The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • Page 34

C-6 The Orlando Sentinel, Sunday, September 15, 1996 METRO LiiiijiMm UCF vs. New Mexico I.UIL14U Fans of the University of Central Florida Golden Knights will get a second chance to watch the game when Sunshine Network shows it tonight at 8 without charge. Sunshine produced a live telecast that was available on pay per view via many cable companies and in numerous sports bars, especially the ones that knew it could be found at Telstar 402, Transponder 5. That telecast will be repeated by Sunshine tonight. 3: i JSnt.

X. 2 RESULTS, SCHEDULE Dale Opponent Aug. 29 UCF 39, William Mary 33 In a pregame interview with the media in Albuquerque, N.M..UCF quarterback Daunte Culpepper once again mentioned his reasons for choosing Central Florida instead of a better-known school. In previous interviews he had discussed how UCF stuck with him when his high school grades were shaky and that he knew he could play immediately at UCF. This time, however, he also mentioned that other schools wanted him to play some position other than quarterback.

"That's true," said UCF assistant coach Paul Lounsberry, who recruited Culpepper. "Some schools believed he could be a great tight end, which is probably true. But we knew he could be a greater quarterback." UCF frequently is being called a "small school" because of its first-year status at the Division l-A football level. With an enrollment of Sept 7 South Carolina 33, UCF 14 Sept 14 New Mexico 17, UCF 7 Sept. 21 at Ball St.

Sept. 28 at E.Carolina Oct 12 Samtord Oct 19 NE Louisiana 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m.

Oct 26 at Georgia Tech 1 p.m. Nov. 2 Illinois St 4 p.m. Nov. 9 at Ala-Birmingham 2 p.m.

Nov. 16 Bowling Green 4 p.m. ASSOCIATED PRESS In his grasp. UCF quarterback Daunte Culpepper is grabbed from behind by tackle Bill Borchers in the 1st quarter. Lobos sack Culpepper 3 times, running game stalls 28,000, however, UCF is larger than any team it faces this season.

South Carolina was the biggest opponent in terms of school enrollment at 26,346 and New Mexico is next at 23,753. No other foe this year has an enrollment that reaches 20,000. Samford truly is UCF's smallest opposition at 4,630. It's no secret that the Lobos moved from the east to west sideline so that the setting sun would be in the eyes of the Knights during the game that began at 6:05 p.m. MDT.

The sun was no factor, however. A heavy rain fell 90 minutes before kickoff, and the game began beneath heavily clouded skies. Wearing their white road jerseys was not an intentional ploy by the Lobos. They had no choice because the new red home jerseys did not arrive. That forced the Knights into wearing their home black jerseys instead of their traveling whites.

A potential unsung hero for the Knights did not make the trip. Freshman wide receiver Charles Lee served as the option quarterback on UCF's scout team during practice to mimic the Lobos' plays. Lee was an honorable mention all-state quarterback at Homestead High. Lee can practice but cannot play because the NCAA Clearing House has ruled he has "partially qualified" for eligibility. The ruling has been appealed, according to Bill Callarman, the school's NCAA faculty representative, in an attempt to give Lee playing status this season.

JERRY GREENE ried over into the third period. The frustrated Lobos chose not to try a 44-yard field goal and passed on fourth-and-8 at UCFs 26. Washington picked off the pass on UCFs 20 and raced 80 yards for a touchdown with the Knights' first interception of the year. UCFs defense finally cracked in the final period. The Lobos used nine plays to move 81 yards, scoring when Sellers rolled out and found Banks alone in the end zone for a 5-yard scoring catch.

UCFs offense continued its pattern of three plays and punt, giving the defense little recovery time and it began to show. Sellers delivered the crippling blow with a 39-yard run as he leaped over and outran the exhausted Knights with 4:20 to play. The first problem is determining if the Knights still have an offense and a quarterback. Both offenses started slowly with a 3-0 first half that included a total of 230 yards. Besides a heroic defense, the Knights also had another factor in their favor in the first half luck.

The Lobos had an 85-yard touchdown pass nullified by a holding penalty and had a field-goal attempt hit an upright and bounce away. Only Cleveland provided any dramatics, with diving catches of 27 and 33 yards. The second catch, late in the second period, got UCF to the Lobos' 30 but a sack killed the Knights' scoring threat The Knights' combination of solid defense and exceptional luck car Sellers passed for 232 yards and ran for 102 scoring the clinching touchdown on a 39-yard run. Tailback Lennox Gordon ran for 107 more yards. In contrast, Knights wide receiver Todd Cleveland had four catches for 73 yards all in the first half.

Culpepper completed 10 of 15 passes for 123 yards. He was intercepted once, sacked three times and hounded by the Lobo pack constantly. Rushing? Counting Culpepper's minus-42 yards, the Knights were credited with minus-14 yards on 27 carries. "We fought hard on defense," said linebacker Kendrick Thomas, who had 10 tackles. "The offense is having some problems." KNIGHTS from C-1 two touchdowns to New Mexico.

UCF's defense clearly was prepared for New Mexico's option attack. Linebacker John Bryant forced plays outside time and again to total 13 tackles, while numerous other defenders had superb moments. There were far too many moments for the defense, however, especially in the fourth quarter. UCF gave up 147 yards in the first half and 309 in the second, when the Lobos ran 52 plays to the Knights' 17. Lobos receiver Jeremy Banks had a career night, with eight catches for 143 yards and one touchdown.

Quarterback Donald LOBOS 17, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 7 i Per person, up lo 4. green lee cart, wcoupon, not valldi wother oilers, eip. 1(13196 I ujmia urmi unje rf ua Msrja Passing Team I rnw Mipcmttnocaf nrm MNquml I I Rushing Pltyat AH Com hH Yds TD Wpepoer IS 10 1 123 0 Retd 2 0 0 0 0 Thorps 2 1 0 0 UCF 1 4 1 Nil 22 10 12 0 114 456 Receiving -14 224 Avg Tlie Legend Only Gets Better 1st DOWNS Rushing Passing Penalty TOT NET YDS. NET YDS. RUSHING Rushes Sack-Yds.

lost Avg. per tush NET YDS. PASSING Had int. PUNTS-Avg. Had Blocked RETURN YDS.

Punt Returns Kickoll Returns Plsysr Cleveland Stipe Nonsant Huzzie Giant 73 183 15 5.0 42 21.0 0 0.0 -2 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited If Jeep LTJ riitekciiT Player No Yds Net U3 Gordon 31 113 107 11 Sellers 16 114 102 39 Shelton 5 16 15 6 Passing Player All Com In) Yds TD Sellers 31 19 1 232 1 Receiving Plsysr No Yds Avg TD Banks 8 143 17.9 1 Brown 5 25 5.2 0 Shelton 2 37 16.5 0 Gordon 2 0 00 0 Houchtkng 1 15 15.0 0 Martin 1 11 11.0 0 Punt returns Player No Yds Avg TD Martin 7 76 109 0 Klckofl returns Player No Yds Avg TO Brown 2 44 22.0 0 Tackles-asslsts-sacks 27 52 1-5 545 0.5 4.3 128 232 11-19 19-31 1 1 1044,9 0 0 144 206 1-7 7-76 1-25 2-44 1-80 1-23 442 6-63 04 04 27:39 32:21 Punt returns whrn No Yds Ai TD 0 Avg 7 7.0 Player Leister PENALTIES-Yds. FUMBLE WjW TIMEOF POSS. FAtL Kickoff returns No Yds Avg TD 1 25 25.0 0 Cleveland i mi i I l.x i S) jggf' Jf Individual CENTRAL FLORIDA 'a IN! fGrenelefe Hr vv Rushing at Blow-out No. Yds. Net LO Tackles-asslsts-sacks Bryant 1044, Thomas 5-54, Red-dick 5-3-0, Ricksrson 4-3-0, McWhoner 344.

Moore 3-24. Benoit 2-2-1. Washington 2-2-0. Doster 44-0, Jackson 2-14. Palmer 1-24, Latb-mors 2-14.

Wrenn 1-24. Osuna 1-2-0, Karaite 044, Devm 0-24. Irwin 3-34. Burton 4-1-1, Borchers 3-1-1, Johnson 144, Carroll 2-1-1, Purvis 1-24, Barnard 34-1, McGarra-han 1-1-0, Stanton 24-1, Garrison 2-04. MISSED FG ATTEMPTS New Mexico: Bloom 43.

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