UCF completes its perfect season
McKenzie Milton threw two touchdown passes and ran for 116 yards with another touchdown, leading No. 10 Central Florida to a 34-27 Peach Bowl win over No. 7 Auburn yesterday in Atlanta, that capped the Knights’ perfect season.
UCF led 34-20 before having to stop a late Auburn comeback. Antwan Collier’s interception in the end zone with 24 seconds remaining clinched the win.
After Auburn took a 2013 lead in the third quarter on a 4-yard run by Kerryon Johnson, Milton threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Otis Anderson to tie the game. Milton, under pressure, zipped an 8-yard scoring pass to Dredrick Snelson early in the fourth to give the Knights the lead.
Chequan Burkett’s 45yard interception return for a touchdown pushed the lead to 14 points.
UCF (13-0) won in its final game with coach Scott Frost, who stayed with the team through the bowl game after accepting an offer to become the new coach at Nebraska, his alma mater.
The Knights thought they deserved a higher ranking after winning the American Athletic Conference and leading the nation in scoring, and they made a strong statement by beating Auburn (10-4).
The Knights sacked Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham six times. Auburn had only one sack.
Auburn suffered its second straight loss at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where it was beaten by Georgia in the Southeastern Conference championship game one month ago. The loss to Georgia cost the Tigers a chance to play in the College Football Playoff.
Kerryon Johnson ran for 71 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run that gave Auburn the lead in the third quarter.
UCF led 13-6 at halftime despite behind held under 14 points at the break for the first time this season.
Citrus Bowl
Notre Dame 21, LSU 17 — Myles Boykin scored on a 55-yard touchdown pass with 1:28 remaining and the No. 14 Fighting Irish (10-3) got their first win in a New Year’s Day bowl since 1994, with a win over the No. 16 Tigers (9-4) in Orlando, Fla.
Three plays after Jack Gonsoulin’s 17-yard field goal gave the Tigers a 17-14 lead with 2:03 remaining, Boykin caught a pass from Ian Book with his right hand at the LSU 33, managed to elude corner Donte Jackson and then broke a tackle attempt by John Battle up the right sideline for the game-winning score.
The junior, who saw increased playing time because of suspensions to two Notre Dame receivers, had three receptions for 102 yards and was named the game’s MVP. Book, who entered the game in the second quarter, was 14-of19 for 164 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Brandon Wimbush was Notre Dame’s quarterback for the first five series and struggled, including threeand-outs on his last three series. He connected with Equanimeous St. Brown for a 35 yard completion on the first play of the game, but the opening drive stalled at the LSU 31 when Josh Adams was stopped for a 3-yard loss on fourth-and-1.
Outback Bowl
South Carolina 26, Michigan 19 — Jake Bentley threw for 239 yards and two touchdowns to help the Gamecocks overcome a 16-point second-half deficit to beat the Wolverines in Tampa, Fla.
The sophomore tossed scoring passes of 21 yards to Bryan Edwards and 53 yards to Shi Smith, the latter giving South Carolina (9-4) a 23-19 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Michigan (8-5) finished with its first three-game losing streak under coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines turned the ball over five times, including an end zone interception that denied them an opportunity to regain the lead with just under eight minutes left to play.