Mikey Keene, R.J. Harvey lead UCF to pivotal 25-21 win over No. 19 Cincinnati; 3 takeaways

Chris Boyle, The Daytona Beach News-Journal

October 29, 2022 at 9:01 PM·5 min read

ORLANDO — Mikey Keene seized an unlikely opportunity, the first of his 2022 season, as he engineered a pair of go-ahead, fourth-quarter drives against one of the top defenses in college football.

Keene, in relief of the injured John Rhys Plumlee, completed 15 of 21 passes for 176 yards and R.J. Harvey rushed for the game-winning 17-yard touchdown with 48 seconds left in regulation as UCF ended No. 19 Cincinnati's 19-game American Athletic Conference winning streak with a 25-21 victory.

😏 pic.twitter.com/u5T4I8qNz7
— Mikey Keene (@Mikey_Keene) October 30, 2022

"It's surreal, honestly," said Keene, who won seven of his 10 starts as a true freshman after Dillon Gabriel (now at Oklahoma) suffered a broken collarbone in a road loss to Louisville.

"I never let the moment get too big and allowed my guys to make plays around me. We had to get some drives going, and that's exactly what we did."

break us down Mikey‼️🫡 pic.twitter.com/SD7x4zUaK0
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) October 29, 2022

With the win, UCF (6-2, 3-1) regains control of its own destiny in its final season in the AAC, rebounding after a dismal showing at East Carolina last weekend.

"He's a winner with a capital W," head coach Gus Malzahn said of the sophomore quarterback, who went 7-3 in 10 starts last season. "He's approached every practice like he is going to play.

"All these guys rallied around him."

Keene entered the game with 4:36 left in the second quarter. It was his first game action in 310 days, UCF's Gasparilla Bowl victory over Florida on Dec. 23, 2021.

The Knights outgained Cincinnati (6-2, 3-1) 505-333 and possessed the ball for more than 37 minutes.

Here are three takeaways from the Knights' signature win, to date, of the 2022 season.

1. John Rhys Plumlee sustained concussion, Malzahn believes

With Plumlee in the saddle, UCF built a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter. Colton Boomer knocked through his 10th field goal, and Harvey sprung free for a 26-yard TD run.

Ever the competitor, in the eyes of Malzahn and his teammates, Plumlee sustained his injury trying to move the chains midway through the second quarter. He lowered his shoulder near the first down marker at the UCF 48, and took the worst of a collision with Bearcats defensive back Arquon Bush.

Plumlee stumbled back from the away sidelines, prompting the officials to call timeout. The senior met with trainers and entered the medical tent.

In the post-game press conference, Malzahn said he believed Plumlee sustained a concussion.

Prior to his exit, the Ole Miss transfer went 7-of-11 passing for 71 yards, and ran seven times for 26 yards. His status will remain uncertain ahead of next week's road trip to Memphis.

Oct 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Ben Bryant (6) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the UCF Knights at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

2. Red-zone turnovers nearly come back to bite Knights

Turnovers doomed UCF last weekend. East Carolina capitalized on three first-half takeaways, building a 17-0 lead that it would never surrender.

And it appeared the Knights would be punished for a pair of costly mistakes in the third quarter.

Isaiah Bowser coughed up a fumble on 3rd-and-1 at the Cincinnati 8, with the Knights looking to extend their 10-6 halftime advantage. Josh Celiscar bailed his offense out, though, by sacking Cincy quarterback Ben Bryant in the end zone for a safety three plays later.

"I got free, that's basically it," Celiscar said. "I had seen him. My eyes got wide."

Bryant fumbled, and Tre'mon Morris-Brash recovered before rolling out of the end zone. However, Bryant was ruled down by contact in possession of the ball.

UCF then stormed 51 yards following the free kick, poised to create some necessary breathing room. But Harvey put the ball on the ground again at the Bearcats' 17.

Cincinnati was not so forgiving the second time around. Bryant went 6 of 9 for 77 yards, and fired a 14-yard slant to Josh Whyle to go ahead 13-12. Whyle set a program record for tight ends with his 15th career touchdown.

Oct 29, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights running back RJ Harvey (22) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

3. UCF, Cincy trade TDs in the dying moments

Keene was at his best in the fourth quarter. He went 8 of 11 for 110 yards, and twice put the Knights in position to win.

UCF reclaimed the lead with 5:57 left when Bowser rumbled for his team-leading 11th touchdown, polishing off a 13-play, 77-yard drive that ate nearly six minutes off the clock.

Cincinnati struggled to run the ball all evening, with the exception of one game-changing play. Ryan Montgomery popped a seam and raced 39 yards to the house.

The Bearcats finished the game with 35 rushing yards total, factoring in UCF's four sacks.

With 3:04 left, Keene fired three consecutive, important completions — an 18-yarder to Kobe Hudson, a 26-yarder to Ryan O'Keefe and a 12-yarder to Javon Baker to set the Knights up in the red zone.

@rjharvey07 WOULD NOT BE STOPPED pic.twitter.com/v3ORtlDoai
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) October 29, 2022

Two plays later, Orlando native Harvey, who missed all of 2021 with an ACL tear, spun past two tacklers for the game-winning score.

Next up, UCF will try to overcome its road woes under Malzahn. The Knights are 2-5 away from the Bounce House since the start of the 2021 season, allowing at least 34 points in each of those defeats.

Memphis has lost three straight nail-biters — to Houston, East Carolina and Tulane, respectively — and will have the benefit of an extra week of preparation.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF Knights football: 3 takeaways from 25-21 win over Cincinnati

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1. John Rhys Plumlee sustained concussion, Malzahn believes

2. Red-zone turnovers nearly come back to bite Knights

3. UCF, Cincy trade TDs in the dying moments

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