Field Level Media
Jan 1, 2018
Frost departs UCF with upset win over Auburn in Peach Bowl
McKenzie Milton accounted for three touchdowns, and No. 12 Central Florida gave coach Scott Frost a departing gift with a 34-27 upset of No. 7 Auburn on Monday in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Milton threw touchdown passes to Dredrick Snelson and Otis Anderson in the second half, and Chequan Burkett returned an interception 45 yards for a score midway through the fourth quarter.
UCF finishes the season 13-0, the only undefeated team in the FBS, just two years after going winless in 2015.
Frost accepted the head coaching job at Nebraska in December, but hung around to coach the Knights in the bowl game.
"This team had nowhere to go but up," Frost said in a post-game interview on the field. "But I can't believe how far they went up."
Milton got off to a rough start. The sophomore completed just 3 of his first 17 pass attempts, but did do damage with his legs. He scored on an 18-yard run, and Matthew Wright kicked two field goals, including a 45-yarder on the last play of the first half to send the Knights into the locker room with a 13-6 lead.
Auburn opened the second half with two quick scores to take the lead. Jarrett Stidham threw a touchdown pass to Will Hastings, and Kerryon Johnson scored on a 4-yard run that put the Tigers in front 20-13 with 7:55 left in the third quarter.
Trailing 27-20 in the fourth quarter, Auburn was driving before Burkett picked off Stidham and raced into the end zone to give UCF a 14-point lead with six minutes to play.
Auburn's Eli Stove scored on a 7-yard reverse to cut the UCF lead to 34-27 with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Down seven, the Tigers (10-4) marched to the UCF 21-yard line, but Stidham threw his second interception with just seconds left to seal the upset for the Knights.
Milton completed 16 of 35 passes for 242 yards with two touchdowns. He also had 116 yards rushing.
Stidham, who was under constant pressure, completed 28 of 43 passes for 331 with a touchdown and two interceptions.
--Field Level Media