MORGANTOWN, WV. — Someplace deep in West Virginia’s hollers beneath a chilly, dismal grey sky, UCF’s season ended.
Certain, the Knights have one recreation remaining towards Utah subsequent week, however any hope of salvaging one thing constructive from the unbelievably irritating season quietly led to a 31-21 loss to West Virginia.
UCF’s slim hopes of constructing a postseason bowl had been squashed after the Mountaineers rushed for greater than 200 yards. This implies this system is assured to complete with a shedding report for the second consecutive yr and snap a streak of eight straight bowl appearances.
Working again RJ Harvey, the one vibrant spot in an in any other case horrendous season, completed with a team-high 130 yards and two touchdowns. His two-yard landing run out of a Wildcat formation with 8:37 within the second quarter received the Knights their first recreation factors.
Quarterback Dylan Rizk struggled early in his third begin of the season, lacking his first two throws and later fumbling a handoff between himself and working again Myles Montgomery that ended with West Virginia’s Dontez Fagan recovering, ending a doable scoring alternative.
The Mountaineers (6-6, 5-3 Huge 12) showcased why they’re one of many high dashing groups within the Huge 12, gashing the Knights for greater than 7 yards per carry. CJ Donaldson Jr. had 71 yards, together with a 1-yard landing that began the scoring for WVU.
West Virginia added a second rating when sophomore working again Jahiem White plowed in for a 3-yard landing that pushed the result in 14-0 with 1:47 within the first quarter.
Harvey’s landing sliced the lead in half with 8:37 left within the second quarter.
However WVU put collectively a 12-play drive, capped off by a Garrett Greene go to receiver Rodney Gallagher III for an over-the-shoulder seize for a 12-yard landing catch with 15 seconds left within the half.
It was the Knights’ fourth straight recreation by which they surrendered factors within the last minute of the primary half.
West Virginia took the opening kick within the second half and drove 55 yards earlier than Donaldson busted by means of the road for his second landing to push the benefit to 28-7 with 12:10 left within the third.
UCF (4-7, 2-6 Huge 12) lower the result in 28-14 halfway by means of the third when Rizk double-pumped and located a wide-open Kobe Hudson for a 45-yard landing. It was Rizk’s fifth landing of the season and the fourth rating of the season for Hudson.
Matt Murschel may be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
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