Bortles Throws 3 TDs, UCF Tops Penn State 34-31
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Blake Bortles passed for 288 and three touchdowns and UCF stunned Penn State 34-31 on Saturday night.
Storm Johnson ran for a career-high 117 yards and a score and added a touchdown reception as the Knights (3-0) beat a Big Ten team for the first time in school history. UCF never trailed, having its way against Penn State's defense to give the newly minted American Athletic Conference a shot of respectability.
Zach Zwinak rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns for the Nittany Lions (2-1) but also fumbled inside UCF territory with less than 6 minutes remaining, blunting a late Penn State rally.
Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg completed 21 of 28 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown but the Nittany Lions couldn't quite catch the faster, sleeker Knights after spotting UCF an 18-point lead.
Bill O'Brien served as offensive assistant under UCF coach George O'Leary at Georgia Tech from 1995-01 and reached out to his mentor about how to revive the Nittany Lions shortly after taking over in January, 2012.
While O'Brien's tenure has been an unqualified success, the student still has a few things to learn from the teacher.
UCF did whatever it wanted for long stretches, rolling up 507 total yards out of a variety of formations to keep Penn State off balance.
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