Nov. 22, 2014
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By Megan Herboth
UCFKnights.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF senior class was part of a strong sendoff on Senior Day at Bright House Networks Stadium Saturday. With a 53-7 win over SMU, the Knights were undefeated at Bright House Networks Stadium in 2014. It's the first time in the eight-year history of the facility that UCF has won each home game it played.
"I thought it was a good game all around on offense, defense and special teams," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "A lot of guys played in the game. We got some turnovers early that made a difference in the game. I'm happy for the seniors. A lot of them came out and made some plays."
On the defensive side, the Knights tied the school record for fewest first downs allowed in a game, as SMU moved the chains only four times in the game. Offensively, a quick start helped UCF to the lopsided victory. The Knights scored touchdowns on their first two drives for the first time since the Fiesta Bowl.
The Knights used 11 plays on a 78-yard march down the field as Justin Holman went 4-for-4. Dontravious Wilson punched the ball in from the one-yard line to give UCF an early 6-0 lead. Jacoby Glenn intercepted the ball on SMU's first play to set up the Knights' second touchdown. Wilson ran it in from 11 yards out, the first multiple-touchdown game of his career, to give UCF a 13-0 lead.
After the Knight defense held SMU to a three-and-out, Justin Holman tossed a 58-yard strike to J.J. Worton, who broke away for the touchdown to give the Knights a 20-0 edge.
Still in the first quarter, the Knights forced a fumble to set the offense up on the SMU 19-yard-line. Holman found Breshard Perriman in the end zone three plays later and UCF took a 27-0 lead.
SMU took advantage of a long kickoff return and a four-play 30-yard drive for its only score of the game. But Michael Easton returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, swinging momentum squarely back to the UCF sideline. It was the first kickoff return of Easton's career and UCF's first kick return for a TD since 2012. Later, a Rodrigo Quirarte field goal extended the UCF lead to 37-7 with less than 15 seconds remaining in the first half.
A long pass from Holman to Micah Reed highlighted the opening of the third quarter. Shawn Moffitt's field goal extended UCF's lead to 40-7 with 5:15 left in the third quarter. On SMU's next drive, Rob Sauvo forced a fumbled and a Brandon Alexander recovery set up another Shawn Moffitt field goal to push the UCF lead to 43-7.
The UCF defense came up big again in the fourth quarter, forcing its fifth turnover of the game as Shaquill Griffin intercepted Garrett Krstitch on the second play of the quarter. Taylor Oldham hauled in a 19-yard pass to set up first and goal for the Knights and Moffitt connected on his third field goal of the second half to give UCF a 46-7 lead with 11:28 remaining. Nick Patti kept the ball for a one-yard TD run with 3:18 left in the game to account for the final tally.
"I thought defensively we did a nice job of containing the quarterback and keeping him in the pocket," O'Leary said. "I tell you, the last couple of games he has been the difference with their offense with his legs and his arm. I thought we did a nice job of transition in the coverages we played."
UCF heads to Tampa to take on USF on Nov. 28. The game, which has a noon kickoff, will be broadcast on ESPN2.
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