It was a significant game for the two teams anyway.
UCF and USF, both American Athletic Conference members, located just 85 miles apart, playing the regular season finale.
For UCF, a lot was on the line. The Knights (8-3) would go to the AAC Championship Game with a win. The Bulls (1-10) would make their season if they could end the title dreams of their in-state rival.
After trailing 28-7 at intermission, USF had roared back to take the lead, 39-38, with little time remaining in the fourth quarter. UCF starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee had been injured and replaced by back-up Mikey Keene.
With just 20 seconds left in the game, Keene and Alec Holler found the magic. The junior tight end made a leaping, one-handed catch of a 14-yard Keene pass in the end zone to steal the win.
“That was wild catch, wasn’t it,” said UCF head coach Gus Malzahn after the game. “That’s the kind of play that wins championships.”
The game winner has been chosen as the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish “Catch of the Week.”
For the game, Keene completed 15 of 19 passes for 129 yards and two scores, including the game-winning toss. Holler had four receptions for 32 yards, including the touchdown.
UCF faces Tulane in the ACC Championship Game in New Orleans on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Remember … for the tailgate tent or the pre-game party, U. S. Farm-Raised Catfish is always “the winning catch.”
The Catfish Institute, or TCI, was formed in 1986 by catfish farmers and feed manufacturers to raise consumer awareness of the positive qualities of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. Since its formation, U.S. per capita consumption has more than doubled.
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is a sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood product. The National Audubon Society, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Environmental Defense all recommend U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish as a safe environmental choice. To find out more, visit www.uscatfish.com.
