The end result was not what they had in mind, but the Cougars showed plenty of grit in a 40-33 loss to UCF on Friday.
For the second straight game, running back Michael Hayes had a 100-yard performance, but it wasn’t enough to overcome UCF as the Cougars lost 40-33 Friday at Robertson Stadium. | Jairo Razo/The Daily Cougar
The Cougars’ (5-4, 4-2 Conference USA) season is far from finished, as the team’s goal of a conference championship is still attainable.
“We’ve got a lot of heart,” linebacker Marcus McGraw said. “We don’t ever stop fighting. We’re always going to keep fighting to the end. It’s not the heart we’re missing, we’ll just go out there and execute better.”
UCF once held a 20-3 advantage but the Cougars rallied to take a 24-23 lead with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
“We just executed better and obviously had a better feel on what they were doing defensively than at the beginning of the game,” head coach Kevin Sumlin said. “Field position was the difference. We were able to change the field position in the second half.”
But the Cougars were unable to stop the dual-threat capabilities of UCF quarterback Jeff Godfrey. The freshman signal-caller gave the defense fits by extending plays and escaping pressure. He finished with over 100 rushing yards and a career-high of 294 passing yards with two passing touchdowns.
The Cougars’ offensive attack was potent, as running backs Bryce Beall and Michael Hayes combined for 194 yards on 31 attempts. Quarterback David Piland completed 27 of 44 passes for 334 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions, one that was returned for a touchdown.
Despite mistakes, head coach Kevin Sumlin said he feels the offense is gaining confidence.
“The confidence level has improved,” Sumlin said. “Our running backs are playing as well as they ever have. We just need to continue to get better.”
Piland and receiver Patrick Edwards appear to be developing good chemistry, connecting 10 times for 162 yards. Edwards also caught three of Piland’s four touchdown tosses of 32, 33 and 36 yards.
“Patrick Edwards is having a phenomenal year,” Sumlin said. “It’s not just this week or last week, but every week. Every time he’s stepped on the field, he’s been effective for us. He’s made big plays for us this year and he’s really set a good example for our offense.”
In other C-USA action, UTEP did the Cougars a favor, beating SMU 28-14 Saturday, meaning UH still holds first place in the West division. There is a possibility the Cougars could play UCF again in the C-USA Championship on Dec. 4.
“They played up to their capability. They’re a great team,” cornerback Jamal Robinson said. “We expect to see them again in the conference championship game.”
Next up for the Cougars is their Homecoming game against Tulsa (6-3, 3-2 C-USA) at 7 p.m. Saturday for the season’s last game at Robertson Stadium.
