ORLANDO, Fla. – RJ Harvey rushed for three of his four touchdowns in the first half to help power UCF to a 45-14 win over Sam Houston Saturday for its second straight win at home to start the season.
Harvey had 126 yards on 19 carries to lead a ground game that amassed 454 yards in a win over New Hampshire a week ago and followed it with 384 yards against the Bearkats, 243 in the first half. The Knights were fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game last year but had only one game of 300 or more and now have two in their first two games of the season, setting a tone before opening Big 12 Conference play next week at TCU.
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“Those running backs are different,” Sam Houston coach K.C. Keeler said. “Our hope was we can make them a little bit one dimensional and try to have them throw the football and not one dimensional the other way. They were swallowing us up. Those running backs are special.”
For Harvey, it was his third career game with three rushing touchdowns. He also eclipsed 100 yards for the fourth consecutive game dating back to last season despite not playing in the fourth quarter. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in 10 of his last 11 games.
Myles Montgomery added a short rushing touchdown in the third quarter and Peny Boone added another in the fourth quarter to complete the Knights’ victory. It made for an easier game for the Knights where they tallied 554 total yards.
“It takes stress off me,” UCF quarterback KJ Jefferson said. “I hand the ball off to those guys and let them showcase their talents.”
The Bearkats (1-1) had no answer on offense as the Knights’ defense matched the offense’s effort. Sam Houston managed only 118 total yards in the first half and 282 for the game compared to UCF’s 554.
Running back DJ McKinney led the Bearkats with 22 of their 67 rush yards and backup Zach Hrbacek ran for 25 yards on eight carries in the fourth quarter with the game decided.
Quarterback Hunter Watson had 15 yards on seven rushing attempts and threw for only 82 yards on 9-for-13 passing.
He threw two picks, both with Sam Houston driving past UCF’s 50. It was the only time the Bearkats threatened the Knights until the fourth quarter.
“It’s always exciting when I make a play and it gets called back and another person makes a play,” UCF defensive end Nyjalik Kelly said after UCF picked up an interception a play after he had forced an incompletion that was nearly a backward pass in the third quarter. “Everyone is happy for everybody. Everybody loves when they are playing their best.”
UCF’s defense has looked good in the team’s first two games.
Except for a wide receiver pass trick play for a 64-yard touchdown and a 22-yard catch by Michael Phoenix II from backup quarterback Jase Bauer in the fourth quarter, Sam Houston never threatened to score.
RECEIVER GOES DEEP
Sam Houston gained a measure of momentum in the second quarter when Noah Smith took a backward pass and found Simeon Evans for a 64-yard touchdown.
It was Smith’s third career touchdown pass and the first since his freshman year in 2019, when Sam Houston was still a member of the FCS subdivision. He threw two touchdown passes that year.
The wide receiver has now completed six of nine pass attempts for 173 yards and three touchdowns. He attempted four passes last year.
Smith also caught a pass for the 21st straight game on a third-down grab early in the third quarter. It was his only catch in the game.
TRANSFER QB DELIVERS
A lot of the buzz for UCF entering the season started with Arkansas transfer quarterback KJ Jefferson with his size and mix of running and throwing ability. He struggled in the opener against New Hampshire with 164 yards on 7-for-14 passing, throwing two touchdowns on swing passes to running backs. He rushed 11 times for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Jefferson’s stat line may not suggest much of an improvement, but Jefferson proved more comfortable in the offense in his second game after what several Knights players and coaches said was a focused week of practice.
Jefferson finished the game with 169 yards on 12-for-15 passing. Kobe Hudson had five of those receptions for 104 yards. Jefferson added 50 yards on nine carries as part of UCF’s devastating rushing attack.
EARLY DELAY
The game was delayed by a little more than 30 minutes because of lightning in the area about 90 minutes before kickoff. The rain stopped before kickoff and only picked up again in the second half without any incident or additional delay to the game.
THE TAKEAWAY
Sam Houston: Sam Houston came crashing back to earth after their big win at Rice in the opener. Going up against the Big 12′s UCF proved a tall task for them on both ends of the football.
UCF: UCF continues to establish itself as one of the best rushing teams in the country. Harvey continues to be a workhorse running back that the Knights can rely on in multiple scenarios and situations. But tougher tests are ahead.
UP NEXT
Sam Houston: The Bearkats play their first home game of the season next Saturday against Hawai’i.
UCF: The Knights open Big 12 play Saturday night at TCU.