ORLANDO - Chris Nendick kicked a 39-yard field goal as time ran out to save Northern Illinois from a late-game collapse and give the Huskies a 30-28 victory over Central Florida on Saturday night.
Northern Illinois led by 21 at halftime and by 13 with 10 minutes left.
But Golden Knights running back Dontavius Wilcox scored twice in the final 4:19, including a go-ahead 4-yard run with 45 seconds left, putting coach George O'Leary in position for his first win at UCF.
The Huskies took possession at their 34, and quarterback Josh Haldi completed passes of 16, 11 and 15 yards to tight end Brad Cieslak. After a short run put the ball in the middle of the field, Nendick's third field goal of the game cleared the crossbar with room to spare.
Earlier in the half, Nendick kicked field goals of 24 and 28 yards.
UCF has lost nine straight, its longest skid since 1982 when it competed as a Division II program.
Wilcox's 14-yard reception from Steven Moffett cut the deficit to 27-21 with 4:19 left, and the Huskies were forced into its first three-and-out on the ensuing possession. Moffett completed an 8-yard pass to Tavaris Capers on fourth and 6 from the Northern Illinois 16, and Wilcox ran twice for UCF's first lead of the game.
The teams exchanged interceptions in the final minute of the first half, with the Huskies coming out ahead. Four plays after UCF took control in Northern Illinois territory, Ray Smith jumped on Moffett's pass to the left flat and ran untouched 68 yards for the 21-0 lead.
B-CC 45, DELAWARE ST. 16: Eric Weems scored three touchdowns and Rodney Johnson rushed for 110 yards to carry the host Wildcats.
Weems scored on runs of 4 and 30 yards and on a 23-yard pass from quarterback Jarod Rucker as Bethune-Cookman won its third straight. B-CC mounted three scoring drives of 72 yards or more.
Delaware State managed minus-3 yards on the ground. Johnson, who carried 19 times, led the Wildcats with his inside pounding.
Weems scored his first touchdown with 2:59 to go in the first quarter. Nine seconds later, Bethune-Cookman took a 14-0 lead when safety Travis Roland scooped a fumble on a kickoff return by Delaware State's Jeremy Biandudi at the Hornets 1 and dived into the end zone.
JU 29, DAVIDSON 26: Mike Sturgill engineered a 12-play, 71-yard drive in the last three minutes and hit Eldin Ferguson with 31 seconds left for the visiting Dolphins.
John Leverett's third rushing touchdown of the game put the Wildcats ahead 26-21 with 2:56 left. Leverett matched his career high with 259 yards rushing, a yard short of the school record.
Davidson failed on extra-point attempts after Leverett's last two scores. After Leverett punched into the end zone from 3 yards with 10:39 left, quarterback Damion White's drop-kick failed.
White again failed to convert on a pass for a two-point conversion after Leverett put Davidson ahead 26-21.
FAU 20, TEXAS ST. 13: Brittney Tellis and Aaron Sanchez scored touchdowns as the visiting Owls held on.
Sanchez scored on a 1-yard run three minutes in, and Florida Atlantic went up 20-7 on Tellis' 31-yard touchdown catch midway through the second quarter.
The Bobcats pulled within 20-13 on Wellington Deshield's 24-yard touchdown run with 3:50 left in the second quarter.
NICHOLLS ST. 42, FAMU 25: Broderick Cole and Yale Vannoy ran for two touchdowns each as the visiting Colonels won behind their option attack.
Nicholls State did not complete a pass but ran for 313 yards and five touchdowns. The Colonels also dominated the kicking game, returning a blocked punt for a touchdown and blocking an extra point and a field goal.
Rashard Pompey ran for 110 yards and three touchdowns for the Rattlers, who gained 511 yards. Receiver Rod Miller caught eight passes for 132 yards, and quarterback Ben Dougherty was 16-of-29 for 175 yards and an interception.
FIU 31, SFA 24: Rashod Smith ran for 199 yards and three touchdowns to lead the visiting Golden Paanthers.
Smith ran 37 times and had a 56-yard touchdown run and two 1-yard scores as Florida International built a 31-10 lead over Stephen F. Austin in the third quarter.
