With UCF junior QB Dillon Gabriel out indefinitely with a fractured clavicle, UCF freshman QB Mikey Keene was the man in charge of the UCF offense heading into their American Athletic Conference opener vs. Navy.
In his first-ever collegiate career start, Keene threw a touchdown completion on his first pass-attempt of the game. The freshman QB connected with senior wide receiver Brandon Johnson from 15 yards out to give the Knights the early 7-0 lead.
This score was set up by a Navy fumble forced by UCF junior defensive lineman Cam Goode that was recovered by senior defensive lineman Anthony Montalvo.
Navy had an immediate response. Midshipman QB Tai Lavatai scrambled for a seven-yard touchdown to tie the game up at 7 apiece. This 75-yard Navy scoring drive came strictly from the ground game, as the Midshipmen did not attempt a single pass.
Navy would rely heavily on its run game throughout entirety of the contest, attempting just four passes on the day.
Keene and the Knights had a rebuttal, completing a 75-yard touchdown drive of their own. This one was capped off by a 16-yard rushing touchdown by junior wide receiver Amari Johnson. A 34-yard reception by sophomore running back Johnny Richardson help set up the score. The extra point attempt was blocked, however, making the score 13-7 with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
After UCF held Navy to just a field goal after a 68-yard Midshipmen drive, Keene connected with Johnson for a touchdown, again. The 23-yard touchdown extended the Knights lead to 20-10 with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter.
A blocked UCF punt-attempt, which Navy recovered in the end-zone for the touchdown, reduced the Knights’ lead to three points, making the score 20-17 with 1:34 left in the first half.
UCF took advantage of this spare amount of remaining time, using every second of it to complete an 11-play, 67-yard drive, which was capped off by a 28-yard Daniel Obarski field goal. This extended UCF’s lead to 23-17 as time expired.
Though, Keene was the man in control of the Knights’ offense in the game, he wasn’t the only quarterback who got reps under center. Junior quarterback Joey Gatewood also saw some action, rushing for a 10-yard score to increase UCF’s lead to 13 points with 2:55 remaining in the third quarter.
Gatewood’s touchdown was set up by another Navy fumble forced by Goode, again, that was recovered by the Knights at Navy’s 10 yard-line. With his second forced-fumble, Goode tied the UCF record for forced-fumbles in a single game (2).
Things began to go downhill for the Knights from that point, however.
After a 23-yard Navy field goal reduced UCF’s lead to 10 points, UCF’s offense went three-and-out, in which Navy responded with another score. A one-yard touchdown run by Lavatai made it a 30-27 game, putting the Midshipmen back within striking distance.
On the following drive, Navy recovered a UCF fumble on its own 47 yard-line. The Midshipmen offense took advantage of the opportunity provided by its defense, using strictly its ground game. An 11-play, 53-yard Navy drive would be capped off by a 4-yard touchdown run by fullback Isaac Ruoss to give the Midshipmen the 34-30 lead with just 3:09 remaining in the game.
On UCF’s final drive of the game, Keene threw a fourth-down interception in the end-zone with just 24 seconds remaining in the game.
With the 34-30 loss, UCF falls to 2-2 on the season. The Knights will take the field next when they host East Carolina on Oct. 9.
