After strolling to wins against mediocre competition, the Penn State Nittany Lions and UCF Knights were both in for a test Saturday night as they faced off in a showdown of undefeated teams. The Knights held on for a 34-31 win.
UCF vs. Penn State 2013 final score: Knights pull off upset in State College, 34-31
UCF emerges unscathed from the undefeated showdown.
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
UCF got on the board first, as Blake Bortles completed a four-yard touchdown pass to Storm Johnson. Penn State responded with a four-yard Zach Zwinak touchdown run (one of three for the running back). The Knights were able to pad a little distance onto their lead, with back-to-back touchdowns from Johnson (58-yard run) and Bortles (five-yard pass to J.J. Worton).
The two teams went back and forth, and a one-yard Zwinak touchdown run brought the game within a score. Shawn Moffitt hit a 36-yard field goal, making it 34-24 with just over eight minutes left.
UCF had quite the adventurous punt attempt, leading to a five-yard touchdown pass from Christian Hackenberg to Allen Robinson. The Knights were able to hold on for the win, keeping their record unblemished.
Box Score Hero: Zach Zwinak. The Nittany Lion running back had 21 carries for 128 yards and three scores in the loss.
Rankings Ramifications: Penn State received votes in the AP Poll last week, while UCF received votes in the Coaches’ Poll. Expect the Knights to get a few more votes next week.
But Did They Cover? Penn State was a 4.5-point favorite but lost outright.
For More On This Game: For the Penn State reaction, head to Black Shoe Diaries.
Next Week’s Schedule: Penn State hosts Kent State next week, in their last non-conference game of the year. UCF has a week off before a big test at home against South Carolina.
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