USF expects to see UCF’s best effort

TAMPA — Collectively, USF’s staff has coached or played in some of the nation’s most prominent rivalries including Oklahoma-Texas, Florida-FSU, Ole Miss-Mississippi State and Stanford-Cal.

As a result of those experiences, the Bulls coaches have had no problem reaching a consensus this week: They will get winless UCF’s most inspired effort of the year.

“You’ve got to be really mature as a team to not fall for what you see on film,” defensive coordinator Tom Allen said. “That’s not what you’re gonna see. These rivalry games bring out a whole different element. ... You can’t discount that.”

On Monday, Allen recalled the 2013 Egg Bowl, a 17-10 Mississippi State overtime triumph in Starkville. Then Ole Miss’ special teams coordinator/linebackers coach, Allen watched injured Bulldogs QB Dak Prescott (shoulder) come off the bench to rally the hosts, who entered the game 5-6.

“Even though they weren’t winless, they were still having a season that was less than they had hoped,” Allen said. “But beating Ole Miss was all they needed to do to have a successful season.”

Interim Knights coach Danny Barrett, promoted after George O’Leary retired following UCF’s 0-7 start, said his team will be motivated by all the rivalry’s familiar elements: proximity of the schools, intensity of the matchup and the Knights’ two-game win streak in the series.

“Our guys are gonna go out and play hard for sure,” Barrett said.