Saturday, October 6, 2018 07:00 PM (ET)

No. 12 UCF tops SMU, extends win streak to 18

Field Level Media
Oct 6, 2018

The 12th-ranked Central Florida Knights extended the nation's longest win streak to 18 games, defeating the SMU Mustangs 48-20 on Saturday night at Orlando, Fla.

UCF (5-0, 2-0 American Athletic Conference) was led by quarterback McKenzie Milton, who passed for 278 yards and two touchdowns.

Knights kicker Matthew Wright also had a big game, scoring 12 points and recovering a fumble.

SMU (2-4, 1-1), which had its modest two-game win streak snapped, was led by wide receiver James Proche, who caught 12 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Proche, who lost the fumble recovered by Wright, later jumped over the kicker on another return.

SMU opened the scoring on the game's first possession. The Mustangs produced a 12-play, 62-yard drive before settling for a 31-yard field goal by Kevin Robledo.

UCF then scored touchdowns on its first three possessions.

Adrian Killins Jr. scored on a 15-yard run to give the Knights a 7-3 lead. Killins finished the game with 20 carries for 113 yards.

On the ensuing kickoff, Proche -- who entered the game leading the AAC in receptions -- fumbled, and the ball was recovered by Wright. That led to Milton's 14-yard TD pass to Dredrick Snelson.

UCF extended its lead to 21-3, forcing an SMU three-and-out and capping a 70-yard drive with Otis Anderson's 4-yard run.

With 8:34 left in the second quarter, SMU cut its deficit to 21-10 as Ben Hicks connected with Proche on a 5-yard slant pattern into the end zone. The three-play, 9-yard mini-drive was set up by Patrick Nelson's interception of Milton and subsequent 22-yard return.

UCF capped the first-half scoring with a pair of Wright field goals, from 45 and 34 yards, giving the Knights a 27-10 lead.

The Knights extended their lead to 34-10 in the third quarter, going for it on fourth down and getting a 1-yard touchdown run from Trysten Hill.

Robredo's 21-yard field goal closed SMU's deficit to 34-13, but the UCF onslaught continued in the fourth quarter. Milton threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to Tre Nixon, and Anderson scored on a 30-yard run.

Proche's 19-yard TD reception from William Brown with 36 seconds left capped the scoring.

--Field Level Media

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