Quarter-by-quarter look at Auburn's loss to UCF in 50th Peach Bowl

UCF ended the season as the only undefeated team in major college football, rallying for a 34-27 victory over Auburn in the 50th Peach Bowl.

The loss denied Auburn of a rare 11-win season and sends the Tigers into the offseason on a two-game losing skid.

Instant analysis

FOURTH QUARTER: UCF 34, Auburn 27

UCF completed its perfect season, as senior linebacker Chequan Burkett intercepted a Jarrett Stidham pass and returned it 45 yards for a game-clinching touchdown with 5:56 to go.

Burkett, an Alabama nataive, played his high school football at Carver-Montgomery.

UCF also got a final interception in the end zone with 24 seconds remaining to end Auburn's comeback bid.

The Knights took the lead when QB McKenzie Milton zipped an 8-yard TD pass to Dredrick Snelson with 11:36 to go, avoiding Auburn defensive end Jeff Holland and zipping a strike for the go-ahead touchdown. That gave UCF a 27-20 lead and capped an eight-play, 59-yard drive.

Auburn's Derrick Brown blocked a 25-yard field goal attempt with 6:58 to go, keeping the score at 27-20 and Auburn's victory hopes alive.

But Burkett intercepted Stidham on the ensuing possession and raced 45 yards untouched for the game-clinching interception.

Auburn's Eli Stove scored on a 7-yard run with 4:12 to go, capping a six-play, 89-drive march to make things interesting, and UCF"s Matthew Wright missed a 38-yard field goal with 2:18 to go.

Key play: It's Burkett's interception returned. He clearly read the play and made it count when Stidham didn't even see him lurking in the passing lane.

Key player: UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton burned Auburn's defense with his arm and legs in the second half.

THIRD QUARTER: Auburn 20, UCF 20

Auburn appeared to take control, beginning with the second-half kickoff, but UCF responded with a touchdown drive.

The Tigers scored twice in the first 7:05 of the second half, and Kerryon Johnson's 4-yard run with 7:55 to go in the third quarter gave Auburn a 20-13 lead.

Auburn freshman Noah Igbinoghene returned the opening kickoff 72 yards to set a Jarrett Stidham TD pass, and the Tigers followed with a 10-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Kerryon Johnson's 4-yard TD run.

UCF, though, kept battling and tied it at 20-all when QB McKenzie Milton connected with Otis Anderson for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 1:30 to go in the third quarter.

UCF also sacked Stidham on the final play of the quarter -- the sixth of the game, a season-high for the Knights.

SECOND QUARTER: UCF 13, Auburn 6

UCF took the lead by scoring on back-to-back drives, first on a field goal and then turning a Jarrett Stidham fumble into a touchdown.

Then, after Auburn put together a 15-play scoring drive, UCF kicker Matthew Wright made a 45-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Auburn's Daniel Carlson missed a 53-yard field goal in the opening minute of the second quarter, and UCF responded with a 12-play, 48-yard scoring drive of its own. Matthew Wright's 33-yard field goal tied the game at 3-all with 11:11 to go before halftime.

Then, Stidham fumbled on a keeper near midfield, UCF's Tre Neal scooped it up and rumbled to the Auburn 21. UCF's McKenzie Milton scored on an 18-yard run two plays later for a 10-3 lead with 8:51 to go before halftime.

Auburn answered with a 15-play, 62-yard drive inside the UCF 20, but had to settle for Carlson's 46-yard field goal after UCF sacked Stidham for the fifth time.

Key play: Stidham's fumble changed the game's complexion. Auburn dominated the early minutes, but could only muster 3 points while UCF's offense sputtered. The fumble clearly provided an injection of confidence and enthusiasm for UCF.

Key player: UCF QB McKenzie Milton didn't put up big numbers -- the Knights finished the half with 126 yards of total offense -- but his 18-yard touchdown scramble provided the only touchdown of the first half. Then the engineered a five-play, 52-yard scoring drive in the final minute, scrambling for runs of 15 and XX yards and completing a XX-yard pass to get the Knights in field-goal range.

FIRST QUARTER: Auburn 3, UCF 0

Auburn's defense set the tone by forcing a three-and-out -- all incomplete passes -- on the game's opening possession.

The Tigers took the lead on Daniel Carlson's 25-yard field goal and ended the quarter with a drive into UCF territory.

Neither offense looked sharp, Auburn ran 23 plays to UCF's 11 and finished with an 83-16 advantage in total yards.

Key play: UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton dropped a shotgun snap, and Auburn linebacker Deshaun Davis recovered it. Carlson kicked a 25-yard field goal on the ensuing drive for the game's first points.

Key player: Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham was 7-of-9 passing for 71 yards, but he was sacked three times and seemed to have trouble the footing. On one of the sacks, he fell down and UCF was credited with a team sack.

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