After a historic year for the UCF football program last season, the Knights were looking to start of the new campaign on a strong note. UCF accomplished that with a 62-0 rout over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the season opener at Bright House Networks Stadium.
The Knights looked like a well oiled machine, firing on all cylinders from the get go.
The defending Conference-USA champions scored on their first five possessions and never looked back. After four straight carries for senior tailback Ronnie Weaver, totaling 66 yards, sophomore quarterback Jeff Godfrey drew first blood on a seven yard touchdown run.
Godfrey finished the game with three rushing touchdowns and 95 passing yards.
After the Buccaneers went three and out, the Knights capitalized yet again with Latavius Murray taking it in for the Knight’s second touchdown of the game.
“The three of us back there in me, Brynn, Ronnie, and Jeff back there, we can do some great things,” Murray, who finished the game with 36 yards and two rushing TD’s, said.
Weaver, who emerged as the starting tailback in training camp, finished the game with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Godfrey tied former UCF legend Dante Culpepper’s record for most rushing touchdowns by a UCF quarterback in a game midway through the second quarter on his third rushing score.
Charleston Southern could get absolutely nothing going in the first half, only completing one first down, compared to UCF’s 14. The Buccaneers totaled a dismal 28 net yards in the first half.
The second half was a similar tale, with the Knights scoring on Murray’s two-yard run for his second touchdown of the game.
Cornerback Josh Robinson had the sole defensive touchdown of the game, intercepting the ball and taking it all the way to the end zone to put the Knights up 49-0.
Even true freshman quarterback Blake Bortles got in on the action. Bortles, the former Oviedo High star, completed two deep 42-yard passes to redshirt freshman wide receiver Josh Reese on separate occasions. Bortles finished strong, going nine-for-11 with 150 yards in his college debut.
Senior Kerlon Williams posted the Knights last two touchdowns of the game, on a one-yard run and a three-yard run to wrap up UCF’s blowout victory. After Williams last TD, the Knights broke the record for most rushing touchdowns in a game with eight.
Up next for the Knights is ACC power Boston College. UCF will face the Eagles at home next Saturday at 8 p.m. The Knights will need to stay focused to beat the Eagles, who routed UCF 34-7 in Boston back in 2008.
This is a game that Coach George O’Leary knows isn’t going to be easy.
“They are a well-coached team. We’ll have our work cut out for us next week.”
