The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • C8

Orlando Sentinel: PRODUCT: OS DESK: SPT DATE: 11-20-2005 EDITION: FLA ZONE: FLA PAGE: C8.0 DEADLINE: 21.51 OP: pdowd COMPOSETIME: 23.39 CMYK C8 Orlando Sentinel SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2005 28 FROM WORST TO FIRST East Division champs UCF to host title game THE BUZZ Knights' leading receiver injures knee, out for year Playing on Rice's artificial turf field tooka steep toll on UCF. Wide receiver Mike Walker said he tore his left anterior cruciate ligament, and defensive end Glenroy Watkins may have done the same thing. Wat-kins flew home with crutches, Walker with a brace. "I wasn't even in the play," said a crestfallen Walker, who had three catches for 44 yards and a touchdown and leads UCF with 64 catches and nine scores. just ran a hitch, turned in and felt it pop.

I can't believe it." Saturday was UCF's first game on artificial turf since Nov. 8, 2003, against Eastern Michigan. That was the Knights' last game under Coach Mike Kruczek Prater does double duty Kicker Matt Prater took a trip back in time, pulling double duty for the first time since his sophomore season after UCF suspended three players for Saturday's game, including starting punter Aaron Home and linebacker Cory Hogue. The third suspension was to special teams player Blake Carter. Team spokesman Jason Baum would not say what rules the three broke.

Sources close to the team said Carter was late for a meeting and Hogue missed a meeting late last week. Home's offense was unclear. Home, a junior from Miami, is the No. 4 punter in Conference USA with a 42.7-yard average. Hogue, a freshman from Naples, was expected to make his fifth career start and second in a row Saturday.

Randy Dozier, a redshirt sophomore linebacker from Olympia High who was moved to defensive end last year, went back to linebacker in Hogue's place, because linebacker Jordan Richards is still injured (shoulder). Road warriors UCF became the first NCAA team to create a five-game winning streak after an 0-1 1 season, but perhaps more amazing to UCF Coach George O'Leary was that the Knights have won four games on the road (UL-Lafayette, East Carolina, UAB and Rice). This comes after snapping a 1 5-game road losing streak. "To me, that says something about the character of this team," O'Leary said. "We're a young team, and it's hard for young teams to go on the road all the time.

We've grown." UCF tied a school record with seven road games in the regular season. Etc. Prater had his first kick of the year blocked Saturday on his opening extra point Joe Burnett's 58-yard punt return for a touchdown was UCF's first punt return for a score since Tavaris Capers' 54-yarder vs. Penn State last year Venson's fourth-period interception gave UCF a pass theft in nine consecutive games, tying the school record set in 2000 UCF opponents came into Saturday 2-for-1 2 on fourth down. Rice was 3-for-4 on fourth down The Knights were 3-for-3 on fourth down UCF's equipment staff visited student manager Brian Green in a Houston hospital Friday.

Green started a new round of chemotherapy for intestinal cancer UCF's volleyball team was among the fans at Rice Stadium. Meg Colado's team was eliminated in five games from the C-USA Tournament on Friday at Rice. ALAN SCHMADTKE By ALAN SCHMADTKE SENTINEL STAFF WRITER HOUSTON Days before UCF's first season as a Conference USA team began, George O'Leary laid down his chief ground rule. After a winless season, after the most humbling fall the Golden Knights ever had experienced, he said there would be no names on players' jerseys. There was one exception.

It hangs framed on the wall of UCF's campus locker room. Above the jersey number it says: TEAM. It is jersey No. 1. Now, officially, so are the Knights.

UCF won C-USA's East Division on Saturday with the same script it has delivered since October. The Knights dug themselves a hole at Rice Stadium, then clawed their way out for a 31-28 victory against Rice. "You know, I talk a lot, and I usually have something to say at all times," defensive end Chris Welsh said. "But right now I'm speechless. I just have this special feeling, and I can't describe what it is.

It's definitely cool, though, I can tell you that." Once 0-11, once owners of a nation-leading 17-game losing streak, the Knights completed a worst-to-first drama before a couple hundred of their fans amid the announced crowd of 8,267. UCF (8-3, 7-1 C-USA) became the first team in Division I-A history to reach a conference title game the year after going win-less. Next up: the C-USA Championship Game and it's in Orlando. UTEP's 35-23 loss to UAB Saturday night thrust UCF into the host role against either the Miners or Tulsa on Dec. 3.

The Miners trail Tulsa by a half-game but have one game left, at SMU on Saturday. If UTEP wins that game, it would win its division because it beat Tulsa earlier this season. "Great game, great win. A great come-from-behind game," O'Leary said. "I told them at half-time, this second half will show the character of the team.

We've been a fourth-quarter team all year, and fortunately we were again." Fortunately is right. Rice (1-9, 1-6) outran the Knights, out-passed them. It committed one penalty. When it was over, the Knights had come back from a 12-point deficit, their largest winning rally. "I never saw the air come out of the balloon on the sideline," O'Leary said.

"Everybody believed we could do this." Fearless and emotion-filled on Senior Day, Rice led 21-9 at the break, stunning the Knights with a late second-quarter touchdown after taking one away from Mike Walker in the end zone two minutes earlier. When UCF battled and got the lead back on the first play of the fourth period, 24-2 1 on Jason TIM JOHNSONSPECIAL TO THE SENTINEL UCF defensive back Joe Burnett raises the ball in victory after an interception to secure the 31-28 victory. UCF Rice 1st downs Rush-Yds Passing C-A Int. Return Yds Punts-Avg. Fumbles Pen-Yds Time 23 22 40-149 49-237 205 214 19-29 8-16 1 2 143 11 1-0 0-0 6-50 1-7 31:08 28:52 some Wishbone and double-wing formations strongside linebacker James Cook was given new reads, freeing up the safeties to tackle took hold.

Rice missed its final five third-down conversions, and Burnett took care of the fifth, stealing quarterback Chase Clement's pass as the Owls drove into position for a tying field goal. "We knew this was going to happen someday at UCF," Cook said. "We were hoping it'd be while we were still here. And now, here it is." In a year, the Knights will have something new to hang up. A banner.

Maybe two. Alan Schmadtke can be reached at aschmadtkeorlandosentinel.com. Peters' 27-yard run, the Owls scored on the next play from scrimmage. Mike Falco's 80-yard catch-and-run sent the Knights climbing back uphill again. Jason Venson, Brandon Marshall and Joe Burnett turned the final dramatic scenes UCF's way.

In the 45th minute and with UCF behind 28-24, Venson cut in from of a pass from Joel Armstrong near midfield. It was Rice's first turnover. After Peters kept the drive alive with a fourth-down conversion run, Steven Moffett threw an 18-yard touchdown to Marshall with 1 minute, 25 seconds left. "After Venson intercepted and before we went onto the field, Brandon grabbed me around the neck and told me, 'When we pass, come to Moffett said. "When they signaled in that play, I looked at Brandon and said this was his time, go get it." Marshall ran a post pattern.

Moffett aimed the ball at the goal post. "Either Brandon catches it or no one does," Moffett said. Said Marshall: "As a little kid, you dream of being able to be out there to make that big play, the one that scores the touchdown to take the team over the top. I was just trying to stay in everybody's ear to keep them motivated and calm." By then, UCF's defense had caught on. A halftime adjustment against the Owls' trouble FIRST QUARTER UCF FG Prater 37, 10:43.

Drive: 65 yards, 9 plays, 4:12. Key plays: On third-and--2fromUCF's 23, Marshall 23 pass from Moffett, Johnson 15 pass from Moffett, Smith 13 run. UCF Burnett 58 punt return (kick blocked), 8:27. RICE Smith 8 pass from Armstrong (Landry kick), 2:15. Drive: 80 yards, 13 plays, 6:12.

Key plays: Aranda 38 pass from Armstrong to UCF's 42, two fourth-and-1 conversions, including touchdown. SECOND QUARTER RICE Wall 5 run (Landry kick), 10:42. Drive: 76 yards, 11 plays, 4:24. Key plays: Dillard 24 pass from Armstrong on third-and-4 to UCF's 46, Armstrong 5 run on third-and-4, 12-yard UCF face mask penalty. RICE Dillard 6 pass from Armstrong (Landry kick), :14.

Drive: 80 yards, 7 plays, 1:36. Key plays: Ja. Shepherd intercept Moffett pass for Walker in end zone, Falco 29 pass from Armstrong to Rice 49 followed by 15-yard face mask penalty on UCF, Falco 8 run on THIRD QUARTER UCF Walker 26 pass from Moffett (Prater kick), 4:56. Drive: 81 yards, 10 plays, 4:39. Key plays: UCF stop Rice on fourth-and-1 at UCF's 19, Moffett 6-for-6 passing for 66 yards.

FOURTH QUARTER UCF Peters 27 run (Marshall pass from Moffett), 14:52. Drive: 69 yards, 9 plays, 2:44. Key play: Rice pass interference penalty on third down to keep drive alive. RICE Falco 80 pass from Armstrong (Landry kick), 14:37. Drive: 80 yards, 1 play: :08.

Key play: None. UCF Marshall 18 pass from Moffett (Prater kick), 1:25. Drive: 31 yards, 7 plays, 2:43. Key plays: Venson 13 interception return of Armstrong pass to UCF's 31 Peters 2 run to 20 on fourth-and-1. A 8,267.

Players, coaches have had faith all year RECAP UCF rallied in the fourth quarter and beat Rice 31 -28 Saturday to earn its first football championship of any kind. The Golden Knights (8-3, 7-1 clinched Conference USA's East Division title and a berth in the Dec. 3 title game. The turning point Jason Venson's interception to set the Knights up on Rice's 31 with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left was key. It was the first turnover of the day for Rice (1-9, 1-6).

Unsung heroes Linebacker Antonio Wallace was inserted in the second half and was helpful in stopping the Owls' options, while middle linebacker Ronnell Sandy stopped the run throughout. Key injuries Wide receiver Mike Walker and defensive end Glenroy Watkins likely are out the rest of the year with left-knee injuries. Walker, a junior, said he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Watkins was unsure of the severity of his injury. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall sprained his left foot.

Looking ahead The Knights are ready to celebrate for two reasons: their division title and a week off. Saturday was their 1 0th game in 1 0 weeks. They have a week to rest until practice begins for the C-USA title game. Final word "The price for success is paid in advance. And for all the stuff these guys heard all summer after last season, these guys paid the price." UCF defensive coordinator Lance Thompson ALAN SCHMADTKE UCF INDIVIDUALS RUSHING BIANCHI FROM CI RICE INDIVIDUALS RUSHING Player Atl Yds Avg Armstrong 17 108 6.4 Wall Jr.

18 60 3.3 Falco 6 30 5.0 Q.Smith 7 24 3.4 Clement 1 15 15.0 PASSING Player A I Yd Armstrong 6 12 1 185 Clement 2 4 1 29 RECEIVING Player Atl Yds Avg Falco 3 120 40.0 Dillard 3 48 16.0 Aranda 1 38 38.0 Q.Smith 1 8 8.0 DEFENSIVE STATISTICS Player UT TT Int. Sck Herrin 14 14 0 1 Gilbert 8 10 0 0 Syptak 6 7 0 0 Price 5 7 0 0 Downs 4 5 0 0 Cary 3 5 0 0 Taylor 3 3 0 0 Chukwu 13 0 0 Shepherd 2 2 10 Raines 2 2 0 0 King 2 2 0 0 Luedeker 2 2 0 0 Alitor 2 2 0 0 1 tackle: Berken, Casson, Player All Yds Avg Peters 14 77 5.5 Ke.Smith 16 58 3.6 Moffett 6 16 2.7 Wilcox 1 3 3.0 Team 3 -5 1.7 PASSING Player A I Yd Moffett 19 29 1 205 RECEIVING Player All Yds Avg D.Johnson 6 53 8.8 Marshall 4 61 15.2 Walker 3 44 14.7 Ross 3 22 7.3 Jackson 1 10 10.0 Merritt 1 9 9.0 Francis 1 6 6.0 DEFENSIVE STATISTICS Player UT TT Int. Sck Venson 14 15 1 0 Dozier 8 9 0 0 Neal 8 9 0 0 Cook 5 6 0 0 Burnett 4 5 10 Sandy 3 5 0 0 Crrngtn 3 3 0 0 Gabourel 2 3 0 0 Barr 2 2 0 0 Shologan 12 0 0 Rashad 12 0 0 urday, they serenaded O'Leary with chants of, "We're going to the 'Ship! We're going to the 'Ship!" Ship, of course, is short for the championship game of Conference USA a goal that two months ago seemed as faraway and fictitious as, well, the man in the moon. 'Why go to the moon?" JFK asked the crowd at Rice Stadium way back then. And now, nearly 50 years later, as he stood in the bowels of Rice Stadium, UCF's defensive coordinator asks another profound question.

'Why stop at the moon?" Thompson said. 'We're shooting for the stars." Mike Bianchi can be reached at mbianchiorlandosentinel.com. school UCF is trying to get built? If the Knights had lost Saturday, it would have been needed to mend all the broken hearts and slashed wrists. But just as they've done all year, the Golden Knights would not go gently into that good night. As Dylan Thompson wrote in his famous poem, there was "rage, rage against the dying of the light." "Go out there and take it! Go out there and take back this game!" O'Leary told his team at halftime.

Man, did they ever. Senior free safety Anthony Willis gave the team a pregame pep talk about "believing in each other," and head trainer Jeff Allen gave a pregame devotional on "having real faith not counterfeit faith." Faith. Belief. The players and coaches have had it all year, even when none of the rest of us really did. Eight weeks ago, after the devastating31-14 loss to USF built the nation's longest losing streak to 17 games, everybody in town thought this team was horrible.

"After South Florida, we were all looking around and tlririking, What the heck is going on UCF President John Hitt admitted. "Never in my wildest dreams did I mink all this would be possible. I thought if we could win three or four games, that would be a great start." From worst to first. From chumps to champs. From the longest losing streak in the nation to the second-biggest turnaround in the history of college football.

As the players flooded into the locker room after the victory Sat Rice (1-9) has little talent and even fewer fans, but the Owls somehow didn't get the memo that said they were supposed to lay down so UCF could make history. For much of the game, Rice pounded the pilaf out of UCF. Rice was Rice, but UCF looked more like couscous. Rice ran the wishbone a relic offense from days gone by and bashed its way to a 2 1 -9 half-time lead. Oh, no, was UCF having a flashback to its 1 7-game losing streak? "I was hyperventilating," said Sharon O'Leary, the coach's wife.

"I thought I was going to throw up," said Stacy Thompson, the wife of defensive coordinator Lance Thompson. You know that new medical Hackle: Johnson, Ashley, Douzable, Cumming, Wallace, Reid Byrd, Smith, James, Cooper, Gordon, Abt The Bottom Line: No matter what happens now, UCF's season has been a success..