BYU Football: Cougars Beat Central Florida

BYU Football: Cougars Beat Central Florida: Cody Hoffman returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown and three forced BYU turnover in a 24-17 victory over Central Florida on Friday night. 6-yard TD run Bryan Kariya 10:29 left gave BYU a lead of 24-17 and the Cougars beat a last-minute drive of the Knights. The victory was a needed boost for the Cougars (2-2), who had just lost 44 points at home to rival Utah. Central Florida (2-2) has now lost two in a row after crushing his first two opponents 92-3. Score Hoffman third quarter was the start of the first BYU return for a touchdown in 13 years, a string of 160 games, and responded to a drive 84-yard scoring run by Central Florida quart Jeff Godfrey. Godfrey lasted two touchdowns, but he also threw his first interception late in the game as the Knights ran. AJ Guyton led the Knights with nine catches for 163 yards. Central Florida hoping to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Florida International, Godfrey put the Knights ahead 17-10 with a 1-yard run around the right end in the third quarter. The play capped a long drive that included a 54-yard pass to Guyton. BYU trailed 10-3 at halftime but JJ Luigi tied it with a 16-yard run with 8:13 left in the third quarter. It was the first rushing touchdown of the season for the Cougars. BYU also picked up its first four sacks of the season, knocking Godfrey from the game at one point in the second half. The Cougars were without two starters, left guard Houston Reynolds and linebacker Jordan Pendleton, because of injury, and lost leading receiver Ross Apo in the first quarter to a mild concussion after he took a big hit going across the middle. Jameson Frazier, who replaced Pendleton, recovered the fumble in the fourth quarter. BYU is Joe Sampson also had a key interception late in the game. BYU was looking for some help offensively and moved to Brandon Doman coordinator press box Friday after he called the first three games of the margin. BYU quarterback Jake Heaps always struggled, completing only 16 of 34 for 133 yards and is fifth interception of the season. There shall be Central Florida's first touchdown, a 10-yard run left by the late Godfrey.