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Smith Helps UCF Secure C-USA East

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The Associated Press

Published: November 25, 2007

ORLANDO - Junior running back Kevin Smith ran 219 yards and a touchdown on a school-record 46 carries to surpass 2,000 yards for the season, and Central Florida defeated UTEP 36-20 on Saturday.

The Knights (9-3, 7-1), winners of six straight since losing to South Florida on Oct. 13, secured the Conference USA East title and will host Tulsa in the C-USA Championship Game on Saturday.

Smith leads the nation with 2,164 yards rushing, the fourth-highest total in Division I-A (now called Bowl Subdivision) history. Only Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (2,628 in 1988), USC's Marcus Allen (2,342 in 1981) and Iowa State's Troy Davis (2,185 in 1996) are ahead of Smith on the single-season list.

Smith's statistics in the C-USA title game and UCF's bowl game will count toward his season total. Sanders and Allen, who won the Heisman during their 2,000-yard seasons, played 11 regular-season games and their bowl stats didn't count toward their total. Davis only played 11 games.

Smith also leads the country in touchdowns with 26.
Free safety Quentin Demps intercepted Israel in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for UTEP (4-8, 2-6). Demps leads NCAA Division I players with 17 career interceptions. It was the second time this season Demps has retuned a pick for 100 yards.

FAU 55, FIU 23: Rusty Smith threw four TD passes as Florida Atlantic (6-5, 5-1 Sun Belt) beat host Florida International (0-11, 0-6).

DiIvory Edgecomb, Rob Housler and Jeff VanCamp scored rushing TDs for the Owls. FAU has a chance to win the conference title if it beats Troy on Saturday. FIU has lost 23 consecutive games.

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