UCF heads to Memphis

Down 28-10 against South Carolina, the UCF Knights came thundering back on the gridiron. But as the clock struck zero, after wild scampers downfield, a rainstorm and an interception that changed everything, the Knights came up just short, falling 28-25 to the No. 12-ranked SEC powerhouse.

Now the Knights enter conference play seemingly facing a reprieve at Memphis this week. The Tigers (1-2) have played the Knights nine times so far. They’ve lost eight. The historical advantage tilts heavily toward the Knights with the teams in the same conference. Since the two joined Conference USA, the Knights have never lost. Now that they’re both in the American Athletic Conference for the first season, the Knights are hoping to keep the momentum going.

For a team with high hopes, forgetting the Gamecocks seemed priority No. 1 just minutes after the game ended.

“I’m looking to the next game,” offensive lineman Torrian Wilson said. “And the next game is Memphis.”

And on offense the Knights may have a field day. Already having let quarterback Blake Bortles loose to pass for two career-high games this season, the Knights have scored an average of nearly 34 points per game against a tough early schedule.

Memphis meanwhile has struggled on offense, putting up just 14 points against Duke, 15 in a heartbreaking loss to Middle Tennessee, and 31 against Arkansas Sate. But in that most recent game the Tigers may have hit their stride, putting up 505 yards on offense, with 329 coming on the ground.

That may spell trouble for the Knights, who saw just what happened when the South Carolina Gamecocks switched from a shotgun offense in the first half to a run-heavy offense that pounded the ball up the middle in the second half. After stifling the Gamecocks to a 10-0 halftime deficit, the Knights’ defense couldn’t handle the versatile rushing attack of Mike Davis, allowing 167 net yards on the ground, and three of the Gamecocks’ four touchdowns. Memphis’ Marquis Warford rushed for 173 yards on 11 carries in his last game, and Brandon Hayes gained 114 on 18 carries.

The last time the Knights faced the Tigers, despite a 35-17 thrashing doled out by the Knights, the Tigers outrushed them 240 yards to 229. They were nearly even on passing yards, with the Knights amassing 122 to Memphis’ 121.

But that was before Bortles began showing off his full potential. Already with a 300-plus yard game this season, he lit up the field against South Carolina, throwing for 358 yards and two touchdowns, though he threw an uncharacteristic two interceptions in the contest. Picks particularly marred the Knights’ showdown against the Gamecocks, with an attempt at the Wild Knight play backfiring spectacularly when Bortles pitched to quarterback-turned-receiver Jeff Godfrey, who was intercepted on a pass that landed in the hands of cornerback Jimmy Legree. A few plays later the Gamecocks had their first lead of the game and never looked back.

“Turnovers cost us the game,” Bortles said.

The Knights will face a tougher passing attack with the Tigers than last year, though likely not what they saw in South Carolina second-stringer Dylan Thompson, who came in to replace injured Connor Shaw and lit up the Knights for 261 yards. Memphis’ head passer Paxton Lynch threw for 176 yards and a touchdown Sept. 21 against Arkansas State. He spread the passes around to six receivers with double-digit yardage.

For the Knights, they’ll be hoping to learn from mistakes against South Carolina, and move back into the win column.

“You learn from mistakes and try not to do the same thing twice,” Bortles said.