Aug. 30, 2008
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
UCF vs. South Carolina State
Aug. 30, 2008
Bright House Networks Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Final Score: UCF 17, SCSU 0
Team Notes
- The shutout by UCF was its sixth since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) and first since shutting out Louisiana-Lafayette 31-0 on November 24, 2001. It is also the first shutout in Bright House Networks Stadium.
- UCF handed South Carolina State its first shutout loss in 15 years.
- UCF improves to 18-12 in season openers, the program's third-straight opening-day win.
- The Knights are now 16-0 all-time against FCS (Division I-AA) schools since joining FBS (I-A) in 1996.
- UCF extends its home winning streak to seven games, currently tied for the eighth longest active streak nationally.
- George O'Leary improves to 3-1 in season openers with wins against Villanova, NC State and South Carolina State.
- UCF went 3-for-5 on fourth-down conversions.
- Announced attendance of 42,126 is the 10th-largest home crowd in UCF's history and the seventh largest crowd to watch a game at Bright House Networks Stadium.
Individual Notes
- Michael Greco is the eighth different UCF quarterback to start a game in the school's Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) era and the seventh to make his first career start during this time (1996-98 starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper's first career start came in 1995).
- The fourth to make his first career start at home, Greco is also the first quarterback to win his first career start since Jon Rivera on October 4, 2003 (19-10 against Buffalo).
- Greco finished with 90 yards on 9-of-16 passing while adding 72 yards on 13 rushes.
- Jason Venson collected his seventh interception of his career in the first quarter.
- Left tackle Patrick Brown started his 39th game, the most by any senior in the nation at his position
- Starting freshman running back Ronnie Weaver finished the day with 84 yards on 23 carries.
- George O'Leary selects a pair of players to serve as captains for each game. Sha'reff Rashad (defense) and Pat Brown (offense) were awarded the distinction against South Carolina State.
- True freshman Latavius Murray scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard plunge in the second quarter. He is the first freshman to score a touchdown since Kevin Smith scored in overtime at the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on December 24, 2005.
- Murray added a seven-yard score with 3:15 left in the fourth and finished with 43 yards on 11 carries and two TDs.
- Joe Burnett broke the Conference USA career punt return record of 972 yards, set by Arnold Jackson of Louisville, with a 31-yard return in the third quarter.
- Burnett, the NCAA's active leader in punt return yardage, finished with four returns for 83 yards, giving him 1,009 career punt return yards.
- Daren Daly went 1-for-2 on field-goal attempts in his first game at UCF. The senior transfer from Miami connected on a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and added two extra points.