2010 UCF Knights football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 2010 UCF Knights football UCF Knights logo.svg 100px Conference USA East C-USA 11–3 7–1 20 21 George O'Leary 7th Charlie Taaffe 2nd Dave Huxtable 3rd Bright House Networks Stadium C-USA championC-USA East Division championLiberty Bowl champion C-USA Championship W Won 17–7 vs. SMU Liberty Bowl W Won 10–6 vs. Georgia The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a nationally televised rout of Houston on November 5. For the third time in six years, UCF won the Conference USA Eastern Division, and later became Conference USA champions for the second time in four seasons. As a result, the Knights appeared in the Liberty Bowl, in which they defeated Georgia 10–6, for the first bowl victory in program history. UCF finished the season ranked in both final national polls, 20th in the Coaches Poll, and 21st in the AP Poll.UCF football ranked in final Top 25 polls https://web.archive.org/web/20121024021741/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2011/01/ucf-football-ranked-in-final-top-25-polls.html 2012-10-24 All games were broadcast live on the UCF-ISP Sports radio network.http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/multimedia/ucf-isp-radio-network.html UCF ISP Radio Network 2010-03-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20100213054420/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/multimedia/ucf-isp-radio-network.html 2010-02-13 dead The flagship was WYGM "740 The Game" in Orlando. Personnel thumb|Head Coach George O'Leary thumb|Bright House Networks Stadium Coaching staff 2010 UCF Knights coaching staffHead coaches Head coach – George O'Leary Asst. head coach/wide receivers – David Kelly Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Charlie Taaffe Running backs – George Godsey Offensive line – Brent Key Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Dave Huxtable Defensive run game coordinator/linebackers – John Skladany Defensive backs – Sean Beckton Defensive line – Jim Panagos Special teams Special teams coordinator/tight ends – Tim Salem Administrative staff Athletic director (A.D.) – Keith R. Tribble Assistant A.D. for Football Operations – Marty O'Leary Director of player personnel – Albert Boone Roster 2010 UCF Knights roster2010 Roster from the University of Central Florida KnightsQuarterbacks 2 Jeffrey Godfrey – freshman 4 Rob Calabrese – junior 5 Blake Bortles – freshman 17 L.D. Crow – 10px|Redshirt junior Halfbacks 13 Dontravius Floyd – 10px|Redshirt freshman 28 Latavius Murray – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 43 Ricky Kay – senior Fullbacks 32 Billy Giovanetti – 10px|Redshirt sophomore Running backs 7 Brandon Davis – junior 11 Jeff Brinson – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 24 Brendan Kelly – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 27 Jonathan Davis – sophomore 33 Kerlon Williams – 10px|Redshirt junior 34 Brynn Harvey – junior 35 Ronnie Weaver – 10px|Redshirt junior Wide receivers 3 A.J. Guyton – 10px|Redshirt junior 6 Brian Watters – 10px|Redshirt senior 9 Jamar Newsome – 10px|Redshirt senior 10 Nico Flores – 10px|Redshirt freshman 12 Marquee Williams – 10px|Redshirt freshman 14 Quincy McDuffie – sophomore 31 Austin Hudson – 10px|Redshirt senior 80 Joshua Reese – freshman 81 Kamar Aiken – senior 82 Khymest Williams – 10px|Redshirt junior 87 J.T. McArthur – 10px|Redshirt junior Tight ends 85 Willie Gaetjens – 10px|Redshirt junior 86 D.J. Brown – 10px|Redshirt freshman 88 Adam Nissley – 10px|Redshirt junior Offensive line 58 Josh Wofford – 10px|Redshirt freshman 62 Rey Cunha – 10px|Redshirt freshman 63 Jordan McCray – freshman 64 Justin McCray – freshman 65 Cliff McCray – 10px|Redshirt junior 66 Abre Leggins – 10px|Redshirt senior 67 Perry Meiklejohn – freshman 68 Theo Goins – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 69 Zac Norris – 10px|Redshirt junior 70 Chris Martin – 10px|Redshirt freshman 72 Torrian Wilson – freshman 73 Jordan Rae – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 74 Chad Hounshell – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 76 Jah Reid – 10px|Redshirt senior 77 Nick Pieschel – 10px|Redshirt junior 78 Joe Perno – 10px|Redshirt freshman 79 Tony Jacob – freshman Defensive ends 48 David Williams – 10px|Redshirt senior 49 Bruce Miller – 10px|Redshirt senior 52 Jack Carter – 10px|Redshirt junior 53 Darius Nall – 10px|Redshirt junior 73 Kevin Garvy – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 90 Ash Weekley – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 93 Quenton Brown – freshman 97 Robert Pritchard – 10px|Redshirt sophomore Defensive tackles 94 Wes Tunuufi Sauvao – 10px|Redshirt senior 95 E.J. Dunston – freshman 96 Andrew Rice – freshman Defensive backs 12 Robertson Auguste – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 18 Kemal Ishmael – sophomore 19 A. J. Bouye – sophomore 21 Darin Baldwin – senior 23 Justin Boddie – senior 29 Lyle Dankenbring – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 30 Jordan Ozerities – freshman 31 Cornelius Whitehead – freshman 33 Jamar McClain – freshman 36 Woodley Cadet – freshman 37 Henry Wright – 10px|Redshirt freshman 39 Omar Hansborough – 10px|Redshirt junior 40 Reggie Weams – senior 46 Ray Shipman – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 47 Clayton Geathers – freshman Defensive line 44 Brandon Bryant – 10px|Redshirt freshman 58 Troy Davis – sophomore 91 Victor Gray – 10px|Redshirt freshman 92 Barry Snider – 10px|Redshirt junior Linebackers 38 Derrick Hallman – senior 42 Loren Robinson – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 45 Javen Harris – 10px|Redshirt freshman 50 Josh Linam – junior 51 D.J. Williams – 10px|Redshirt sophomore 54 Chance Henderson – 10px|Redshirt senior 55 Vinny Mazzurco – 10px|Redshirt junior 56 Cody Ralston – freshman 59 LeBranden Richardson – freshman Cornerbacks 20 Josh Robinson – sophomore 22 Emery Allen – 10px|Redshirt senior Safeties 25 Jarrett Swaby – 10px|Redshirt freshman Punters/kickers 16 Nick Cattoi – junior 17 Steven Faucher – 10px|Redshirt freshman 41 Blake Clingan – senior 98 David Bohner – 10px|Redshirt junior 99 James Boyle – sophomore Snappers 59 Matt Morrison – 10px|Redshirt freshman 60 Charley Hughlett – junior 61 James Getsee – 10px|Redshirt junior Terms: Freshman – A player in his first year Sophomore – A player in his second year Junior – A player in his third year Senior – A player in his fourth year 10px|Redshirt Redshirt – A player who sat out a previous season Recruiting class yes yes 2010 Jordan Akins WR McDonough, GA Union Grove 6 3 185 N/A 2010-02-03 3 3 76 Blake Bortles QB Oviedo, FL Oviedo 6 4 230 N/A 2009-08-01 3 2 76 Quenton Brown TE/DL Tucker, GA Tucker 6 3 212 N/A 2009-08-27 3 3 Woodley Cadet S Loxahatchee, FL Seminole Ridge 6 2 200 N/A 2009-04-21 3 2 Davious Chestnut CB Hemingway, SC Carvers Bay 6 3 185 N/A 2009-08-24 2 2 E.J. Dunston DT Orlando, FL Edgewater 6 2 310 N/A 2009-10-13 2 2 71 Clayton Geathers S Hemingway, SC Carvers Bay 6 1 190 4.5 2009-08-24 2 2 Jeffrey Godfrey QB Miami, FL Miami Central 5 11 175 4.6 2009-12-21 3 3 78 Tony Jacob OT Atlanta, GA Westlake 6 8 310 N/A 2009-08-01 2 3 Jose Jose a G Miami, FL Miami Central 6 2 355 5.63 2010-02-03 3 3 75 Jamar McClain CB Miami, FL Miami Central 5 10 175 N/A 2009-12-21 2 2 Jordan McCray OG Miami, FL Southridge 6 4 290 5.3 2009-06-08 3 3 77 Justin McCray OG Miami, FL Southridge 6 4 290 5.3 2009-06-08 3 3 76 Perry Meiklejohn OL/DL Miami, FL Westminster Christian 6 3 315 N/A 2009-04-27 3 2 72 Jordan Ozerities CB/CR Mount Dora, FL Mount Dora 5 11 185 4.5 2009-07-31 3 2 Cody Ralston OLB Calhoun, GA Calhoun 6 2 196 4.5 2009-03-03 3 2 Joshua Reese WR Miami, FL Miami Central 6 1 180 N/A 2009-12-21 4 3 79 Andrew Rice DT Lake Mary, FL Lake Mary 6 2 280 N/A 2009-07-05 2 2 69 LaBranden Richardson DT Miami, FL Miami Central 6 2 225 N/A 2010-01-31 2 2 Zach Soto OT Miami, FL Monsignor Pace 6 6 265 5.1 2009-07-08 2 2 Justin Tukes TE Sylvester, GA Worth County 6 5 220 4.7 2009-10-25 3 2 Cornelius Whitehead WR/S Mount Dora, FL Mount Dora 6 1 165 4.7 2009-03-23 3 2 78 Torrian Wilson G/C Miami, FL Northwestern 6 4 300 N/A 2010-02-03 4 3 80 yes 2010 UCF 2010 Football Commitments 2010 UCF Football Commits ESPN ucf 339 2116 56 2011-01-24 no Notes: a Jose Jose was released from his scholarship during the spring, and would later recommit to the team for the 2011 season.UCF releases Jose Jose from his scholarship after arrest https://web.archive.org/web/20100311204742/http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college_ucf/2010/03/ucf-releases-jose-jose-from-his-scholarship-after-his-arrest.html 2010-03-11 Schedule thumb|Bright House Networks Stadium, the Knights' home field 2010 Eastern AP September 4 6:00 pm w y 2010 South Dakota Coyotes South Dakota (FCS) Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL 38–7 34,373 September 11 7:30 pm l y NC State Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL CBSCS 21–28 43,020 September 18 7:00 pm w y y Buffalo University at Buffalo Stadium Amherst, NY BHSN 24–10 14,312 September 25 12:30 pm l y y Kansas State Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium Manhattan, KS FSN 13–17 50,586 October 6 8:00 pm w UAB Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL ESPN 42–7 40,281 October 13 8:00 pm w y Marshall Joan C. Edwards Stadium Huntington, WV ESPN 35–14 23,601 October 23 3:30 pm w y Rice Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL BHSN 41–14 38,151 October 30 3:30 pm w East Carolina Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL BHSN 49–35 40,073 November 5 8:00 pm w y Houston Robertson Stadium Houston, TX ESPN2 40–33 32,008 November 13 12:00 pm l 25 Southern Miss Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL CBSCS 21–31 40,358 November 20 3:30 pm w y Tulane Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA 61–14 19,069 November 27 12:00 pm w y Memphis Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN CSS 37–17 14,992 December 4 12:00 pm w SMU C-USA Championship Bright House Networks Stadium Orlando, FL ESPN2 17–7 41,045 December 31 3:30 pm w y y Georgia Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN ESPN 10–6 51,231 Rankings 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings 15 RV — — — — — — — — RV 25 — RV RV RV 21 — — — — — — — — RV RV 23 RV RV 25 24 20 6 — — RV RV 25 RV RV RV 25 7 — RV RV RV RV RV RV 25 Game summaries South Dakota Coyotes 0 0 7 0 Knights 14 10 7 7 Orlando, FL 6:05 p.m. Eastern 2:37 34,373 89°, sunny Steve Barth 2010 South Dakota Coyotes UCF hosted South Dakota, becoming the FCS squad's first-ever FBS opponent. In a match that analysts said might determine whether or not quarterback Rob Calabrese would get the team for his senior year, he rose to the challenge, throwing 12-of-15 for 176 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Davis rushed for 107 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown, and A.J. Guyton caught 8 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. The team never turned the ball over, and did not suffer a three-and-out. It proved to be UCF's largest margin of victory yet in a season opener. True freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey was brought in for the 4th quarter, when the game was already in hand, and led a touchdown drive of his own, passing 6-of-7 for 65 yards. NC State Wolfpack 7 14 7 0 Knights 0 7 0 14 Orlando, FL 7:34 p.m. Eastern 3:26 43,020 87°, clear Ron Cherry 2010 NC State Wolfpack football team In a game where NC State was looking for reprisal following its 2007 upset by the Knights during the team's last meeting, UCF turned the ball over five separate times including a 43-yard interception return by the Wolfpack. Trailing by 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Knights, led by true freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey, scored two times to bring UCF within seven, but fumbled the ball with 51 seconds left on the clock at the NC State 11-yard line. Godfrey went 7-for-10 for 107 yards, and rushed for 53 yards including two rushing touchdowns. Calabrese went 10-for-18 for 106 yards with two interceptions. Following the loss, debate arose once again over the fate of the Knights' starting quarterback job. Buffalo Knights 3 7 0 14 Bulls 0 3 7 0 Amherst, NY 7:05 p.m. Eastern 3:09 14,312 68°, cloudy William Alge 2010 Buffalo Bulls football team In his first game as the Knights' starting quarterback, Jeffrey Godfrey went 15-for-24 for 130 yards. Ronnie Weaver had eight carries for 49 rushing yards, while Godfrey had 13 carries for 44 yards. Bruce Miller had a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. DE Darius Nall earned Conference USA defensive player of the week honors with nine tackles, including three tackles for a loss, and two sacks. With the start, Godfrey became the ninth true freshman quarterback to start for the Knights, and only the second, after Daunte Culpepper, to win their first start. Kansas State Knights 7 0 0 6 Wildcats 0 0 3 14 Manhattan, KS 12:40 p.m. Eastern 3:09 50,586 65°, cloudy Ed Ardito 2010 Kansas State Wildcats football team In a game where the UCF defense proved dominant on the field while the offense struggled, the Wildcats orchestrated a late 4th quarter comeback, scoring two touchdowns, including the winning TD with 24 seconds left on the clock. In his second game as the starting quarterback, Jeff Godfrey rushed for 99 yards, and went 8-for-18 for 92 yards. Godfrey passed Daunte Culpepper's career rushing record of 95 yards with his performance. Ronnie Weaver had 22 carries for 130 rushing yards, including one touchdown. Nick Cattoi was 2-for-4, missing 23-yard and 42-yard field goals. With the loss, UCF held a 2–23 record against opponents from BCS automatic qualifying conferences since joining the FBS in 1996. UAB Blazers 0 0 7 0 Knights 7 14 7 14 Orlando, FL 8:04 p.m. Eastern 2:55 40,281 69°, clear Wayne Winkler 2010 UAB Blazers football team In their conference opener, the Knights proved dominant both offensively and defensively. They were able to capitalize on Blazer turnovers, scoring three touchdowns from a forced fumble and two interceptions. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 80 yards, and went 9-for-11 for 137 yards. Rob Calabrese went 3-for-3 for 34 yards, serving as the second half of the quarterback tandem. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 50 yards on 21 carries for two touchdowns. FS Kemal Ishmael won Conference USA defensive player of the week honors with seven tackles, an interception and forced a fumble. With the defeat of the Blazers, the Knights had a seven-game conference winning streak dating back to their October 3, 2009 win over Memphis. The game also represented the first weekday game played at Bright House Networks Stadium since its opening in 2007. Marshall Knights 7 7 14 7 Thundering Herd 0 7 7 0 Huntington, WV 8:05 p.m. Eastern 2:44 23,601 70°, cloudy Randy Smith 2010 Marshall Thundering Herd football team Marshall–UCF football rivalry Playing for the second straight week on a Wednesday night in front of a national television audience, the Knights outlasted and dominated the Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington. UCF had now won sixstraight games against the Thundering Herd, never losing to them as Conference USA foes. In a game that was delayed 68 minutes due to lightning, and in which there was no halftime, the Knights possessed the ball for over 40 minutes while the Thundering Herd held it for under 20. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 27 yards, and went 11-for-21 for 138 yards. Rob Calabrese suffered a season-ending knee injury on a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 150 yards on 30 carries. On Marshall's third play of the second half, A. J. Bouye intercepted Brian Anderson and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. UCF had now returned three interceptions for touchdowns this season; the Conference USA record was four. Defeating the Thundering Herd, the Knights were riding an eight-game conference winning streak, tying East Carolina for the nation's fifth longest active conference winning streak. With the win, UCF was off to its best start since the 1998 season when the Knights went 9–2, and which was also Daunte Culpepper's senior year. UCF ranked atop Conference USA in all defensive categories, and the Knights' defense ranked ninth in the country. Rice Owls 0 0 7 7 Knights 13 14 7 7 Orlando, FL 3:35 p.m. Eastern 2:57 38,151 82°, cloudy David Smith 2010 Rice Owls football team UCF scored the first touchdown of the game 1:23 after kickoff with two plays completed, and held Rice's offensive line from completing a first down until the second quarter of the game. The Knights scored on their first five drives and did not punt until 2:58 was left in the 3rd quarter. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 41 yards, and went 13-for-18 for 178 yards. L.D. Crow, the Knights' new second-string quarterback to replace Rob Calabrese, went 5-for-6 for 91 yards. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries. DE Darius Nall won Conference USA co-defensive player of the week honors for the second time this season with 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass pressure. With the defeat of the Owls, the Knights had a nine-game conference winning streak, tied for the fourth longest in the nation. UCF was 21–10 all time on Homecoming weekend and 17–7 (12-3) at home. UCF's defense ranked atop Conference USA in all categories and was ranked seventh nationally. After the game, the Knights received two votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and three votes in the Harris Poll. They were ranked 41st in the BCS Standings. East Carolina Pirates 7 7 7 14 Knights 14 14 7 14 Orlando, FL 3:36 p.m. Eastern 3:12 40,073 82°, fair Wayne Winkler 2010 East Carolina Pirates football team The Knights proved dominant both offensively and defensively throughout the game, garnering their first win against East Carolina in five years. The game marked the latest that two undefeated Conference USA teams had played since the conference expanded to 12 teams and started divisional play in 2003. UCF proved so dominant on the field that for the first time since a 48–0 win over Eastern Illinois in 1998, the Knights did not punt the ball. For the entirety of the second half of the game, UCF held at least a 14-point advantage. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 43 yards, and went 8-for-12 for 159 yards. Ronnie Weaver earned Conference USA offensive player of the week honors, rushing for a career-high 180 yards on 30 carries for two touchdowns. Latavius Murray had 7 carries for 47 yards with three touchdowns, and Brian Waters had two receptions for 55 yards. The Knights had won four consecutive games, and own a 10-game conference winning streak, the third longest in the nation. With the defeat of East Carolina, the Knights were the only team still undefeated in conference play, and they held a commanding lead in the Eastern Division. After the game, the Knights received five votes in the AP Poll, 13 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and 7 votes in the Harris Poll. They were ranked 32nd in the BCS Standings. Houston Knights 7 16 7 10 Cougars 3 7 14 9 Houston, TX 8:07 p.m. Eastern 3:21 32,008 64°, clear Ed Ardito 2010 Houston Cougars football team In a game with 1,054 yards of total offense, the Knights' true freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey led the team to a 40–33 victory over the Cougars with three late-scoring drives. Godfrey went 15-for-19 for 294 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and 105 yards rushing. Latavius Murray rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries for a touchdown. Ronnie Weaver had 19 carries for 45 yards, and Jamar Newsome had 5 receptions for 123 yards. The Knights only trailed for six and a half minutes the entire game, and dominated the time of possession with 36 minutes to the Cougars' 24 minutes. UCF only punted twice in the last eight quarters. QB Jeff Godfrey earned Conference USA offensive player of the week honors, and LB Josh Linam took defensive player of the week honors for their performances. The Knights were on an 11-game conference winning streak, the third longest active streak in the nation behind Boise State and TCU. With the defeat of the Cougars, the Knights remained the only team undefeated in conference play, and they held home-field advantage over Houston in a possible Conference championship game. Following the game, for the first time in school history, UCF received top 25 rankings: #23 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, #25 in the AP Poll and #25 in the Harris Poll. Southern Miss Golden Eagles 3 14 7 7 #23 Knights 14 0 0 7 Orlando, FL 12:02 p.m. Eastern 3:13 40,358 73°, clear Steve Barth 2010 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team The Knights started out fast against the Golden Eagles, storming out to a 14–0 lead by the middle of the 1st quarter. Jeff Godfrey ran for the first TD, then threw a 4-yard pass to Brian Watters for the second. From there the offense faltered, as the Knights' defense was worn out by facing their third straight no-huddle offense. Southern Miss scored 31 unanswered points, to jump out to a 31–14 lead halfway through the 4th quarter. With four minutes left, Godfrey threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jamar Newsome to cut the lead to 10, but the Knights failed to recover an on-side kick. Godfrey went 16-of-25 for 190 yards, and threw two interceptions. Ronnie Weaver had 12 carries for 112 yards, and Jamar Newsome had five receptions for 100 yards and a TD. The loss dropped the Knights from the polls, but they continued to control their own destiny for the chance to host the 2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game for the third time. Tulane Knights 31 7 7 16 Green Wave 0 14 0 0 New Orleans, LA 3:30 p.m. Eastern 3:00 19,069 N/A (indoors) R.G. Detillier 2010 Tulane Green Wave football team Bouncing back from their lost the previous week, the Knights jumped out to a quick lead with a 95-yard kickoff return by Quincy McDuffie. UCF held a 31–0 lead at the end of the 1st quarter, which set a school record for points in a first quarter. The Knights only allowed Tulane two net yards in the first quarter, and at halftime led 38–14. The final play of the game, a Tulane hail mary pass, was intercepted and returned 100 yards by freshman cornerback Jordan Ozerities. Jeff Godfrey went 6-for-8 for 133 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Latavius Murray rushed for 146 yards on 11 carries for a touchdown. Ronnie Weaver had nine carries for 58 yards, and Kamar Aiken had two receptions for 70 yards and an interception. KR Quincy McDuffie earned Conference USA special teams player of the week honors for his performance. The 61 points scored were the most of Coach George O’Leary's seven-year tenure at UCF. With the win against the Green Wave, and the loss by East Carolina, the Knights continued to control their own destiny for the chance to host the Conference USA Championship Game. Memphis Knights 7 9 7 14 Tigers 7 0 3 7 Memphis, TN 12:07 p.m. Eastern 2:42 14,992 49°, clear D. Smith 2010 Memphis Tigers football team Despite the loss by Southern Miss the previous night to lock up the Eastern Division and home-field for the conference championship game for UCF, the Knights played as if they still needed to win. Jeff Godfrey had a signature performance, throwing 14-of-17 for 252 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for a third touchdown. Sophomore running back Latavius Murray added 75 rushing yards with two touchdowns. Jamar Newsome had four receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. In the game, senior defensive end Bruce Miller recorded two sacks against the Tigers, becoming the school's career leader, with 32. With the win, the Knights returned to the national rankings, placing 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. UCF finished the regular season with a 9–3 overall record, and a 7–1 record in C-USA. This was the third time in six years that UCF had dropped only one conference game, all three times appearing in the league title game. Conference USA Championship Game SMU 0 0 0 7 #25 Knights 7 3 7 0 Orlando, FL 12:01 p.m. Eastern 2:58 41,045 66°, clear Randy Smith Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Brian Griese (color) ESPN2 2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game 2010 SMU Mustangs football team UCF hosted the Conference USA Championship for the third time in its six years of existence. The Knights jumped out to a quick lead with a 13-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard TD pass from Jeff Godfrey to Latavius Murray. UCF scored again as the first half ended with a 29–yard field goal by Nick Cattoi, which led to a 10–0 Knight lead at the half. The Knights stretched the lead to 17–0, by scoring on a 36–yard run by Latavius Murray. The UCF defense proved dominant, with five sacks, six quarterback hurries and two interceptions, and did not allow an SMU score until the fourth quarter. UCF defeated SMU 17–7 to capture their second C-USA title. The seven points allowed by the Knights was a C-USA title game record for fewest points allowed to an opponent. The Knights now led the all-time series against SMU 3–0. Jeffrey Godfrey went 15-for-19 for 167 yards and a touchdown. Godfrey's 78.9% completion percentage was a record for a C-USA championship game. Latavius Murray rushed for 94 yards on 20 carries for a touchdown, and had two receptions for 21 yards with a touchdown. Ronnie Weaver had eight carries for 35 yards, and Kamar Aiken had four receptions for 52 yards. For his performance, RB Latavius Murray earned the C-USA Championship Game MVP award. The Knights tied the school record for wins, 10, and would be playing in the Liberty Bowl for the second time in four years. UCF had now won three straight games, and eight of the last nine. Following the game, the Knights placed 24th in the Coaches Poll, 25th in the Harris poll, and in the AP Poll were first in the 'others receiving votes' category, ranking them unofficially at number 26. With the rankings, UCF earned its first appearance in the BCS Standings, ranking 25th overall, and becoming the 83rd team to be represented in the rankings. Due to the tendency for fans to shake "The Bouncehouse," ESPN2, for their television production, set up a camera position outside the stadium to eliminate camera bounce caused by the crowd.http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/ot/10-m-footbl-blog.html C-USA Football Championship Blog January 1, 2011 October 27, 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20111027210346/http://conferenceusa.cstv.com/ot/10-m-footbl-blog.html dead Liberty Bowl Bulldogs 3 0 3 0 #24 Knights 0 3 0 7 Memphis, TN 3:30 p.m. Eastern 3:17 51,231 67°, cloudy R. Loumiet (Big 12) Dave Neal (play-by-play), Andre Ware (color), Cara Capuano (sideline) ESPN 2010 Liberty Bowl (December) 2010 Georgia Bulldogs football team The Knights faced the Georgia Bulldogs in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. It was UCF's second trip to the bowl in four years, and marked the second meeting between the two schools. The Knights lost the previous meeting, 23–24, in 1999, in a game sometimes known as the "Burglary Between the Hedges."https://archive.today/20120910032531/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/os-bianchi-ucf-georgia-preview-1231-20101230,0,4526171.column UCF Liberty Bowl win against Georgia would avenge Burglary Between the Hedges The game marked UCF's first ever bowl win, and their third win over an AQ opponent. UCF had one previous win over an SEC team–a 40–38 win over Alabama at Tuscaloosa in 2000. The win in Tuscaloosa was the Knights' first win over an opponent from an AQ conference.10-Year Anniversary: UCF Knocks Off ‘Bama, 40-38 https://web.archive.org/web/20110717032451/http://thesportsreportonline.com/slider/10-year-anniversary-ucf-knocks-off-bama-40-38/ 2011-07-17 The Knights started fast out of the gate, with Quincy McDuffie returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, but the play was called back to UCF's 11-yard line due to a holding penalty. After the penalty the drive fizzled, and Blake Clingan punted the ball, giving Georgia their first possession at their two-yard line. The Bulldogs drove 95 yards in 9:13, ending with a Blair Walsh 20-yard field goal to give Georgia a 3–0 lead. The Knights tied the game with a Nick Cattoi 22-yard field goal with 33 seconds left in the first half. The drive started with an interception and 13-yard return by Josh Linam. To open the second half, Georgia launched a 13-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a Blair Walsh 41-yard field goal, giving the Bulldogs a 6–3 lead. Behind quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey, who was injured in the first quarter, the Knights drove down the field with a 65-yard drive in the fourth quarter. With 9:01 left, Latavius Murray scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to give the Knights a 10–6 lead that they would not relinquish. Jeffrey Godfrey went 16-for-29 for 116 yards, and threw two interceptions. Latavius Murray rushed for 104 yards on 18 carries for a touchdown, earning him Liberty Bowl MVP honors. Nick Cattoi was 1-for-1 with a 22-yard field goal, and Reggie Weams and Josh Linam both had interceptions in the game, for 22 yards and 13 yards respectively. DE Bruce Miller recorded 1.5 sacks against the Bulldogs, his 36th career sack. Miller now ranked second in Florida history in sacks, and 5th all-time in the FBS.Georgia Bulldogs vs. UCF Knights - Box Score - December 31, 2010 - ESPNhttps://archive.today/20130130195104/http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/college/knights/os-ucf-georgia-liberty-bowl-rail-note20101231,0,6677562.story Quick takes: Highlights of UCF's win over Georgia in the Liberty Bowl With the victory, the Knights set a then-school record with 11 wins, and earned their first win as a nationally ranked BCS squad, cementing the best season in school history up to that point. UCF finished the year with more wins than any other FBS team in Florida, and was the only team in the state to be nationally ranked in both the BCS and the AP men's basketball poll. The UCF senior class ended their careers with 33 total victories, the most of any UCF senior class up to that point. IGeorge O'Leary for the first time achieved an over .500 record at UCF. With the win, his record was 45–44 with the Knights, and he was only three shy of 100 career wins.Instant Analysis: UCF 10, Georgia 6 The win gives him a career record of 4–5 against the Bulldogs. Awards and milestones In addition to winning the Conference USA title, UCF and its players won several other awards. Head coach George O'Leary was named C-USA Coach of the Year for the third time. Having twice won ACC Coach of the Year, O'Leary had now been awarded coach of the year five times, trailing only South Carolina's Steve Spurrier (six) and Utah's Dennis Erickson (six) among active FBS coaches.O'Leary wins C-USA coaching award Jeff Godfrey was named C-USA Freshman of the Year, joining Kevin Smith as the only Knight to win the honor. Godfrey ranks eighth in the nation in passing efficiency at 165.28, completing 68.4% of his passes, tops among all FBS quarterbacks. Godfrey also became the first true freshman quarterback to lead his team to an FBS conference championship.Jeff Godfrey Earns Freshman All-America Honors https://web.archive.org/web/20101218213440/http://ucfathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/121410aaa.html 2010-12-18 Defensive end Bruce Miller was named C-USA Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row, becoming only the second conference player to earn the award more than once.UCF's Godfrey, Miller and O'Leary earn major C-USA awardsJune 2017 InternetArchiveBot yes All-Conference Teams C-USA First Team: Jah Reid, Bruce Miller, Kemal Ishmael, Josh Robinson, Quincy McDuffiehttp://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120710aac.html C-USA Announces Football All-Conference Teams 2014-06-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20140714203951/http://www.conferenceusa.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120710aac.html 2014-07-14 dead C-USA Second Team: Ronnie Weaver, Darius Nall, Charley Hughlett School records Best record: 9–3 (regular season) (T–2007), 11–3 (final including bowl game) Best regular season conference record: 7–1 (T–2005, 2007) Highest ranking: #25 (BCS), #21 (AP), #20 (Coaches), #25 (Harris) Offseason NFL draft Two former players were selected in the 2011 NFL draft: Round Pick Overall Name Position Team 3rd 21 85th Jah Reid Offensive tackle Baltimore Ravens 7th 8 211th Bruce Miller Defensive end San Francisco 49ers References UCF Category:UCF Knights football seasons Category:Conference USA football champion seasons Category:Liberty Bowl champion seasons UCF Knights football Category:2010 in Orlando, Florida