After a monumental week in UCF athletics, in which the program reportedly received an invitation to the Big East Conference, the Knights failed to showcase that excitement with a 38-17 defeat to Southern Methodist Saturday.
Coming off a win in the pouring rain last week against Marshall, UCF saddled up for their first conference road game against an SMU team fresh off a win against No. 20 TCU. Prior to the contest, UCF was 3-0 all-time against the Mustangs and on a seven-game win streak against the West Division of Conference USA.
This was also a rematch of last years C-USA title game, which saw the Knights come out victorious 17-7 in Orlando.
Entering the game, UCF was one of three teams in FBS to be ranked in the top-10 of all five major defensive statistical categories. Among its numerous defensive accomplishments was the fact that it was the only FBS program yet to surrender a passing touchdown.
J.J. McDermott, the successor to Kyle Padron, ended that with 3:07 left in the third quarter, connecting on a five-yard touchdown pass with Cole Beasley.
The UCF defense, who entered the game second in the country in total defense at 177.60 yards per game, gave up an uncharacteristic 440 yards. The Knights were leading the country in passing defense at 100.20 yards per game, but allowed 358 yards in the game.
The UCF offense also struggled, failing to convert on third downs and had trouble getting the run game established. The Knights only managed 115 yards on the ground. However, the Knights did post 353 yards in the air, including 235 yards from Jeff Godfrey.
“This is very frustrating because we’re not used to this,” junior cornerback Josh Robinson said in a press release from UCFAthletics.com. “We expect more out of our defense.”
Despite its struggles, the Knights threw for 349 yards and ran for 110 for a total of 459 yards, out-gaining SMU by 19. Still, they lost by 21 points. Perhaps even more bizarre was the 15-minute time of possession advantage UCF held, which in most cases would guarantee at the very least a closer game.
In the end, SMU was able to impose its will in every facet of the game attributing to the big margin of victory.
“I didn’t think we did anything well. I thought we were outcoached and outplayed on offense, defense and special teams,” UCF coach George O’Leary said in a press release from UCFAthletics.com. “We put ourselves in the hole with some bad (special teams) plays, and I don’t think we ever recovered.”
UCF had been outscoring opponents 41-6 in the first quarter, but saw itself in a 10-0 hole at the end of the opening quarter. Special teams also thwarted the Knights as they gave up several big returns of 47 yards, 50 yards, which was brought back due to a penalty, and a 92-yard touchdown punt return.
An interesting point will be whether or not redshirt freshmen quarterback Blake Bortles will be given more minuets after his strong play late in the fourth quarter. He threw his first career touchdown pass and completed nine-of-12 passes for 118 yards, including a 48-yard completion.
In a press release from UCFAthletics.com, O’Leary said, “Jeff made a lot of good throws and made some yards with his feet, but Blake has more opportunity to throw down the field. We have to sit down and see what’s the best situation for our team. But we have to get Blake in more often.”
To look at the glass half full, the Knights started 3-3 in 2009 on their way to a birth in the St. Petersburg Times Bowl, as well as 2007 when they won the conference and advanced to their first Liberty Bowl.
In order to repeat that, the Jekyll and Hyde act that UCF seems to perform on a weekly basis, has to come to an end.
The Knights will need to tighten up their defense quickly as they continue on the road next Saturday in Alabama against UAB. UCF can get back on track with a victory over the winless Blazers.
