Knights edge SMU to close out regular season

Ten years after head coach George O'Leary took the helm of the the UCF Knights football team, they hammered in their final win in their best season ever en route to their biggest bowl game. The Knights (11-1, 8-0) kept things interesting, but controlled their destiny all the way to the closing siren in another nail-biter finish against SMU Saturday. Now they may be Fiesta bowl bound.

UCF had struggled against the cold all game, dropping passes, flubbing throws and fumbling runs in the frigid 25 degree weather of Dallas. Quarterback Blake Bortles found the end zone himself in the deciding score, racing to the left sideline and cruising past the pylon to put the Knights up for good. Bortles would throw for 242 yards to lead the Knights to victory.

After barely cracking double digit yardage in the first quarter they would go on to rack up 338 yards in the game after accelerating their offense in the second half. They would outgun the Mustangs offense, which had 313 yards, most of them on the ground. Where UCF led substantially was first downs, gaining 24 versus SMU's 15.

For the better half of the fourth quarter the Knights were in control, shutting down the Mustangs' defense and driving down the field, despite icy hands that had trouble on receptions and runs.

UCF receiver Rannell Hall had crucial catches all game to advance the offense, and the UCF defense found ways to stop the SMU offense in the second half after giving a concussion to SMU quarterback Neal Burcham in the fourth quarter. Hall would catch 44 yards of receptions. Wide receiver Jeff Godfrey led the team in reception yardage with 62 yards.

The Knights had trouble early on after letting the Mustangs score first with a short field goal to put it to 3-0. The Knights wouldn't catch up to the Mustangs until after the half, overtaking them in the fourth quarter and holding on for the win.