Following a season-opening loss to Penn State in Ireland, UCF (0-1) faces another stern road test Saturday, taking on the Missouri Tigers (2-0) at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo.
Despite a spirited comeback engineered by backup quarterback Justin Holman in relief of starter Pete DiNovo in the Croke Park Classic Aug. 30, the Knights lost to the Nittany Lions 26-24 on a last-second field goal. Once back home in Orlando, Fla., head coach George O’Leary wasted little time making a change at quarterback, announcing last week that Holman is the Knights’ starter.
As a true freshman last season, Holman was Blake Bortles’ backup. From limited opportunities in 2013, he went 9-for-14 in three games last year. Coincidentally, he put up identical numbers in the just the second half against Penn State. With an extra week to prepare for Missouri, Holman should be ready to step into the starter’s role.
Among the believers is offensive lineman Torrian Wilson.
“I felt like we just had to come together as a group in finding our identity and once we get that done, we’ll be an unstoppable offense,” Wilson said following the Penn State game.
Against the Tigers, the Knights will have to get better play out of an experienced defensive unit, which features nine returning starters, but was unable to slow Penn State’s offense.
“You expect a defense that (returns nine starters) down the stretch, when you have a chance to put the game away, you’ve got to stop them,” O’Leary noted of the defense’s effort against Penn State.
There were some bright spots on defense in the loss. The Knights limited Penn State to 57 rushing yards after the Nittany Lions racked up 193 in last year’s meeting.
In taking on the Tigers (12-2, 7-1 in 2013), last year’s surprise SEC East division champs, the Knights will face a major test in hostile territory.
Head coach Gary Pinkel’s Missouri squad may have lost key pass-rushers Michael Sam and Kony Early on defense, but the offense hasn’t missed a beat and is averaging 43.5 points per game to start the season.
Ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll, Missouri is fresh off a 49-24 victory over Toledo. Sophomore quarterback Maty Mauk had a field day at Toledo’s expense, tying a school record with five touchdown passes on a 21-for-32 performance for 325 yards. It was Mauk’s fourth career game with more than three touchdowns.
Through the first two games, Mauk has thrown for 503 yards and eight touchdowns (leads FBS) with just two interceptions.
Missouri defeated South Dakota State at home, 38-18, to open the season.
UCF is 4-2 in its last six games against schools currently in the SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big 12. UCF’s last game against an SEC school was a 10-6 victory over Georgia in the 2010 AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The Knights last faced Missouri in Orlando in 2012, losing 21-16 in the only meeting between the two schools.
There’s some solace for the Knights despite dropping the first game of the season. The last time UCF started 0-1, the Knights went on to reach the 2005 C-USA Championship Game and the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Knights following Saturday’s matchup. UCF’s non-conference opponents—Penn State, Missouri, Bethune-Cookman and BYU—have a combined 7-0 record to start the season.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 12 p.m. (EST) and will be televised on the SEC Network.
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