Nov. 29, 2008
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ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UAB used five field goals to spoil Senior Day as the Blazers defeated the UCF football team, 15-0, Saturday at Bright House Networks Stadium. The Knights finished the 2008 campaign with a 4-8 overall record and a 3-5 mark in Conference USA.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Weatherford threw for a career-high 99 yards on 12-for-26 passing, finding seven different receivers vs. the Blazers (4-8, 3-5). Sophomore Brian Watters hauled in five catches for 40 yards to pass the wideouts.
Weatherford's counterpart, Joe Webb, guided UAB with 80 rushing yards and went 20-for-28 in the air for 244 yards.
On the ground, true freshman running back Brynn Harvey amassed 90 yards on just 15 carries. The UAB defense had only one tackle for loss and that was on just one sack.
Senior defensive back Jason Venson capped off his UCF career with 10 tackles for the Knights' defense. That effort enabled him to complete the season as the UCF leader in tackles with 82.
After three-straight punts opened the first quarter Saturday, UAB reached the UCF 23-yard line on its second drive and Swayze Waters converted a 40-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead. That doubled to 6-0 with 11:05 to play in the second as Waters ended a 13-play, 61-yard drive with a 43-yarder. He tacked on one more field goal on a 15-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 6:58 to help UAB reach the break with a 9-0 advantage.
UAB's first possession in the third quarter culminated in a 36-yard boot from Waters, but the Knights were still within striking distance. With 11:41 remaining in the fourth, the Blazers took over on a punt and proceeded to use up 7:05 of the clock, though, setting up Waters' fifth and final field goal.
Weatherford stepped back onto the field in hopes of making it a one possession game in the closing minutes, and connected on six-consecutive passes to reach UAB territory. An 18-yard strike to sophomore Jamar Newsome and a 10-yard reception from Watters put the Knights at the 12-yard line, however Kevin Sanders picked off the last pass to seal the Blazer victory.