Bowser powers UCF over Florida
TAMPA, Fla. — Isaiah Bowser ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Ryan O’Keefe had 85 yards on seven receptions, and Central Florida earned Sunshine State bragging rights by beating Florida 29-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Thursday night.
UCF (9-4) took a 26-17 lead late in the third when Daniel Obarski made a 21-yard field goal, and Mikey Keene threw a 54-yard scoring strike to O’Keefe in the span of about two minutes. Obarski then made it 29-17 on a 33-yarder with 2:41 to play.
“Yeah, we are the best in Florida,” said O’Keefe, who also had 110 rushing yards. “We always thought that, but now we finally got to prove it.”
Florida quarterback Emory Jones, playing in his final game with the Gators before entering the transfer portal, completed 14 of 36 passes for 171 yards. He also ran for 62 yards on 10 carries.
“Not thinking about my future right now,” Jones said. “Will talk to my mom and family and then make a decision.”
Florida was led by interim coach Greg Knox, who took over when Dan Mullen was fired before the regular-season finale against Florida State. Former Louisiana coach Billy Napier will take over for the 2022 season. Florida (6-7) finished with its first losing record since 2017.
The Gators had eight penalties for 85 yards.
“You can’t make the mistakes we made and expect to win,” Knox said. “I think our guys played hard, just was not able to overcome the mistakes we made.”
MIAMI (OHIO) 27 NORTH TEXAS 14
Brett Gabbert threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns, Kenny Tracy scored on an 8-yard run and Graham Nicholson kicked two field goals as the RedHawks (7-6) beat the Mean Green (6-7) in the first — and possibly last — Frisco Football Classic.
Gabbert, the brother of NFL quarterback Blaine Gabbert, threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Kenny Davis late in the second quarter and an 11-yarder to Nate Muersch early in the third for Miami (Ohio), which won a bowl for the first time since the 2010 season.
Gabbert was named the game’s offensive MVP. The defensive MVP was Miami nickelback Jacquez Warren, who had an interception at the goal line.
After Miami stopped North Texas inside the RedHawks’ 5-yard line early in the fourth quarter, Gabbert escaped pressure — as he did much of the game — on third-and-8 deep in Miami territory to run for the first down that allowed the RedHawks to run out the rest of the clock.