Both teams came into this game with a bit of disappointment. Auburn had
everything in front of them. Coming off convincing victories of a pair of #1
teams at the team in Georgia and Alabama, all they had to do was beat the
Bulldogs again and they were in the college playoffs. And today, they would
be in Pasadena getting ready to play the Oklahoma Sooners in the Rose Bowl
for a return trip to Mercedes Benz Stadium at the National Championship
Game.
But, UGA had other ideas and derailed the Tigers plans, landing them
outside the playoffs at #7, but still in a New Year's Day game.
Central Florida (their media department says to not call them that) felt
they had a gripe with a 12-0 record. But, they got snubbed from the playoffs
and lost their head coach, Scott Frost, as a result to Nebraska.
Nonetheless, the Knights and their fan base seem thrilled to be playing in
the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and have every intention of remaining undefeated
as their media info lauds "The Perfect Season."
Frost told the Huskers that they would have to wait a bit for him to stay
with his team to finish the job while Gus Malzahn parlayed interest
from Arkansas to get a nice extension at Auburn.
The question will be a David and Goliath story. Have the Knights played
anyone on the level of Auburn. The schedule suggests not littered with the
likes of FIU, Maryland, Cincinnati, East Carolina and Austin Peay. Whereas,
the Tigers have faced off against a tough SEC West schedule with just a pair
of losses to LSU and Clemson. For Auburn, there was little to be gained. A
win would only mean they it was a mismatch against a lower level team. For
Central Florida, a win would justify their arguments that they should have
been included in the playoffs with an unbeaten record.
Both teams did nothing on their first drives with UCF winning the toss
and getting the ball first at their 25. QB McKenzie Milton looked a
bit jittery with three incomplete passes and a false start. Will Hastings
ran into the kicker to force a rekick downed at the 23 instead of the 48
from the first punt. A nice benefit of 25 yards.
Auburn also started with a three and out including a 7 yard sack of
Jarrett Stidham by Jamiyus Pittman. The short 35 yard punt gave
UCF great field position at midfield.
A quarterback keeper picked up 5 and a first down at the Au40. But a bad
snap was fumbled by Milton recovered by AU Deshaun Davis.
Stidham rolled to his right and found Nate Craig-Myers for 26
yards to the UCF25. Another first down with an 8 yard catch by Darius
Slayton at the UCF14. The drive stalled at the 8, but the turnover
resulted in the first points of the game with Daniel Carlson putting
it through the uprights from 25.
The Knights started their third drive at their 20 looking to settle down
their offense. But not yet as Dredrick Snelson caught one for five
followed by a pair of incompletion. But the 46 yard punt was muffed by
Stephen Roberts for an 10 yard loss and brought down at the 19.
Kerryon Johnson got a pair of first downs on carries of 5 and 14
to the Au46. Another sack of Stidham made it third and 17. But Stidham made
up the difference with a clutch 24 yard completion to Slayton to the UCF37.
Another third and long needing nine this time and again, Stidham converted
hitting Marquis McClain at the 26. But the defense got hits third
sack with Trysten Hill putting the QB down for a 10 yard loss at the
40. This time it was third and 24 and too much to overcome as the first
quarter came to and end.
Although they trailed by three and had been inconsistent on offense, the
Knights had to feel good with the way things were going so far. Especially
when Carlson's 53 yard field goal attempt came up short.
UCF took over at their own 36. Adrian Killins, Jr. rushed for six.
Milton could find no one open and scrambled up the middle for nine and a
first down at the 48. Killins got 7 more with another first down on a nine
yard pass to Snelson at the 36. Two incompletion brought up a third and 10
with Milton sprinting to the sidelines at the 14 after a 22 yard carry. They
could get no closer, though. Matthew Wright came in and tied the game
at three from 33.
returned the kick for 23 yards to the 28. A bruising run by Eli Stove
gained 14 with Johnson getting six more to midfield. But, a huge mistake by
Stidham as AJ Wooten forced the ball loose with Hill scooping it up
and returning it 36 yards to the 21. Milton escaped a near sack and sprinted
straight ahead to the end zone for an 18 yard TD and the Knights' first lead
10-3.
Auburn's troubles continued with more poor field position after the punt
when an illegal block in the back call on Daniel Thomas moved them
back to their own 10. But, again Stidham got them some room with a 15 yard
pass to Craig-Myers. Another holding call by Casey Bennett made it
second and 17 at the 20. Hill was banged up on the play. A fourth sack of
Stidham for a loss of 11 had them at their nine needing 28. An 8 yard
handoff to Johnson was accompanied by an unnecessary roughness call on
Chandler Cox.
Mike Hughes waited for the punt at the 50 and fair caught it in
his tracks. Again, great field position with 5:44 left in the first half.
UCF couldn't take advantage and had to punt with Roberts fair catching at
the 17. The Tigers again shot themselves in the foot with another holding
call by Andrew Williams backing them up to their nine. A bit of a
controversial call gave Statham a first down on a carry to the 19. Ryan
Davis caught one to the right and got six to the 35 then moved to the
other side and nine. Johnson rushed for six to midfield. Malan took a time
out at 1:32. Davis again up the middle for 19 to the 31. A fifth Statham
sack for an 8 yard loss stopped the drive with Carlson connecting from 46 to
pull the Tigers to within 4. But, the Knights quickly got those points back
driving the ball downfield 42 yards on six plays in just 38 seconds. Wright
put them back up by seven, 13-6 at the half.
Two key factors drove the outcome of the first half. Auburn continually
made things hard for themselves with 3-20, 6 penalties for 46 with half that
for CSU. Starting field position was another. The Tigers began their drives
at their 22, the UCFf49, their 19, 28, 10 and 9 while the Knights drives
began at their 35, 49, 20, 36, the Auburn 21, 50, and 30.
Auburn came out firing with a quick score to start the second half in
less than a minute. Noah Igbinoghene broke free and returned the
kickoff 72 yards to the UCF26. On the next play Hastings caught one in the
end zone to tie the score at 13.
UCF began at their 25 and quickly connected for a 17 yard Snelson
pass play. Frost lined his offense up to go for it on fourth and one at the
49, but a false start ended that thinking punting instead to the 18.
Kam Martin rushed for 13. Then, on a third and seven, Slayton
pulled in a clutch catch at the UCF36. Stidham hit Cox who took it for 16 to
the 22. More big plays as Johnson rushed for 8, Davis caught one for 10 and
Johnson finishing it off with a TD run from the four. And the sleeping
Tigers had awakened for a 14 point third quarter burst to take a 20-13 lead.
UCF, for the first time, started with terrible field position at their
10. On the kickoff, Hughes and Trey Matthews were both hurt.
But they got out of the hole quickly with an 11 yard carry by Otis
Anderson to the 21 followed by a 23 yard catch by Gabriel Davis
at the 44. Milton had the first down if he had just run into the open field
ahead of him, but chose to make a risky pass instead that was picked off but
ruled out of bounds. The punt again had the Tigers backed up at their 17.
The Tigers went three and out with the 43 yard punt dropping untouched at
the UCF35.
On a third and 8, TE Jordon Akins pulled a pass down for 26 to the
37. Anderson caught one for six before going out of bounds. Scrambling to
his right, Milton found Tre'Quan Smith for 19 into the red zone at
the 12. On the next play Anderson caught it at the 15 and bullied his way
across the goal line to tie the game again at 20.
Igbinoghene returned the kick 31 yards to the AU32. But a sixth Stidham
sack stopped the drive before it started as the game moved into the final
quarter still tied at 20.
UCF continued its great field position pattern taking the punt at their
41. Smith made a few nifty moves for a 16 yard gain to the AU42. Next it was
Davis for 15 to the 27. Another penalty for the Tigers pushed it to a first
and five at the 22. Smith added 16 more in the right corner at the one. The
play was reviewed and was ruled incomplete. Milton got a first down on a
keeper for 8 to the 10. Milton again bought some time until he found Snelson
in the back of the end zone for a go ahead score of 27-20.
Needing some offense, Auburn's next drive fizzled in another three and
out. UCF, on the other hand, overcame a six yard sack with a 223 yard Milton
rush followed by a 34 yard Smith catch at the AU15. But, a 25 yard field
goal attempt that would have put them up by two scores was blocked keeping
the lead at 7 with 6:58 remaining in the game.
A deep pass extended for Slayton drew a pass interference call on
Nevelle Clarke giving Auburn the ball at their 35. Then, the back
breaker as as Chequan Burkett picked off Stidham for the first time
and took it to the house extending the lead to 14.
Of course, Auburn started deep in their own territory at their 11. But,
Stidham quickly hit Hastings for 13 to the 24 and again for 30 on a play
that could have gone much farther if the wide receiver hadn't stumbled with
open field ahead of him. The next play had Hastings going for 18 more and
drawing a targeting call on Kyle Gibson that put the ball at the
UCF14. Stidham carried it for seven. On a third and three, with less than 5
minutes left, this was clearly four down territory. They didn't need it as a
reverse to Stowe had the WR take it to the left corner with no one within 15
yards of him. It was again a one score game 35-27.
The defense needed a stop but a 33 yard kickoff return by Hughes didn't
help their cause putting the ball at the 44.
But the CFU offense was back at it with a 30 yard catch up the middle by
Akins to the 24 putting them in field goal range. But, they were after more
than three. An illegal block below the waist call nullified an Anderson rush
that went to the 10. The penalty put the ball at the 25. A big third and 9
saw Malzahn take his second time out with just 2:26 remaining. They had to
hope for a stop and somehow have the field goal either be blocked or missed.
They got the stop and took their final time out at 2:23. And they got the
second part, which was a missed 38 yard field goal attempt.
They had their chance. It was all up to the Tiger offense to take it the
length of the field from the 21 with no time outs. Three plays only got two
yards for a do or die fourth and eight which was converted with a 12 yard
catch by Hastings at the 35. Hastings got 18 more to the UCF47 with still
over a minute to play. Frost took his second time out. Stidham rolled to his
left and hit Johnson who ran out of bounds at the 41. The QB kept it for a
first down to the 34. High drama as the clock ticked down to 40 seconds.
Craig-Myers caught one up the middle for 13 to the 21. C Casey Dunn
was hurt on the play but there was no 10 second injury run off since the
clock had stopped for a first down. 25 seconds to go. Under pressure,
Stidham lobbed a terrible pass to nothing ut white jerseys in the end zone.
The one wearing #3, Antwan Collier came down with it to seal the
unexpected 34-27 win.