Sept. 5, 2009
Final Stats | Quotes | Notes
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Sophomore Brynn Harvey (Largo, Fla.) had two scores and senior Brett Hodges (Winter Springs, Fla.) threw the game-winning touchdown in his first game as a Knight as UCF (1-0) held off visiting Samford (0-1) to post a 28-24 victory Saturday night in its season opener at Bright House Networks Stadium.
Harvey rushed 31 times for 111 yards, his second career 100-yard game, and added a two-point conversion reception. In his first game at UCF, Hodges finished the game 10-for-17 with 129 yards and the key fourth-quarter touchdown.
With 10:53 left in the game, Hodges hit Jamar Newsome (St. Petersburg, Fla.) on a slant for a nine-yard touchdown, capping a short four-play, 32-yard drive and giving UCF a lead that the defense would make stand.
A pair of big plays by senior Rocky Ross (Jacksonville, Fla.) set up the touchdown. He returned a punt 39 yards to the Samford 32-yard line and then caught a 20-yard pass from Hodges on the game's next play.
Ross had a big game in his return from injury as the senior finished with a team-high 176 all-purpose yards.
With the game tied at 7-7 coming out of halftime, true freshman Quincy McDuffie (Orlando, Fla.) returned the second half's opening kickoff 95 yards to give UCF a 13-7 lead.
Two big plays by the visitors, a 67-yard touchdown reception and an interception return for a touchdown, gave Samford a 21-13 edge with 13:12 left in the third quarter.
However, Harvey's second touchdown of the contest was a one-yard plunge that ended an 11-play, 71-yard drive with 7:40 left in the third quarter. Hodges found him with a pass on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 21-21.
UCF held the Samford rushing attack to just 78 yards on 30 carries, an average of just 2.6 yards per rush.
In the first half, the Bulldogs dented the scoreboard first in the game with 10:23 remaining in the second quarter when Riley Hawkins hauled in a 29-yard pass in the back of the end zone from Dustin Taliaferro.
UCF knotted the game at 7-7 with just 57 ticks left before halftime on a Harvey one-yard touchdown run. The score was set up by a 21-yard reception by Kamar Aiken (Hollywood, Fla.) just outside the goal line. Hodges went 3-for-4 for 37 yards on the drive.
Next Saturday, Sept. 12, the Knights will open Conference USA action at Southern Miss at 7 p.m. UCF will return to its home field on Saturday, Sept. 19, hosting Buffalo at 7:30 p.m.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to www.UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit www.UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.