UCF Comes Up Short in Road Tilt at Arizona StateUCF Comes Up Short in Road Tilt at Arizona State

UCF Comes Up Short in Road Tilt at Arizona State

by Justin Wilson
Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. – Despite recording nearly 150 more yards offensively and limiting Arizona State to its fewest yards of the season, a few big defensive plays proved to be the difference as UCF came up short against ASU 35-31 Saturday night at Mountain America Stadium. The Knights were looking to hand the Sun Devils their first home loss of the year, but they were able to hold off UCF to move to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the Big 12 Conference.

UCF (4-6, 2-5) ran 71 offensive plays for 406 yards, while ASU had 57 snaps on offense and compiled 260 yards. The Black and Gold also had a significant advantage in total first downs with a 26-18 margin, but two defensive scores for the Sun Devils were enough to propel them to the victory.

“Obviously, another disappointing loss,” said head coach Gus Malzahn. “Our guys fought hard, but we didn't play good enough to win. Bottom line, we didn't do what it took to win the game. They did, give them credit, but it’s another disappointing loss for us.”

RJ Harvey continued to run the football effectively for the Knights, tallying a game-high 127 rushing yards on 25 carries with three touchdowns. He pushed his season rushing TD mark to 19, which leads the Big 12 and is the second most in a single season for a UCF running back. With the three scores, Harvey’s career mark of 40 rushing touchdowns is also second in program history.

UCF quarterback Dylan Rizk completed a career-best 24 passes on 34 attempts for 229 yards, while Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt was 16-of-25 for 161 yards and three touchdowns. Rizk, making his first start on the road, opened the game 8-for-8 passing and hit on four big (15+) passing plays in the contest to just three for ASU.

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Kobe Hudson and Jacoby Jones were Rizk’s favorite targets, with each securing seven receptions. Hudson extended his streak of consecutive games with a reception to 33, which ties for the third longest by a UCF player. The Pine Mountain, Georgia, native had 56 yards receiving and Jones had 55. Tight end Randy Pittman Jr. was the Knights’ leading receiver with 62 yards on four catches.

UCF’s defense forced four punts, three 3-and-outs and did not allow ASU to convert either of their fourth-down attempts. Defensive back Quadric Bullard and linebacker Xe’ree Alexander led the Black and Gold with seven tackles apiece, while the former had a sack and a tackle for loss.

 

 

After winning the coin toss and electing to receive, the Knights made a statement on their opening drive, marching down the field on 13 plays for 75 yards to take the lead 7-0. Harvey found the end zone for eight yards out to put UCF up by seven.

UCF’s next drive stalled at their own 39-yard line to force a punt, but ASU’s Martell Hughes blocked the punt and Montana Warren scooped it up and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to knot the score at 7-7.

Redshirt freshman Grant Reddick drilled a career-long 45-yard field goal and a few minutes later, Jacurri Brown scored on a QB keeper to give UCF control of the game at 17-7. Arizona State countered to regain momentum heading into halftime with two touchdowns less than 30 seconds apart. Chamon Metayer reeled in a four-yard receiving TD and a Laterrance Welch pick-six made it 21-17 at halftime.

The teams traded touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters, but UCF couldn’t overcome a few costly mistakes and suffered its second consecutive road loss by one score.

UCF has a bye weekend before returning to action at West Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 23. The kickoff time and television designation will be announced by the conference office Monday.