Orlando, FL. – At kickoff here in Central Florida, the temperature sat at a very bright and humid 83 degrees. The University of Houston Cougars left a very nice 59-degree day to take on the UCF Knights in Central Florida. The Knights have been caught slipping this season and Houston has been on a slight decline this season. The Cougars came into this game with a .375 win percentage sitting at 3-5. The Knights looked to improve their .750 win percentage and get their seventh win on the season.
UCF would open the matchup as a 22 point favorite but the first half did not run that way. Houston would get the first two scores of the game and go up 10-0 within 10 minutes of the game kicking off. The Knights have a reputation of starting off games slow and playing out of their minds come the second half. They would carry on that reputation again today as they would score 21 points in the 3rd quarter alone and allow zero from Houston’s offense. Throughout the whole game the Cougars tripled the Knights time of possession. Houston seemed to be able to control the game up until the second half hit.
“Our kids have settled into the game and they play with great technique”, Coach Heupel said postgame on his team’s defense in the second half. “We were kind of embarrassed” UCF linebacker Nate Evans said about the defenses first half performance. Two different stories of two different halves. At halftime the Cougars had 357 total yards of offense, in the 2nd half they totaled 62 yards.
Dillon Gabriel broke the UCF freshman passing yards record. “He’s got a high, high ceiling and is only going to continue to get better.” Heupel commented on Gabriel’s potential. Gabriel himself didn’t think too much of the record saying, “I’m not too worried about that, we got Tulsa next week and that’s our focus.”
Gabriel finished the game throwing 21-30 for 298 yards, 3 touchdowns and rushing for one. Bentavious Thompson ran the ball seven times for the Knights for 65 yards, two touchdowns and a long of 45. Mulbah Car had a great rushing day for the Cougars going for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns. Car’s great day wouldn’t be enough to put Houston on top and they would fall to UCF 44-29. The Cougars head back home and await Memphis who is currently the number 24 team in the nation. UCF has a short week as they travel to Oklahoma to take on Tulsa on Friday night.
Written by Zach Bartkus
