UCF outlasts Memphis
ORLANDO, Fla. — A 1-yard touchdown run by Otis Anderson and an interception by Tre Neal in double overtime helped No. 14 Central Florida (12-0) keep its unbeaten season alive and secure a likely spot in a New Year’s Six bowl with a 62-55 victory over No. 20 Memphis (10-2) in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game.
It is Central Florida’s third AAC crown in the past five years. The crazy game was the last at UCF for Coach Scott Frost. Less than two hours after it was over, the second-year coach and former Nebraska quarterback was announced as the Cornhuskers’ next coach.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida needed another shootout to keep its unbeaten season alive. And when it was over the Knights found out their coach won’t be around much longer.
It has been quite a couple of weeks for UCF, but all things considered, the Knights probably could not have gone much better.
In one of the wildest FBS conference championship games ever, the No. 14 Knights captured the American Athletic Conference title with a 62-55 victory over No. 20 Memphis in double overtime.
It is Central Florida’s third AAC crown in the past five years and comes eight days after it won the East Division with a 49-42 victory over South Florida in Orlando.
The crazy game was quite possibly the last at UCF for Coach Scott Frost. Less than two hours after it was over, the second-year coach and former Nebraska quarterback was announced as the Cornhuskers’ next coach.
UCF Athletic Director Danny White said there is a possibility that Frost would coach the Knights in their bowl game. Offensive coordinator Troy Walters has been named the interim coach to handle day-to-day matters.
If this was the end for Frost it was quite a sendoff. The top two scoring teams in the country combined for 117 points — which is a record for an FBS conference championship game — and 1,479 yards. It was tied at 48 at the end of regulation.
UCF had the ball first in the second overtime and scored on a 1-yard run by Otis Anderson. Memphis got as far as the UCF 9 on its possession but Riley Ferguson’s pass on second and goal was intercepted by Tre Neal as the Knights (12-0) secured a likely spot in a New Year’s Six bowl.
The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first overtime. Memphis got the ball first and scored when Ferguson connected with Anthony Miller from 15 yards. UCF answered on a 2-yard run by Adrian Killins.
The Knights led 48-34 early in the fourth quarter but the Tigers (10-2) rallied to tie with 4:13 remaining on Ferguson’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Miller.
Memphis had a chance to win in regulation but Riley Patterson’s 51-yard field-goal attempt with 28 seconds remaining was wide left.
“Nobody on the sideline was panicking at all. We knew we had to go score quick, and that’s what we did,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson and UCF’s McKenzie Milton showed why they are the top two quarterbacks in the conference.
Milton threw for 494 yards (28 of 40), 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions as he was named the game’s most outstanding player. At one point in the first half the sophomore completed 15 consecutive passes for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Ferguson was 30 of 42 for 471 yards with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. At one point he had completed 12 consecutive. Overshadowed in Memphis’ loss was Miller’s performance. The senior had 14 receptions for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In other conference championship games Saturday, Logan Woodside threw four touchdown passes and Terry Swanson rushed for 180 yards and two scores as Toledo defeated Akron 45-28 in the Mid-American Conference championship game at Ford Field in Detroit. Receivers Diontae Johnson (118 yards) and Jon’Vea Johnson (103) combined for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns for Toledo (11-2), which won its third conference championship game and first since 2004. Akron (76) forced five turnovers but couldn’t overcome a lopsided first half in their second loss to Toledo (11-2) this season. Woodside threw 3 touchdown passes in the first half, 2 to Diontae Johnson, as the Rockets took a 28-0 lead. Swanson rushed for 61 yards and another score as Toledo outgained Akron 326-98 in the half. Akron trailed 38-0 before Manny Morgan’s rushing touchdown with 30 seconds left in the third quarter. The Rockets finished with a 561-396 edge in yardage. … Lane Kiffin’s first season at Florida Atlantic brought the school’s first Conference USA championship, as the Owls defeated North Texas 41-17 for the league title. Devin Singletary had 26 carries for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Owls, who extended their unbeaten streak to 9 games and were undefeated against C-USA opponents this season. Jason Driskel completed 15 of 27 passes for 269 yards and 1 touchdown for FAU, and Kalib Woods had a school-record 208 receiving yards. FAU (10-3) had 633 yards of offense. Mason Fine completed 24 of 39 passes for 304 yards for the Mean Green (9-4), whose five-game winning streak was snapped. Turner Smiley had a touchdown catch and Evan Johnson ran one in for North Texas, which will be bowl-bound for the second consecutive year. ... Brett Rypien threw for 246 yards and led a fourth-quarter comeback to help Boise State beat No. 25 Fresno State 17-14 in the Mountain West championship game in Boise. Boise State (10-3) had only mustered 103 yards of offense on its first four possessions of the second half until the Broncos broke out. Fresno State (9-4), which hasn’t won in Boise since 1984, still completed one of the best turnarounds in college history under first-year Coach Jeff Tedford after going 1-11 a year ago.