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 optimistic from the unbelievably irritating season quietly resulted in a 31-21 loss to West Virginia.
UCF’s slim hopes of constructing a postseason bowl have been squashed after the Mountaineers rushed for greater than 200 yards. This implies this system is assured to complete with a dropping file for the second consecutive yr and snap a streak of eight straight bowl appearances.
“You have a look at the sport, and it got here down to 3rd down. We had hassle getting off the sphere,” Coach Gus Malzahn stated. “… Backside line is we didn’t do what it took to win and provides these guys credit score.”
Operating again RJ Harvey, the one shiny 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 obtained 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 operating again Myles Montgomery that ended with West Virginia’s Dontez Fagan recovering, ending a attainable scoring alternative.
The Mountaineers (6-6, 5-3 Massive 12) showcased why they’re one of many high speeding groups within the Massive 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 operating again Jahiem White plowed in for a 3-yard landing that pushed the result in 14-0 with 1:47 within the first quarter.
“The protection performed like crap,” stated sophomore linebacker Xe’Ree Alexander. “It was exhausting for us to get a third-down cease. We’ve all obtained to do higher and enhance.”
The Mountaineers transformed on 44% (8 of 18) of their third-down alternatives and have been an ideal 4 for 4 of fourth downs.
Harvey’s landing sliced the lead in half with 8:37 left within the second quarter. It was his twentieth speeding landing of the season and the twenty second total.
However WVU put collectively a 12-play drive, capped off by a Garrett Greene cross 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 during which they surrendered factors within the closing minute of the primary half.
“It has occurred too many instances,” Malzahn stated of the pattern.
West Virginia took the opening kick within the second half and drove 55 yards earlier than Donaldson busted via the road for his second landing to push the benefit to 28-7 with 12:10 left within the third.
Donaldson completed with 96 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns, White added 54 speeding yards and Greene 49.
UCF (4-7, 2-6 Massive 12) reduce the result in 28-14 halfway via the third when Rizk double-pumped and located a wide-open Kobe Hudson for a 45-yard landing.
Rizk completed 11 of 21 for 172 yards with a landing.
Nonetheless, the Mountaineers put the sport away when kicker Michael Haynes II related on a 35-yard subject aim initially of the fourth quarter.
UCF made one closing push, driving 82 yards in lower than two minutes as Harvey added his second landing — a 9-yard rating with 5:20 left. However that’s as shut as it could get.
The Knights completed with the second-lowest offensive output of the season (348 yards) and transformed simply 33% (3 of 9) of their third-down alternatives.
Malzahn stated the main focus heading into Friday’s recreation towards Utah could be to complete sturdy for the seniors.
“We’ve obtained one recreation left and we obtained to ship the seniors out,” he stated. “That’s what we mentioned within the locker room [after the loss].”
Malzahn, 59, rapidly shot down a number of on-line reviews earlier this week that he deliberate to retire on the finish of the season.
“I don’t know the place that got here from; I’m not retiring,” Malzahn stated.
“It’s a tricky capsule to swallow,” he added when requested about back-to-back dropping seasons. “I’m actually disenchanted. This has been a tricky season; all people is aware of we had excessive expectations. We misplaced some shut video games that I felt like we must always have gained. It’s been powerful.”
Matt Murschel will be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
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