UCF 13 (6-7, 4-4 AAC) vs. Arkansas State 31 (8-5, 8-1 Sun Belt)
Dec. 17, 2016 | Camping World Stadium | Attendance: 27,213
Weather: Partly Cloudy | Temp: 81 degrees | Wind: 7 mph from SSE
UCF Captains
- UCF's captains for the game were SR QB Justin Holman, SR DB T.J. Mutcherson, r-JR WR Kyle Coltrain.
The Toss
- Arkansas State won the toss and elected to defer. UCF chose to receive. Arkansas State elected to defend the south end zone.
Team Notes
- This marked the eighth bowl in UCF's history and its seventh in the last 10 years.
- The Knights are now 3-5 in bowl games and have lost in their last two appearances.
- It was just the second ever meeting between UCF and Arkansas State, as the two teams have now each won once.
- The last matchup was a 31-20 UCF victory on Oct. 5, 1991 when both programs were NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS).
Offensive Notes
- McKenzie Milton set a new UCF record for completions in a season by a freshman when he completed his sixth pass of the game.
- He finished with 22 completions to give him 194 for the season, topping Ryan Schneider's record of 177 (2000).
- Taylor Oldham's 11-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was the first of his career.
- Milton went 22-of-39 passing in the game, with his 22 completions tying Blake Bortles (2012) for the second most by a Knight in a bowl game.
- The freshman completed passes to 11 different receivers in the game.
Defensive Notes
- Shaquem Griffin and Nate Evans combined for a sack in the second quarter, marking the first time Evans has been involved in a sack this season as a true freshman.
- Griffin's 11 sacks during the regular season were ninth most in the nation. With 11.5 on the season, it's the sixth most in a single season in UCF history.
- Demeitre Brim forced his second fumble of the season in the second quarter.
- Mark Rucker recovered the fumble, the first of his career.
- Brim finished with a game high and career high 14 tackles and two tackles-for-loss.
- Shaquill Griffin had three pass break-ups in the game, finishing with 15 on the season, the second most in a single season in UCF history.
- His 36 career break-ups are also tied for the second most in UCF history, trailing only Asante Samuel's 38 (1999-02).
Special Team Notes
- Matthew Wright connected on a 45-yard field goal to cut the Knights' deficit to seven points, at 17-10. It tied for the second longest field goal in a bowl game in UCF history.
- Wright added a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter for his 17th of 2016 and the 30th of his career.