Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 6
In this story:
Note: We define the 21st Century as Jan. 1, 2001, to the time of this series' publication.
No. 6: The Fiesta Bowl (Baylor, 2013)
The 2013 UCF Knights took advantage of their lone season in The American with a BCS Bowl berth on the line to make it to the Fiesta Bowl.
While the Knights relied more on the run than Baylor did, due to having quarterback Bryce Petty and future NFL receiver Corey Coleman on its side, quarterback Blake Bortles still put forth one of the most iconic performances of his career. Bortles threw for 301 yards on 20 completions and three touchdowns while also running the ball eight times for 93 yards and a touchdown.
The Bears got back to within a point, 14-13, with a golden opportunity when UCF fumbled the ball away in their own red zone. However, safety Brandon Alexander grabbed an interception three plays later to put it back in UCF's hands. They scored five plays late, Bortles finding Rannell Hall for a 50-yard touchdown pass, keeping the Bears at bay.
Bortles found Hall one more time on a 34-yard touchdown pass to help keep the Knights ahead 28-20 at the half. Those two touchdown catches accounted for half of Hall's four catches for 115 yards, leading the team.
While the Bears tied it up at 28 apiece early in the third, the team dubbed the Cardiac Knights did what they had done several times that season, pulled it out late. After punting it on their first drive of the second half, the Knights scored on every following drive until the one that ended the game.
Bortles found future NFL receiver Breshad Perriman for a 10-yard touchdown pass, then ran it in himself from 15 yards out to go back up two scores early in the fourth. Kicker Shawn Moffitt put the cherry on top with a 36-yard field goal to make it a three-score lead with 4:44 to go. Checkmate.
The 52-42 win gave the Knights a loud start in their American Athletic Conference era and the climax of the George O'Leary era. While more trials and tribulations awaited in the CFP era, UCF took advantage of the opportunity when it had it.
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
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games Of the 21st Century: No. 14
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 13
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 12
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 11
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 10
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 9
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 8
Top 25 UCF Knights Football Games of the 21st Century: No. 7
Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
Follow itsBrysonTurner