes.

The second quarter was a mess of turnovers, blown coverages, and sloppy offense. After the teams exchanged punts, Baylor was stopped on fourth down at the UCF 33 yard line when Petty fumbled the snap.

 

Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles responded by throwing an interception three plays later, but Baylor could not capitalize. Bortles threw his second interception on the next play, and this time the Bears were not so magnanimous. Petty connected with Levi Norwood on a 30-yard touchdown, though the point after attempt failed. Storm Johnson fumbled the ball back to Baylor on the next play, the third consecutive UCF snap to end in a turnover. This time, however, the Bears were in the giving spirit: Petty threw an interception into the UCF end zone, and Bortles turned it into a 50-yard touchdown pass five plays later.

Baylor took over at its own 22, and embarked on an eight-play, 78-yard touchdown drive capped when Petty scrambled right, dove for the end zone, and took a hit from a UCF defender.

The score cut the UCF lead to one point with less than three minutes to go, but neither team was done. Two minutes later, Bortles hit Rannell Hall on a swing pass that the receiver took 34 yards for a touchdown, capping a nine-play, 83-yard drive. Baylor took the ball to the UCF 28 before time ran out, but a 45-yard field goal attempt missed. Despite three turnovers, Central Florida was up 28-20 at the half.

The teams exchanged punts to start the second half, but Baylor struck first. Petty ran in his third touchdown of the night from the goal line, then ran in the two-point conversion, to finish a 68-yard series and tie the game at 28. Bortles and the Knights responded with a touchdown drive of their own, with Bortles throwing to Breshad Perriman to restore the UCF lead. Six minutes later, Bortles ran for another score, extending the Knights' advantage to two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter.

Baylor was not going quietly, though. It took the Bears just four plays and 81 seconds to score again, highlighted by Petty's 28-yard completion to Clay Fuller to set up a Glasco Martin 9-yard touchdown run. But when Storm Johnson broke a 40-yard touchdown run just minutes later to restore UCF's two-possession lead, what little momentum Baylor held evaporated. Two penalties short circuited Baylor's next drive, the Bears were forced to punt, and Central Florida bled the clock below the 5:00 mark before kicking a field goal to go up 52-35. Baylor put together a late scoring drive to narrow the UCF margin, but it was too little, too late. Central Florida fielded the onside kick, and the upset was complete.

Box Score Hero: The Player of the Game has to be Bortles, who completed 20/31 attempts for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Bortles also ran eight times for 93 yards and a score. Johnson's 124 rushing yards cannot be ignored, though, nor can Rannell Hall'sfour catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

Rankings Ramifications: Baylor, which entered the game ranked No. 6, will plummet with the loss, while Central Florida could well move into the finakl Top 10. It's an incredible accomplishment for a program that only moved into FBS football in 1996 and did not join a BCS automatic qualifier conference until this season.

But Did They Cover? Baylor was a massive 17-point favorite. Sometimes, even Vegas gets it wrong.

Central Florida: 2012 Beef O Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg Champions

OrlandoSentinel.com

Blake Bortles leads UCF to 38-17 win over Ball State in bowl

Knights earned 10-win season

By Paul Tenorio, Orlando Sentinel

11:37 PM EST, December 21, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — The blitz came from the right side, squarely in UCF quarterback Blake Bortles' vision as the clock wound down in the first half.
The redshirt sophomore didn't duck away or flinch, but stepped forward into the path of the oncoming defender.
"It was a corner," he would say later with a chuckle, "I'm bigger than he is."
The arching pass dropped perfectly into the hands of freshman receiver Breshad Perriman, a 45-yard gain that would set up a touchdown before halftime. It was one of many highlight moments for Bortles, who was only just beginning a career night on a national stage.
Bortles led the Knights to a 38-17 win over Ball State in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl Friday night at Tropicana Field. The game drew an announced crowd of 21,759 fans.
Bortles completed 22 of 32 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed for 79 yards and one score on nine carries during the win, turning in his strongest performance of the season.
The Oviedo grad finished with 3,058 passing yards this season, the first UCF quarterback to surpass the 3,000 yard mark since 2002 and the fifth-best single-season mark in program history. His 25 passing touchdowns this season tied Daunte Culpepper for fifth all-time.
"I can't believe he's not going to be a pro prospect if he continues to develop the way he has," Ball State coach Pete Lembo said.
It was a significant win for UCF, giving the Knights 10 wins during the season and sending out their 20 seniors with 34 wins in four years, the most ever by any class in program history. The result also provided some momentum as UCF heads into a shaky offseason as a Big East member, a move that is supposed to serve as the next step for a growing program.
Asked often this year to use his legs as a weapon, Bortles rushed for a big gain early in the game that served as a preview for how dangerous a runner he can be. The 6-4, 221-pound quarterback later nearly outran a cornerback on a scramble, and then took a carry from the 6-yard line and bowled over two Ball State defenders for a touchdown with a second-effort push in the second quarter.
He also threw a pair of touchdown tosses to Latavius Murray, the second of which was a patient swing pass after he worked through all his progressions with the final seconds ticking off the clock in the first half.
"I think he basically took some bad plays and made some good plays out of them," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "He had a good night, and when your quarterback does well, offense moves the ball. That's how it works."
While Bortles stood out and earned Beef `O' Brady's Bowl most valuable player honors, Murray closed his career with another big bowl game performance. Murray, the 2010 Liberty Bowl most valuable player, caught the opening touchdown of the game over the middle and rushed for a score on the Knights' second possession to give UCF a 13-7 lead.
The redshirt senior finished with 73 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He also had six catches for 32 yards and two touchdowns. His 44 career touchdowns are second all-time in program history.
With those two playing well in the backfield, UCF took control of the game just before halftime.
With a 21-7 lead, the Knights took possession after a missed field goal at their own 20-yard line with 55 seconds remaining before the break.
Bortles would hit Jeff Godfrey for a 12-yard gain, and, after a false start penalty, connected with Murray for 10 to give UCF the ball at the 37-yard line. Then, he dropped back and found Perriman down the right sideline for the big 45-yard gain that put UCF on the Ball State 18-yard line.
It was the fifth reception on the night for the true freshman, a career-high, and Perriman would also finish with a career-high 90 yards receiving.
Four plays later, with just 11 seconds left on the clock, Bortles took a snap and waited in the pocket, working his eyes across the field until he found Murray for a five-yard swing pass touchdown to give UCF a 28-7 lead.
The second half was just the finishing touches for Bortles.
"Our main goal was to get a 10-win season and send these seniors out on a good note," Bortles said. "But it also gives us a big boost going into the offseason."
UCF goes into that break with the uncertainty of a Big East in rebuilding mode, but it does so with the confidence that it has a quarterback for whatever future lies ahead.
ptenorio@tribune.com

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