UCF Knights Sink ECU Pirates in Battle Of Conference USA Leaders

Ronnie Weaver rushed for 180 yards and had two of UCF's five rushing touchdowns, the UCF defense played well and forced two ECU turnovers, and the Knights defeated the C-USA division-rival Pirates with a score of 35-49 Saturday.

UCF got on the board early again against ECU, taking only four minutes to gain 49 yards after a 55-yard opening kickoff return with A.J. Guyton catching his third touchdown of the season from Jeff Godfrey. The pass was set up by five straight carries by Ronnie Weaver to start the game.

"It was a complete team effort," said coach George O'Leary after the game.

Godfrey was also pleased at the team effort given.

"We had the confidence to move the ball, running and passing," said Godfrey. "We just played football."

After forcing the Pirates to punt out of their own end zone on their first possession, Godfrey found Kamar Aiken on the first play for the Knights for the longest receiving score this season for UCF, 40 yards, for a touchdown, hitting pay dirt in only eight seconds.

ECU answered the score, gaining 49 yards on a fake screen pass on 3rd-and-8 to set-up a three-yard touchdown pass from Dominique Davis to Andrew Bodenheimer, his first touchdown reception of the season, drawing the Pirates within seven.

UCF would keep the pressure on, and Weaver would continue his rushing rampage on the ensuing drive, breaking four tackles on a 10-yard rushing touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, putting UCF up by three touchdowns and sealing a huge conference win for the Knights. Weaver carried the ball 10 times in a row at one point deep in the fourth quarter.

"I just go out there and have fun, that's all I do. I want to win games," said Godfrey in the post-game interview.

Notes

— UCF boasts a top-10 defense in the country, and first in Conference USA in scoring, passing efficiency and total defense.

— In five out of eight games this season, UCF has returned the opening kickoff into opponent's territory, including one return for a touchdown.

— UCF has now scored first in seven out of eight games played this season, including an active five-game streak.

— Ronnie Weaver has four career 100-yard rushing games, and three of them have come over the last four games.

— ECU is 11-13 on fourth-down conversions this season, including 1-2 in this game.