Central Florida wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith, right, catches a pass in front of Memphis defensive back Jonathan Cook for a 50-yard touchdown during the first half of the American Athletic Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – For the second straight week, Central Florida prevailed in a shootout on its home football field.
The 12th-ranked Knights captured the American Athletic Conference championship Saturday as they defeated No. 16 Memphis 62-55 in double overtime. It is the Knights’ third AAC crown in five years.
They beat South Florida 49-42 the day after Thanksgiving to win the East Division.
Saturday’s title showdown was a wild game and possibly the last at Central Florida for coach Scott Frost. After it was over, the second-year Knights coach and Nebraska native was asked about reports that he would become the Cornhuskers’ next coach.
Frost, fighting back tears, said: “I’m going to go celebrate with my team.”
About two hours after the game ended, Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos announced that Frost had been hired after agreeing to a seven-year $35 million contract. Frost quarterbacked the Cornhuskers to a share of the national championship 20 years ago.
The Knights have a bowl game to play, but if this was their finale with Frost, it was quite a sendoff. The top two scoring teams in the country combined for 117 points and 1,479 yards. The game was tied at 48 at the end of regulation.
Central Florida had the ball first in the second overtime and scored on a 1-yard run by Otis Anderson. Memphis got as far as the Central Florida 9 on its possession, but Riley Ferguson’s pass on second-and-goal was intercepted by Tre Neal as the Knights (12-0) secured a likely spot in a New Year’s Six bowl, possibly the Peach.
The teams exchanged touchdowns in the first overtime. Memphis got the ball first and scored when Ferguson connected with Anthony Miller from 15 yards. Central Florida answered on a 2-yard run by Adrian Killins.
The Knights led 48-34 early in the fourth quarter, but the Tigers (10-2) rallied to tie with 4:13 remaining on Ferguson’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Miller. Memphis had a chance to win it in regulation, but Riley Patterson’s 51-yard field-goal attempt with 28 seconds remaining was wide left.
Knights quarterback McKenzie Milton, who completed 28 of 40 passes for 494 yards and five touchdowns, was named the game’s most outstanding player. Milton also rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Otis Anderson rushed for 117 yards on 16 carries, and Dredrick Snelson and Tre’Quan Smith caught two touchdown passes apiece.
The Tigers’ Ferguson was 30-of-42 for 471 yards and four touchdowns. Miller had 14 receptions for 195 yards and three scores, while Darrell Hanederson (15 carries for 109 yards) and Patrick Taylor (17 for 108) each added a touchdown.
The Tigers rallied from double digits twice- they trailed 17-7 in the first quarter before leading 31-24 at halftime – but their frustrations of playing in Orlando continue. They are winless in six trips here, including twice this year.
Memphis will likely play in its home stadium in the Liberty Bowl.