Sept. 16, 2006
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)-Matt Grothe threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ean Randolph with 3:27 left in the fourth quarter to lift USF over UCF 24-17 on Saturday. The game was played in front of 46,708 fans, the third-highest total in UCF history.
The Golden Knights (1-2) missed a chance to tie with 30 seconds left when their 70-yard drive ended when Chris Robinson sacked Steven Moffett, forcing a fumble the Bulls (3-0) recovered.
Grothe, a redshirt freshman who won the starting job in USF's first game after Pat Julmiste got hurt, won his third straight. He accounted for 375 of USF's 433 total yards, completing 21-of-31 passes for 302 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Moffett finished with 219 yards on 19-of-44 passing and one TD.
Both the Bulls' Trae Williams and UCF's Sha'reff Rashad recorded their third straight game with an interception.
UCF tied the game at 17 with 7:14 left after Jordan Richards blocked a bobbled punt snap, which Blake Carter scooped up and ran 31 yards for a touchdown.
But Grothe led the Bulls right back on a 90-yard drive culminating in Randolph's score.
Randolph finished with five catches for 126 yards and the TD, while UCF's Mike Walker caught 12 for 133 yards.
USF set up its second touchdown with a 31-yard flea-flicker from wide receiver Amarri Jackson to Amp Hill, scoring a play later on Grothe's 2-yard completion to Benjamin Williams.