Blake Bortles Nails His NFL Audition, If He So Chooses

You've got to think Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles might be thinking about going pro.

Especially after his performance Wednesday night in front of a national TV audience in the Fiesta Bowl.

Bortles completed 20 of 31 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for a career high 93 yards and a touchdown in UCF's 52-42 Fiesta Bowl win over Baylor.

Thanks UCF Knights




"It's awesome to be a part of this." Bortles said. "We came in together.  We're all within one year of each other.  We weren't highly touted guys out of high school.  We came to UCF on a mission."

Bortles would win Fiesta Bowl MVP honors.

"I think he came back and made some big plays with his legs and also turned some plays that could have been very bad for us, into really good plays getting the ball downfield." UCF head coach George O'Leary said.

"He [Bortles] deserved it [Fiesta Bowl MVP Award]." O'Leary added, "I think he played very well."

What was important about Bortles performance against Baylor was that he was able to keep pace with Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel (should he choose to go pro) in jaw-dropping performance's in the collegiate finale's.

Those who evaluate talent for the NFL Draft (and those of us in the OSG HQ tend to stay out of that business) see a work in progress with Bortles.

Blake Bortles' conflict: media/mock drafts = top 10, NFL advisory panel = 2nd RD. 5th pick = 4yrs/18M, 40th pick = 4yrs/4M. #toughcall
— Phil Savage (@SeniorBowlPhil) January 2, 2014

Bortles is a special talent at quarterback and UCF Knight fans would love to see him stay for one more year.

The NFL lure might be to great though.

One Bee-Cee-Ess Crasher's Dreams Smashed As Louisville Loses

((HT: ESPN))

And the big guys can thank...

Central Florida...???

A 31-7 run by the Knights and Blake Bortles' 11-play, 75-yard drive put his team up 38-35 with 23 seconds left gave Teddy Bridgewater little chance to do anything other than a Hail Mary to resurrect their season.

Here's the highlights...


"I said, 'Let's get some 2-minute calls ready,'" Bortles said after the game. "We knew we were going to have to go 2-minute. ... Our offensive line did a great job, and our receivers did a great job of getting yards after the catch."

Bortles finished 21-of-32 passing for 250 yards and two touchdowns while Storm Johnson rushed for 109 yards and a TD on 18 carries...