UCF trounces UAB, awaits rematch

The Knights ended the regular season with a bang Saturday, crushing UAB 49-24 in a game they dominated from the outset.

Now the Knights (9-3, 7-1) are headed to the postseason with another Conference USA East championship crown. They'll face Tulsa (9-3, 7-1) this weekend, with the Golden Hurricane fresh off their only conference loss of the season.

The Knights will have the momentum advantage heading into that game, after a trouncing of the UAB Blazers that showed that they could find the end zone with ease.

UCF ripped off a seven touchdown first half to build a lead that the Blazers could never reverse. But some of the numbers would look confusing for such a blowout. UAB would outgain the Knights with 599 yards to 473, including one of the worst pass defense games in UCF history. The Knights would allow 510 yards in the air in the game, more than all of UCF's total offensive yards combined.

Though the Knights would allow a massive amount of yardage in the game, they stopped the Blazers where it counted, stuffing the Blazers six times after they crossed onto UCF's side of the field.

On offense the Knights shined on the ground, with running back Latavius Murray rushing for 94 yards, while receiver Quincy McDuffie averaged 13.2 yards per carry en route to 79 on the ground.

Blake Bortles threw for 225 yards in the game, though his longest bomb only went 43 yards.

The offensive play of the game may have been on the Knights' defense, when defensive back Lyle Dankenbring picked off a UAB pass near the red zone and raced it back 78 yards for a touchdown that brought the score to 28-3.

Now the Knights face a Tulsa team that just lost one of the most lopsided games they've had all season. The Golden Hurricane outgained SMU 591 yards to 301, and still managed to lose 35-27.

But the final play of the Tulsa-SMU game may have summed up the entire four quarters in one second, as Tulsa was stuffed in the final yard of a wild 93-yard drive just a footstep from the end zone and a shot at tying the game.

UCF vs. Tulsa kicks off in Tulsa at noon on Saturday Dec. 1.