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BUFFALO, NY - The University of Central Florida used a 17-point fourth quarter to hold off a stubborn University at Buffalo football team by a 45-21 score in a Mid-American Conference battle at UB Stadium on Saturday.

The Golden Knights (4-5, 3-2 in the MAC), making their first-ever trip to Buffalo, found themselves trailing the Bulls, 21-14, after a pair of turnovers that Buffalo converted into touchdowns early in the second half. The Knights turned the momentum, however, on a 66-yard drive to tie the score before Peter Sands stepped in front of a Randall Secky (Bemus Point, NY/Maple Grove) pass and returned the ball to the Bulls' 12-yard line.

Two plays later, UCF had the lead for good on a 14-yard yard pass from Ryan Schneider - who threw for a career-best five touchdowns in the game - to Michael Gaines. The Bulls, who rallied to take the lead on a pair of

Aaron Leeper

Aaron Leeper (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) touchdowns, could not move the ball against the wind in the fourth quarter, as UCF started each drive in the final quarter on Buffalo's side of midfield.

"I certainly think the fourth quarter really created the tale of the game in terms of field position," said Hofher. "Our field position was not even close to advantageous throughout the fourth quarter. We just never seemed to get out of the short side of the 50-yard line offensively. We didn't punch it out nearly well enough and that's credit to Central Florida. Defensively, they got some points because of the advantageous field position.

"I'm certainly disappointed in the outcome but I thought our kids played with an awful lot of energy and heart and toughness for the whole game," Hofher said. "Our effort was certainly there. We wanted to try to get something going in the running game and we had some success, but UCF is as high-powered as we expected them to be, and they threw the ball really well."

The Bulls fell behind early when Schneider - who would finish the day 25-of-43 for 360 yards - hit flanker Jimmy Fryzel from 10 yards out to give UCF a 7-0 lead with 10:44 remaining in the first quarter. Fryzel finished with a career-high eight receptions for 122 yards. The Bulls would rally to tie on the first of Leeper's career-best three touchdowns, before UCF took a 14-7 lead at halftime.

Buffalo would take advantage of two turnovers in the third quarter to take its first lead of the game. Redshirt frosh

Kevin Concepcion

Kevin Concepcion (Rochester, NY/East) intercepted his second pass of the season and returned it 48 yards to the UCF three. One play later, Leeper went in standing up to tie the score.

On UCF's next possession, another UB freshman, linebacker Bryan Cummings (Cincinnati, OH/Madeira) knocked the ball loose from Alex Haynes with redshirt freshman Richard Sanders (Miami, FL/Coral Reef) recovering at the UCF 43. It was all Leeper after that, as the freshman caught a clutch fourth-and-three pass from Secky and accounted for 32 yards on the ground, including the final 10, as UB took the lead, 21-14, with 7:59 left in the third.

The Golden Knights came right back, however, as Schneider directed UCF to a 66-yard tying touchdown drive before the key interception by Sands.

"Peter Sands stepped up and made a great play," said UCF coach Mike Kruczek. "It provided great confidence for the rest of those guys. It was the momentum setter of the second half. We got points out of it and took the lead which we never relinquished."

Leeper led the way for Buffalo with 27 carries for 119 yards, the third time this season he has been over the century mark. Secky finished 14-of-29 for 106 yards with his favorite target being senior tight end Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca), who had four receptions for 35 yards. The UB defense was led by safety J.J. Gibson (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home), who had nine tackles, including six solos stops. Cummings added eight stops, including two tackles for loss, a sack,

Bryan Cummings

a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Concepcion had four tackles and three pass breakups to go with his interception.

Bull-etins: Richard Sanders was involved in two turnovers on Saturday. The redshirt frosh had his second fumble recovery of the season and also recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter...Aaron Leeper, who continues to add to his freshman record for rushing yardage (currently at 810 yards), also became UB's freshman touchdown leader with his career-best three on Saturday. He now has nine on the season and became the first Bull since Marquis Dwarte, at Connecticut last season, to record three in a game. Leeper also is tied for eighth already for 100 yards game in a career with his third. Leeper has also broken into the top ten in rushing attempts (200, tied for eighth), rushing yards (810, eighth) and touchdowns (nine, tied for seventh)...true freshman Bryan Cummings matched his career-best with eight tackles and recorded his first career sack...senior tight end Chad Bartoszek became the most productive tight end in UB history with his four catches on Saturday. Bartoszek moved past Chris Behan (1992-95) into ninth place in career receptions with

Chad Bartoszek

90...senior Andre Forde tied Chaz Ahmed (1987-90) for sixth in career receptions with 110 after his two catches and into seventh place in receiving yards (1,604), past Jamie Gasparre (1996-97). With 1,263 all-purpose yards this season, Forde also moved into tenth place for a single season in that category...the following seniors played in their final home games: Jason Coley (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia), Dahnel Singfield (Baltimore, MD/Dunbar), Scott McMahan (Huntington Beach, CA/Oceanview), Deonne McClelland (Mesa, AZ/West Wood), Maurice Bradford (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton), Bam McDonald (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta), Ryan Buttles (Pike, NY/Letchworth), Mike Lambert (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-DeWitt), Jason Montanez (Spring Valley, NY/Spring Valley), Andre Forde (Penfield, NY/Penfield), Dan Lindsay (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) and Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca).