UCF prepares for rematch against conference-rival Houston

Will it be another nail-biter?

By Isaac Babcock
| 10:59 a.m. October 1, 2014

Photo by: Isaac Babcock - Breshad Perriman bowls over a BCU defensive back en route to the Knights win two weeks ago. They've had a long rest to prepare for a rematch against Houston.

Winter Park - Maitland Observer
Sports

When the UCF Knights step onto the field at Houston at 7 p.m. tonight, Oct. 2, they’ll have had 12 nights of rest. The only problem with that: So will the Cougars.

Both teams are coming off bye weeks to get ready for their first conference games of the season. Only one of those teams is a reigning champ.

“We have one goal on our team and that’s to win a conference championship, so every game is critical,” UCF head coach George O’Leary told UCFKnights.com about his goal this season. He wants a repeat.

The Knights shocked college football last season in a strong conference in its first season to win it all, edging tough rivals Louisville, Cincinnati and Houston for the American Athletic Conference’s inaugural championship.

“Edging” is the operative word here. In a season of heart-stopping, last-second wins for the Knights, Louisville was one for the history books; an upset win that came down to a hail Mary that was batted down in the end zone as the clock ran out.

But in Houston, it may have been even more of a nail-biter for the Knights. Rather than spotting Louisville 2:37 to go 75 yards at the end of the game, the Knights, who had just gone three-and-out with a chance to put the game away with 3:02, punted to let Houston start their drive with plenty of time and only 62 yards to go.

Within two minutes the Cougars’ phenom quarterback John O’Korn led the team to first and goal. What would ensue on that series would be a stand for the ages, with the Knights knocking down a pass, then stopping a QB sneak, knocking down another pass, then Brandon Alexander knocking the ball out of Aaron Johnson’s hands to end the drive and win the game with 14 seconds left.

Alexander will be back for the game against Houston (3-1), along with much of UCF’s defense that helped secure last year’s win. But so will Houston’s O’Korn.

Thankfully for the Knights (1-2), O’Korn is throwing a bit worse this season than the last, averaging 211.5 yards per game in the air, with six TD passes and six interceptions. And the much of those middling stats came against the seemingly easily defeatable UTSA, Grambling State, and UNLV, with a combined record of 4-10 this season.

The only other team the Cougars have played is No. 23 BYU on Sept. 23. BYU also happens to be the highest-ranked team the Knights are scheduled to play this season. But in that game, which saw a tough BYU run defense hold Houston to only 10 yards rushing, O’Korn came alive, passing for 307 yards and three touchdowns. BYU would still win 33-25 after amassing 523 total yards against a nonexistent Houston defense.

UCF vs. Houston is expected to be an edge-of-your-seat matchup, if history is any judge. All four of UCF’s wins against Houston came down to defensive stands or special teams stops in the final minute.

Houston has proven a tough team to pin down as being a rushing or passing team. Just the next game after their Sept. 11 matchup against BYU when they only rushed for 10 yards, they put up 399 against UNLV. Three Houston rushers have 100 yards on the season.

The game will kick off at 7 p.m. tonight on ESPN.