'Space Game' Gives UCF Knights Chance at AP Top 25
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The current AP Top 25 poll does not have the UCF Knights with even one vote. While somewhat surprising, there are college football teams having breakout years that the Knights are competing with to get into the poll.
Kansas is 5-1 and ranked No. 19. What a great story the Jayhawks are after winning a grand total of nine games from 2017-2021. They are averaging 39.8 points per contest and allowing 26.3. The Jayhawks offensive firepower led to four consecutive Power 5 wins over West Virginia, Houston, Duke and Iowa State before losing a close game to TCU by the score of 38-31. It’s cool to see the Jayhawks have a good team under the rising star in the coaching profession Lance Leipold.
There’s No. 18 Syracuse at No. 18 after starting 5-0. The Orange have averaged 38.4 points per contest while allowing just 14 per game. Dominating Louisville 31-7 in Week 1, as well as knocking off Power 5 opponents Purdue by the score of 32-29, as well as Virginia 22-20, have Syracuse off to its best start since 2018 when it started 4-0 before losing to then No. 1 Clemson 27-23 in Death Valley.
There’s even James Madison, now a member of the Sunbelt Conference, being ranked at No. 25. The Dukes, as they are called, have started 5-0 in 2022. There are no victories over Power 5 teams, but being undefeated and averaging 44.2 points per game while allowing only 15 points per contest is catching the attention of AP Top 25 voters.
What do the Knights need to do to jump into this mix and be an AP Top 25 team in the near future? That starts with a dominant win over Temple on Oct. 13 in the Space Game. Here are three areas that UCF needs to do well to start earning votes from AP writers.
Keep Playing Big-Time Defense
Whatever it is that the defensive coaching staff has done for its unit be an elite red zone squad, keep doing it. Teams struggle to find the end zone once they get down close to the goal line. It’s a thing of beauty.
Georgia Tech was 0-of-5 in the red zone, while SMU was 3-of-4 with its only touchdown coming with one second remaining in the game. That’s incredible defense during those two games alone.
Overall, UCF is ranked No. 1 in the nation by allowing just 47.7% of opponents’ red trips to even earn points. That’s incredible!
Another performance like that against a struggling Temple team that’s scored a grand total of 17 points versus Power 5 teams this season seems likely. That’s also something that can catch the eye of AP voters.
Big Passing Plays
We are in a passing era where big plays make the highlights on all the various networks. UCF’s John Rhys Plumlee finally found a consistent rhythm with his wide receivers this past game against SMU, with Javon Baker, Kobe Hudson and Ryan O’Keefe all making big plays.
if scoring highlights were made in ‘07 😎 pic.twitter.com/05kP4Uoqco
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) October 7, 2022
No reason to believe that will not change against a Temple defense that is probably going to be on the field quite a bit with the offense for the Owls struggling so much. Look for Plumlee to go up top and take some shots to the receivers, as well as possible tight ends Kemore Gamble and Alec Holler.
Score Early and Often
Head coach Gus Malzahn likes to be aggressive with his offensive play calling. With the Temple game starting at 7 p.m., it will be great to knock the Owls out early with some quick strike passing plays so that voters see what the Knights can do. Some of the voters are probably going to turn off the game at halftime with what should be a blowout.
The more explosive the Knights look during the first half, the better the impression will be for AP Top 25 voters.
Overall, UCF is on firm ground and starting to play good football in all three phases of the game. There’s a chance to hammer Temple and earn the respect it now deserves from AP Top 25 voters.
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