Case Keenum's late-game dramatics -- not to mention his Heisman Trophy consideration -- wilted under a brilliant Florida sun and an inspired Central Florida defense Saturday afternoon. Despite throwing two touchdowns in the closing minutes, Keenum and 13th-ranked Houston ran out of time in their 37-32 defeat to a band of merry Knights who clinched the program's first win over a nationally-ranked team.
"Whether it was making mistakes or them playing really hard ... they did a good job of covering down field and putting pressure on me," said Keenum, who had led Houston to consecutive victories over Southern Miss and Tulsa last week on last-minute scoring drives.
ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) -- Central Florida not only found a way to slow down Case Keenum and No. 13 Houston, the Knights didn't give the nation's most prolific passer a chance to pull off another improbable comeback.
Brett Hodges outplayed the Cougars quarterback and Brynn Harvey rushed for 139 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, leading UCF to a 37-32 upset that stopped a five-game winning streak Keenum had kept alive with a pair of last-minute rallies.
Harvey scored on runs of 1, 41 and 7 yards, the last set up by an interception that stopped Keenum's streak of consecutive passing attempts without a pick at 123. Hodges completed 21 of 25 passes for 241 yards and one TD.
Keenum threw for two TDs in the closing minutes, cutting into a 17-point deficit. He finished 33 of 56 for 377 yards and three scores. He had more than 500 yards in each of the previous two games.
If Central Florida's maligned pass defense is looking for motivation, well, here it is: The last time Case Keenum did not throw a touchdown pass was on Nov. 10, 2007, in a 56-7 defeat at Tulsa.
So it can be done.
Keenum's aerial show visits the Sunshine State on Saturday, when No. 12 Houston meets UCF in a key Conference USA showdown in Orlando. Better yet, it's also another great opportunity for Keenum, who has thrown for more than 1,000 yards in his past two games alone, to impress Heisman Trophy voters. That's if Keenum cares.
"I don't know what the Heisman voters are thinking," Keenum said.
"My goal right now is to beat UCF. My goal is not to win the Heisman or break records. Any individual award is a team award. If you're not being successful and winning games, those team accolades are not going to come your way."
HOUSTON -- It's a long football season and as we've seen in the first month to expect the unexpected.
So forgive Houston coach Kevin Sumlin if he'd just as soon shelve the BCS buster talk or if he'd rather not put the Cougars last two wins into perspective.
Sumlin might not want to discuss it but his Cougars just became a legitimate threat to break into the BCS party with early Sunday morning's improbable come-from-behind 29-28 win over Texas Tech. It was the 17-ranked Cougars' second win over a Big 12 opponent in as many games after they went to Stillwater two weeks ago and left with a 45-35 win over then-No. 5 Oklahoma State.
HOUSTON -- Already today we've found out Miami and Florida State aren't quite back as much as we believed and Cal isn't quite the threat we thought.
Could there be another back-to-reality moment coming tonight with the 17th-ranked University of Houston Cougars host Texas Tech in a heavily anticipated matchup of high-powered offense. The Cougars, of the Conference-USA became BCS buster candidates two weeks ago when they went into Stillwater, Okla. as an unranked team and left with a stunning 45-35 win over then No.5 Oklahoma State.
Follow after the jump for the rest of Terrance Harris' live blog from Houston.
HOUSTON -- Reclined way back with his feet kicked up on a table in the Houston Cougars' film room Tuesday and answering questions in a philosophical yet aloof way, Dana Holgorsen was channeling his inner Mike Leach without even realizing it.
The voice, the demeanor and delivery were all Leach -- albeit a younger, less clean-shaven Leach.
"I sat in the same room as him for many, many years," Holgorsen, the Cougars second-year offensive coordinator said when reminded of the similarity. "All of that stuff rubbed off, I guess."
HOUSTON -- It seems every football season there is the push to find the ultimate BCS buster.
And there have been some good ones to crash the "Members Only" party for the big boys of college football. The interesting thing is the club of little guys capable of breaking through has been even more exclusive than the club entry they seek.
Patrick Edwards' name might not ring a bell, but this video probably does. A loud bell. One that hurts your ears, teeth, and legs. Edwards was the freshman receiver for Houston who had an unfortunate run-in with an ill-placed golf cart behind the end zone last October, an injury some felt would be career-ending.
The incredible part of all this is that Edwards is recovering so well from it, Houston plans to have him back for spring practice.
Turkey Legs to Go is FanHouse's complete travel guide for all of the 2008-2009 college bowl games. Here, we cover the Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas), which pits Houston against Air Force.
Overview/Matchup: A strong performance from the Mountain West this year helped Air Force land in the Armed Forces Bowl (which seems pretty, pretty, pretty convenient) even though they lost their last two games against BYU and TCU, while Houston's 6-2 record was good enough for fourth overall in Conference-USA (yikes) and a spot in nearby Fort Worth.
Hotels: The top hotel in Fort Worth, the Renaissance Worthington Hotel offers a sophisticated atmosphere of polished wood and marble complimented by a courteous staff. The Renaissance is about four miles from the stadium. The Courtyard by Marriott on Riverfront Drive and the Days Inn on S. University Drive are each about a mile from the stadium. The Courtyard offers the best all-around value, balancing proximity to the stadium and quality of the hotel. The Days Inn will probably have rooms for less than US$100 per night, but you shouldn't expect the same quality amenities as the nearby Courtyard.
Restaurants: When it comes to dining in Fort Worth, there's only one place to celebrate a big win (that is assuming, a classy celebration is what you're after); Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House. Del Frisco's is the place to go for a world-class steak, but make sure you budget accordingly. Blue Mesa Grill is a local southwestern chain specializing in blue corn and green chilies. Reasonable prices and good portions make it a local favorite. One location is just north of Texas Christian.
As you can see, in last night's Houston-Marshall game, one of the most freakish injuries you'll ever see occurred to wide receiver Patrick Edwards, and he isn't taking it lightly.
Edwards, who was running after an overthrown touchdown pass by Blake Joseph, ran into a poorly parked equipment cart, suffering a brutal compound leg fracture. The cart was basically just off the playing field, and Edwards, at full speed, had no chance to avoid it. Now, the question in the air is if Patrick and his family will file a lawsuit.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Good Knight, Case.
If Central Florida's maligned pass defense is looking for motivation, well, here it is: The last time 
HOUSTON -- It's a long football season and as we've seen in the first month to expect the unexpected.
HOUSTON -- Already today we've found out Miami and Florida State aren't quite back as much as we believed and Cal isn't quite the threat we thought.
HOUSTON -- Reclined way back with his feet kicked up on a table in the Houston Cougars' film room Tuesday and answering questions in a philosophical yet aloof way, Dana Holgorsen was channeling his inner 
HOUSTON -- It seems every football season there is the push to find the ultimate BCS buster.
Turkey Legs to Go
