Nov 17, 2018; Orlando, FL, USA; Central Florida Knights defensive lineman Titus Davis (10) looks to pass during the second half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Spectrum Stadium. Photo Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
ORLANDO, Fla. – When the press box started to shake in the Bounce House, AKA, Spectrum Stadium, home of the No. 11 Central Florida Knights, you knew the fate of the Cincinnati Bearcats was risky at best.
Knights quarterback McKenzie Milton threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, while UCF turned in its best defensive effort, wire-to-wire, of the season in dispatching No. 19 Cincinnati, 38-13, Saturday evening.
There was even a tumultuous start for the Knights that saw Cincinnati’s leading tackler Malik Clements sack Milton on the first play from scrimmage and jar the ball loose on the goal line where Kimoni Fitz recovered it in the end zone for a quick 6-0 Bearcats lead.
That didn’t faze the Knights or Milton, who should still sit near the top of most Heisman Trophy lists. He orchestrated three first-half touchdown drives and Central Florida methodically put the Bearcats on notice with the usual solid offensive attack once it settled and Milton and the depth in the playmakers started to click.
“Offensively, we didn’t start real fast tonight,” noted Knights coach Josh Heupel. “We busted protection on the first play. Don’t get it started on second drive, but we get our feet underneath us in late first and then throughout second quarter and are able to go score a bunch of points.”
Milton scored on a 3-yard touchdown run and hit running back Adrian Killins, Jr., with a 17-yard touchdown pass. He then a dart to Tre Nixon from 36 yards out as UCF took a 21-6 lead into halftime.
That resiliency is a staple of the program that has carried itself from game to game as it did with the Knights erasing a 16-point deficit at Memphis, outscoring Temple 24-7 in the second half to roll to a 52-40 win, and then turning the tables on the Bearcats after their quick defensive touchdown.
“We have another game to finish and many more games to finish out this season,” said UCF running back Adrian Killins, Jr., who had two touchdowns and caught four balls for 82 yards. “I don’t think we’ve made a statement. We have been making a statement since we stepped on the field with UConn.”
Mining a defensive gem: Cincinnati has had one of the most consistent offenses in college football with a run-first offense built around the skills of redshirt freshman Desmond Ridder and running back Michael Warren. The balance of the Bearcats was still a concern for UCF as they came into the game averaging 235 yards on the ground and 212 through the air.
Cincinnati didn’t score on offense until the game was pretty much over as Tavion Thomas scored from 1-yard out with 9:22 remaining to cut UCF’s lead to 35-13.
Senior defensive end Titus Davis spearheaded the Knights’ defensive excellence as he had three of UCF’s four quarterback sacks with four tackles for loss and a forced fumbled. He was joined by Richie Grant and Pat Jasinski, who each had double figures in tackles.
“You talk about the guys up front, just an absolutely dominating performance from those guys,” noted Heupel. “Titus off the edge, the pressure that they put on the quarterback. What they did in the run game, creating penetration, forcing the ball to bounce around.”
Championship Bound: The Knights travel to Tampa on Friday to play the USF Bulls in the War on I-4. Of course, that is the first order of business, but UCF will be back in Spectrum Stadium on Saturday, December 1 to host the AAC Championship Game against the Houston-Memphis winner.
The win over Cincinnati, the nation’s No. 7 defensive team, in such arousing fashion was a major statement on ABC-TV which, once again, and should have put UCF in position to play for the national championship if the Knights win the two upcoming games.
“It’s been a long time coming, something like this, a game of this magnitude,” said Milton. “We’re just grateful we seized the opportunity and played a good ball game in all three phases.”
