UCF Knights defeat Memphis Tigers 56-41 in AAC championship

ORLANDO, Fla. — The University of Central Florida Knights defeated the Memphis Tigers 56-41 in the American Athletic Conference championship game Saturday -- without the team’s star quarterback.

Despite trailing by 17 points at the half, UCF rallied to keep the game neck-and-neck until pulling out a victory in the second half.

Darriel Mack shrugged off two early turnovers to rush for three second-half touchdowns and rally No. 7 UCF to the AAC championship game victory.

With the red-shirt freshman filling in for injured quarterback McKenzie Milton, the Knights (12-0, No. 8 CFP) won their second straight league title and extended the nation's longest winning streak to 25 games.

Mack also threw for 348 yards and two TDs without an interceptions to keep UCF, the only FBS team to finish undefeated a year ago, in the conversation about who's deserving of consideration for berths in the College Football Playoff.

Greg McCrae rushed for 206 yards and one TD for the Knights, who beat the Tigers 62-55 in the 2017 AAC title game and rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to win 31-30 at Memphis during the regular season.

This time, UCF trailed 38-21 at halftime before scoring touchdowns on five straight possessions in the second half.

Darrell Henderson scored on runs of 62, 12 and 82 yards and also throw a 4-yard TD pass to help Memphis (8-5) build its big halftime lead.

But the nation's second-leading rusher only gained 3 yards on six carries in the second half, finishing with 210 yards on 16 carries.

Mack lost two first-quarter fumbles, setting up Henderson's second touchdown and a field goal. The red-shirt freshman also fumbled into the end zone from inside the Memphis 1, however teammate Michael Colubiale recovered for a UCF touchdown in the second quarter.

Milton was injured at South Florida in the Knights' regular- season finale. He has been released from a Tampa hospital and returned home to Orlando, where he was expected to watch Saturday night's game on television with his parents.

THE TAKEAWAY

Memphis: The Tigers scored on their first five possessions to build a 31-14 lead but once again couldn't to finish the job against the Knights, who've beaten them four times in two seasons. Brady White was effective throwing the ball until UCF finally stopped Henderson and Patrick Taylor, who scored on a 70-yard run and finished with 118 rushing, from running wild.

UCF: The defense's inability to stop the run set the tone early, and Mack's early mistakes dug the Knights into an even deeper hole. Despite the early turnovers, Mack remained poised and the Knights finally got into a rhythm offensively in the third quarter.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Despite moving up one spot in the latest CFP rankings to No. 8, the Knights remain a long shot to leapfrog teams ahead of them to get into the playoff. A New Year's Six bowl bid is an almost certainty, though.

McKenzie Milton

Noticeably absent from play is UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton.

Milton suffered a serious knee injury during the team’s rivalry game against the University of South Florida last week.

His family released a statement saying he suffered nerve damage, but the nerve is intact.

UCF fans were working on ways to offer support for Milton during Saturday’s championship game.

The school said it will pass out 40,000 leis on Saturday in support of Milton, who is a Hawaii native. Students have also signed a large get well soon card to present to him at the game.

“I actually signed it. And then part of his culture is like ‘ohana,’ saying we are a big family. So we really wish you the best, and we're going to win for you,” sudent Tameika Liciaga said.

The leis were donated by business owner and UCF Knight Sanjay Samsrinivasan.

He said his donation is a simple way to show his support.

“We want to make sure that the stadium is electrified, that the bounce house is bouncing with full of colors, a sea of colors,” Samsrinivasan said. “And that's in honor of Milton."

He said with the team having an unforgettable season -- its second-straight undefeated season -- he wanted to do his part to help out.

"To honor McKenzie Milton, our tailgate theme is Hawaiian -- Hawaiian luau," UCF fan Ron Gilbert said. "Everybody is going to have a lei to wear, and we've got a pig we're roasting."

UCF alumna Ali Sims said the school's football program has significantly improved since her graduation in 2012.

"It wasn't the fully defeated season when I attended, but it was not great," she said. "You sort of expected to lose."

Sims said, "It's nice to finally be proud to be an alum based on sports." %

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Red-shirt freshman Darriel Mack is set to take Milton's place on Saturday.

Mack, who is nicknamed DJ, is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. Saturday's game will be the second time he will start a game in his college career.

Mack filled in for Milton last month during the Knights game against the East Carolina University Pirates.

The AAC championship game is a rematch from last season when UCF defeated Memphis 62 to 55.

Saturday's game is expected to sell out. Watch it live on WFTV Channel 9 at 3:30 p.m., followed by a special edition of Channel 9 Eyewitness News at 7 p.m.

Cox Media Group