Oct. 29, 2011
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2
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By Eric DeSalvo
UCFAthletics.com
| UCF vs. Memphis Oct. 29, 2011 |
| From Bright House Networks Stadium | |||||
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| Memphis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UCF | 14 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 41 |
UCF Alumni Return for Homecoming
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - As UCF was ready to take on the Memphis Tigers, alumni enjoyed themselves at what was will forever be their school.
"Coming back to UCF never gets old," 1977 graduate Michael Rodriguez said. "Every Homecoming game is a new experience."
The Homecoming game is the one event alumni--and their families--do not miss.
"Even though my wife did not graduate from UCF, I made sure she turned into a Knight," 1979 graduate Van Taylor said. "We are season ticket holders, we make sure we make it to every game and we also make sure to bring the kids. There is no such thing as being too young to come to the games."
Rain or shine, alumni were the first people to get to campus.
"[The Homecoming game] is such a big deal for my family," 1962 graduate John Terry said. "My son-in-law proposed to my daughter on a Homecoming game three years ago, it meant the world to me for him to propose on UCF territory. This campus means so much more to me than any other place I have been."
Another memorable pregame event Saturday was the annual UCF Football Letterman's Tailgate and Barbecue which featured over 200 lettermen returning to campus.
"This means a lot me. I've been around so long that I've known a lot of these guys since they were 18 and 19. Now they are coming in with their wives and their kids know my name. I watch them grow and it's really a good feeling because this is a family," said Manny Messeguer, who manages the UCF football lettermen's club and has been associated with the Knights for 31 years. "I have this set up a year in advance when I get with head coach George O'Leary to pick out which game we want to do this. And in April we also have our golf tournament at Rio Pinar which is really big and all of the coaches play."
There is no doubt UCF will always have a special place for alumni and generations to come.
by Andrea Bejarano
Another Successful Homecoming
Back in the friendly confides of Bright House Networks Stadium, the UCF football team treated fans in attendance to its third-straight Homecoming victory, and fourth in the past five seasons. In each of the last four Homecoming triumphs, the Knights have scored 37 or more points against the opposition. In 2010, UCF topped Rice, 41-14, and also scored its first-ever win over a ranked FBS opponent when it knocked off Houston, 37-32, in 2009.
Getting it Done on the Ground
The recipe for success in each of UCF's three previous wins this season has been the ability to pick up large chunks of yards on the ground. Saturday was no different for the Knights as they gashed Memphis for 261 yards on the day. In its four wins in 2011, UCF has totaled 235 yards or more on the ground. Quarterback Jeff Godfrey set the tone early, recording a career-long touchdown run of 29 yards on the first possession of the game.
Three is the Magic Number
So far in 2011, UCF has posted five contests with three or more rushing touchdowns, and boasts a 4-1 in those games. The Knights pounded out four more scores on the ground, and now own 22 on the season. Godfrey blew past Memphis defenders on a 29-yard scamper for his ninth rushing touchdown of the season. Ronnie Weaver and Brynn Harvey each added a score on the ground, and junior wide receiver Quincy McDuffie took a Godfrey pitch 16 yards to the house for his first-career rushing touchdown.
Moving Up the Leaderboard
Redshirt junior running back Brynn Harvey moved up the school record career rushing yards list from No. 8 to No. 5. With 2,094 yards heading into today's game, his 78 yard performance this evening brings his career total to 2,172. He hopped Mark Giacone (2,128; 1987, 89-90), Gerod Davis (2,164; 1992-95) and Elgin Davis (2,170; 1983-86) with today's offensive production to claim the No. 5 spot. Kevin Smith currently holds the record with 4,679 yards from 2005-07.
Keeping It Out of the Endzone
UCF kept its second opponent of the season scoreless, marking the first time since 2001 that such a feat has occurred. In that season, the Knights blanked Liberty 63-0 and Louisiana 31-0. Moreover, the defense hasn't allowed an offensive touchdown at home this year. UCF last allowed an offense touchdown on Dec. 4, 2010, in the fourth quarter of the Conference USA Championship game.
Relentless Pursuit
UCF tied its season best for sacks with three in today's game for 10 yards. The Knights posted three sacks for a total of 14 yards against Boston College. Junior linebacker Troy Davis recorded his first sack of the year in the first minute of the second half. Davis ranked third on the team last season in sacks with 5.5.
TEAM NOTES
-With the 41-0 win, UCF improved to 4-4 on the year and 2-2 in Conference USA (2-1 in the East Division). Memphis fell to 2-7 and 1-4.
-UCF has now won seven-straight games against Memphis, tying for the longest winning streak over a single opponent in school history (UCF also has defeated Marshall seven-straight times).
-The Knights wore gold jerseys with white pants, marking the first time since Nov. 1, 2009, that they sported the gold jerseys at home.
-Opponents have only scored nine points all season inside Bright House Networks Stadium.
-In 2011, opponents have failed to score an offensive touchdown at BHNS. The last time an offense successfully converted for six points against the Knights was SMU in the C-USA Championship Game.
-The last time UCF shutout two opponents in one season was in 2001. The last shutout of a C-USA program was when UCF topped Tulane, 49-0, Nov. 21, 2009.
-UCF tied its season high in sacks with three against the Tigers. The Knights sacked Boston College three times on Sept. 11.
-UCF recorded 17 first downs in the first half alone compared to giving up four to Memphis. The Knights finished with a 28-to-6 advantage in first downs for the game.
-The Knights held a 334-82 cushion in total yards for the first half before completing the afternoon with 505 (season-high was 560 against Charleston Southern). UCF held Memphis to just 134 total yards, and has held four opponents under 200 in 2011.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
-True freshman cornerback Brandon Alexander, freshman middle linebacker Terrance Plummer, sophomore defensive tackle Jose Jose and junior defensive end Toby Jackson all received their first starts in a UCF uniform Saturday.
-True freshman Troy Gray recorded his first-collegiate sack on Memphis' first drive of the game. Gray, Jonathan Davis and Troy Davis each produced a sack in the win.
-Sophomore quarterback Jeff Godfrey rushed for his 19th-career touchdown in the first quarter, moving him into a tie for seventh on the UCF all-time rushing list (teammate Latavius Murray also has 19).
-That touchdown went for 29 yards, marking Godfrey's longest-career rushing touchdown.
-Godfrey ended the afternoon with 200 passing yards and 97 rushing. It was Godfrey's fifth-career game with at least 200 passing yards, and third-best career performance on the ground.
-Junior wide receiver Quincy McDuffie recorded a 19-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, which was his first-career rushing touchdown. McDuffie also recorded a 25-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. He was the first UCF player to have a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game since Murray accomplished the feat in the C-USA Championship Game vs. SMU Dec. 4, 2010.
-True freshman Shawn Moffitt booted a career-long 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. He was 2-for-2 in field goals on the day.
-Freshmen wide receivers J.J. Worton (5-43) and Josh Reese (4-70) accounted for nine receptions for 113 yards.