Photo by Megan Turner.

NEW ORLEANS — The UCF Knights went on the road and beat the Tulane Green Wave 34-31 on Saturday, improving the Knights’ American Athletic Conference record to 5-2 and the teams’ chance of a conference championship alive. 

Despite leading by 17 points with about seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Green Wave brought it to a 3-point game with a 7-yard pass and a 7-yard run at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans.

The Knights were able to hold the Green Wave through the end of the game, and defeat the Tulane team by the same score the Tulsa Golden Hurricane defeated the Knights before the bye week.  

With the win, the Knights improve to 8-3 overall on the season. 

UCF freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel finished with a touchdown and 24-of-46 on 317 yards passing to mark his fourth game this season over 300 yards. He finished the game with no sacks and no interceptions, also a road-first. 

UCF redshirt sophomore quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. saw more game time than usual while in New Orleans, and ran in a 1-yard touchdown run to start the second half of the game. Mack Jr. marked his second rushing touchdown of the season to make it his eighth career. 

Mack Jr. also marked his fourth career touchdown through the air as redshirt junior tight end Anthony Roberson marked his first career touchdown with a 2-yard reception. 

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This story will be updated.