Sports
Sports

In-game Replay: UCF extends Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl lead with Chequan Burkett pick-six

Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn reacts to an officials call during the second quarter of their game against the UCF Knights in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Credit: Jason Getz

Credit: Jason Getz

Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn reacts to an officials call during the second quarter of their game against the UCF Knights in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
By Alex Makrides
Jan 1, 2018

The UCF Knight tried to make head coach Scott Frost’s last game a memorable one at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and boy were they successful.

UCF had a chance to go up by 10 points with a 25-yard field goal, but Matthew Wright’s chip-shot was blocked by Aubrun defensive lineman Derrick Brown, keeping the score at 27-20.

The Tigers then took over at the 20-yard line, however four plays later the Knights got those three points back... plus four more.

Linebacker Chequan Burkett stepped in front on a Jarrett Stidham pass and picked it off. With nothing but green grass in front of him, Burkett returned the interception 45 yards for a touchdown to put UCF up 34-20 with 5:56 left in the game.

About the Author

Alex Makrides
More Stories

Keep Reading

South Carolina State University head football coach Chennis Berry joined the team in 2023 after coaching at Benedict College, a historically Black college in Columbia, South Carolina. Last year, Berry's team saw its season end in heartbreak in the Celebration Bowl and this time, it ended in triumph with a 40-38 win. (Courtesy of South Carolina State Athletics)

Credit: South Carolina State University Athletics

Four overtimes, one redemption: South Carolina State claims HBCU national championship

South Carolina State rallied from 21 down against Prairie View A&M to win 40-38 in four overtimes, taking home the HBCU national championship.

1h ago

Georgia State gets OK for baseball facility project at iconic sports site

Construction on the project, which is estimated to cost $15 million to $16 million, is scheduled to be complete by fall 2026.

Mercer announces familiar name as new football coach

Team’s former defensive coordinator will take the reins from Mike Jacobs.

The Latest

South Carolina State University head football coach Chennis Berry joined the team in 2023 after coaching at Benedict College, a historically Black college in Columbia, South Carolina. Last year, Berry's team saw its season end in heartbreak in the Celebration Bowl and this time, it ended in triumph with a 40-38 win. (Courtesy of South Carolina State Athletics)

Credit: South Carolina State University Athletics

Four overtimes, one redemption: South Carolina State claims HBCU national championship

1h ago

Mercer announces familiar name as new football coach

Georgia State gets OK for baseball facility project at iconic sports site

Featured

Students line up after school for school buses at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The school’s principal told teachers not to talk to students about ICE, and teachers and activists are pushing back. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

DeKalb students raise fears about ICE raids; teachers told not to talk about it

The Sequoyah Middle School community asked DeKalb school officials to better support students who fear ICE.

Two-day effort helps free endangered right whale off Georgia coast

Georgia state officials helped disentangle a North American right whale, one of the most endangered whales on the planet.

Report: Election board member violated conduct code by going to Trump rally

A Georgia Inspector General's report found State Election Board Vice Chair Janice Johnston violated the board's code of conduct by attending a Donald Trump campaign rally.