MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE UCF beats Ohio for fifth straight conquest in loop

Central Florida, in its first season in the MAC, placed second in the East Division with a 6-2 league record.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Central Florida didn't win any titles in its first year as a member of the Mid-American Conference, but the Golden Knights did earn the league's respect.
Ryan Schneider threw four touchdown passes to Doug Gabriel and ran for another score, as UCF beat Ohio 42-32 Saturday for a fourth consecutive victory and fifth straight in the conference.
The Knights (7-5) finished second in the East Division with a 6-2 league record.
"This is not a conference that isn't competitive; these people know how to play football" Knights coach Mike Kruczek said. "It's great to be a part of this family."
Schneider was 17-of-28 for 325 yards in his seventh 300-yard game of the year.
He also set the school's single-season records with 31 TD passes and 3,770 yards passing. Daunte Culpepper threw for 28 touchdowns and 3,690 yards in 1998.
Gabriel is effective
Gabriel had seven catches for 179 yards, including scoring plays covering 24, 35, 34 and 50 yards. It was the first time in nine years a UCF player caught four TD passes in a game.
"That's what we're here for, just to take all the records out," Gabriel said.
Alex Haynes rushed for 151 yards -- 111 in the fourth quarter, including a nine-yard touchdown run. He also had six catches for 50 yards.
Ohio (4-8, 4-4) was led by quarterback Fred Ray, who completed 13 of 18 passes for a season-best 210 yards and a score. Chad Brinker's 57 yards led the Bobcats' triple-option attack, and a two-yard TD run by Stafford Owens with 14 seconds left to play provided the final scoring.
Ray also ran for 43 yards, including a 1-yard TD sneak late in the third quarter that brought the Bobcats within 28-26.
The 13-play, 81-yard scoring drive was kept alive when a pass interference penalty negated an interception.
But Ohio's 2-point conversion run fell short after the score, and UCF then gained some breathing room with Schneider's 1-yard dive for a 35-26 lead with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter.
Ohio cuts the gap
Ohio closed to 21-20 two plays into the second half on Andre Parker's recovery in the end zone of a Schneider fumble. The ball had been jarred loose by Eli Kiener's punishing sack.
The Knights re-established their eight-point lead when Gabriel took a short screen 50 yards for a score three minutes later.
"I think if we had limited them to not as many big plays," Ohio coach Brian Knorr said, "I think we would've had a better shot."
UCF broke ahead for good early in the second quarter following Ohio fumbles on consecutive possessions.
On the opening play of the second quarter, Schneider threaded a pass between two defenders and Gabriel ran untouched 24 yards to tie the game at 7.
Hit him in stride
After Ray lost the ball on a keeper, Schneider hit Gabriel in stride on a streak pattern for a 35-yard score and a 14-7 lead with 12:37 left before the break.
Ohio rallied with a pair of Kevin Kerr field goals to climb within 14-13.
But Schneider and Gabriel kept the Bobcats at bay, as their 34-yard connection with 16 seconds left before halftime gave UCF a 21-13 lead.
Ohio cashed in an early takeaway, Chip Cox's interception of a Schneider pass, for its first touchdown. Ray's 4-yard TD lob to Ray Huston capped off a 37-yard drive with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter.