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Sacramento Sweeps Florida, 21-17

October 21, 2010 - United Football League (UFL 1)
Florida Tuskers News Release


For the second time this season, former UCF quarterback Daunte Culpepper led a 4th quarter touchdown drive to lead the Sacramento Mountain Lions to a come-from-behind, 21-17, win over the Florida Tuskers before 10,066 fans at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Trailing 17-12, Culpepper led the Mountain Lions on 14-play, 71-yard that ended on a 10-yard Culpepper touchdown run on 4th and 5. It was déjà vu for Culpepper, who fired a 33-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds remaining to give Sacramento a 24-20 win over the Tuskers back on Sept. 30.

For the game, Culpepper completed 31 of 49 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown.

"Again, our defense played well enough to win," Tuskers head coach Jay Gruden said. "Offensively, we're just not getting it done. It seems we are playing real tight right now. I told our guys that they just need to come back, relax and start having some fun."

The loss dropped the Tuskers to 2-3 on the season; while Sacramento improved to 2-3. Both teams trail 3-1 Omaha and Las Vegas. "The main thing is that I told our guys that this season is not over by a long shot," Gruden added. I still believe 5-3 will get a team into the championship game.

To get to that mark, the Tuskers will have to sweep their final three games-including two contests against Omaha and one against Hartford.

It won't be an easy task, as the Tuskers defense took another big hit. The team, which had already lost four defensive starters for the season, may have lost at least two more. Defensive end Patrick Chukurwah, who was having an outstanding season, was diagnosed with a possible torn biceps muscle and starting linebacker Anthony Schlegel dislocated his shoulder.

Still, it was the defense that kept Florida in the game. The Tuskers offense scored 10 points in the first quarter but were limited to seven points the rest of the way. Quarterback Brooks Bollinger and Chris Greisen combined to complete just 14 of 28 passes for a franchise-low 104 net passing yards with three sacks and pair of interceptions.

The Tuskers drew first blood in the game, taking a 3-0 lead on a 47-yard field goal by Nick Novak on the team's first possession.

As in the first game, Florida failed to take advantage of an early turnover. After Weston Dacus recovered a muffed lateral on the kickoff, Tuskers quarter Bollinger threw an interception one play later.

Florida would put the first touchdown on the board on their third possession, as Rhodes capped an 8-play, 68-yard drive. It was a steady diet of Rhodes on the play, as he lugged the ball six times for 39 yards in giving the Tuskers a 10-0 lead at the 1:32 mark of the quarter.

After struggling offensively for most of the half, Sacramento got back in the game late in the second quarter. Starting on his own two-yard line, Culpepper led the Mountain Lions on a 14-play, 97-yard touchdown march that culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass to former Tuskers wide receiver Marcus Maxwell. Fabrizio Scaccia's conversion made it 10-7 at the 2:02 mark of the half.

Neither team could move the ball on their final possession, with Florida taking a three-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

Florida finally started to move the ball on their second possession of the third quarter, taking the ball from the Tuskers 34 to the Sacramento 16, but a Maurice Hicks fumble was recovered by Andrew Sendeio on the Mountain Lions' 11-yard line to end the drive.

On Florida's next possession, Sacramento linebacker Maurice Crum sacked Bollinger in the end zone for a safety and the Mountain Lions cut the lead to 10-9 with three minutes to go in the third.

Sacramento would then take its first lead of the night after Florida tried and failed on a fake punt which set the Mountain Lions up on the Florida 20-yard line. Six plays netted just 20 yards, however and Sacramento had to settle for a 27-yard Scaccia field goal to make it 12-10 with 11:28 left in the game.

Florida would then come up with a big play on its own. With Sacramento facing a 4th and five, Tuskers linebacker Tony Taylor stepped in front of a Culpepper pass and returned an interception 32 yard to the Mountain Lion 5-yard line. From there, Rhodes took an inside handoff up the middle for a touchdown and Florida regained the lead, 17-12 at the 8:27 mark.

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