Oct. 3, 2015
Final Stats | Notes | USATSI Gallery
Tulane - Images by UCF Knights
NEW ORLEANS, La. (UCFKnights.com) -- Two scoring bursts by Tulane led the Green Wave to a 45-31 win over UCF Saturday at Yulman Stadium.
Tulane scored 17 points in two-and-a-half minutes in the first half. In the second half, the Green Wave tallied 14 points in a matter of 58 seconds. In all, Tulane scored four touchdowns off Knight turnovers in the contest.
The Green Wave took a 10-7 lead on a field goal with five minutes left in the first half. Momentum then completely swung toward the Green Wave. A potential big play for UCF ended up in disaster for the Knights. Freshman QB Bo Schneider found wide receiver Chris Johnson free in the seam. Johnson went 62 yards to the 15-yard line, before the ball was stripped. Tulane returned the fumble to the UCF 49. One play later, Tulane quarterback Tanner Lee hit Teddy Veal for a 49-yard touchdown. UCF's next offensive play resulted in an interception, leading to a Sherman Badie touchdown run for the Green Wave. The Knights added a field goal to make it 24-10 at halftime.
A similar stretch in the third quarter put the game away for the Green Wave. Schneider lost a fumble at his own 10-yard line. Tulane scored two plays later. On the next Knights possession, Schneider's pass was tipped, intercepted and returned to the UCF 3-yard line. Two plays later, the Green Wave was on the board again, leading 38-10.
UCF backup QB Tyler Harris found D'erren Wilson three times for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, while Tulane scored once, accounting for the final tally.
UCF took advantage of a Tulane miscue to grab an early 7-0 lead. The Knights recovered a fumble inside the 20-yard line. Four plays later, Schneider found Gabe Franks with an 8-yard touchdown pass. Tulane tied it at 7-7 late in the first quarter.
Turnovers = Turning Points
- During the two scoring spurts for Tulane, UCF turnovers were a huge factor.
- In the 17-point, second-quarter scoring burst for the Green Wave, both touchdowns were immediately following turnovers.
- During the 14-point, third-quarter run, both Tulane scoring drives were following turnovers and were 10 yards or less.
Youth Is Served
- Wide receivers Franks (So.) and D'erren Wilson (Fr.) each caught the first touchdown passes of their careers Saturday.
- Wilson caught three scoring passes in the fourth quarter. The last UCF wide receiver to do that in the regular season was J.J. Worton at Temple on Nov. 16, 2013.
- Johnson, a redshirt freshman, and Wilson each went over 100 yards receiving for the first time in their careers. Wilson pulled in seven passes for 114 yards, while Johnson had six for 93.
- Freshman Joey Connors saw his first career action along the defensive line, responding with three tackles, half a tackle for loss and a pass break-up.
- Harris, a red-shirt freshman, tallied the first multiple-touchdown passing game of his career. He finished 10-of-15 for 156 yards and three scores.
Boy, Oh Boykins
- Junior defensive back Jerod Boykins had a career day against Tulane.
- Boykins recorded 12 total tackles, including one tackle-for-loss. Eleven of his stops were solo tackles.
- His previous high total for tackles was eight at South Carolina last week.
Story by Andy Seeley; Photos by Brad Helton