UCF Knights vs Temple Owls Match Player Stats On Nov 18, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 18, 2017

PHILADELPHIA -- In 2015, Central Florida was wallowing at the bottom of college football, an 0-12 program with no apparent glimmer of light coming from anywhere.

Two years later, Scott Frost is one of the hottest coaching prospects in the country and No. 15 UCF is one of the country's hottest teams. The Knights won a school-record 10th consecutive game with a 45-19 victory over Temple on a chilly, overcast Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Knights (10-0 overall, 6-0 American Athletic Conference) took advantage of five Temple turnovers that resulted in 24 points. UCF scored 40 points or more for the seventh time this season and has yet to score fewer than 30 in a game.

Temple was playing for a bowl possibility. The Owls (5-6, 3-4 AAC) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped under an avalanche of turnovers -- four interceptions and a fumble. The 45 points are the most allowed by Temple since the Owls lost to nationally ranked South Florida (44-23) on Nov. 4, 2015.

UCF sophomore quarterback McKenzie Milton was pulled from the game with over two minutes left in the third quarter. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 208 yards and four touchdowns, and he rushed for one score.

UCF held a 31-13 halftime lead and it didn't even seem that close. Temple held a brief 10-7 lead, when Frank Nutile hit Keith Kirkwood for an 8-yard touchdown pass with 13:37 left in the half. After that, it was all UCF. The Knights scored 17 points over their next four possessions -- all coming off of three Temple turnovers (two interceptions and a fumble).

Temple's upset bid started well. The Owls scored on two of their first three drives. They converted three fourth-down plays in the first half. Temple just couldn't keep control of the ball and the Knights took advantage.

The first Owls' turnover resulted in Milton's first touchdown pass, a 9-yard toss to freshman receiver Otis Anderson for a 21-10 edge with 9:20 left in the first half. A Temple fumble at its 24 led to a Matt Wright 44-yard field goal, and Nutile's second interception translated into Milton's 5-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis and a commanding UCF 31-10 lead with 2:36 remaining in the half.

The Knights widened their margin, scoring on two of their first three drives of the second half, which were Milton's 28th and 29th touchdown passes of the season.

NOTES: UCF's previous best start to a season was a 5-0 mark in the 1988 season, back when UCF played Division II football. The Knights' 10-game winning streak eclipses 2013's nine wins in a row. ... UCF WR Tre'Quan Smith has been impressive for the third straight year, leading the Knights in all receiving categories. The junior has 44 catches for 850 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2017. ... UCF junior LB Pat Jasinski made his first career interception, which resulted in a Knights' second-quarter score. ... UCF freshman WR Otis Anderson's second-quarter touchdown reception was the first of his career. ... Temple WR Keith Kirkwood's second-quarter TD reception was his fifth this season, tying him for the team lead. It equals his total of TD receptions in his previous two years at Temple. ... Temple QB Frank Nutile's 74-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Adonis Jennings was the Owls' longest score this year.