CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Quinton Flowers threw four touchdown passes and Marlon Mack topped 100 yards rushing for the seventh time this season, helping surging USF remain in contention for the American Athletic Conference East Division title with a 65-27 rout of Cincinnati on Friday night.
USF (7-4, 5-2) won for the sixth time in seven games following a 1-3 start. The second-place Bulls will close the regular season at winless UCF and need to beat the Knights, as well have division leader Temple lose at least one of its final two games to clinch a berth in the inaugural American championship game.
Cincinnati (6-5, 3-4) was eliminated from the division race. The Bearcats had won three of four to give them an outside chance of squeezing back into the title mix, but gave up a long touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage and turned the ball over on their first two possessions to help USF build a quick 20-0 lead.