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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Tony Hunt rushed for three touchdowns,
leading Penn State to a 37-13 victory over Central Florida on
Saturday.
The Nittany Lions
(2-1) overcame a dismal offensive performance that included
six turnovers by Zack Mills - four fumbles and two
interceptions. Only Hunt's consistent running and an equally
poor showing by UCF (0-3) spared Penn State.
Hunt's first
touchdown, a 4-yard run in the second quarter, gave Penn State
the lead. On his second, a 26-yard run, he started left, then
cut back to the right, spun around a defender and dived past
two more into the end zone, making it 14-3.
Jon Bronson, a
former defensive end, made his first career catch for a 1-yard
touchdown and a 21-3 lead late in the second quarter.
But when Mills'
pass bounced off Terrance Phillips' chest, Mike Walker
returned his second interception of the game 59 yards to set
up Matt Prater's last-second, 22-yard field goal. That made it
21-6 at halftime.
Tavaris Capers
fumbled a punt return on UCF's 2-yard line, and Calvin Lowry
recovered for Penn State. But Mills fumbled the snap on Penn
State's first play, and Stanford Rhule recovered for the
Golden Knights.
Four plays later,
UCF punter Aaron Horne let the snap sail through his hands and
out the back of the end zone for a safety and a 23-6 Penn
State lead.
Hunt scored his
third touchdown on a 33-yard run up the middle late in the
third.
Capers made up
for his mistake in the fourth quarter, slipping past four
would-be tacklers on a 54-yard punt return, bringing UCF
within 30-13.
Hunt finished
with 125 yards rushing, and Mills completed 19 of 29 passes
for 229 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Mistakes put Penn
State behind in the first quarter. On their first drive, the
Nittany Lions got to the UCF 13 before Mills fumbled. Later, a
6-yard punt by Jeremy Kapinos gave the Golden Knights a short
field, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Prater for a 3-0
lead. |
