MEMPHIS, Tenn. — McKenzie Milton threw for 296 yards and ran for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter as No. 10 Central Florida weathered its first significant test of the season before escaping with a 31-30 victory over Memphis on Saturday.
- UCF erased a 16-point second-half lead and kept their nation-long win streak alive in defeating Memphis
- McKenzie Milton scored early in the fourth quarter to give the Knights the lead
- UCF has won 19 straight games
Milton’s 7-yard touchdown with 12:14 left completed a comeback for the Knights (6-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference), who trailed 30-14 with 2:04 left in the first half. The victory was UCF’s 19th straight - the nation’s longest winning streak -- but it was by far the toughest game of the season for the Knights, who defeated their first five opponents by double-digits.
Even in the closing seconds, Memphis (4-3, 1-3) seemed on the way to at least have a chance for a game-winning field goal as the Tigers moved to the UCF 31. Memphis botched clock management in the final 30 seconds, getting hit with a motion penalty that required a clock runoff, and then Brady White completed a 9-yard pass to Tony Pollard and the seconds slipped away.
Darrell Henderson, who leads the nation in rushing, had 199 yards and a touchdown on the ground on a career-best 31 carries for Memphis.
It was the first meeting since last year’s American Athletic Conference championship game, which UCF won 62-55 in double overtime.
Saturday’s momentum swing for the Knights, who struggled to contain Memphis in the early stages, came in the third quarter. With UCF facing fourth-and-1 at their 29, the Tigers bunched at the line of scrimmage and quickly ran a play. Taj McGowan burst through the initial defense and went 71 yards for a touchdown to cut the Memphis lead to 30-24.
That set the stage for Milton’s winning score, capping a 74-yard drive.
