The inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl was friendly to the geographical home team last year when Tampa's USF beat Memphis 41-14 in front of a partisan crowd. This time the "home" team was outmanned and out-fanned as Rutgers routed Orlando's UCF 45-24.

Freshman WR Mohamed Sanu had two first-half rushing touchdowns from Rutgers' Wildcat formation, freshman QB Tom Savage had a career-best 294-yard throwing effort, and LB Damaso Munoz scored on an onside kick return.

UCF's best highlight was a 65-yard return of the opening kickoff, but the Golden Knights squandered the early scoring threat by tossing a pick on the third play of the drive. Rutgers then marched 48 yards in 8 plays to take a 7-0 lead. The Golden Knights responded with the first of two first-half TD passes from Brett Hodges to tie the score at 7-apiece, but that's as close as they would come for the rest of the game.

The deciding moment of the game occurred just before halftime. Rutgers was clinging to a 21-17 lead, but had UCF backed up at its own 13-yard line when Billy Anderson intercepted Hodges and returned it 19 yards for a 28-17 lead.

Rutgers opened the second half with a touchdown and a field goal on its first two possessions and never looked back. Only two-and-a-half minutes were left in the game when UCF finally scored again to make 38-24. But any hopes of a miraculous rally were quickly vanquished when Munoz returned the ensuing onside kick 37 yards for a Rutgers touchdown and the final points of the ballgame.

The Scarlet Knights improved their overall bowl record to 4-2 with their 4th straight bowl win.

The Golden Knights are still winless in three bowl trips.