UCF heads to FIU for first time

The Knights are riding high after a historic 30-3 bamboozling of Boston College on the football field in front of a near-record crowd on Sept. 10. Now they’re heading into their first road game against a team they’ve never played before — Florida International University.

Coming off a 62-0 trouncing of Charleston Southern in the first week of the season, the Knights impressed even more while holding Boston College to only a field goal in the game.

Head Coach George O’Leary praised his defense for yet another stellar game.

“I think some of the speed we have on the field is starting to show now,” he said. “The defense is able to close it up.”

Now that Knights defense has garnered some national notice, posting the best points per game allowed and second-best yards per game allowed in Division I football. They’ve only allowed three points so far this season, and 130 yards per game.

“We don’t want anybody in our end zone,” linebacker Josh Linam said.

But despite being top ranked in the nation in defense and already having scored 92 points two games into the season, the Knights still have yet to crack the NCAA Top 25 rankings.

O’Leary said he doesn’t care.

“I never talk about the rankings,” he said. “I don’t get involved.”

O’Leary said that after playing a national-level team and winning handily, he expects the Knights to get more attention. His quarterback, Jeff Godfrey, who marched the Knights down the field on key drives that helped blow open the game, was even more outspoken.

“I think we can compete with anybody,” Godfrey said after the game.

Linam agreed.

“Every game we show we can compete,” he said.

The Knights let the Eagles onto the scoreboard first but then dominated for the next three and a half quarters, beating them in nearly every category. The Knights collected 422 yards of total offense while allowing only 141. On the ground and in the air, the Knights consistently moved the ball, picking up 5.2 yards per carry on the ground and 7.5 yards per pass attempt.

That level of pass efficiency comes courtesy of Godfrey’s accurate arm. He connected on 20 of 25 attempts in the game, averaging 9.4 yards per completion.

Now looking forward to his first meeting with the team that plays in his former high school stadium, Godfrey said he’s looking forward to the homecoming.

“Just to play on that field again will be great,” Godfrey said.

That game starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, in Miami, and will be televised on ESPN3.com