Guru’s Thoughts:
UCF is a team we’re very familiar with, having played them going on a half dozen times in the last ten seasons. We’ve had varying levels of success against the Knights, but UCF may be beginning a transitional phase. UCF is on their fifth head coach in eight years, and star quarterback Aaron Houston now plays in the NFL. The talent has moved on from the teams that often ran rampant through the post-UConn AAC and made multiple New Year’s Bowl Games.
Though there is less talent on paper as was the case in recent years, UCF still has some good players and a veteran head coach in Kyle Flood. The Knights have a good quarterback in Kyle Fowler and several good wideouts, that group headed by Scottie Thomas and A.J. McDonald. Ryan Grafcheck is a thumper at running back who should pose a nice challenge to the UConn defensive front.
The defense could spell the demise of the Knights against UConn this time, however. There are lots of veterans, but no real playmakers. Damien Bryndale played a role in beating us last year, and will need to have similar success in applying pressure to Jordan Brown and forcing mistakes. Linebacker Keith Salas and corner Devon Branch will need to play good games as well.
Our job will be to throw, to test UCF’s thin secondary with our very deep stable of wideouts and tight ends. Devin Brown should be a key target for us, as he will be matched up often against inexperienced safety Keon Patterson and some slower linebackers.
Past Skirmishes
2022 - UCF dealt UConn their first loss of the season in a hard fought-game. Aaron Houston and Adam Holt each ran for 125 yards and a score as the Knights and then-head coach Connor Turley (CAC: convict38) shredded UConn’s defense.
2017 - UConn escapes Orlando with their national title hopes intact on the strength of a seventeen point rally in the second half, winning on a Mike Miller field goal as time expired. UConn would go on to claim their first national title a few weeks later.
2014 - Deshon Foxx kept UConn in the game with two kick return touchdowns, but the Knights proved too much as UConn fell in overtime and dropped to 2-5 in Bob Diaco’s first season.
--- We have also played UCF in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Those games can be found in the table of contents under the spoiler for each respective season. I hope to be updating the Table of Contents to the present day very soon. ---
A good defense! I believe CMU scored one offensive touchdown, a defensive one and then two field goals. Georgia has been really up and down throughout the dynasty, but nevertheless great work to beat a Power 5 opponent. The MAC should be pretty competitive this year, so here's hoping that this win can give you some positive momentum!