ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -Brynn Harvey rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns and backup quarterback Brett Hodges threw for another score as Central Florida rallied for a season-opening 28-24 victory over Samford on Saturday night.
Harvey scored twice from 1 yard out, but Hodges' 9-yard touchdown pass to Jamar Newsome with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter gave UCF the victory.
Hodges, a redshirt senior who transferred from Wake Forest, relieved starter Rob Calabrese in the middle of the second quarter. He hit 10-of-17 passes for 129 yards and the touchdown to Newsome.
He also threw an interception to Ryan Anderson, who returned it 41 yards in the third quarter that gave the Bulldogs a 21-13 lead.
That was just one of several big plays by both teams in the third quarter after a sluggish first half that ended in a 7-7 tie.
