Central Florida defeats SMU for C-USA title

Tribune News Services ORLANDO -- Two Conference USA championships, four bowl bids, a pair of 10-win seasons and a strong belief that more good things are on the way. Central Florida has come a long way under George O'Leary, the former Georgia Tech coach who's led a dramatic turnaround since taking over a struggling program and going 0-11 in his first year on the job with the Knights. "We're on the rise," senior defensive end Bruce Miller said after Latavius Murray rushed for 94 yards and scored two touchdowns Saturday, helping UCF (10-3) claim its second league title in four seasons with a 17-7 victory over Southern Methodist. The Knights also earned a trip to the Liberty Bowl, where they'll most likely face Georgia on New Year's Eve. "George is an old-school coach. He does what you have to do to win championships," SMU coach June Jones said of the 64-year-old O'Leary. "Kids get better playing for him because he doesn't re-...