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Tag: APP College Sports

  • FSU’s 2nd-half surge fuels 86-76 victory over Virginia Tech at ACC Tournament

    FSU’s 2nd-half surge fuels 86-76 victory over Virginia Tech at ACC Tournament

    WASHINGTON — Jamir Watkins scored 12 of his career-high 34 points in the final three minutes, Jalen Warley added 18 points and ninth-seeded Florida State pulled away in the second half to beat No. 8-seeded Virginia Tech 86-76 on Wednesday in the second round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU defeated Virginia Tech 86-76 Wednesday in the second round of the ACC Tournament

    • Jamir Watkins led the Seminoles with 34 points, a team record in the tournament

    • Next up for ninth-seeded FSU is top-seeded North Carolina at noon Thursday

    • Sean Pedulla scored 24 points for Virginia Tech

    Watkins was 9 of 15 from the field and 14 of 17 at the free-throw line to set a program record for points in an ACC Tournament game. He also had 11 rebounds and four steals. Warley made 8 of his 10 shots as Florida State shot 54% from the field.

    Virginia Tech was 4-of-17 shooting in the opening 17 minutes of the second half. The Hokies also finished with 13 turnovers, leading to 25 points for the Seminoles.

    Florida State (17-15) advances to play top-seeded and fourth-ranked North Carolina in the quarterfinals at noon Thursday. The Seminoles dropped both regular-season meetings with the Tar Heels, 78-70 on the road and 75-68 at home. Florida State hasn’t beaten North Carolina since the 2020-21 season.

    Tyler Nickel sank a long 3-pointer with 7 minutes, 28 seconds left to tie the score at 57, but Virginia Tech did not make another field goal until Sean Pedulla’s basket with 2:42 remaining to pull within 71-62.

    Florida State took advantage of back-to-back Virginia Tech turnovers with layups by Warley and Primo Spears to take a 63-58 lead with 5:01 left. Another steal under the basket led to Warley’s fast-break layup to make it 68-58 at 3:06.

    Each team turned it over on an inbounds play, and Watkins was fouled before making two free throws at 2:49. Watkins added two more free throws at 2:30 and had an alley-oop dunk at 2:11 for a 74-65 lead.

    Spears finished with 10 points for the Seminoles.

    Pedulla scored 24 points, Nickel added 18 and MJ Collins had 15 for Virginia Tech (18-14).

    Both teams shot 55% or better from the field in the first half. Virginia Tech shot 64% (16 of 25), despite going 4 of 11 from 3-point range, in the first half before finishing at 49%.

    Associated Press

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  • BYU gets best of UCF again, knocks Knights out of Big 12 Tournament

    BYU gets best of UCF again, knocks Knights out of Big 12 Tournament

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — BYU coach Mark Pope was almost embarrassed to bring up what he viewed as a cosmic chain of events that began when his team was picked to finish 13th in the Big 12 and culminated with a victory over UCF in the Big 12 Conference Tournament on Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Fifth-seeded BYU defeated 12th-seeded UCF 87-73 in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament

    • Darius Johnson hit six 3-pointers and scored 32 points to lead the Knights

    • UCF briefly cut BYU’s lead to 18 points midway through the second half

    • Fousseyni Traore had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Cougars

    After all, when Taylor Swift is mentioned in Kansas City, eyerolls often follow.

    “That’s Taylor Swift’s favorite number,” Pope said of the pop star, who is dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — as if anyone needed clarification. “This morning, I found out that our first game against UCF was on Jan. 13. Our second game was on Feb. 13. So we knew with our third game on March 13, the deck was stacked against these guys. It wasn’t even fair.

    “We’re in Kansas City,” Pope added. “I mean, what?”

    The win wasn’t a given. But the No. 20 Cougars, who are seeded fifth in the tournament, made it seem that way. They scored the first 14 points, used a 12-0 run in the second half when things got close and cruised from there to the 87-73 victory.

    “The focus if we were going to win this thing was on the defensive end,” the Cougars’ Richie Saunders said. “It was no different this game: getting stops in transition, protecting the ball and being strong with the ball.”

    Fousseyni Traore had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way, while Saunders and Dalin Hall scored 13 apiece and Trevin Knell had 12, sending BYU (23-9) into a quarterfinal game Thursday against fourth-seeded and No. 25 Texas Tech.

    “BYU played a really good game,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “They started off hot. Really shot the 3-ball well to start off, something they’ve done well all season. … For us, we have to get better at what we do, with execution defensively.”

    Darius Johnson did everything he could to keep No. 12-seeded UCF alive, hitting six 3s and scoring 32 points. But he didn’t have much help in the second half, when the Knights (17-15) briefly trimmed an early 18-point lead to just three midway through.

    BYU answered with a 12-0 run that gave it the breathing room it needed to coast into the next round.

    “Every second half, the focus is, ‘We’re going to win this thing on the defensive end.’ It was no different in this game,” Saunders said. “Getting stops in transition, protecting the ball, being strong with the ball.”

    The Knights made their Big 12 tourney debut Tuesday, when they ran roughshod through Oklahoma State. And they still might have been catching their breath when their second-round game tipped off because the Cougars ran right over them.

    The Cougars opened their first tournament in their new league by racing out to a 21-3 lead.

    The run by one of the nation’s prolific perimeter teams was fueled by 3-pointers, not surprisingly, along with some suffocating defense, which held UCF without a basket until Jaylin Sellers converted a three-point play about five minutes into the game.

    The Knights eventually found their footing, and despite a technical foul on their bench that gave BYU a couple of free points, they slowly trimmed their deficit to 47-38 by halftime. And when C.J. Walker got hot to start the second half, and Johnson hit 3s on consecutive possessions, the Knights had closed to within 59-56 with 13-1/2 minutes to go.

    That’s where the comeback fizzled.

    The Cougars started getting to the foul line, Saunders hit a 3 from the wing and Pope’s team unleashed that 12-0 run over the next four minutes. That pushed the lead back to 71-56 and effectively put the game away.

    “We were able to do what we do offensively,” Saunders said, “and either push in transition or get into our half-court sets, which — because people like Fousseyni were protecting the ball — we were able to get the open shots we thrive on.”

    Up next

    UCF: Probably will play somewhere in the postseason, thanks to the strength of schedule afforded by the brutal Big 12. But it won’t be the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in eight seasons with Dawkins on the sideline.

    BYU: The Cougars will play fourth-seeded Texas Tech at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. They lost to the Red Raiders on the road in their only regular-season meeting in January.

    Associated Press

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  • UCF knocks out Oklahoma State in its 1st Big 12 Tournament game

    UCF knocks out Oklahoma State in its 1st Big 12 Tournament game

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ibrahima Diallo had 17 points and 11 rebounds, C.J. Walker added 12 points, and 12th-seeded UCF used an 18-1 run to start the second half and roll to a 77-62 victory over No. 13-seeded Oklahoma State to open the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF advances to the second round of its Big 12 Tournament

    • Ibrahima Diallo led the Knights with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 77-62 victory against Oklahoma State

    • C.J. Walker added 12 points, and Darius Johnson had 11 for UCF

    • The Knights will take on BYU in the second round at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday

    Darius Johnson also had 11 points for the Knights (17-14), who led 35-31 at halftime before cruising into Wednesday’s second-round game against 20th-ranked BYU, another Big 12 newcomer and the fourth-seeded team in the tournament.

    Javon Small hit five 3-pointers and scored 21 points for the Cowboys (12-20), who finished the season on a six-game losing streak. Eric Dailey Jr. added 12 points and Brandon Garrison had 10.

    UCF and Oklahoma State both got off to dreadful shooting starts, combining to go 5 for 25 from the field, and things never got a whole lot better, even as the Knights built a 35-31 halftime lead in their first game in their first Big 12 Tournament.

    The game plan for UCF was clear: use its size advantage to its benefit.

    The 7-foot Diallo had 11 points and seven rebounds by halftime, and the 6-8 Walker and 6-10 Omar Payne were active around the rim whenever the fifth-year senior from Senegal was able to catch a breather on the bench.

    UCF stuck with that plan in the second half, when Diallo and Walker joined Jaylin Sellers in scoring the first 13 points to stretch the lead to 48-31 with 15 minutes, 15 seconds to go. And when the Cowboys finally got a free throw from Dailey, the Knights scored five more to extend their run to 18-1 before Dailey finally got Oklahoma State’s first field goal of the half with 11:50 remaining.

    By that point, the Knights had pushed their lead past 20 and were coasting into the Big 12 tourney’s second round.

    Up next

    Oklahoma State: Must decide whether to keep coach Mike Boynton, who has three 20-win seasons but only one NCAA Tournament berth in seven seasons leading the Cowboys. They’ve also had just one winning record in conference play.

    UCF: Plays BYU in the second round at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

    Associated Press

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  • Florida’s college basketball teams to tip off conference tournament play

    Florida’s college basketball teams to tip off conference tournament play

    FLORIDA — UCF begins play in its first Big 12 Tournament at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, needing to win the conference tourney championship to secure a spot in the men’s NCAA Tournament. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Most of Florida’s college basketball teams launch conference tournament action this week

    • Stetson already captured an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic Sun tourney

    • UCF will play Oklahoma State at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Big 12 tourney

    • Florida State faces Virginia Tech at noon Wednesday in the ACC Tournament

    • Florida has to wait to find out its opponent in the SEC tourney at 9:30 p.m. Thursday 

    • AAC regular-season winner USF doesn’t play until 1 p.m. Friday

    The 12th-seeded Knights (16-14 overall, 7-11 Big 12) will face 13th-seeded Oklahoma State (12-19, 4-14) in the first round at Kansas City, Mo. 

    Darius Johnson will lead UCF, averaging 14.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals, and Jaylin Sellers is averaging 16 points over the past 10 games.

    The Knights rank third in the Big 12 at limiting opponent scoring, giving up 67 points, while holding opponents to 40.9% shooting.

    UCF’s average 6.6 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.1 more made shots on average than the 6.5 per game Oklahoma State allows. Oklahoma State averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 6.9 per game UCF allows.

    Oklahoma State averages 12.4 turnovers per game and is 6-5 when committing fewer turnovers than opponents.

    The Knights defeated the Cowboys 77-71 on Feb. 28 in Stillwater.

    One Central Florida team already has punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Stetson defeated Austin Peay 94-91 on Sunday to win the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament and its auto-bid to the NCAA Tournament. It marks the first time the Hatters are headed to college basketball’s championship tournament.

    Jalen Blackmon scored a career-high 43 points, making 14 of 17 free throws for the Hatters (22-12). 

    Blackmon’s and-1 after a tough driving layup gave Stetson an 87-84 lead with 1:11 remaining. After a dunk by Austin Peay’s Sai Witt, Stetson went back ahead by three when Aubin Gateretse made two free throws.

    Dezi Jones missed a 3-pointer for the Governors and Austin Peay had to foul with 34 seconds left. Blackmon made both free throws and Witt answered with a three-point play to make it 91-89. Blackmon made 3 of 4 from the line in the final 13 seconds to send Stetson to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

    Gateretse made 11 of 15 free throws and finished with 13 points along with seven rebounds. Stephan Swenson had 13 points and Alec Oglesby added 10 for the second-seeded Hatters.

    Witt had 28 points and 10 rebounds and Jones had 17 and 11 for the fourth-seeded Govs (19-15). DeMarcus Sharp scored 16 off the bench, Isaac Haney had 13 and Ja’Monta Black 11.

    At the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament in Charlotte, N.C., 14th-seeded Miami (15-16 overall, 6-14) takes on No. 11-seeded Boston College (17-14, 8-12) at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

    Ninth-seeded Florida State (16-14, 10-10) doesn’t make its debut in this year’s ACC tourney until noon Wednesday, when it will face No. 8-seeded Virginia Tech (18-13, 10-10). 

    The Wednesday winners will advance to play the tournament’s top four seeded teams on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

    In the Southeastern Conference Tournament, sixth-seeded Florida (21-10, 11-7 SEC) doesn’t begin competition in Nashville, Tenn., until the second round at 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The Gators will face the winner between 11th-seeded Georgia (16-15, 6-12) and 14th-seeded Missouri (8-23, 0-18), which will be played Wednesday.

    At the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, USF (23-6, 16-2 AAC) is seeded No. 1 and can spend its time preparing because it doesn’t have to play until 1 p.m. Friday. The Bulls will face the winner of eighth-seeded East Carolina (11-9, 7-11) and No. 9-seeded Tulsa (14-4, 7-11). 

    The winners of the conference tournaments receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, which begins March 19.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Florida knocks off No. 16 Alabama 105-87

    Florida knocks off No. 16 Alabama 105-87

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Two weeks after getting bullied by Alabama, Florida refused to let it happen again. Not at home. And not on senior night.

    Will Richard scored 23 points, Walter Clayton Jr. added 22, and the Gators handled No. 16 Alabama 105-87 on Tuesday night to stay in contention for a top four seeding in the upcoming Southeastern Conference Tournament.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Gators win their home finale against the No. 16 Crimson Tide 105-87

    • The victory keeps Florida in contention for a top 4 seeding in the SEC Tournament

    • Will Richard scored 23 points and Walter Clayton Jr. had 22 for the Gators

    • Florida took 21 more free throws than Alabama

    Florida (21-9, 11-6 SEC) made 40 free throws — the program’s most since December 1998 — and won for the 10th time in 13 games. The Gators finished 14-1 at home this season, and equally important to coach Todd Golden, they moved a step closer to potentially landing a double bye in the league tournament.

    “We were very physical,” Golden said. “We did what we needed to do to beat the best offensive team in America.”

    Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin chipped in 19 points and six rebounds apiece after being honored before their home finale. The graduate transfers helped Florida avenge an overtime loss at Alabama last month and hand the Crimson Tide (20-10, 12-5) a third loss in four games.

    “I thought Tyrese was a monster,” Golden said. “And ZP was just a calming influence out there. Both those guys were just a huge, huge reason as to why we won.”

    Samuel made all nine of his shots from the charity stripe, and Pullin went 8-for-8.

    Florida took 21 more free throws than Alabama and made twice as many.

    “It’s not a recipe for winning games when you get doubled up at the free-throw line,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.

    The biggest surprise was how easily the Gators controlled the rematch. They opened up a double-digit lead late in the first half, extended it to 20 midway through the second and never let up.

    It was a huge sigh of relief for a team that hadn’t shown a knack for delivering knockout punches. Florida had lost five games after leading at the break, and several of those included double-digit advantages.

    “It’s definitely not a good feeling letting a team come back on you,” Clayton said. “We just got to be mentally tough, go up 10 and get your foot on the gas and not let up.”

    Added Richard: “I don’t think we let ourselves off the hook (this time). I feel like we can get lazy once when we get up on a team. For us, it’s just staying disciplined.”

    Mark Sears led Alabama with 33 points, including 29 in the second half. Aaron Estrada added 17 points, and Grant Nelson chipped in 12 before fouling out late.

    Alabama’s Rylan Griffen was helped off the floor and to the locker room with 4 minutes, 15 seconds remaining after colliding with Florida’s Richard. Oats, who drew a technical foul while arguing it should have been a foul, said Griffen has a calf injury that will require more tests Wednesday.

    “They were very physical with us,” Oats said. “We had some offensive frustrations and some defensive letdowns.”

    Poll implications

    Florida should have a chance to move back into the next AP college basketball poll.

    Wrightsell returns

    Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. returned after missing the past four games following a concussion. Wrightsell finished with two points in eight minutes.

    Senior night

    Pullin and Samuel were among five players recognized in pregame ceremonies that included family, friends and framed jerseys. The other three were walk-ons Jack May, Alex Klatsky and Bennett Andersen. May’s father is current Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May.

    Big picture

    Alabama: The Crimson Tide lost consecutive games for the first time since dropping three in a row in early December. This was the first unranked team Alabama has lost to since Clemson upset the Tide in late November.

    Florida: The Gators have been close to unbeatable at home, with the lone loss coming against Kentucky to begin 2024. They closed the season with eight consecutive wins in the O’Connell Center but will need to bottle that energy and take it on the road for the postseason.

    Up next

    Alabama wraps up the regular season at home against Arkansas on Saturday.

    Florida ends the regular season at Vanderbilt on Saturday.

    Associated Press

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  • No. 24 USF beats Tulane, extends winning streak to 15 games

    No. 24 USF beats Tulane, extends winning streak to 15 games

    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Youngblood had 29 points and five assists and No. 24 South Florida won its 15th straight game, beating Tulane 85-72 on Tuesday night.

    Kasean Pryor scored 13 points and Selton Miguel added 12 for the Bulls (23-5, 16-1 American Athletic Conference), the conference’s regular-season champions. USF was playing its first home game and second overall as a team ranked in the Top 25 in the program’s half-century history.

    “Just really proud of this group,” first-year USF coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. “They just keep responding. Their resolve just keeps showing up.”

    Jaylen Forbes scored 24 points for Tulane (13-16, 4-13), which has lost seven straight, the team’s longest losing streak since an eight-game skid in 2019-20.

    Forbes picked up his fourth foul with 5:49 to play and Tulane trailing 69-67. After USF’s Brandon Stroud made a layup, Forbes went to the bench and the Bulls got two baskets from Youngblood and a 3-pointer from Stroud for a 78-67 lead.

    Tulane was held without a field goal over the game’s final three minutes.

    “Focused on getting stops because they were scoring a little more than we would like, and we know once we get our defense going there’s no telling what we can do from there,” Youngblood said.

    Youngblood scored 12 points as USF took a 44-43 lead at halftime. Forbes shot 5 for 7 from 3-point range and had 17 points in a first half that featured 13 lead changes.

    BIG PICTURE

    Tulane: Entered 20th in the nation in scoring at 82.6 points, but were allowing 80.

    South Florida: Is poised to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2012 after winning its first regular-season conference championship. This is just the second winning season for the Bulls since 2012. USF has reached the tourney three times.

    SPREADING THE WORD

    Abdur-Rahim had a message for naysayers of the AAC.

    “All these people who do the net rankings or whatever, man, you come spend a night in the American Conference, ok,” Abdur-Rahim said. “Our league is dang good, top to bottom. Our league is one of the best in the country.”

    HARD CONTACT

    Forbes and Miguel collided six minutes into the game and were down on the floor for a period of time. Both returned after missing a few minutes.

    MILESTONE WITHIN REACH

    Forbes has 1,830 career points and is 12 away from passing John Williams for fourth place in Tulane history.

    UP NEXT

    Tulane: Ends the season Friday night at home against Wichita State.

    South Florida: Closes the regular season at Tulsa on Saturday night.

    Associated Press

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  • No. 25 USF beats Charlotte 76-61 for 14th straight win

    No. 25 USF beats Charlotte 76-61 for 14th straight win

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Being ranked for the first time in school history hasn’t impacted South Florida’s momentum.

    Chris Youngblood scored 17 points, Kasean Pryor had 16 points and nine rebounds, and the 25th-ranked Bulls beat Charlotte 76-61 on Saturday for their 14th straight win, clinching the American Athletic Conference regular-season title outright.

    Selton Miguel chipped in with 13 points for the Bulls (22-5, 15-1), who haven’t lost since Jan. 7 and entered the AP Top 25 for the first time ever earlier this week.

    “It’s different, and I’m not going to give you some coach speak that it’s not,” South Florida coach Amir Abdur-Rahim said. “You have a different target on your back now.”

    But he said he’s stressed to his players that they need to focus on “the same old boring habits” to continue winning.

    “There’s still a lot of season left and if you want to rest on being ranked we aren’t going to make as much noise as we can,” Abdur-Rahim said.

    Last year Florida Atlantic, another American Athletic Conference team, surged late in the season and made a memorable run to the Final Four. Abdur-Rahim believes the conference is loaded this year with four or five teams deserving of making the NCAA Tournament.

    Lu’Cye Patterson had 17 points for Charlotte (17-11, 11-5), which had its eight-game home win streak snapped.

    Charlotte entered the game looking for its second home victory over a Top 25 team after upsetting then-No. 17 Florida Atlantic 70-68 on Jan. 6.

    And the 49ers were sharp early on, jumping out to a 12-7 lead against the Bulls after making 5 of 9 shots to open the game. But the Bulls would storm back to take a 33-28 lead at the break, stepping up their defense and holding the 49ers to 5-of-18 shooting for the remainder of the first half.

    Pryor’s 3-pointer from the corner gave the Bulls their first double-digit lead less than two minutes into the second half and Charlotte never mounted a serious challenge.

    Pryor drove across the lane a few moments later, dribbled between his legs and made a step-back jumper from the foul line while drawing a foul for a 3-point play to increase the lead.

    Charlotte continued to struggle with missed shots and turnovers in the second half, and Kobe Knox scored on back-to-back offensive rebounds, including a powerful two-handed dunk to push the lead to 17.

    There was a controversial moment with 2:47 remaining when Pryor grabbed a defensive rebound and, while struggling to find an outlet due to a three-man trap under the basket, threw a hard pass directly into the face of Charlotte’s Igor Milicic, causing him to fall to the floor.

    Officials reviewed the play but determined it wasn’t worthy of an intentional foul.

    After the replay was shown on the scoreboard, Pryor was booed loudly every time he touched the ball for the remainder of the game, and the Halton Arena crowd erupted with cheers when he missed a free throw with about two minutes remaining.

    Charlotte coach Aaron Fearne said he doesn’t think Pryor meant to hit Milicic in the face.

    “I don’t think so,” Fearne said. “I think he was in trouble and falling out of bounds near the baseline.”

    Pryor was not made available after the game for interviews.

    THE BIG PICTURE

    South Florida: The Bulls survived their first week in the AP Top 25 with wins over Southern Methodist and Charlotte. They’ve won 20 of their last 21 games overall will be the No. 1 overall seed. They should be a lock to make the NCAA Tournament even if they falter in conference play.

    Charlotte: The 49ers were picked to finish 13th in the AAC this season, but have exceeded expectations and have been competitive in nearly every conference game. But this was the 49ers’ third straight loss, so they don’t have a lot momentum with the conference tourney approaching.

    Associated Press

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  • UCF makes 2nd-half run to top Oklahoma State for its 2nd Big 12 road win

    UCF makes 2nd-half run to top Oklahoma State for its 2nd Big 12 road win

    STILLWATER, Okla. — Darius Johnson scored 17 points, Jaylin Sellers scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half, and UCF defeated Oklahoma State 77-71 on Wednesday night for its second Big 12 road victory in eight attempts this season.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF came from behind in the second half to beat Oklahoma State 77-71

    • The victory marked the Knights’ second on the road in the Big 12

    • It also was the first time UCF has won back-to-back conference games this season

    • Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers led the Knights in scoring

    UCF (15-12, 6-9), coming off a 75-61 win over No. 23 Texas Tech on Saturday, won back-to-back conference games for the first time this season.

    Johnson sank a jumper early in the second half to give UCF its first lead of the game at 43-42. Ibrahima Diallo added a dunk on the Knights’ next possession for a 7-0 start to the second half.

    Diallo made a putback with 2 minutes, 41 seconds left to extend the lead to 70-63 following a 6-0 run.

    Oklahoma State guard Quion Williams had a layup attempt roll off, and C.J. Walker grabbed the defensive rebound before making 1 of 2 free throws with 35.8 seconds left for a 71-67 lead. Marchelus Avery came up with an offensive rebound on the missed free throw, and Johnson sealed it with two free throws with 26.2 left.

    Shemarri Allen also scored 12 points, including eight of his team’s 27 made free throws, and Walker added 10 points for UCF. Walker, who entered with two made 3-pointers on the season, made back-to-back shots from distance to pull UCF within 38-33 late in the first half.

    John-Michael Wright scored 22 points and made five 3-pointers for Oklahoma State (12-16, 4-11). Eric Dailey Jr. added 15 points and Javon Small scored 13.

    Wright made four 3-pointers in the opening six minutes of the game to give Oklahoma State a 16-11 lead. Wright finished the half with 15 points, and Dailey added 13 as the Cowboys held a 42-38 lead at the break. Oklahoma State was 4 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half, with nine attempts coming from Wright.

    Up next

    UCF: Returns home to face No. 8 Iowa State on Saturday

    Oklahoma State: Plays at Texas on Saturday

    Associated Press

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  • Samuel, Pullin carry No. 24 Florida to 83-74 victory over Missouri

    Samuel, Pullin carry No. 24 Florida to 83-74 victory over Missouri

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — With scoring leader Walter Clayton Jr. sitting on Florida’s bench, his teammates needed to step up.

    Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin took over.

    Samuel scored a career-high 28 points, Pullin added 21 and No. 24 Florida never trailed in an 83-74 victory over woeful Missouri on Wednesday night.

    Samuel and Pullin scored 23 of the team’s final 25 points, taking charge after Clayton fouled out with 14 minutes to play.

    “They were just awesome,” coach Todd Golden said. “In tight moments, you want your experienced guys to step up and shoulder a little more of the load. … They stepped up and made big shots.”

    The Gators (20-8, 10-5 Southeastern Conference) won for the ninth time in 11 games to reach 20 victories for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The Tigers (8-20, 0-15) lost their 15th in a row and guaranteed a last-place finish in the league as well as the 14th seed in the conference tournament.

    Florida has been on the rise for weeks and is now 2-1 — with the lone loss coming at then-No. 13 Alabama in overtime last week — since getting ranked for the first time in Golden’s two seasons.

    This one was closer than many expected, though. The Gators were 13 1/2-point favorites but found themselves clinging to the lead after coming out flat to start the second half.

    Missouri whittled a double-digit deficit to 55-54 after Nick Honor made three free throws with Clayton on the bench.

    Florida’s Will Richard answered with his first 3-pointer of the night after missing six from long range. Pullin followed with another trey, and the Gators started to pull away. Samuel then converted a three-point play and made a layup on consecutive possessions. He finished with 10 rebounds.

    All of it came with Clayton cheering from the bench. Clayton picked up his fifth foul on a technical while arguing a defensive foul called against him. He finished with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.

    “I think we played great the stretch,” Samuel said. “We didn’t panic. Poise was key. I had a lot of confidence that we were still going to win the game.”

    Micah Handlogten chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for Florida, which won its seventh straight at home and improved to 13-1 in the O’Connell Center. Pullin rebounded from his worst offensive outing of the season — he scored two points against Vanderbilt on Saturday — and reached double figures for the 27th time in 28 games.

    “Having games like this, you can’t relax,” Samuel said. “It wakes us up and brings back a little urgency that we need going forward. Sometimes we need games like this, especially when you come out on top.

    Added Pullin: “It brings us back to reality a little bit. It shows us our weaknesses and what we got to keep getting better at.”

    Sean East II led the Tigers with 20 points. Honor added 18, and Tamar Bates, who torched the Gators for 36 points in their first meeting of the season, finished with 15.

    “Second half was a little bit different of a game, but (the Gators) still manufactured what they had to do in a different way,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said.

    BIG PICTURE

    Missouri: The Tigers have endured several tough losses during their skid, but they weren’t all that competitive in this one. Florida led comfortably in the first half and pulled away down the stretch after Mizzou provided a brief scare.

    Florida: The Gators avoided a letdown and prevented what would have been a huge hit to their NCAA Tournament resume. They are one of just a handful of teams in the country to not have a loss outside Quad 1 games.

    UP NEXT

    Missouri: Hosts Mississippi on Saturday.

    Florida: At No. 18 South Carolina on Saturday.

    Associated Press

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  • USF sets program record with 13th straight win

    USF sets program record with 13th straight win

    TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Kasean Pryor scored 19 points off the bench and South Florida increased its win streak to 13 with a 79-68 victory over SMU on Sunday.

    Pryor also contributed nine rebounds for the Bulls (21-5, 14-1 American Athletic Conference). Selton Miguel made three 3-pointers and scored 18. Chris Youngblood added 12 points.

    The Mustangs (19-9, 10-5) were led by Ricardo Wright with 16 points. Samuell Williamson pitched in with 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Zhuric Phelps totaled 11 points and nine rebounds.

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  • UCF Athletics receives $5.5 million pledge from alumnus

    UCF Athletics receives $5.5 million pledge from alumnus

    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A UCF alumnus has pledged $5.5 million to UCF Athletics for construction of a football center and a sports facilities endowment fund, the university announced Thursday.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF Athletics received a $5.5 million pledge from alumnus Taylor A. Gerring

    • The funds will go toward a new football center and an athletics facilities endowment

    • The commitment is the largest single cash pledge by an individual for UCF Athletics

    • The facility will be part of the Hagle Football Gateway project

    The commitment by 2005 graduate Taylor A. Gerring is the largest single cash pledge by an individual for UCF Athletics.

    The funds will help pay for construction of a new football administration and coaches building that will be part of the Hagle Football Gateway project.   

    “I’m happy to give back to the university to show my appreciation for everything that’s been provided to me,” said Gerring, who majored in business administration at UCF and is now a blockchain pioneer and co-founder of Ethereum Foundation. “My hope is that it inspires other students to achieve great things.”

    The new facility, which the UCF Board of Trustees voted to name the Taylor A. Gerring Football Center, will receive $5 million of the funds pledged, and $500,000 will be invested in the Taylor A. Gerring Athletics Facilities Endowment Fund, according to UCF.

    UCF is engaged in a fundraising campaign to have a successful transition into the Big 12 Conference, and the football campus is part of a larger plan to improve game and practice facilities for all the Knights’ teams throughout the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village. 

    “This is my way to do what I can in this moment of time as we enter the Big 12 Conference,” Gerring said. “There’s a lot of momentum and excitement behind that, and I hope to inspire other donors to jump in and help us reach the end goals we’re looking for.”

    The football center will be part of the Hagle Football Gateway project. The facility also will feature Nicholson Plaza; McNamara Cove, which will offer a recovery river and hydrotherapy area for student-athletes; a renovated Wayne Densch Sports Center that will include an expanded football team locker room known as the Thow Family Locker Room; enhancements to UCF’s football practice complex; a new VIP parking lot; and a pedestrian promenade. Construction will be completed in phases and is scheduled to start this spring.

    Gerring, who is from Stuart, said his excitement about UCF’s football program kept growing while he was a student and through his involvement in the Chicago UCF alumni community. It really picked up for the 2014 St. Petersburg Bitcoin Bowl.

    “I was living in Europe and traveled back, very excited to see the culmination of this whole Bitcoin/Ethereum world come together with my UCF Knights in St. Petersburg, and it’s literally the Bitcoin Bowl,” Gerring said. “…I was like, ‘is this event made for me?’”

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • College Football Playoff OKs format with 5 conference champs, 7 at-large teams

    College Football Playoff OKs format with 5 conference champs, 7 at-large teams

    The field for the 12-team College Football Playoff will comprise five conference champions and seven at-large selections after the university presidents who oversee the CFP voted unanimously Tuesday to tweak the format.

    What You Need To Know

    • University presidents who oversee the College Football Playoff voted for a new format Tuesday

    • The CFP will be made up of five conference champions and seven at-large teams

    • The original plan, before the disassembling of the Pac-12, was for six league champs

    • The new format will go into effect in the upcoming season

    The move to decrease the number of spots reserved for conference champions from six to five was prompted by realignment and the disassembling of the Pac-12 and has been anticipated for several months. An expected vote last month was delayed at the Pac-12’s request.

    The original plan for the 12-team format was to have the six highest-ranked conference champions, with the top four receiving first-round byes, and six at-large selections. But with one fewer power conference after the Pac-12’s demise, the commissioners who manage the CFP recommended to make the change from a 6-6 format to a 5-7.

    No conference will have automatic access. Those five slots will go to the highest-ranked conference champs as determined by the CFP selection committee, ensuring at least one team from outside the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference will make the 12-team field.

    The selection committee’s rankings also will determine the seven at-large bids. There will be no limit to how many teams can come from the same league.

    “This is a very logical adjustment for the College Football Playoff based on the evolution of our conference structures since the board first adopted this new format in September 2022,” said Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University and chair of the CFP Board of Managers. “I know this change will also be well-received by student-athletes, coaches and fans. We all will be pleased to see this new format come to life on the field this postseason.”

    The 2024 season will be the first with a 12-team playoff after 10 years of it being a four-team event.

    Associated Press

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  • USF beats No. 24 FAU 90-86

    USF beats No. 24 FAU 90-86

    The announced crowd of 10,659 set a Bulls home attendance record.

    Associated Press

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  • Former FSU baseball coach Mike Martin passes away at 79

    Former FSU baseball coach Mike Martin passes away at 79

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Mike Martin, a member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame who won an NCAA Division I record 2,029 games in 40 seasons as Florida State’s baseball coach, died Thursday after a three-year battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 79.

    What You Need To Know

    • Former FSU baseball coach Mike Martin passed away after fighting Lewy body dementia

    • The Seminoles advanced to the College World Series a record-tying 17 times in his 40 seasons as coach

    • Martin’s teams won an NCAA Division record 2,029 games

    • Many of his players went on to long careers in Major League Baseball

    The school announced Martin’s death on social media.

    Martin, nicknamed “Eleven” for his jersey number, was the head coach at Florida State from 1980 through 2019, getting to the College World Series a record-tying 17 times in that span — including his first and last seasons in Tallahassee. The Seminoles finished second twice at the CWS and third on three other occasions under Martin, who never won a national title.

    He passed Texas’ Augie Garrido as the NCAA wins leader on May 5, 2018, when Florida State beat Clemson 3-2. That was win No. 1,976 for Martin; he would add 53 more to the total before retiring after the 2019 season.

    “I want to be remembered as a guy that did it right, that put education first, that made sure that guys understood what’s expected of them, that they’re coming to Florida State to get a degree first,” Martin said on June 19, 2019, when his career ended with a CWS loss to Texas Tech in Omaha, Nebraska. “We’re not a school that just wants baseball players. We’re a university that demands that you do what you’re supposed to do in the classroom, and that’s give it your best shot.

    “I want to be remembered as a guy that played the game hard but made others around him feel good when they whipped my fanny.”

    Martin won the Atlantic Coast Conference’s coach of the year award seven times and coached a slew of players who would become Major League Baseball standouts — among them Buster Posey, Deion Sanders, Stephen Drew, J.D. Drew and Doug Mientkiewicz.

    A native of North Carolina, Martin graduated from Florida State in 1966, spent three seasons as a minor-league player and got his first coaching job in 1970 — as the basketball coach at Tallahassee Community College.

    He returned to the Seminoles as an assistant for the baseball program in 1975 and never left. Martin became head coach for the 1980 season and was wildly successful, winning at least 40 games in all 40 of his FSU seasons, at least 50 games in 24 of those seasons and reached the 60-win mark twice in his tenure.

    Martin is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carol; children Mike Jr., Melanie and Mary Beth; and grandchildren Hannah Elizabeth, Tyler, Thomas Joseph and Lexi.

    FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford posted a tribute on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Associated Press

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  • Clayton Jr. makes 7 3-pointers to lift Florida past No. 10 Kentucky


    LEXINGTON, Ky.  — Walter Clayton Jr. made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1 minute, 42 seconds remaining in overtime and added two insurance free throws with 16.4 seconds left to finish with 23 points, and Florida outlasted No. 10 Kentucky 94-91 on Wednesday night for its fourth consecutive victory.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Florida Gators defeated the No. 10 Kentucky Wildcats in overtime

    • Walter Clayton Jr., a former Bartow High star, led Florida with 23 points

    • Clayton Jr. hit the free throws that forced OT and the game-winning shot

    • Reed Sheppard led Kentucky with 24 points

    Clayton, who is from Lake Wales and a former star at Bartow High, made a career-best 7 of 13 overall from behind the arc, with the first of his two clutch makes coming with 3 seconds left in regulation to force the extra five minutes at 84-all.

    “I wasn’t surprised at all,” Clayton said of the tying shot. “ZP (Zyon Pullin) does a great job at attracting the defense. He is a threat obviously. So, with him driving to the middle, I was able to raise up to the left wing and Reed (Sheppard) was a little far off me. I came up, closed it out, jumped, and hit the shot.”

    Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham made one of two free throws with 13.5 seconds remaining in regulation to give Kentucky an 84-81 lead before Clayton drained the tying 3.

    Zyon Pullin finished with 21 points, including three free throws in the final minute of overtime, and Tyrese Samuel had 22 with 13 boards for the Gators (15-6, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), who avenged an earlier loss to the Wildcats. They also improved to 3-0 in overtime games this season, having beaten Michigan in double OT last month and Georgia 102-98 on Saturday.

    “We are definitely comfortable in those moments,” second-year Gators coach Todd Golden said of his team’s first Quad 1 victory in seven tries. “I don’t necessarily think it’s a great strategy to be successful all the time to go to overtime, but the balls bounced their way a couple of times in those games.”

    Reed Sheppard had 24 points in his second start, Dillingham 20 and Antonio Reeves 19 for short-handed Kentucky (15-5, 5-3), which played without starting guard D.J. Wagner (ankle) and regular forward Justin Edwards (leg).

    Seven-footer Ugonna Onyenso made his first collegiate start for Kentucky and contributed career highs of 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, 16 rebounds and eight blocks.

    The tight game featured 29 lead changes and 15 ties, and the Gators even trailed by 10 late in the first half before closing to enter the second half down just 41-36.

    The teams traded initial baskets in OT before Tre Mitchell’s free throw gave the Wildcats their last lead. Then Clayton drained a 3 from the left corner. Dillingham missed a 3 and Pullin added the free throws before Clayton sealed the game from the line.

    Kentucky guard Antonio Reeves was recognized before player introductions for recently surpassing 2,000 career points in the win over Georgia. The fifth-year senior tallied 1,195 points in three seasons at Illinois State before transferring to Lexington last season and scoring 488 while being named SEC Co-Sixth Man of the Year last season.

    Big picture

    Florida needed extra time for the second consecutive game and came up big again, no easy feat before 20,068 in loud, hostile Rupp Arena. Perimeter shooting was key as the Gators fared better from deep (12 of 28, 43%) than inside the arc (20 of 50, including 2 of 6 in OT). They also edged Kentucky 50-48 on the glass.

    Kentucky must wait another game in hopes of playing at full strength, and the Wildcats surely could have used Wagner’s offense. They got a lot from Sheppard, Dillingham and Reeves but also missed a bunch of close attempts that could have won the game. They made 10 of 26 3s (38%) and shot 45% overall, but were just 2 of 8 in OT. Onyenso missed a couple in the clutch, spoiling an otherwise impressive effort.

    “Just a couple of breakdowns,” Onyenso said. “If I had made the layups that I missed, I think it would have given us a chance to win. It was a tough loss.”

    Up next

    Florida visits Texas A&M on Saturday.

    Kentucky hosts No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday night.



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  • Rattlers names Colzie III as new football coach

    Rattlers names Colzie III as new football coach

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida A&M has introduced James Colzie II as its 19th football coach.

    What You Need To Know

    • James Colzie III is the new football coach at Florida A&M

    • Former coach Willie Simmons took a job as running backs coach at Duke

    • Colzie was the assistant head coach at FAMU last season

    • The goal is to win the Florida Classic, SWAC championship and the Celebration Bowl

    Colzie replaces Willie Simmons, who took a job as an assistant coach for running backs at Duke earlier this month after leading the Rattlers to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities national championship.

    “Today begins a new era in FAMU football. Today, we will add a new name to the legacy of FAMU football coaching greats,” Vice President/Athletic Director Tiffani-Dawn Sykes said. “…At the end of this process, James Colzie III emerged as the right person at this time to lead FAMU football.

    “Our priority was identifying a coach who, first and foremost, had a commitment to academic excellence and has a comprehensive understanding of APR (Academic Progress Rate). Coach Colzie is currently a doctoral student at Capella University, studying leadership and higher education. It is clear he understands and appreciates the importance of higher education.”

    Colzie joined the FAMU coaching staff in 2022 as cornerbacks coach. At the end of that campaign, Simmons promoted him to assistant head coach. Before he came to FAMU, Colzie was head coach at Saint Mary’s University in Canada, where he had an overall record of 23-19.

    The former Florida State football and baseball player also held a variety of coaching jobs at the University of British Columbia, at Simon Fraser University, Southern Arkansas, West Georgia and Valdosta State.

    Colzie said he wants the team to win the Florida Classic, which has been played in Orlando against Bethune-Cookman University for many years, as well as the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship and the Celebration Bowl, the postseason college football game between the conference champions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and the SWAC.

    “I want to make sure we do it with class,” Colzie said. “The FAMU standard is going to be about winning, but also about the right culture. We already have a contagious culture. I can’t wait to add to that.”

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • UCF’s 2024 football schedule features all 4 new Big 12 members

    UCF’s 2024 football schedule features all 4 new Big 12 members

    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — UCF football will take on the four new teams joining the Big 12 for the 2024 season and will head to Gainesville to play the Gators, according to the schedule released by the program on Tuesday.

    Colorado, coached by Deion “Prime Time” Sanders, will pay a visit to Orlando on Sept. 28, and Arizona, which finished last season ranked No. 11 in the AP Top 25 rankings, will be the Space Game opponent on Nov. 2.

    The Black Friday game is back, and the opponent this year will be Utah on Nov. 29. The Knights will travel to Arizona State on Nov. 9.

    The Knights’ matchup with the Gators will come Oct. 5 in Gainesville as five of their first six games will be played in the state of Florida. It will mark the first matchup of the teams since UCF defeated Florida for the first time, 29-17, on Dec. 23, 2021, at the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa. The Gators lead the all-time series 2-1.

    The home schedule will feature seven games again this season. Most of those opponents will be making their first appearance at UCF, starting with New Hampshire on Thursday, Aug. 29 and followed by Sam Houston on Sept. 7. The two remaining games at FBC Mortgage Stadium will feature Cincinnati on Oct. 12 and BYU for Homecoming on Oct. 26, both teams that joined the Big 12 along with the Knights last season.

    The Knights will head to TCU on Sept. 14, to Iowa State on Oct. 19, to Arizona State on Nov. 9 and to West Virginia on Nov. 23 to wrap up their road schedule. Arizona State is the fourth new member of the Big 12.

    The schedule also includes bye weeks on Sept. 21 and Nov. 16.

    The Knights also announced that their Spring Game will be played at 7 p.m. April 12.

    UCF 2024 football schedule

    • Aug. 29 vs. New Hampshire
    • Sept. 7 vs. Sam Houston
    • Sept. 14 at TCU
    • Sept. 28 vs. Colorado
    • Oct. 5 at Florida
    • Oct. 12 vs. Cincinnati
    • Oct. 19 at Iowa State
    • Oct. 26 vs. BYU
    • Nov. 2 vs. Arizona 
    • Nov. 9 at Arizona State
    • Nov. 23 at West Virginia
    • Nov. 29 vs. BYU

    Kickoff times will be released at a later date.

    The past week has been a busy one for UCF. Coach Gus Malzahn announced major changes to his coaching staff.

    He brought back Tim Harris Jr. as offensive coordinator/running backs coach and shifted last year’s sole offensive coordinator, former UCF quarterback Darin Hinshaw, to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. Harris had been on UCF’s 2021-22 football staffs and spent last season with the Miami Hurricanes.

    He also brought in Trevon Reed to coach cornerbacks and Morris Henry Jr. as associate director of athletic performance for football. Reed played cornerback on Auburn’s 2010 national championship team and in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers. Reed came to UCF from Auburn, where he spent the past three seasons as director of football and recruiting relations. Henry is a native of Orlando and previously was a strength and conditioning coach at Auburn.

    Malzahn previously had brought in former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Ted Roof, who he worked with on Auburn’s national championship team, to the same role at UCF and moved last year’s DC, Addison Williams, to co-associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.

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  • Rodney Terry calls UCF players ‘classless’ for ‘horns down’ gesture

    Rodney Terry calls UCF players ‘classless’ for ‘horns down’ gesture

    AUSTIN, Texas — After the Longhorns blew a 15-point lead, losing to the UCF Knights 77-71 at the Moody Center on Wednesday night, seeing a “horns down” is just salt in the wound.

    That didn’t stop a few UCF players from performing the gesture in the handshake line after the game. But Texas coach Rodney Terry wasn’t letting it slide without having a few choice words for the visiting team.

    In a video shared by CBS Sports, Terry can be heard saying “You don’t do that!” and “That’s classless!” in response to the players’ actions. The “horns down” is seen as a gesture of disrespect toward the Longhorns.

    In the postgame interview, Terry doubled down on his stance.


    “You don’t go into the handshake line and have about six or seven guys putting the horns down. We don’t do that. Because when you do those kinds of things, it looks very classless,” Terry said in the interview. “So that’s what I was angry about, and I was letting those guys know you don’t do that.”

    Christine Sanchez

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  • Sellers get hot, and UCF basketball pulls away from Texas late

    Sellers get hot, and UCF basketball pulls away from Texas late

    AUSTIN, Texas  — Jaylin Sellers had 24 points, Shemarri Allen scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half and UCF rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half to beat Texas 77-71 on Wednesday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF was down 15 points in the second half before coming back to beat Texas 77-71

    • The Knights went on a 24-9 run to wrap up the victory

    • UCF’s Jaylin Sellers scored 24 points and Shemarri Allen had 15 of his 17 points in the second half

    • Ithiel Horton, who played at UCF last season, scored 20 points to lead Texas

    UCF trailed 59-46 with 11 minutes, 59 seconds remaining before holding Texas to four made shots — all from 3-point range — the rest of the way. The Knights finished the game on a 24-9 run.

    Max Abmas’ 3-pointer gave Texas its last lead, 68-67, with 4:29 remaining. Sellers and Allen then scored four points apiece during a 10-3 surge to end it.

    Texas made just two of its last 10 shots in the final six minutes. The Longhorns shot 68% (17 of 25) in the first half but cooled to 34.5% (10 of 29) in the second.

    Sellers was 7 of 12 from the floor that included a pair of 3-pointers, and he made all eight of his free throws. Allen also had seven assists. Darius Johnson added 11 points for UCF (11-5, 2-2 Big 12). C.J. Walker and Omar Payne chipped in 10 points apiece.

    Ithiel Horton, who transferred to Texas from UCF, scored 20 points to lead Texas (12-5, 1-3). Abmas and Dillon Mitchell each added 15 points.

    Texas built a 44-32 halftime advantage, and Horton’s jumper stretched the lead to 55-40 with 14:30 remaining. Allen scored five straight points, and Sellers capped the 14-3 surge with consecutive jumpers that gave the Knights a 67-65 advantage before pulling away.

    UCF is on the road against fifth-ranked Houston on Saturday.

    Texas, which has lost three of its past four games, hosts No. 9 Baylor on Saturday in the first of six games in a row against teams ranked in the top 25. The Longhorns had been ranked in the AP poll for 36 consecutive weeks before falling out on Monday.

    Associated Press

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  • UCF football hires Roof as new defensive coordinator

    UCF football hires Roof as new defensive coordinator

    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Former Oklahoma defensive coordinator Ted Roof has been named to the same position at the University of Central Florida, Knights coach Gus Malzahn announced Wednesday.

    The Knights’ defensive coordinator last season was Addison Williams. His title has shifted to associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator, UCF said in an announcement.

    “I’m looking forward to working with Ted again after winning a national championship together at Auburn,” Malzahn said in a statement released by UCF. “He’s a three-time Broyles Award nominee and has had the No. 1 ranked rush defense in the conference at three different schools.”

    Malzahn was offensive coordinator and Roof was defensive coordinator at Auburn when the Tigers won the 2010 college football national championship.

    Oklahoma dismissed Roof as defensive coordinator earlier this month, and Sooners coach Brett Venables said in a statement released by the university that Roof declined to remain on the staff in another role. Roof also had coached the linebackers at Oklahoma. 

    This season, Roof’s second as the Sooners’ defensive coordinator, Oklahoma ranked second nationally with 20 interceptions and sixth in takeaways with 26. Oklahoma limited its first five opponents in 2023 to 20 or fewer points before it defeated Texas 34-30.

    After edging UCF 30-29 on Oct. 21, Oklahoma lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State, and the Sooners gave up 520 yards in a 69-45 win over TCU in the regular-season finale.

    Roof’s final game was a 38-24 loss to Arizona in the Alamo Bowl. Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Roof’s defense at Oklahoma ranked sixth in the Big 12, giving up an average of 389.4 yards of total offense per game. It was third in rushing defense, giving up an average of 138.6 yards per game and 10th in passing offense at 250.8 yards per game.

    In contrast, UCF ranked eighth in total defense in the Big 12, giving up an average of 391 yards per game. The Knights were last in the conference, 14th, in rushing defense — allowing an average of 194.3 yards per game but first in pass defense with an average of 196.7 yards.

    Roof has more than 30 years of coaching experience in Power 5 programs. During his career, his teams have had the best conference record in rushing defense in three programs, were first in the NCAA in defensive touchdowns in 2019, led the NCAA in red-zone defense in 2012 and set an NCAA record for takeaways per possession (26.8%) in 2014.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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