(Photo by Adrian J. Hernandez / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Rarely does a college-football team have an opportunity to finish a regular season undefeated. On Friday, the No. 15 UCF Knights have a chance to complete that rare feat by becoming the first team in UCF history to do so.
The Knights (10-0, 7-0 in American Athletic Conference) will host the University of South Florida (9-1, 6-1 in AAC) in the 2017 regular-season finale at Spectrum Stadium.
In addition to this being to a rivalry game, a chance for UCF to go undefeated and an opportunity for the Knights to narrow the 6-2 all-time series lead held by USF, the “War on I-4” matchup could make or break one of UCF’s season goals.
“We believe that we can win this conference, and we think we are gonna win this conference,” safety Tre Neal said on Sep. 4.
However, a loss ends UCF’s season until an inevitable bowl game and sends USF to the AAC Championship Game.
Here’s what to look for in a battle for the AAC East crown.
Charlie Strong Picked up Where Willie Taggart Left Off
Last season, USF was led by current Oregon Ducks head coach Willie Taggart. Under Taggart in 2016, the Bulls went 11-2 and finished the season ranked 19th in the Associated Press Top 25. To replace Taggart after four seasons, the administration hired former Louisville Cardinals and Texas Longhorns head coach Charlie Strong.
While at Louisville, Strong led the Cardinals to back-to-back seasons of at least 11 wins, including a 2013 Sugar Bowl victory. Strong has brought his success to USF and has continued to build on the foundation that Taggart laid.
“It’s a lot of the same guys [at USF],” Knights head coach Scott Frost said at the team’s game-week presser on Nov. 20. “Some of the same schemes, but it’s a little different. Every team is different. Even if the coaching staffs remains the same. Every team has its own identity. These guys are the same players, and they’re running a little bit different things.”
Bulls’ Offense Is Powerful, Led by Rushing Attack
While the Knights possess the No. 1 scoring offense and No. 5 total-yardage offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Bulls aren’t far behind. USF has scored 37.9 points per game this season, good enough for No. 16 in the country. USF also averages 494.2 total yard per game, ranking 13th in the nation. Those national rankings give USF the third-ranking offense in the AAC behind UCF and Southern Methodist University.
The Bulls’ rushing attack is the most dangerous dimension of their offense. USF runs for an average of 276.9 yards per game, which ranks eighth in the FBS. That effort is led by quarterback Quinton Flowers’ team-leading 870 rushing yards, as running backs Darius Tice and D’Ernest Johnson have each added 860 and 715 yards, respectively.
“[Flowers] is obviously a great player, but they’ve got a lot of good players,” defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said after practice on Nov. 21. “The running back Tice, I think, is a really good player. [Johnson] is a good player. The receiver [Marquez Valdes-Scantling] is an exceptional athlete.”
Quinton Flowers Can Effectively Throw, Pass
Flowers threw for 2,812 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1,530 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2016, warranting Heisman Trophy hype for 2017. While the senior quarterback hasn’t been as prolific this season, he still been electric.
Flowers has thrown for 2,097 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions in 10 games this season. With his legs, the quarterback has also rushed for nine touchdowns.
“The thing that makes [Flowers] so effective is that he can make the throws, but if there’s nobody open, he’s a guy that can really make you pay,” Chinander said. “You have to contain. You have to have great rush lanes. You have to have a way to minimize him in the run game.”
USF’s Defense Is Best in AAC
The Bulls may own the third-ranked offense in the AAC, but it’s their No. 1 conference defense that impresses the most. In the AAC, USF is No. 1 in both points allowed and total yardage. The 19.9 points per game allowed ranks 24th in the FBS, and the 323.5 yards given up ranks 21st. UCF is second in both categories in the AAC, and is 26th and 51st in scoring defense and total-yardage defense, respectively.
USF is dominant in forcing turnovers and sacks. The Bulls are one of only 21 teams in the FBS to average at least two turnovers per game. They are also tied for first in the country in interceptions with 17 this season. USF is also No. 7 in the nation in sacks per game with 3.3.
“One of the top defenses in the conference,” Knights offensive coordinator Troy Walters said after practice on Nov. 21. “Their M.O. is to pressure the quarterback. It’s to put more guys at the line of scrimmage than you can block. Get after it, cause disruption. They fly around when the ball’s thrown in the air. They got 17 interceptions. So when the ball’s thrown, they got guys to go get [it]. So, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Ranked in AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll, USF Is UCF’s 1st Ranked Opponent
While USF has not been ranked in the College Football Playoff rankings this season, the Bulls have been ranked in the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. Coming off their impressive 2016 season, the Bulls started the year ranked No. 19 in the AP preseason poll. USF rose as high as 16th in Week 8 in the AP Top 25 and 13th in the Coaches Poll.
USF, then, dropped out of the top 25 and was left out of the initial CFP rankings after losing its first game of the season to the University of Houston. The Bulls, however, worked their way back to being a top-25 team by Week 11 and are now No. 22. USF is the only team with one or zero losses not in the CFP rankings.
“This league is a tough football league, and [USF] keeps winning, and we keep winning and [the University of Memphis] keeps winning,” Frost said. “And that’s hard to do in a league like this with so many good teams in it. So, they’ve done a heck of a job this year.”
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UCF and USF kick off at 3:30 p.m. at Spectrum Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ABC.
For more on the Knights, as they prepare for their first ranked opponent of the season, follow Ryan Weiss on Twitter at @NDR_RyanWeiss.
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