The Knights lay claim to the nation’s No.1 scoring offense, while the Tigers boast a top-10 scoring defense. Game recognizes game and the two units have a massive amount of respect for each other.
“They are probably the best defense we are going to face all year up front,” UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton said about the Tigers. “They are physical, fast, pretty nasty, and the back end, the same.”
The Tigers front four ranks 12th in the country with an average of 2.9 sacks per game and will be aiming to give the Milton nightmares in the Knights backfield. The unit know it will take a tremendous effort to contain the elusive quarterback.
“He’s a guy that has the ability, because of his athleticism, and just the moxie that he has and the way he plays the game to keep and extend plays,” Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said. “At the end of the day he’s a guy that nobody can get on the ground and is always making plays.”
Though the teams have exchanged praises there has been some needling between the two teams. Early in the preparation for the game UCF running back Adrian Killins told Orlando Sentinel reporter Shannon Green that, “Auburn hasn’t seen any speed like we have here, so I would say they’re in for a rude awakening.”
On Friday Auburn defensive lineman Dontavius Russel said about the jab from Killins. “Oh yeah, I saw it but it’s not really something that we overly thought about.”
When members of the UCF offense were asked about what their cohort said wide receiver Otis Anderson insisted. “He was just misunderstood.”
All jokes aside it will be a serious matchup between the two units. UCF has not scored less that 31 points this season and the Tigers did not give up more than 28 points in a game.
The 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl kicks off from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA, at! 2:30 PM ET, January 1st.
