Nov. 25, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Backed by 233 rushing yards from Latavius Murray, UCF closed out the 2011 season with a 31-14 victory over UTEP Friday at Bright House Networks Stadium. The Knights finished with a 5-7 record and a 3-5 mark in Conference USA.
Postgame Notes
UCF, 31, UTEP 14
Orlando, Fla.
Nov. 25, 2011
TEAM NOTES
-A total of 15 seniors were honored before Friday's game as they were playing their final contest at Bright House Networks Stadium: P David Bohner, PK Nick Cattoi, WR A.J. Guyton, LS Charley Hughlett, LB Josh Linam, LB Vinny Mazzurco, OG Cliff McCray, DE Darius Nall, TE Adam Nissley, OT Nick Pieschl, WR James Rose, DT Barry Snider, RB Ronnie Weaver, RB Kerlon Williams and WR Khymest Williams.
-The Knights wore gold jerseys with gold pants Friday, marking what is believed to be the first time they wore gold-on-gold in school history.
-UCF won the toss. It received the opening kickoff for the 11th time this season.
-The 24-0 halftime lead was UCF's largest advantage in a conference game after 30 minutes since it was ahead 38-14 at Tulane Nov. 20, 2010. The last time UTEP was shut out in the first half was vs. Kansas Sept. 12, 2009.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
-Junior running back Latavius Murray racked up a career-high 233 rushing yards on 21 carries, which rank as the fourth-most by a Knight on the single-game chart. Murray averaged 11.1 yards per rush, putting him in second place on UCF's single-game list (he holds the record at 13.1 against Tulane in 2010).
-Murray's 233 yards marked the 11th time a Knight ran for at least 200 yards in a game.
-The junior also added two rushing touchdowns to give him 22 for his career, moving him into a tie for fifth on UCF's all-time list.
-Murray had a 6-yard TD reception in the second quarter, which was his second-career touchdown reception. In all, he had 257 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.
-Redshirt freshman Blake Bortles posted his first-career rushing touchdown on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter. Overall, he finished 9-for-12 for 158 yards and a passing touchdown.
-Sophomore Jeff Godfrey was 5-for-6 with 53 yards. Godfrey went 160-for-232 with 1,898 yards. His 69.0 completion percentage ranked in a tie for second in UCF's single-season list. Meanwhile, Bortles had a 68.2 completion percentage, which ranked fourth.
-Wide receiver J.J. Worton had three receptions for 48 yards. He finished with 41 receptions on the year, breaking Sean Beckton's school record for catches by a freshman as he had 40 in 1987.
-Worton closed out the year with 531 receiving yards, ranking second only to Kamar Aiken's freshman record of 584 set in 2007. Fellow wideout Jose Reese finished in fifth on the freshman chart with 30 receptions, and third with 461 receiving yards.
-Junior Troy Davis recorded a pair of sacks (his career-high is 2.5), as he finished with a team-high 5.0 sacks this year.
-Junior cornerback Josh Robinson had three pass break-ups to give himself 15 for the season, which ranks tied for second in UCF single-season history. He also is second all-time in school history with 36-career break-ups. He will enter 2012 two shy of the record held by Asante Samuel (1999-02).
-Junior safety Kemal Ishmael led the Knights for the second-straight season with 81 tackles.
-Senior linebacker Josh Linam intercepted his second pass of the season after Troy Gray tipped it up in the year. Linam, Robinson and A.J. Bouye led the Knights in picks in 2011 with two apiece.