UCF makes bid for playoff spot with comeback win
Unbeaten UCF updated its sparkling resume with an impressive come-from-behind victory over Memphis in the American Athletic Conference title game.
Now the seventh-ranked Knights (11-0, No. 8 CFP), who proclaimed themselves national champions last January after finishing as the only undefeated team in the FBS, will see if repeating as AAC champs and having the nation's-longest winning streak are good enough to get them into the College Football Playoff.
“There's been a national conversation for 11 months since UCF won the Peach Bowl and claimed a championship,” athletic director Danny White said after Saturday's 56-41 victory over Memphis in Orlando, Fla.
“Our football team has now won 25 straight games. They deserve to be in this playoff, and I hope that's a decision that's made (Sunday),” White added. “If that does not occur, I think that's another pretty glaring example a four-team playoff is not adequate for the postseason.”
Darriel Mack Jr. shrugged off two early turnovers to rush for four second-half touchdowns and rally the Knights past the Tigers (8-5) for the fourth time in two seasons.
With the redshirt freshman filling in for injured quarterback McKenzie Milton, UCF amassed 698 yards total offense and tightened defensively after shaky start to limit Memphis to three points after halftime. No. 25 Fresno State 19, at No. 22 Boise State 16 (OT): Ronnie Rivers scored on a 1yard run in overtime to give the Bulldogs (11-2) a win over the Broncos (10-3) in the snowy Mountain West championship game.
Fresno State won its first conference title since 2013, beating the Broncos on their blue turf for the first time in 10 tries.
Rivers scored after Boise State's Haden Hoggarth made a 23-yard field goal on the opening overtime possession.
at No. 23 Iowa State 27, Drake 24: David Montgomery ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns and the Cyclones barely survived a near-upset by non-scholarship FCS school Drake. Brock Purdy had 153 yards passing and a TD for the Cyclones (8-4), who fought through persistent rain and a sloppy field to win their sixth straight home game, tying a school record.
Stanford 23, at Cal 13: Cameron Scarlett caught a short pass from K.J. Costello and raced 46 yards for one of his two touchdowns, Paulson Adebo intercepted two passes and Stanford relied on its defense to win its ninth straight Big Game. The Cardinal (8-4, 6-3 Pacific 12) scored on their first two drives of the game to take a 10-0 lead on Scarlett's first score and held on against the Golden Bears (7-5, 4-5) to extend the longest winning streak in the series that began in 1892.
Alabama Birmingham 27, at Middle Tennessee 25: Spencer Brown ran for 156 yards and a touchdown, Nick Vogel put UAB (10-3) ahead with a field goal with 3:23 remaining and the Blazers, who reinstated their program last season after a two-year hiatus, beat the Blue Raiders (9-4) in the Conference USA championship game.
at Appalachian State 30, Louisiana Lafayette 19: Zac Thomas had two long touchdown runs, Darrynton Evans set up another score with a 97-yard kickoff return and the Mountaineers (10-2) beat the Ragin’ Cajuns (7-6) in the Sun Belt Conference championship game. The victory earns the Mountaineers the conference's automatic berth in the New Orleans bowl on Dec. 15 against a team from Conference USA.
at North Carolina State 58, East Carolina 3: Reggie Gallaspy Jr. ran for 220 yards and two touchdowns to set a program single-season TD record and help the Wolfpack (9-3) rout the Pirates (3-9). The game was scheduled to replace cancelled September dates for both teams due to Hurricane Florence.
at South Carolina 28, Akron 3: Deebo Samuel caught two touchdown passes and recovered a bad snap on a punt in the end zone for another score for the Gamecocks. The Gamecocks (7-5) were playing a low-stakes game on a rainy, cold December afternoon to make up for one canceled by Hurricane Florence against the Zips (4-8), whose opener at Nebraska was cancelled by thunderstorms.
at Virginia Tech 41, Marshall 20: Ryan Willis threw touchdown passes to four different receivers in the first half and the Hokies (6-6) extended their nation's-best bowl streak to 26 years with a victory over the Thundering Herd (8-4).