Central Florida 38, Ball State 17: Sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Knights controlled the Cardinals throughout at the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Bortles was 22-of-32 for 271 yards, connecting with running back Latavius Murray for a pair of scores in the first half and receiver J.J. Worton for one in the third. Murray also rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown for Central Florida (10-4), which won its second bowl game in five tries.

Ball State (9-4), which dropped to 0-6 in bowl games - the most losses without a victory by a BCS school - and had its six-game win streak snapped, could not get much going on offense. Junior quarterback Keith Wenning passed for 218 yards and a pair of scores, but was under pressure constantly and his running game produced only 68 yards – 146 under its average.

Central Florida totaled 300 yards in the first half and built a 28-7 lead. Bortles, who also rushed for 79 yards, drove his team 78 yards in 13 plays before hitting Murray for a 7-yard score with 7:27 left in the first quarter for the game's first touchdown.

Murray ran 2 yards for a touchdown later in the first quarter and a 13-0 lead after the extra point was missed. Wenning connected with Willie Snead for a 7-yard score early in the second, but Bortles responded with a 6-yard touchdown run and a 5-yard scoring strike to Murray with 5 seconds left in the second quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Central Florida’s victory came against Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl. The Knights lost to Rutgers 45-24 in the 2009 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl. … Ball State had the ball for only 2:10 in the first quarter. … Central Florida freshman receiver Breshad Perriman had five catches for a team-high 90 yards.