Bortles, UCF roll over Rutgers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Orlando, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Blake Bortles passed for 335 yards and a touchdown and No. 17 UCF pulled away for a 41-17 win over Rutgers on Thursday night.
Bortles was 21-of-30 passing and also rushed for a score for the Knights (9-1, 6-0 American Athletic Conference), who have won six straight since losing their last non-conference game to South Carolina on Sept. 28.
"I thought Blake (Bortles) was pretty much on the whole game," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "They put a lot of pressure on him, but he was exceptional as far as taking plays that weren't there and making something good out of them."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Storm Johnson rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns and J.J. Worton had five receptions for 117 yards five days after his one-handed catch helped UCF avoid an upset Saturday against Temple.
Rutgers (5-5, 2-4) has lost four of five.
The Scarlet Knights -- in the news last week for an off-field scandal in which former cornerback Jevon Tyree and his parents accused defensive coordinator Dave Cohen of bullying -- scored just three points in the second half.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Gary Nova completed just 11 of his 34 passes for 107 yards in the loss and Paul James had a 1-yard touchdown run.
Rutgers trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter but had pulled within 28-14 at halftime after Anthony Cioffi blocked Caleb Houston's punt and Andre Patton recovered it in the end zone with 15 seconds left.
"There was a lot of positive energy in the locker room," Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood said of his team at halftime. "We had a lot of momentum."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The momentum didn't carry over into the second half.
Shawn Moffitt kicked a 32-yard field goal on UCF's first possession of the third quarter and William Stanback powered through a would-be tackler on a 1- yard touchdown run on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 38-14.
Moffitt added a 42-yarder after Rutgers turned the ball over on downs and Kyle Federico kicked a 35-yard field goal for the Scarlet Knights.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Earlier, Bortles' 29-yard pass to Jeff Godfrey help set up Breshad Perriman's 4-yard touchdown catch on the game's opening drive.
Clayton Geathers intercepted Nova on the ensuing Rutgers possession and Johnson broke a couple tackles on a 12-yard touchdown run to give UCF a 14-0 lead with less than four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Johnson's 1-yard run capped an 86-yard drive six minutes into the second quarter, making it 21-0.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Rutgers faked a punt, with fullback Michael Burton rushing 38 yards to help set up James' 1-yard touchdown run on fourth down after Nova threw two incompletions.
Bortles scrambled left and made it inside the pylon for a 7-yard score at the other end to restore UCF's 21-point lead.
Game Notes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
The Knights beat Temple on Saturday by scoring 10 points in the last 1:06 of the game, winning on Moffitt's 23-yard field goal as time expired. They play at Connecticut on Nov. 30.