Perfect ChampionsPerfect Champions

Perfect Champions

ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) - Perfection. The UCF football team finished off its perfect season with an exhilarating 62-55 overtime victory over Memphis Saturday afternoon at Spectrum Stadium. The Knights capped 2017 with their third American Athletic Conference Championship, finishing undefeated at 12-0.

"I will remember that for a long time," UCF head coach Scott Frost said after the game. "I couldn't see anything because of the confetti, but that's not my trophy. That's their trophy. It's a proud moment for me, but I wanted to get that trophy in these guys' hands as fast as I could."

UCF (12-0) came into Saturday's championship game as the number one scoring team in the nation. Memphis (10-2) was ranked second. Neither offense disappointed on the biggest of stages, going toe-to-toe every step of the way.

The two teams combined for 1,479 yards of total offense and 117 points.

UCF's largest lead was 14 points, at 48-34, early in the fourth quarter. Memphis, meanwhile, led by seven...twice.

The Knights' final seven-point lead, however, was the one that mattered. After Otis Anderson found the end zone on a one-yard run to give UCF a 62-55 lead on its second possession of overtime, the defense needed to make one final stop against the explosive Memphis offense.

On second down, from the nine-yard line, Tre Neal intercepted Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson near the goal line to seal the victory for the Knights.

MCKENZIE MILTON NAMED MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER

  • Milton: 28-for-40 for 494 yards and five touchdowns through the air
  • Milton: 11 rushes for 68 yards and one touchdown
  • The UCF quarterback's 494 yards passing were the second most ever by a Knight in a single game.
  • He also set a new season record for passing touchdowns (35) and passing yards (3,795).

"We were able to weather the storm and we came out guns blazing the second half," Milton said. "There was one play that I got a little greedy, but it is what it is. The defense picked us up and we were able to get the win. So I'm grateful for that."

SMITH, SNELSON COMBINE FOR 306 YARDS AND FOUR TOUCHDOWNS

  • Tre'Quan Smith and Dredrick Snelson were impressive all day long for UCF.
  • Smith finished with six catches, 161 yards and two scores.
  • It was Smith's 11th 100-yard receiving game, tying for second on UCF's all-time list.
  • Snelson had nine receptions for 145 yards and another two scores.
  • It was the first time a UCF duo of receivers both went for more than 100 yards since J.J. Worton and Rannell Hall did it at Temple on Nov. 16, 2013.

SHAQUEM SECURES VICTORY IN FINAL GAME AT SPECTRUM STADIUM

  • Shaquem Griffin has had an incredible couple of seasons.
  • On Saturday, he closed out his career in Orlando with six tackles, two huge sacks, a pass break-up and a fumble recovery.
    "It's amazing when you have teammates like ours and coaches like ours," Griffin said. "They put you in this situation where you can't give up no matter what. You need to do good for yourself and be the best person that you can be. I'm just grateful and I'm so thankful for everything that came our way. I'm so thankful to have guys like this...I love them with all my heart. There's nothing that I could say or do. I would not change this for nothing in the world."

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