Flowers Posts Greatest Offensive Game in Program History

[Brad]

Flowers Posts Greatest Offensive Game in Program History

ORLANDO, NOV. 24, 2017 – Quinton Flowers stole the show with a historic War on I-4 performance that nearly helped USF capture The American's East Division title.

Flowers shattered school records with 605 yards of total offense and 503 passing yards in a heartbreaking 49-42 loss at No. 13/12 UCF that was decided in the thrilling final minutes on Friday night in front of 47,129 at Spectrum Stadium. Flowers (Miami) tied his career high with four touchdown passes and five total touchdowns accounted for. His final scoring toss of 83 yards to Darnell Salomon (Miami) with 1:41 remaining set the stage for USF to tie the game.

No. 22/19 USF (9-2, 6-2) tied it up after the explosive play with a two-point conversion before UCF (11-0, 8-0) captured the division title with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Mike Hughes on the ensuing kickoff. D'Ernest Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield and the Bulls began to move before Flowers hit Mitchell Wilcox (Tarpon Springs) for a 10-yard gain to the UCF 45 and the Knights Richie Grant forced a fumble.

Flowers also rushed for a game-high 102 yards and his 24-yard touchdown run helped spot USF a 34-28 lead late in the third quarter. With the run, Flowers became just the sixth player in FBS history to post at least 60 passing touchdowns and 40 rushing touchdowns in a career.

Junior Tyre McCants (Niceville, Fla.) had a monster game, setting the school record with 227 receiving yards and a touchdown on nine catches. Salomon also shined with a career-best five catches for 139 yards.

Flowers caught fire in the first half with 348 passing yards, three touchdowns and 398 total yards to help the Bulls head into the locker room trailing, 21-20, after UCF got off to a fast start.

USF needed just three plays to strike first in the highly anticipated War on I-4 battle.

One play after Wilcox's 21-yard reception, McCants turned a short catch into a 47-yard touchdown, dragging a Knight for about 25 yards into the end zone just over a minute into the action. McCants secured his second 100-yard receiving game with two catches for 102 yards in the opening quarter and set the school record with six catches for 210 yards by halftime.

After USF jumped ahead first, UCF grabbed the momentum with touchdowns on its first three drives to take a 21-7 lead into the second quarter.

McCants' second 55-yard reception of the day brought him up to 168 yards and set up USF's second score of the game. Temi Alaka's 20-yard touchdown catch cut UCF's lead to 21-13 with 11:46 to play in the half.

Following UCF's third straight punt, the Bulls rolled back into the end zone with Flowers' third TD pass of the half, a 21-yarder to Wilcox that dropped the deficit to 21-20 with 2:09 before the break. USF's defense ended up shutting out UCF in the second quarter, which was only the third time the Knights were held scoreless in a quarter this season.

UCF extended its advantage to 28-20 near the midpoint of the third quarter, but USF closed the gap once again. Darius Tice's 6-yard touchdown run brought it back to a one-point game with 4:42 left in the third quarter.

Ronnie Hoggins (Coconut Creek, Fla.) picked off a pass on UCF's next drive at the Knights' 40 and USF regained the lead in historic fashion. A minute after Tice's TD, Flowers became the sixth player in FBS history to post at least 60 passing and 40 rushing touchdowns with a 24-yard scoring run that helped give USF a 33-28 lead.

UCF jumped back ahead with 7:33 remaining and took a 42-34 lead with 2:21 left on a 23-yard touchdown pass, but the Bulls roared right back.

Needing a big play, Salomon sprinted past a defender and went the distance on an 83-yard touchdown catch that set up a crucial two-point conversion with 1:41 remaining. Rolling right, Flowers found a wide-open Johnson (Immokalee, Fla.) to once again tie the game at 42-42 in dramatic fashion.

UCF then got the big play it needed on the ensuing kickoff, when Hughes went 95 yards for the game-winning touchdown. USF worked its way down to the UCF 45 on its final drive that stalled with a lost fumble in the final minute.

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[bullsfan1983]

How many players in NCAA history put up 500 passing yards and 100 rushing in a game? I’m sure it’s a short list. 

[FatDaddyBull]

Flowers deserves much better than what his teammates gave him today. That was a superhuman performance

[smazza]

imagine if he didnt slide at the end of his runs?

[Apis Bull]

3 hours ago, smazza said:

imagine if he didnt slide at the end of his runs?

He may have been out at some point due to injury.  Yeah, just imagine that.

[NewEnglandBull]

3 hours ago, smazza said:

imagine if he didnt slide at the end of his runs?

Yeah Keen would be the QB and we would have got steamrolled 

[mjadams]

On 11/25/2017 at 1:55 AM, FatDaddyBull said:

Flowers deserves much better than what his teammates gave him today. That was a superhuman performance

You have to be kidding right? His teammates scored a td dragging a defender 15 yds... His teammates made the best catches of the season...his teammates gave him an eternity to throw the ball. Get the point?

This was an all out team effort. 

[Triple B]

8 hours ago, smazza said:

imagine if he didnt slide at the end of his runs?

[BullDoug]

Special teams betray QF.  11 point swing - missed fg and pat and a KR for TD.  Did CCS comment after game about kicking it straight to the KR?  Poor coaching decision or kicker performance.  D played better than I expected not that means much. 

[NewEnglandBull]

40 minutes ago, BullDoug said:

Special teams betray QF.  11 point swing - missed fg and pat and a KR for TD.  Did CCS comment after game about kicking it straight to the KR?  Poor coaching decision or kicker performance.  D played better than I expected not that means much. 

Yes he said the kicker missed the end zone which was fair considering he had been booming it all day