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» UCF defeats Navy 31-21 to reach 6-0 for the first time in school history,
Adrian Killins ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns, McKenzie Milton passed for 233 yards and No. 20 Central Florida beat Navy 31-21 on Saturday in Annapolis, Md., for the first 6-0 start in school history.
The game was tied in the third quarter before Killins bolted down the right sideline for a 79-yard touchdown run to put the Knights ahead for good.
With the victory, UCF (6-0, 4-0 American Athletic Conference) became bowl eligible, matched its win total of last year and improved to 6-0 for the first time in the 39-year history of the program.
The Midshipmen (5-2, 3-2) kept it close, but their chances of pulling off an upset dwindled after quarterback Zach Abey was forced from the game in the third quarter. Abey was dazed from a hit to the helmet at the end of a run and had to be helped off the field.
Abey, the key figure in Navy’s triple option, carried 25 times for 126 yards and a touchdown — his school-record eighth straight 100-yard game. He also threw a touchdown pass.
His backup, Garret Lewis, directed a 75-yard drive that got the Midshipmen to 24-21 with 12:50 left.
Navy then intercepted a pass and moved inside the UCF 40 before Lewis sent a late pitch to Darryl Bonner, who fumbled when hit by cornerback Brandon Moore.
Moore recovered the loose ball with just over seven minutes remaining, and UCF freshman Otis Anderson scored the clincher on a 10-yard run with 3:30 to go.
The Knights came into the game averaging 50.6 points per game and with an average winning margin of 33.8 points. UCF didn’t come close to matching those numbers, but it did end Navy’s 17-game home winning streak during the regular season.
No. 16 USF 34, Tulane 28: Quinton Flowers threw for 127 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for 138 yards and another score, helping the Bulls (7-0, 4-0 American) hold off the Green Wave (3-4, 1-2) in New Orleans.
USF led 34-14 entering the fourth quarter but had to recover a late onside kick to remain unbeaten and win its 12th straight game overall.
North Carolina A&T 24, Bethune-Cookman 20: Lamar Raynard threw three touchdown passes as the Aggies (8-0, 5-0 MEAC) rallied to top the upset-minded Wildcats (3-4, 2-2) in Greensboro, N.C.
N.C. A&T trailed 20-14 entering the fourth quarter. With Bethune-Cookman driving, Deion Jones picked off Akevious Williams and returned it to the B-C 43. The Aggies conducted a 10-play drive but settled for Noel Ruiz’s 30-yard field goal to make it 20-17. The Aggies defense forced a three-andout and the offense took it 52 yards on four plays, culminating with Raynard’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Trey Scott.
The defense forced another three-and-out, and B-C’s last possession ended in its own territory as time expired.
Bethune-Cookman was led by former Village Academy standout Larry Brihm Jr, who went 16 of 24 for 144 yards with a touchdown.
Hampton 31, FAMU 27: Delmon Williams connected with Quinton Lee late in the fourth quarter to lift the Pirates (5-2, 4-0 MEAC) over the Rattlers (2-6, 1-4) in Hampton, Va.
The touchdown, with 5:46 left, capped a 47-yard drive that put Hampton back on top for good after FAMU rallied from an 18-point deficit to take the lead.
Ryan Stanley was 13 of 19 for 220 yards passing with three TDs for the Rattlers, and Ricky Henrilus ran for 109 yards on 10 carries.