Sep 29, 2012; Orlando, FL, USA; UCF Knights defensive lineman Troy Davis (58) applies pressure on Missouri Tigers quarterback James Franklin (1) during the second quarter at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE
Greetings Zou fans! Mizzou etched themselves back into the winning column by holding off UCF in last Saturday’s game by a score of 21-16. It was a very close game in which it looked like could be a possible UCF blowout in the first half. Or at least that’s what they thought.
The first quarter was very slow and Tiger fans had to endure UCF’s dynamic offense walking all over us. The defense held them to a field-goal. UCF was up 3-0 in the first quarter. LB Marcus Ealy was one of the few players on defense having a good game.
After a very slow start allowing RB Storm Johnson from UCF to go for 80 yards on 6 carries, QB James Franklin hits Dorial Green-Beckham for a 80-yard bomb to put Mizzou up 7-3. This is an exciting moment for the Tigers. This is the first of many touchdowns to come for this precious gem we have hidden deep within our depth chart. It was a thing of beauty. Franklin dropped back and hit a covered DGB for about a 30-yard reception and then he broke a tackle and took it the rest of the way to the house!
On UCF’s next drive they went back to having their way with Mizzou’s defense including a reverse pass-play back to the quarterback, who took it for around a 30-yard gain. The next play was a short pass to a WR Quincy McDuffie who bounced off a tackle and headed straight into the end zone with about 9 minutes to go in the 1st half. UCF went up 10-7. James Franklin is 6 for 9, 131 yards, and a touchdown to go with it. Thanks to DGB.
Time for Mizzou to step up in answer, right? Wrong. The first two snaps on the following drive ended with Franklin sacked in the backfield. The Tigers had lost their momentum. Franklin was not looking good other than the strike to DGB who did most of the work on that play.
Missouri finally caught a break in the third quarter when WR Marcus Murphy returned a punt 66 yards for a score making it 14-10 Mizzou.
In the fourth each team scored only once. RB Kendial Lawrence ran for a 10-yard touchdown with about 9 minutes to go, while QB Blake Bortles hit Jeff Godrey for an 18-yard touchdown, with a failed 2-point conversion, with about 4 minutes left. Can you say “comeback”?
With about 2 minutes left in the game a pass interference call on Missouri gave the Knights first-and-goal on the 3. But after a stuffed run and an incomplete pass, the opportunity was squandered as Bortles was sacked, and time expired before the Knights could run out their field goal team.
They were out of time and Mizzou had pulled it out 21-16.
Mizzou pulled out a tough and gutsy performance against a pretty underrated UCF team. This was a great win for our Tigers, even though we didn’t have the best of performances out of many of our players. We still needed to win a close one like this. The second half the defense stepped up big and the turning point in the game came on the 66-yard punt return by WR Marcus Murphy. Celebrate the win guys! It was one to remember.
Stars of the game: UCF’s QB Blake Bortles and Mizzou’s RB Kendial Lawrence and WR Dorial Green-Beckham! Bortles threw for 267 yards and 2 TDs. Lawrence had 19 carries for 104 yards and a TD, while also adding in 4 catches for 50 yards. Green-Beckham showed his big-play ability tonight, he had one reception for 80 yards and a touchdown to get the Tigers going.
Other Notes:
*James Franklin went 19/30 for 257 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. He has seen better days.
*Mizzou was 1-11 on third downs. Also, they had 5 penalties for 35 yards.
*Franklin was sacked 3 times in the opening 30 minutes.
Tell us Zou fans! What did you think of the game?
– Jordan Pollock, Lead Editor