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UCF Boatraces UConn 56-17 in Opener for 14th Straight Win

Knights Kick Off Heupel Era with a Blowout Conference Win

Adrian Killins (Photo: Derek Warden)
Adrian Killins (Photo: Derek Warden)

The #21 UCF Knights picked up exactly where they left off, dismantling UConn 56-17 in East Hartford on national television.

With a new coaching staff and new schemes in place, the big question was if UCF could continue its high level of dominance. First-year head coach Josh Heupel proved he belongs, leading UCF to 652 yards of total offense in the win over the Huskies.

This is the Knights' 14th consecutive win, the longest active streak in the nation. They also improve to 18-1 playing as an AP Top-25 team.

Highlights

Mack Is Back

QB McKenzie Milton looked like he was in mid-season form, going 24/32 for 346 yards and five touchdowns - his third five-touchdown game as a Knight.

Newcomer and Ole Miss transfer WR Tre Nixon led the receiving corps with 5 catches for 101 yards and 2 touchdowns. In total, the Knights offense had 652 yards and 31 first downs while only possessing the ball for 21 minutes. Josh Heupel's offense looked similar to what we saw from Scott Frost last season. There's no doubt UCF will still be one of the best in the nation with the ball in their hands.

Bend But Don't Break

On defense, the Knights had a tough time containing UConn QB David Pindell. Pindell ran for 157 yards on 22 carries and threw for 266 yards. Pindell is a great athlete, but a large part of his success was due to UCF missing tackles.

That said, the defense stepped up big on 4th down and made some big plays when it mattered most. As one of the leading teams in turnover margin last season, they continued their success, forcing three turnovers tonight to kill some long UConn drives.

Final Verdict

There are a lot of things to improve upon, especially on the defensive side of the ball. All in all, UCF fans couldn't have asked for much more in a season-opening conference game. The Knights will be back in action next Saturday against South Carolina State, an FCS team. That should serve as the perfect opportunity to work on some of the mistakes we saw tonight, making sure the team is ready for that trip to North Carolina in Week 3.