86
With McKenzie
Milton under
center, UCF was
able to score with
the ball in almost
anyone’s hands—
nine different
players caught
a touchdown
pass—but with
the uncertainty at
QB this year, the
Knights will need
to count on a few
more high-volume
scorers. Coach
Josh Heupel and his
staff have proven
to be creative with
their schemes, but
whoever is under
center will have
to lean heavily on
junior wide receiver
GABRIEL DAVIS, who
led the Knights in
receiving last year
(815) and also put
up three 100-yard
games last season,
including a 128-yard
performance in
UCF’s 31–30 win
over Memphis. Davis
has some of the
surest hands in the
country and how the
new QB uses him will
be key.X-FACTOR
2019
SCHEDULE
THE BIG STORY For the first time
since 2017—UCF is the third
winningest program in the country
since then—the Knights will have
a new quarterback. McKenzie
Milton, who won the American
Athletic Conference Offensive
Player of the Year award in ’17
and ’18, suffered a season-ending
knee injury in late November, and
will miss this season. Notre Dame
transfer Brandon Wimbush will
likely get the Week 1 start. Darriel
Mack Jr., a redshirt sophomore
recovering from an ankle surgery
and expected to return this year,
has the upside to take hold of the
starting job.CAN’T MISS UCF boasted a
deep running back corps
last season, but there are few more
exciting players in the country
than senior speedster Adrian
Killins, who averaged 5.7 yards per
carry and is a big-play threat: He
accounted for a team-high 20 plays
of 20 yards or more, including four
that went for touchdowns.KEY QUESTION It’s simple: The
Knights need to do a better
job stopping the run. Last season
they allowed opponents an average
of 222.3 rushing yards per game
(No. 117 in the FBS)—and this
year’s unit boasts even less
experience. Last year’s top
tacklers, safety RICHIE GRANT and
linebacker Nate Evans, will have to
continue their prowess.KEY MATCHUP
BIGGEST GAME
SI RANKING
AUG. 29
FLORIDA A&M
SEPT. 7
@ FLORIDA ATLANTIC
SEPT. 14
STANFORD (25)
SEPT. 21
@ PITTSBURGH
SEPT. 28
CONNECTICUT
OCT. 4
@ CINCINNATI
OCT. 19
EAST CAROLINA
OCT. 26
@ TEMPLE
NOV. 2
HOUSTON
NOV. 8
@ TULSA
NOV. 23
@ TULANE
NOV. 29
THE RUNDOWN
3
6
9
12
15
0 –
12
6 –
7
13
–^0
12
–^1
11 –
1
No Scott Frost? No
problem. Heupel led
the Knights to another
undefeated regular season
in his first year, and while
a 12–0 mark is a long
shot, UCF will keep piling
YEAR 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019* up the wins.
*SI PROJECTION5 -YEAR TREND
9.5
While road contests
at Pitt and Cincinnati
present challenges, the only Top 25
matchup for the Knights is a home
date with Stanford, and A AC rival
Memphis isn’t on the slate.FRO
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