ORLANDO, FLA. – UCF: The first quarter, first half, the first to the ball, first to score. This seems to have been the story of the first two games of this season and against their fifth power 5 conference opponent in 3 seasons. UCF is known for their hot starts to games and they proved that point very well against the Cardinal. Going up 21-0 less than seven minutes into the game, it started to look like another 62-0 final score type of game for the Knights.
With that hot start came Jovan Swann of Stanford being ejected just 2 minutes into the game after a late hit to UCF Quarterback, Dillon Gabriel’s head as he was sliding. Two plays later, Gabriel scrambled around in the pocket and found receiver, Marlon Williams in the endzone for a 28 yard touchdown pass to put UCF up 7-0 just over 3 minutes into the game. Stanford’s following drive would be put to rest after the third play resulted in a tipped ball interception.
Aaron Robinson was in the right place at the right time and took the ball down to the Stanford one yard line. Greg McCrae then ran the ball into the endzone to put the Knights up 14-0 just a minute after they scored their first touchdown. “We were obviously going to get things going early.” UCF head coach Josh Heupel said postgame. With McCrae’s rushing touchdown and Gabriel’s passing touchdown, that makes the 29th consecutive game that UCF has had a rushing and passing touchdown.
The score would go on to be 28-7 before the end of the first quarter. That 62-0 feel was still in the building but that changed in the second quarter when the scoring wasn’t as plentiful. Maybe the hour long first quarter took the energy out of the offenses. Knight’s kicker, Dylan Barnas put the Knights over 30 points for the 29th game in a row. It is one offensive record after another for UCF.
Before the second quarter ended, Greg McCrae burst out for a 73-yard rush down to the Stanford 19-yard line. McCrae spoke on that run and gave props to his offensive line: “The big plays that you see, that’s all because of the O-Line”. That drive would then be finished off by Otis Andersen on a 1-yard rush to make the score 38-7.
“You can see the confidence in him.”Dillon Gabriel would finish the game 22-30 with 347 yards and four touchdowns. On the other side, Stanford quarterback, KJ Costello would finish 21-44 with 199 yards, 1 touchdown, and an interception. Greg McCrae would finish the game as the leading rusher with 109 yards, a touchdown and the longest rush of the night with the 73-yard sprint.
Stanford (1-2) takes the loss back home travels back across the country to take on the 15th ranked Oregon next week while UCF (3-0) travels north to take on Pittsburgh for the second power 5 team in their schedule this year.
Written by Zach Bartkus
