Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 2

Note: We define the 21st Century as Jan. 1, 2001, to the time of this series' publication.

No. 2: An American Barnburner (2017 American Athletic Conference Championship Game vs. Memphis)

The 2017 UCF Knights might have been able to dispatch Memphis with ease in the regular season, but the American Athletic Conference Championship was a whole different beast.

Whether one calls it an offensive clinic or a defensive travesty, the Knights and Tigers made history with 117 combined points. Between both teams, there were only five punts.

Game MVP McKenzie Milton put on a performance for the record books. His 494 passing yards were the second-most in a game in program history at the time; today, it ranks third. His 562 yards of total offense set a new program record and have only been surpassed once since. He became the first UCF player responsible for six touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) in a single game for the first time since 2002. He even became the first UCF quarterback to complete 15 straight passes in a single game since 1997.

It helped that future NFL wide receiver Tre'Quan Smith took advantage of his six catches, getting 161 yards and two touchdowns. His 26.8 average yards per reception ranks tied for the seventh-most in a game in program history. This is not to diminish Dredrick Snelson, though, who put up 145 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches, or tight end Jordan Akins, who caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.

This does not even factor in the rushing attack, with Otis Anderson, Milton and Adrian Killins all rushing for over 50 yards and getting one touchdown apiece. Anderson even eclipsed the century mark, finishing with 113 yards.

Despite this historic offensive performance helping the Knights get out to a multi-score lead on multiple occasions, the Tigers, featuring future NFLers like Darrell Henderson, Tony Pollard and Anthony Miller, still found their way back. Despite being down by two touchdowns with 9:51 left in regulation, a 66-yard touchdown run by Pollard and a 10-yard pass to Miller from quarterback Riley Ferguson ended up forcing overtime.

Both teams ended up scoring in the first overtime; Ferguson found Miller for his third touchdown of the day, while Killins took it in from two yards out for the Knights. So, it was on to double overtime, where Anderson scored his only touchdown of the game, followed by defensive back Tre Neal etching his name into UCF lore with a game-winning interception at the four-yard line.

For the first time since 2013 and two years after going winless, the Knights were conference champions. The undefeated was preserved, and a New Year's Six bid (see No. 5) was clinched.

Catch up on the rest of the list below:

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 25

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 24

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 23

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 22

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 21

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 20

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 19

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of The 21st Century: No. 18

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 17

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 16

Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 15