ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Blake Bortles is just one of many factors precisely why Central Florida senses good with regards to its chances connected with achieving success while in the new-look Big East.
The red-shirt sophomore switched that Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl right personal show off Friday night, throwing for several touchdowns in addition to running to get another to be able to rate a 38-17 victory through Ball State within UCF's final activity as being a member of Conference USA a league your Knights picked up double inside eight seasons.
"He's a superb player, in addition to they scared me personally . to arrive with his paws and his or her capacity to escape while in the pocket plus keep his face decrease the actual domain and make plays," Ball State coach Pete Lembo said.
"He did of which quite simply from your starting from the online game till the end whenever he emerged out," Lembo added. "I can not feel that this kind of man's definitely not visiting often be a professional prospect in case this individual continues that will develop the best way he / she has. So I'm very, really impressed by using your ex boyfriend and definitely the supporting cast."
Bortles moved a balanced infiltration which received 494 back yards overall offense. UCF's safeguard did its portion by controlling your high-scoring Cardinals with their smallest level full from the season.
"Offensively, it is one of the most effective adventures most people had most year," Bortles said. "Everyone simply just truly found and also went, and also that's why we gained the best way most people did."
Bortles used intended for 271 back yards and also a few touchdowns. The red-shirt sophomore also rushed for the career-high 80 yards in addition to have scored with a 6-yard run that helped UCF (10-4) create a 21-point halftime lead.
"I thought Blake did everything he or she was required to perform by causing the correct decisions," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "Basically, they made the suitable decisions that went people affordable that field. He truly showed tonight why he has our male away there."
Bortles tossed first-half TD goes by connected with 7 and also some yards to help Latavius Murray, who seem to additionally scored for a 2-yard run. J.J. Worton's 7-yard scoring wedding celebration made 35-10 past due within the 3 rd quarter.
Ball State (9-4) seemed to be wanting to make with at lowest 10 is victorious for any finally time in education history, on the other hand its offense sputtered although currently being held 18 items under it is period average. Keith Wenning threw a new 7-yard TD pass to Willie Snead earlier inside the second quarter, however the Cardinals did not wind up in the actual ending zoom all over again right up until Snead scored with a 16-yard wedding party along with a few minutes remaining.
Bortles finished 22 associated with 33 goes over without an interception to get UCF's first 3,000-yard passer because 2002. His some TD goes over were some sort of career-best plus strapped that Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl record.
Wenning, meanwhile, has been 22 associated with 34 with regard to 217 yards as well as a pair of TDs intended for Ball State, which in turn had some sort of six-game receiving streak snapped prior to an proclaimed audience involving 21,759.
The Cardinals ended up three or more with regard to in search of on third-down conversions and also finished with 288 yards, nearly 200 underneath their particular period average.
"Obviously, to remain seated within the domain on third down is critical, plus (there is) not much margin regarding fault to get each of our offense," Lembo said. "It weren't your ugly day offensively by simply virtually any means, but is not quite for the gradation most people needed to reside while in the game."
UCF, one of a few universities subscribing to the Big East following season, rebounded coming from a strong overtime impairment inside Conference USA subject activity in order to complete having double-digit victories for that next occasion considering that stepping up to this Football Bowl Subdivision. The Knights also received 10 with 2007 as well as 2010, after they were Conference USA champions.
The Knights' damage to Tulsa while in the Conference USA name game kept these in close proximity to help home for any postseason. Instead of advancing towards the Liberty Bowl with the second time within a few years, private coach George O'Leary and his online players settled for any 100-mile journey to the west coming from Orlando to Tropicana Field, your house with Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays.
O'Leary also produced his staff for you to St. Petersburg in 2009, burning off to help Rutgers by means of several touchdowns. Friday night's victory improved upon that 66-year-old coach's report to 4-5 with dish games, which include some sort of 2-3 make with UCF.
Ball State's very first bowl overall look considering 2008 could be the latest move around a remarkable turnaround under Lembo, in whose company endured early profits / losses to help Clemson, Kent State and Northern Illinois ahead of winning half a dozen straight down your stretch that can put independantly proper situation in order to enter into this Big East's position inside the Beef 'O' Brady's game for the reason that league did not have adequate bowl-eligible competitors to satisfy its commitment.
The Cardinals beat two squads from BCS conferences in the exact time for the very first time, beating Indiana along with South Florida in consecutive weeks. They had the MAC's second-most successful criminal offense with 471.3 back yards and 35 points each adventure and also claimed a number of situations by scoring that receiving details from the remaining couple of units and also overtime.
"It's not really how we kind regarding aspire to continue while your senior, nevertheless I'm happy with my own teammates regarding sometimes acquiring individuals on the point," Ball State linebacker Travis Freeman said. "The folks worked tricky plus prepared difficult all year round for this opportunity. We didn't seize it, but I'm proud of my teammates for what they have done."
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