Michigan
2-0
Central Florida
1-1
Passing Game, Special Teams Lead Wolverines Past UCF
9/10/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
» Wilton Speight threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns, two each to seniors Jake Butt and Amara Darboh.
» The special-teams unit was credited with a blocked field goal, a partially blocked punt and a fumble recovery on a kickoff; U-M's average starting field position was their own 47-yard line.
» Jabrill Peppers led the team with eight tackles, while Rashan Gary was one of three players with six tackles, including two-and-a-half tackles-for-loss.
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium)
Score: #5 Michigan 51, UCF 14
Records: U-M (2-0), UCF (1-1)
Attendance: 109,295
Next U-M Event: Saturday, Sept. 17 -- vs. Colorado (Michigan Stadium), 3:30 p.m. (TV: BTN)
• Postgame Press Conference: Coach Harbaugh | Players
Postgame Features
• Kornacki: Speight, 'The Calmest Dude,' Stars in Victory
• Special Teams Key to Success against Central Florida
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Junior quarterback Wilton Speight threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns to guide the University of Michigan football team (No. 5 AP, No. 6 Coaches) to a 51-14 victory over UCF on Saturday (Sept. 10) at Michigan Stadium. Following last week's 63-3 victory over Hawaii, U-M has scored 50-plus points in back-to-back games for the first time since 1992.
In two games as Michigan's starting quarterback, Speight has thrown for 457 yards and seven touchdowns, completing passes at a 70-percent rate (35-of-50). On Saturday, Speight had three favorite targets -- senior Jake Butt (seven receptions, 86 yards, two touchdowns), fifth-year senior Amara Darboh (five receptions, 111 yards, two touchdowns) and senior Jehu Chesson (four receptions, 84 yards). Senior De'Veon Smith led the team on the ground with 10 rushes for 38 yards, while senior Khalid Hill added a pair of rushing touchdowns.
The U-M defense made UCF one-dimensional on offense, limiting the Knights to only 56 yards passing. Sophomore Jabrill Peppers led the team with eight tackles, while freshman Rashan Gary, senior Mike McCray and senior Chris Wormley each had six tackles.
Special teams played a huge factor in the outcome, as Michigan blocked two field goals (Wormley), partially blocked a punt (Tyree Kinnel) and recovered a fumble on a kickoff, while fifth-year senior Kenny Allen was a perfect three-for-three in field goal conversions. The field position game was lopsided, as Michigan's average starting field position was their own 47-yard line.
Michigan came up empty on its first possession of the game but not on the second. On a third-and-eight, Speight connected with Chesson deep down the middle of the field for a 35-yard gain. That big play set up another third-down conversion a few players later, as Speight and Butt hooked up for a three-yard touchdown pass to give the Wolverines the early lead.
On the next series, following the blocked field goal, Speight engineered another drive to the end zone, capped by a two-yard rush from Hill on third down to make the score 14-0. The Wolverines added a third touchdown in one play before the end of the first quarter on a 45-yard pass from Speight to Darboh.
A fumble recovery from senior Maurice Hurst once again set up the offense with great field position, ending with a 24-yard field goal courtesy of Allen, making the score 24-0.
After the ensuing kickoff, the defense backed UCF up right against its own goal line and forced a punt to Peppers, who brought it back 35 yards all the way to the UCF 12-yard line. Three players later -- on another third down -- Speight and Butt reconnected for a 14-yard touchdown.
UCF pulled one back at the midway point of the second quarter on an 87-yard touchdown run from Adrian Killins to make it 31-7. Allen closed the first-half scoring with a 36-yard field goal, and Michigan went into the break up 34-7.
The offense kept rolling in the second half. After Hill found the end zone for the second time on the afternoon, Michigan's kick coverage unit was credited with a takeaway after UCF's Rashard Causey muffed the kickoff. That turnover turned into another field goal from Allen -- his third of the afternoon, this one from 37 yards -- to make the score 44-7. The Knights added another touchdown on a 34-yard run from Dontravious Wilson on the next possession.
Michigan padded its lead to 51-14 with a little more than 10 minutes to play on a 30-yard catch-and-run from Darboh to conclude the scoring.
The homestand continues next Saturday (Sept. 17) when Michigan hosts Colorado. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
UCF 0, MICH 7
MICH - Butt, Jake 3 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Allen, Kenny kick) 6 plays, 42 yards, TOP 2:28
UCF 0, MICH 14
MICH - Hill, Khalid 2 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 7 plays, 57 yards, TOP 2:51
UCF 0, MICH 21
MICH - Darboh, Amara 45 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Allen, Kenny kick) 1 plays, 45 yards, TOP 0:08
UCF 0, MICH 24
MICH - Allen, Kenny 24 yd field goal 5 plays, 19 yards, TOP 1:57
UCF 0, MICH 31
MICH - Butt, Jake 14 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Allen, Kenny kick) 3 plays, 12 yards, TOP 0:46
UCF 7, MICH 31
UCF - Adrian Killins 87 yd run (Matthew Wright kick), 2 plays, 87 yards, TOP 0:20
UCF 7, MICH 34
MICH - Allen, Kenny 36 yd field goal 12 plays, 69 yards, TOP 5:03
UCF 7, MICH 41
MICH - Hill, Khalid 1 yd run (Allen, Kenny kick), 7 plays, 66 yards, TOP 3:14
UCF 7, MICH 44
MICH - Allen, Kenny 37 yd field goal 4 plays, -2 yards, TOP 2:02
UCF 14, MICH 44
UCF - Dont. Wilson 34 yd run (Matthew Wright kick), 5 plays, 72 yards, TOP 1:41
UCF 14, MICH 51
MICH - Darboh, Amara 30 yd pass from Speight, Wilton (Tice, R. kick) 8 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:14
