TAMPA, Fla. – UCF claimed Sunshine State Supremacy in college football on Thursday night at the Gasparilla Bowl with a 29-17 win over the Florida Gators. After both teams got out to a slow start, it was back and forth most of the night until the Knights took control in the second half. Thus leading UCF head Coach Gus Malzahn to wrap up his postgame presser stating, “We’re the program of the future and that’s not just talk, that’s really going to happen.”
Here’s how it all went down at Raymond James Stadium!
Florida won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff of the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. UCF’s Daniel Obarski booted the kickoff into the endzone where the Gators took a knee and started their first possession at the 25-yard line.
The Gators’ first play from scrimmage would be delayed due to a false start, making it a 1st and 15 from the 20-yard line. They would then get going with an eight-yard run by Emory Jones. Facing a 3rd and seven at their own 28-yard line, Jones took the snap from the gun, and looked left to Kemore Gamble, but the pass was well out of his reach, forcing a punt.
UCF would start their first possession of the game at their own 32-yard line and went right to work. Mikey Keene connected with Ryan O’Keefe for 11-yards and a first down. However, two incompletions followed after a three-yard rush from Isaiah Bowser, and they too would be forced to punt.
Following three-and-outs by both teams, the Gators finally got something going on offense. After Jones was sacked, he answered with a 13-yard pass to Trent Whittemore for their first 1st down of the game. Malik Davis would then get the ground game going for UF with an 18-yard scamper to push into Knights territory.
However, the party would endure a brief pause for Florida as they elected to go for it on a fourth and five, which they could not convert. UCF took over at their own 27-yard line, with the game still scoreless midway through the 1st quarter.
Unable to muster any yards, a punt followed shortly, and the Gators took over at their own 42-yard line. This possession, UF went full-throttle on the ground game, rushing six straight times to start the drive as they got into the redzone. Jones then connected with Gamble to the right side, where it looked as though he would get into the endzone, but he cut back inside and was tackled at the four-yard line.
Following a pass-interference call in the endzone from UCF, the Gators would finish off the drive with a two-yard TD run from Dameon Pierce. This made it 7-0 with 1:22 left to play in the 1st quarter
UCF looked to answer right back as they burst into the Gators side of the field for the first time on the ensuing possession as running back Johnny Richardson broke free for 38-yards. As the drive rolled into the 2nd quarter, the Knights worked their way into the redzone, before Bowser took it into the endzone for a three-yard TD score. The Knights elected to go for two and were unable to convert, leaving the Gators on top 7-6 with 12:29 left in the 1st half.
Things looked to continue to be in full swing for the Gators’ offense as they picked up a quick first down on an 18-yard connection from Jones to Rick Wells, followed by a 16-yard pass to Justin Shorter. Though, a false start penalty would put a kink in the momentum, with the drive stalling out at the Knight’s 34-yard line. This is where Chris Howard lined up for a 51-yard field goal that fell well short of its target after Howard’s foot appeared to kick the ground before toe met leather.
On the ensuing possession, the Knights would take their first lead on a 34-yard field goal from Obarski. This capped off a nine-play 49-yard drive, making it 9-7 UCF with 6:16 left in the 1st half.
The lead didn’t last long for the Knights, as Jones got the Gators offense back to work using his legs and arm to get into the redzone. However, the UCF defense would stand tall and force a field goal from the Gators, which Howard pushed through from 26-yards to once again put UF on top 10-9.
This is where things would be at the half.
Florida held a stronghold on the stat line with 233 yards of total offense compared to 140 from UCF. The passing attack from UCF was almost non-existent with Keene completing eight of 13 passes for just 48 yards.
Jones was leading all the offensive stats for the Gators with 88 yards passing and 66 yards rushing, compiling 152 yards of total offense on his own.
It was back to work for the Knights in the second half, as Bowser broke free for a 36-yard carry on the first play from scrimmage. However, after being set up at the Gators 29 yard line, things stalled out, and they would have to settle for a 51-yard field goal from Obarski, which missed wide right.
Florida’s opening possession of the first half wasn’t any more exciting as they punted after a quick three-and-out.
Chants of “UCF! UCF!” would soon resonate throughout Raymond James Stadium as Ryan O’Keefe broke one to the left sideline, broke a tackle, and then turned on the burners before being pushed out of bounds at the four-yard line. Bowser followed the 74-yard run from O’Keefe with a four-yard TD score to put the Knights up 16-10 with 10 minutes left in the half.
During the PAT attempt, Florida’s Ty’Ron Hopper would lose his cool and throw a punch, resulting in his ejection from the game.
UF then went into attack mode on the offensive side of the ball, with Jones connecting with Wells for 20-yards. Then Davis took it for 32-yards from the backfield, pushing the Gators to the UCF 30-yard line. Four plays later, Davis took the handoff from Jones and burst through the middle and into the endzone for a 19-yard score to make it 17-16 Gators with 7:57 left in the 3rd.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Gators got tricky and kicked it onsides. However, Gator Derek Wingo was unable to corral the recovery, and the Knights pounced on it to take over at their own 41.
Two 15-yard personal foul penalties would push UCF to the UF 25-yard line. The Knights would then chip away, getting to the four-yard line, before having to settle for an Obarski field goal, which he drilled through the uprights from 21-yards out to regain the lead at 19-17 with 3:04 left in the 3rd.
Following a three-and-out from Florida, the Knights threw a haymaker. On the first play from scrimmage of their drive, Keene dropped a dime to O’Keefe, who took it 54-yards to the house to make it 26-17 Knights with 1:08 left in the 3rd.
The Gators ensuing possession was yet another three-and-out, their 5th of the game.
As they worked the clock down, the Knights rolled into the 4th quarter with their next possession. Their 10-play 41-yard drive would end with a punt. However, it chewed up 4:46 off the clock.
In desperate need of a score, Florida worked their way downfield quickly, with Jones hitting Shorter for 20-yards and then Jacob Copeland for 30-yards. Then it all fizzled out for UF, and they had to settle for a 45-yard field goal from Howard, which would not have the distance on it.
This gave the Knights possession at their own 27-yard line, leading 26-17 with only 7:57 left to play. This would chew the clock some more before tacking on one last field goal to make it 29-17 with 2:41 left to play.
A sixth and final three-and-out would put an end to the Gators season as UCF ran out the final 2:18, earning the Gasparilla Bowl title.
The second half saw the Gators tally only 143 total yards of offense compared to 296 from the Knights. Ryan O’Keefe was named the game’s MVP after his 110 yards rushing and 85 receiving yards on the night.
For the Knights, this is just another step in their ladder climb in the college football world, and O’Keefe reiterated that after his MVP performance.
“This year was about building a foundation and I think that our seniors did that for us. Next year we will come back and continue to build.”
Continue to build they will, as they inch closer to their move into the BIG 12. For now though, celebrations been well earned for UCF fans across the college football world, and enjoy it they shall.
Written by Adrian Beecher
Image Credit: Luis Corazon
