Eric Py, Sports Editor, KnightNews.com
1. How much hype is surrounding this game? UCF will be on ABC for the first time, and they will be playing at home, so I imagine a lot of people are excited for this game.
Obviously there is a lot of hype. Coming off of a bowl victory last season, finally getting things underway in the [American Athletic Conference], beating Penn State in front of around 95,000 loyal Lions and receiving some votes in the polls, there’s just a lot to be excited about. For UCF fans, it feels like it has been a long time coming, and suddenly, things are starting to happen. The ABC coverage is huge, and it shows that we aren’t the only ones who think that this will be one heck of a game.
2. From what you could see, was the UCF coaching staff expecting to go up to State College and beat Penn State, and how much do you think that win will help the Knights this weekend?
Of course they expected to win; our coaches and players could be preparing to play the Green Bay Packers and still expect to win. The moment you don’t expect a victory, you’ve already lost. The win keeps momentum moving in the right direction and bolsters confidence, but I guarantee that the moment the plane left Happy Valley, there was only one team on everyone’s mind.
3. Blake Bortles has obviously been lighting up the field this season and throughout his career, but how do you think he will respond to a top-15 SEC team where he will face some of the toughest competition of his career?
Early last season, Blake Bortles completed 25-of-41 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns against an Ohio State team that went undefeated. He was the first to admit that his 3 interceptions were the difference in the game. Since then, he has thrown only 4 interceptions compared to 24 touchdowns. Bortles is the least of our worries; this kid thrives in competition.
4. Along with Bortles, Storm Johnson has been very consistent on offense, and the Knights are scoring well over 30 points per game. With the Gamecocks showing some holes on defense, do you get the sense that the coaching staff is confident they can take advantage of these holes?
There are a number of offensive opportunities that the coaching staff will look to take advantage of, none of which come close to reaching the ears of a lowly collegiate sports editor. The challenge will be to keep the defense guessing.
5. Every opponent of South Carolina must talk about defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. With that said, is there a lot of concern over UCF’s ability to slow down the junior?
What else can be said about Clowney that ESPN reporters didn’t already say this summer? He’s big, he’s bad, and I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that he’s not coming to Orlando to visit Disney World. With that said, I would argue that the UCF players and coaches are more focused on respecting and adapting to his abilities, rather than being concerned. Getting left tackle Torrian Wilson back on the offensive line will be a huge help though.
6. Prediction:
Vegas odds have the Knights as a 7.5-point underdog, but this is shaping up to look like one of those games where predictions and speculations are worthless. There is no telling what will happen when these two teams get thrown into the ring. With that said, Clowney’s “bone spurs” are acting up, and UCF is firing on all cylinders.
Knights win, 28-24