TAMPA — Gus Malzahn’s desire to roll UCF’s football momentum into 2024 hit a speedbump about 90 minutes from home Friday night.
Georgia Tech (7-6) scored the final 27 points of the Gasparilla Bowl, and Jamal Haynes set a career-high with 128 of the Yellow Jackets’ 284 rushing yards in a 30-17 victory over the Knights at Raymond James Stadium.
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UCF (6-7) finished its debut Big 12 campaign with its first losing record since 2016, and the first in Malzahn’s 12-year college career. The Knights had won in each of their five previous trips to Tampa, three victories against former conference rival South Florida and two prior Gasparilla Bowl triumphs.
“Overall, I’m disappointed that we weren’t able to get a winning record and a bowl victory not just for our players but for our fans,” Malzahn said. “There have been a lot of ups and downs in this first year. This is a tough night.”
UCF failed to score on each of its final seven drives, and produced just a solitary field goal in its last nine. That was after jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter as John Rhys Plumlee tossed two touchdowns.
Plumlee, making his last start at quarterback for the Knights, exited late in the fourth quarter after feeling discomfort in his leg on a designed run.
“I felt I was not at my 100% best, and it was not fair to the team if I was out there,” Plumlee said. “I got a good report, so we’ll look at it and see what it all leads to.
“Looking back on my two years here at UCF, it’s been really special. This is all I’ve ever really wanted to do, play football and baseball at the highest level and be around coaches and teammates like this. Dream come true for me, no doubt. I’ll look back at this time of my life and smile on it.”
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