Central Florida 46, South Florida 39
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
By Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. - Alec Holler made a leaping, one-handed catch for a touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Mikey Keene with 20 seconds remaining to lead No. 25 UCF to a 46-39 win over South Florida.
Keene completed a 41-yard pass to Javon Baker for a first down at the South Florida 29. Keene added a 10-yard run on a keeper to get the ball to the Bulls' 15 and set up Holler's leaping, twisting game-winning grab for UCF (9-3, 6-2 AAC).
South Florida (1-11, 0-8) got the ball to the UCF 32, but the Bulls' last-ditch attempt went out of the end zone.
UCF will play at No. 19 Tulane (10-2, 7-1) in the AAC title game on Saturday.
UCF scored on its first four possessions of the game to take a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter. But South Florida stormed back, scoring 22 points in a 3:44 span of the third quarter to pull within 31-29, forcing two turnovers to set up touchdowns.
South Florida even took a 39-38 lead with 7:02 remaining in the game when Bulls quarterback Bynum Brown reeled off a 42-yard TD run off an option keeper.
The Knights answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Keene throwing a 4-yard touchdown to Kobe Hudson to make it 38-29. Keene was 15 of 19 for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
UCF starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee had eight carries for 133 yards and a touchdown before he left the game with a pulled hamstring. He was also 9-for-9 passing for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Brown threw for 140 yards and rushed for 109 and a touchdown. Brian Battie rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns for the Bulls.
THE TAKEAWAY
UCF: Plumlee's health will be a big factor going into next week's AAC title against No. 19 Tulane in New Orleans. Keene's experience coming off the bench proved key to another late win for the Knights. UCF, which won six straight against rival USF, will head to the Big 12 next season.
South Florida: The Bulls will be looking for a new coach in the offseason after Jeff Scott was fired on Nov. 6. Whoever takes over could inherit some young talent on offense, especially Brown - as long as he and others decide not to enter the transfer portal.
November 26, 2022
| Scoring Summary |
| First Quarter |
UCF | USF |
| UCF |
TD |
12:17 |
John Rhys Plumlee 64 yard TD run (Colton Boomer Extra Point) |
7 |
0 |
| UCF |
TD |
2:44 |
RJ Harvey 3 yard TD run (Colton Boomer Extra Point) |
14 |
0 |
| Second Quarter |
UCF | USF |
| UCF |
TD |
11:25 |
John Rhys Plumlee 20 yard TD run (Colton Boomer Extra Point) |
21 |
0 |
| UCF |
TD |
7:20 |
Ryan O'Keefe 3 yard TD pass from John Rhys Plumlee (Colton Boomer Extra Point) |
28 |
0 |
| USF |
TD |
0:40 |
Sean Atkins 2 yard TD pass from Byrum Brown (Spencer Shrader Extra Point) |
28 |
7 |
| Third Quarter |
UCF | USF |
| UCF |
FG |
9:15 |
Colton Boomer 27 yard field goal |
31 |
7 |
| USF |
TD |
7:15 |
Byrum Brown 4 yard TD run (Jimmy Horn Jr. 2pt conversion attempt is GOOD) |
31 |
15 |
| USF |
TD |
5:03 |
Michel Dukes 5 yard TD run (Sean Atkins 2pt conversion attempt is GOOD) |
31 |
23 |
| USF |
TD |
3:31 |
Brian Battie 14 yard TD run (2pt conversion attempt is NO GOOD) |
31 |
29 |
| Fourth Quarter |
UCF | USF |
| UCF |
TD |
12:27 |
Kobe Hudson 4 yard TD pass from Mikey Keene (Colton Boomer Extra Point) |
38 |
29 |
| USF |
FG |
9:31 |
Spencer Shrader 34 yard field goal |
38 |
32 |
| USF |
TD |
7:02 |
Byrum Brown 42 yard TD run (Spencer Shrader Extra Point) |
38 |
39 |
| UCF |
TD |
0:20 |
Alec Holler 14 yard TD pass from Mikey Keene (Isaiah Bowser 2pt conversion attempt is GOOD) |
46 |
39 |
| Team Stats |
| |
UCF |
South Florida |
| First downs |
27 |
23 |
| Rushing |
17 |
13 |
| Passing |
10 |
8 |
| Penalty |
0 |
2 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
10-12, 83% |
4-9, 44% |
| 4th down efficiency |
0-0, -% |
2-2, 100% |
| Rushes-Yards |
47-345 |
43-298 |
| Passing Yards |
202 |
140 |
| Return Yards |
18 |
133 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
24-29-0 |
13-20-1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
1-4 |
1-9 |
| Punts |
1 |
2 |
| Fumbles Lost |
3-3 |
2-2 |
| Penalties - Yards |
4-47 |
2-10 |
| UCF Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| M. Keene |
15 |
19 |
129 |
2 |
0 |
| J. Plumlee |
9 |
9 |
73 |
1 |
0 |
| South Florida Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| B. Brown |
13 |
20 |
140 |
1 |
1 |
| UCF Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| J. Plumlee |
8 |
133 |
16.6 |
2 |
| R. Harvey |
15 |
71 |
4.7 |
1 |
| I. Bowser |
17 |
57 |
3.4 |
0 |
| R. O'Keefe |
3 |
53 |
17.7 |
0 |
| M. Keene |
3 |
17 |
5.7 |
0 |
| J. Richardson |
1 |
14 |
14.0 |
0 |
| South Florida Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| B. Battie |
19 |
144 |
7.6 |
1 |
| B. Brown |
15 |
109 |
7.3 |
2 |
| J. Horn Jr. |
1 |
16 |
16.0 |
0 |
| M. Dukes |
5 |
16 |
3.2 |
1 |
| K. Joiner |
2 |
10 |
5.0 |
0 |
| J. Albritton |
1 |
3 |
3.0 |
0 |
| UCF Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| J. Baker |
3 |
51 |
17.0 |
0 |
| R. O'Keefe |
6 |
43 |
7.2 |
1 |
| K. Hudson |
4 |
38 |
9.5 |
1 |
| A. Holler |
4 |
32 |
8.0 |
1 |
| R. Harvey |
4 |
14 |
3.5 |
0 |
| J. Richardson |
2 |
12 |
6.0 |
0 |
| I. Bowser |
1 |
12 |
12.0 |
0 |
| South Florida Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| J. Horn Jr. |
5 |
50 |
10.0 |
0 |
| H. Willis |
2 |
33 |
16.5 |
0 |
| O. Dollison |
2 |
20 |
10.0 |
0 |
| K. Joiner |
1 |
17 |
17.0 |
0 |
| M. Dukes |
1 |
9 |
9.0 |
0 |
| B. Battie |
1 |
9 |
9.0 |
0 |
| S. Atkins |
1 |
2 |
2.0 |
1 |
| UCF Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| J. Hodges |
1 |
0 |
| South Florida Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| UCF Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| M. McCarthy |
1 |
46 |
46.0 |
| South Florida Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| C. McCreary |
2 |
61 |
30.5 |
| UCF Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| South Florida Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| S. Atkins |
1 |
33 |
33.0 |
| UCF Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| X. Townsend |
1 |
18 |
18.0 |
| South Florida Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| B. Battie |
4 |
100 |
25.0 |
| T. Simpson |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| UCF Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| South Florida Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
