An undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans, Bouye also came through with seven tackles against Philadelphia.

Blake Bortles booked his sixth start of the season for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Cincinnati Bengals. Recording a quarterback rating of 96.4, Bortles completed 22-for-33 passes throwing for 247 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

Back on the defensive side, Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson had three tackles. Additional News: Oakland Raiders running back, Latavius Murray, recorded his first receptions of his NFL career; two receptions for 12 yards. San Francisco fullback Bruce Miller recorded his third reception of the season, for five yards, in his third start of the season.

The Knights currently have 15 players on NFL rosters. They join Cincinnati and UConn (both with 18) as the only three teams in the with at least 15 former players with NFL clubs (as of Nov. 4).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ in the NFL – Week Nine

WR Kamar Aiken – Baltimore Ravens

QB Blake Bortles – Jacksonville Jaguars

CB A.J. Bouye – Houston Texans

LB Troy Davis – Dallas Cowboys – Reserved/Injured

DT Leger Douzable – New York Jets

DB Kemal Ishmael – Atlanta Falcons

RB Storm Johnson – Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Brandon Marshall – Chicago Bears

G Justin McCray – Tennessee Titans – Practice Squad

FB Bruce Miller – San Francisco 49ers

RB Latavius Murray – Oakland Raiders

K Matt Prater – Detroit Lions

T Jah Reid – Baltimore Ravens

CB Josh Robinson – Minnesota Vikings

OT Josh Sitton – Green Bay Packers

Updating ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ in the CFL

CB Joe Burnett – Edmonton Eskimos

WR A.J. Guyton – Edmonton Eskimos

WR Quincy McDuffie – Hamilton Tiger-Cats

DL Keith Shologan – Ottawa REDBLACKS

Bortles led ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to what might be its best regular-season win in program history as the Knights scored a 34-31 win at Penn State. Bortles completed 20 of 27 passes for 288 yards and matched his career high with three touchdown passes, extending his streak to 11 consecutive games with at least one TD pass. Bortles, who has thrown for 816 yards and seven touchdowns for the Knights, ranks second in the American Athletic Conference in pass efficiency (199.5).

The Oviedo product is the first ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ quarterback to get a win over a Big Ten team in program history, and he has helped give ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ a 3-0 record for the first time since 1988.

The last weekly offensive award handed out to a Knight was last season when Latavius Murray (Oct. 22) was honored by Conference USA. Murray is currently suiting up in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders. For Bortles, it was his first weekly award of his career.

Monday also featured the announcement of the College Football Performance Awards weekly accolades with juniors Rannell Hall and J.J. Worton receiving honorable mention status.

One of those Knights is Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Torell Troup, who competed for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ from 2006-09. Troup joined a long list of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ football players who have received their degrees, both while with the team and after they exhausted their eligibility, when he officially became a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ graduate this month. In July, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s Graduation Success Rate stood at 81%, which was 13% above the national average and the highest in school history.

Last season, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ led its previous league, Conference USA, for the second straight season with 14 players on opening-day rosters. It eventually had 15 Knights in the NFL toward the end of the year.

North of the border, a pair of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ players are continuing their careers as Joe Burnett is suiting up with Edmonton and Keith Shologan is with Saskatchewan, and both have already played four regular-season contests.

For a complete listing of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ in the NFL this weekend and how to watch the Knights in action, check out the below chart. Also, CLICK HERE for details on how to watch replays of games on NFL Network.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Knights in the NFL – Next Game

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Knights in the CFL – Regular Season

“Defence”

A total of 16 Knights took part Wednesday, including running back Latavius Murray.

“I felt good,” Murray said. “As nerve-wracking as it may be, I just wanted to come out here and relax. I know if I did that, I could go out there and perform the way I know how.”

Murray and his teammates were under the watchful eye of two former Knights who have plenty of experience showing off their talents to NFL scouts as Josh Robinson and Mike Sims-Walker were on hand.

“Josh was in the weight room and he said, `just focus up,'” Murray said. “As fast as this went by and as long as we’ve been waiting all of these weeks, it goes by quick in there. Event after event you just have to stay focused, and even if you did well on that event you’ve got to be ready for the next one and go out there and perform.”

Wide receiver and kick returner Quincy McDuffie was put through several of those events as well.

“I feel like everything for the most part went well. I know there’s some areas I could’ve worked on and improved with, but I feel as though my results were pretty satisfying,” McDuffie said. “With my lack of size I feel that I had to prove that at least I have speed and I have good route running … and I’m glad I was able to capitalize on what I was able to do.”

The current ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ squad will be getting back to work for its fifth practice of the spring Thursday at 10 a.m. The camp will ultimately conclude with ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s Spring Game Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. at Bright House Networks Stadium.

Plan your game days with the Knights, and experience one of the best schedules in program history in the best available seat locations at Bright House Networks Stadium. 2013 season tickets start at $99. To secure your ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ football season tickets, visit ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½Athletics.com or call 407-ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½-1000.

Visit photo gallery .

It was over when: After Ball State kicked a field goal to make the score 28-10, the Cardinals attempted an onsides kick. It didn’t work, and ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ needed just seven plays to turn that good field position into a touchdown. Blake Bortles found J.J. Worton for a 7-yard touchdown pass and a 35-10 lead. You couldn’t blame Ball State coach Pete Lembo for gambling, because his defense had no answers all night long for the Knights, who led 28-7 at halftime and controlled both sides of the ball.

Game ball goes to: Bortles. The sophomore quarterback bounced back from a rough day in the Conference USA title game loss to Tulsa for a terrific all-around performance. He completed 22-of-32 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and he also ran for 79 yards and a score. Bortles did a great job of extending plays with his feet, especially in the red zone, and he didn’t turn the ball over. Running back Latavius Murray caught two of Bortles’ touchdown passes and ran for another.

Stat of the game: 68. That’s how many rushing yards Ball State had in the game. The Cardinals averaged 214 rushing yards per game this season but couldn’t find much room against ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s defense and had to play from behind all night. Bortles outrushed Ball State all by himself.

Unsung hero of the game: ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ freshman receiver Breshad Perriman had five catches for 90 yards, helping set up two first-half scores. Perriman had only 298 receiving yards in the regular season.

What it means: ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ won its second bowl game and first since downing Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl. The Knights seniors became the winningest class in school history with their 34th victory. A 10-win season should set the program up well for its entry next season into the Big East, however that league may end up looking. … A strong season by Ball State ended with familiar disappointment. The program is now 0-6 all time in bowls.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ led 27-21 with just more than five minutes left in the game. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ was forced to punt and Jamie Boyle’s 44-yard kick was touched by the Knights. But the ball was not dead. Watts went back to the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 46-yard line, picked it up and raced down the Tulsa sideline for a 54-yard touchdown. The Knights blocked the point-after-touchdown to keep the game tied at 27-27 and force the overtime period.

In overtime, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ had the ball first and was forced to settle for a 38-yard field goal attempt. But the kick was blocked, giving Tulsa the opportunity for victory with a score. Tulsa got a 17-yard run from Watts to give them a first-and-goal at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 6-yard line. Three plays later, Alex Singleton dove over from the 1-yard line to account for the winning score.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ trailed 21-14 at halftime. But the Knights scored 13 points in the third quarter to grab the 27-21 advantage.

With just more than four minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Knights took advantage of a 5-yard punt into the stiff wind and took over at the Tulsa 27-yard line. Five plays later, Murray plunged in from two yards out. But the point-after-touchdown was blocked by the Golden Hurricane’s Trent Martin, keeping Tulsa in the lead, 21-20.

Third-down conversions were key on the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ drive to regain the lead late in the third quarter. On third-and-22 at the beginning of the possession, quarterback Blake Bortles found Breshad Perriman for a 39-yard gain through the air. Then, later in the drive on third-and-6 from the Tulsa 28-yard line, Bortles dropped back to pass, scrambled up the middle and went 28 yards untouched for the go-ahead score, putting the Knights on top 27-21. That score set up Watts’ punt return – the lone score of the fourth quarter – which forced the overtime.

Tulsa took advantage of good field position to take an early 7-0 lead. Green found wide receiver Thomas Roberson over the middle for a 20-yard touchdown pass. The drive went just 38 yards after ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ punted 37 yards out of its own end zone into a wind blowing at more than 20 miles per hour. But it could have been worse. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ fumbled the opening kickoff at its own 32-yard line but Kemal Ishmael forced a fumble that was recovered by Brandon Alexander on a fourth-down play inside the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 10-yard line to thwart the Golden Hurricane scoring threat.

On the second play of the second quarter, Bortles found Perriman along the end line of the end zone for an eight-yard scoring strike, tying the game at 7-7. Bortles was 4-of-4 passing for 56 yards on the 73-yard drive.

With just less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter, Bortles tossed his second touchdown pass of the game to give ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ the lead. He bought time in the pocket, waited for a receiver to clear and found Quincy McDuffie with an eight-yard bullet for the score, putting the Knights on top 14-7.

Tulsa answered with 2:35 left in the first half. The Golden Hurricane went 75 yards on the drive, capped by a 7-yard run from Alex Singleton, tying the game at 14-14. Tulsa then grabbed a 21-14 lead at the intermission, driving 80 yards in 1:02. Ja’Terian Douglas went two yards to cap the drive with 0:00 showing on the second-quarter clock.

It was the class of 2012 that made what seemed like all the plays for the Knights on Saturday to ensure ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ captured its fourth C-USA East Division title and a spot in next week’s championship game scheduled for noon at Tulsa on the ESPN family of networks.

β€œIt’s a win and another division championship,” head coach George O’Leary said after the game. β€œIt also makes the senior class the winningest one is school history, so I am very happy for them. That whole senior class is just a great group of kids and have mostly all graduated. They are going to be very successful in the future if it’s in football or something else.”

With its 33 victories, the senior class tied the all-time record for most wins over a four-year span and saw senior FS Kemal Ishmael rack up 10 tackles to move into fifth all-time at ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ while fellow classmate Quincy McDuffie notched a career-high three rushing TDs on six attempts for 79 yards.

β€œComing down to the end of the season, most guys won’t play at the next level, and this was going to be our last game at home. We just had a lot to lose this game, and everybody just took it seriously knowing we just had to get back to Tulsa and handle business,” said Ishmael, who registered his first-career sack on the last defensive play.

Following the recognition ceremony for the 20-member senior class, it was quick work for the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ offense after receiving the opening kickoff. Needing only five plays, the Knights picked up yards in large chunks. Murray scampered for 20 yards followed by back-to-back 18-yard passes by Bortles as the second resulted in an over-the-shoulder catch in the end zone by J.J. Worton for his third receiving TD of the year.

UAB looked to even the game at 7-all, but senior LB Jonathan Davis forced his second fumble of the year at the 1-yard line while fellow classmate A.J. Bouye recovered the ball in the end zone for the 23rd takeaway of 2012.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s offense turned the freebie into six points when Murray rumbled in from three yards out for his 35th-career TD, and 13th of 2012. It was the Knights’ 28th scoring drive this season of 75 yards or more.

After a failed ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ fourth-down attempt from midfield, UAB looked to take advantage of the short field, but the Knights’ stout defense stiffened and denied the Blazers on three-straight rushing attempts from the 10-yard line to reclaim possession.

Up 14-3, senior punter Jamie Boyle was aided by his classmates Ishmael and FB Billy Giovanetti, who helped down the kick at the 1-yard line. That setup a defensive stop followed by a 34-yard punt return by Worton to the UAB nine. Two plays later, McDuffie hit paydirt on an end-around for his first rushing score of the year.

Keeping with the Senior Day theme, fifth-year DB Lyle Dankenbring made his presence felt after he jumped in front of an attempted screen pass and took it to the house from 78 yards out to make it 28-3. It was the first-career TD for the Palm City, Fla., native, and fifth-longest INT return in school history.

β€œIt was a screen (play), and he said if he didn’t catch it that it would’ve stuck in his mask,” O’Leary said with a chuckle about Dankenbring’s pick-six. β€œThat’s what you need to happen. Football is a game of momentum anyway. That one really hurt because it was the back breaker as far as them moving the ball and being in field-goal range. It was a great play by him and a great play by the defense.”

The first-half offensive fireworks continued for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ following UAB’s 76-yard passing score. McDuffie took the ensuing kickoff 44 yards while the Knights needed just 53 seconds to see Bortles hook up with Worton from four-yards out to give ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ its most first-half points (35) since opening night at Akron.

In the second half, McDuffie scored his second rushing TD of the day after taking the jet-sweep handoff from Rob Calabrese out of the β€œWild Knight” into the end zone from eight-yards out to make it 42-10.

UAB wouldn’t go away quietly, racking up 599 total yards off offense and making it a three-possession game at 42-24 in final quarter. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ used a key fourth-down stop at its own 23-yard line with 8:32 left to end the Blazers’ momentum.

The bruising Murray salted the game away with four-straight carries prior to McDuffie housing another jet sweep for 43-yards for his eighth score of the year.

For tickets to next weekend’s C-USA Championship at Tulsa, click HERE. The Knights and Golden Hurricane are tied 1-all in their meetings for the right to hoist the league-championship trophy.

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ defense forced four UTEP turnovers and also came up big following a few special teams miscues to help keep the Miners at bay. Leading the defensive effort were Ray Shipman with 14 total tackles, Kemal Ishmael with 10 stops and an interception and E.J. Dunston with seven tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ led 24-10 in the fourth quarter. But a pair of UTEP touchdowns, one on a Blair Sullivan 2-yard run and one on a 69-yard Nathan Jeffery gallop tied it at 24-24 with less than seven minutes remaining. On the ensuing possession, the Knights moved inside UTEP territory on a pass interference call. One play later, Murray squirted up the middle, broke loose and sprinted 46 yards for the game-winner.

With the game tied 7-7 early in the second quarter, UTEP blocked a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ punt and took over at the Knights’ 1-yard line. But the Knights’ defense stood tall, stonewalling two run plays and forcing an overthrow on third down. The Miners converted on a field goal to take a 10-7 lead with 12:48 left in the first half.

AΒ muffed punt on a fair-catch attempt midway through the second quarter gave UTEP possession in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ territory. But the Knight defense came up big again, forcing and recovering a fumble.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ opened the scoring on the first possession of the game. Blake Bortles scrambled to his left and found Jeff Godfrey free in the secondary for a 46-yard touchdown pass, giving the Knights a 7-0 advantage. Nathan Jeffery capped a 75-yard drive for UTEP to answer the Knights midway through the first period. A two-yard touchdown plunge for Jeffery tied the game at 7-7.

Bortles gave ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ the lead late in the second quarter. He capped an 18-play, 88-yard drive with a 2-yard bootleg around the left end to put the Knights on top 14-10 with 28 seconds left until intermission. But the Knights weren’t done for the first half. A UTEP fumble was recovered by ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s Troy Davis at the Miners’ 35-yard line. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ converted that turnover into a Shawn Moffitt 30-yard field goal to take a 17-10 advantage at halftime.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ had a field-goal attempt blocked late in the third quarter. But the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ defense once again made plays when they had to. UTEP’s ensuing possession stalled, forcing a 47-yard field goal attempt that was wide left.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ widened the margin to 24-10 early in the fourth quarter. The Knights drove 71 yards in four plays, highlighted by a Bortles-to-Rannell Hall 56-yard completion. Rob Calabrese took the snap, handed it to Quincy McDuffie, who then pitched it to Bortles, who was lined up as a wide receiver. Bortles then tossed it to Hall, who was finally dragged down inside the UTEP 20. Three plays later, Bortles scrambled 15 yards for the TD, diving across the goal line between a pair of Miner defenders.

UTEP answered that score with a 10-play, 79-yard drive. Miner QB Sullivan rushed for a two-yard score one play after a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ interception in the end zone was taken away due to a pass interference penalty. UTEP’s Nathan Jeffery tied the game at 24-24 the next time UTEP touched the ball on his 69-yard scoring run with 6:49 remaining.

That set up Murray’s sprint up the middle to give ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ the lead for good.

Quarterback Blake Bortles also accounted for three touchdowns — two through the air and one on the ground — to help the Knights (7-2, 5-0) secure their fifth straight victory and remain on track to host the Conference USA championship game.

SMU (4-5, 3-2), which entered with the league’s top-rated rushing defense, fell back under .500 and deeper behind West Division-leading Tulsa.

The Mustangs briefly closed within four points in the second quarter, but never found consistency on either side of the ball.

After posting a career passing effort in last week’s win over Memphis, SMU quarterback Garrett Gilbert was sacked three times and never got into a rhythm.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ opened the scoring with a nine-play, 81-yard touchdown drive that also featured plenty of Murray. The senior running back accounted for the final 72 yards (61 rushing, 11 receiving) of the possession. Murray ripped off a 50-yard burst and also capped the drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge during the drive, which put ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ on top 7-0.

Murray’s first-quarter effort and an opportunistic Knights’ defense led ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ (5-2, 3-0 C-USA) to a 35-17 victory. The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ defense forced three Memphis turnovers and held the Tigers (1-6, 1-2) to 4-of-16 on third-down conversion opportunities.

“I think (turnovers were) the difference in the game tonight,” ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ head coach George O’Leary said. “Defensively, we made some plays. We got some quick three-and-outs that kept us in good field position.”

By the end of the first quarter, Murray had rushed for 149 yards and two scores on just nine carries. Murray finished his night with 192 yards on 23 carries, which gave him the 12th-best single-game rushing output in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ history.

“The line was doing their job up front,” Murray said. “On those two runs that I broke long on, I just made sure that I hit it and got what was there. I felt good to be out there. That first quarter, those runs we had … we just need to pick it up in the second half and play a full game like that.”

Memphis finally got on the scoreboard early in the second quarter, when Tyler Spurlock converted a 34-yard field goal to pull the Tigers within 14-3. The Tigers made it 14-10 when Robert Steeples returned a ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ fumble 27 yards for a score.

J.J. Worton gave the Knights some breathing room with 5:43 remaining in the third quarter. He took a pass over the middle from quarterback Blake Bortles and raced untouched to the end zone to put ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ on top 21-10. The 29-yard TD pass capped a 61-yard drive that was set up by an A.J. Bouye interception.

Bouye came up big for the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ defense early in the fourth quarter as well. Memphis completed a pass inside the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 25-yard line, but Clayton Geathers stripped Keiwone Malone. Bouye scooped up the loose ball at the 21-yard line and raced 79 yards to give the Knights a 28-10 lead.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ wrapped up its scoring when Bortles found tight end Justin Tukes wide open for a six-yard touchdown with 4:18 remaining in the contest. Memphis added a score with less than one minute remaining in the contest to account for the final tally.

Bortles finished the game 15-of-26 for 122 yards and two scores. Worton was ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s leading receiver with five catches for 56 yards and a score. Clayton Geathers led the way for the Knights’ defense, matching his career-high with 13 total tackles. Kemal Ishmael added 10 stops for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½, as well.

The Knights are back in action again next Saturday night at Marshall.