UCF and Memphis in overtime in a wild AAC title game with huge stakes

No. 14 UCF was tied with No. 20 Memphis, 55-55, at the end of the first overtime period in the AAC Championship Game on Saturday in Orlando.

UCF scored on the first possession of the second OT, setting up a do-or-die series from the UCF 25 for Memphis.

Whichever team wins will play in a New Year’s Six bowl game as the representative for the Group of 5 conferences. And if UCF wins, the Knights will wrap an incredible 12-0 season as they head into their bowl game.

The specific New Year’s bowl awaiting the winner is probably the Peach in Atlanta, though that’s not official. This could be the last game at UCF for second-year head coach Scott Frost, who’s in high demand at Nebraska and elsewhere. Frost has spoken in the days leading up to the game like someone who’s about to move on. And he’s reportedly already got most of a staff lined up at Nebraska.

The end of regulation was wild.

Memphis had come back from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit when the Tigers got the ball at their own 43 with 2:35 to play. On a third-and-14 after a delay of game penalty, a 36-yard Darrell Henderson run gave them a chance to win with a field goal. Freshman kicker Riley Patterson had a 46-yard try blocked, then missed a 51-yarder after Frost’s attempt to ice him with a timeout before the snap gave him another shot.

Memphis intercepted UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton on UCF’s ensuing last-minute drive, but the Knights sacked Memphis’ Riley Ferguson to force overtime.

There were a combined 1,399 yards of offense in the first 60 minutes.

The Knights added some separation with a field goal to go up two touchdowns with 10 minutes left.

But Memphis answered, first with a 66-yard touchdown run almost immediately thereafter by Tony Pollard. The Tigers then tied the game on a Riley Ferguson touchdown pass to Anthony Miller. That set up the wild finish.

Memphis had a touchdown lead at halftime. But the Tigers failed on a surprise onside kick attempt to start the third quarter, and UCF tied the game moments later.

Memphis countered with a field goal drive to go back ahead.

UCF then got on a run, though. The Knights scored back-to-back touchdowns on throws from McKenzie Milton to Tre’Quan Smith and Dredrick Snelson.

Memphis scored a quick touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Riley Ferguson to Tony Pollard, cutting into the Knights’ 10-point lead.

UCF responded on the next drive, when Milton threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Smith. It was Milton’s second bomb touchdown pass of the day, after he threw a 48-yarder to Jordan Akins in the first.

Memphis in turn got a 30-yard touchdown run from Darrell Henderson after a fumble recovery in UCF territory, and then pulled ahead for the first time on a 68-yarder from Ferguson to Anthony Miller. This game’s been an offensive firework show.

The Knights scored the first 10 points of the game before the teams traded touchdowns to finish the first 15 minutes at 17-7, UCF.

The quarter also included UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who has one hand, wrestling a loose ball away from Memphis.

For the UCF Knights and the Memphis Tigers, Saturday’s game is about more than just a conference championship. Whoever wins will end up in a prestigious New Year’s Day bowl.

The Knights and Tigers will battle on championship weekend for the American Athletic Conference crown, broadcast on ABC at noon ET (live stream). The winner will almost certainly be the highest-ranked representative from the Group of 5 conferences in the College Football Playoff rankings and, with that, will earn a spot in the biggest set of bowl games outside the final four.

For UCF, a win would add another chapter to the story of an incredible comeback. The Knights were 0-12 only two seasons ago before hiring Scott Frost to take over as head coach. Frost’s turnaround has been borderline unbelievable — after a 6-6 season last fall, he’s got his rising program out to a 11-0 start in 2017. Getting past Memphis, however, may prove to be the biggest challenge of his season.

Time: Noon ET
Location: Spectrum Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
TV: ABC
Streaming: WatchESPN
Odds: UCF is favored by 7 points

Now Frost runs a unique, smart offense at undefeated UCF, and it’s worked to the tune of a national-best 48 points per game. Frost is this year’s Tom Herman, the Group of 5 head coach whose recruiting savvy and on-field results make him one of the hottest candidates around for all the biggest jobs.
Huskers fans showed up at a UCF game in Philadelphia to woo him home with signs. New athletic director Bill Moos is on the record as a Frost fan.

Peach (Atlanta): Georgia vs. UCF
Birmingham: Memphis vs. MTSU*

Will McKenzie Milton continue to play above his stature?

Milton is only 5’11, but he plays like a giant. He threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns last week to lead the Knights to a shootout win over South Florida. Earlier in the season, he threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns to torch the Tigers, 40-13. Another big performance will cement his claim as one of the FBS’s top quarterbacks.

Two high-powered offenses will clash in Orlando, but UCF has already crushed Memphis once this season, 40-13. Saturday’s game will be closer than that, but the Knights’ perfect season will continue.

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