MILTON TAKES CONTROL
UCF QB helps steer Knights to blowout victory at home over FIU
UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton got off to a hot start and rarely slowed down during an elite opening night.
The sophomore connected on his first eight passes, including 22-yard and 50-yard touchdown passes.
After brushing off an interception, Milton racked up a career-high 360 passing yards and four touchdowns while leading the Knights (1-0) to a 61-17 win over FIU (0-1) Thursday night in front of an announced crowd of 38,063 at Spectrum Stadium.
“It was a good start,” UCF coach Scott Frost said. “You never know exactly what you’re going to get in the first game.”
It was the Knights’ first home win since Nov. 12 — a 24-3 victory over Cincinnati. The win also snapped a three-game losing streak dating back to last season.
The Knights’ 587 yards of total offense against overmatched FIU were the most during the Frost era and the most yards by a UCF team since the Knights tallied 657 yards against Temple on Nov. 16, 2013.
It was Milton’s best performance since taking over the starting job three games into last season.
Of his 16 complete passes, seven were for 20-or-more yards. To put that in perspective, Milton only had 15 passes spanning 25 or more yards all of last season.
“McKenzie had a really good day, but a lot of guys had a really good day,” Frost said. “But really for McKenzie, a lot of people were questioning him. … What you saw in the field today is what we’ve been seeing in practice over the past two years.”
Milton said he was just trying to help UCF beat FIU.
“I just tried to go out there and do my job for the team and give us the best chance to win,” Milton said.
He balked at the idea that he has something to prove this season after struggling in the Cure Bowl to end last season and facing competition from two true freshman quarterbacks.
“I don’t think last year was hard. I think it was challenging at times, but I definitely feel I’ve grown a bit and this team has grown a bit, too. I think all around we’re a better ball club,” Milton said. “I don’t feel like I have to prove anything, I just go out there and do my job.”
It was a typical hot evening in Orlando, with temperatures in the low 90s. With the humidity, it felt much more like 103 degrees on the field at kickoff.
The suffocating conditions did nothing to slow down UCF, which scored touchdowns on three of its first six possessions to start the game.
Tailbacks Jawon Hamilton and Taj McGowan added touchdown runs as the Knights amassed a 40-10 halftime lead over the Panthers.
Hamilton ultimately led the team in rushing with 56 yards.
Milton’s performance was not without its flaws.
After starting 8-of-8 passing, Milton missed on his next three passes, including badly overthrowing Gabe Davis across the middle of the field for what would turn out to be an easy interception for FIU.
The Panthers converted that turnover into a field goal and cut the lead to 14-10. But that was as close as first-year coach Butch Davis’ team would get. UCF outscored FIU 40-0 during the next two-plus quarters.
The offensive line, which was hampered by injuries last season, was a stalwart group Thursday evening. The unit didn’t allow a single sack through the first three-quarters of the game.
True freshman Noah Vedral entered the contest at the 8:21 mark in the third quarter in relief of Milton. The Nebraska native drove the Knights 64 yards before fellow freshman Cordarrian Richardson bowled his way into the end zone to push the lead to 54-10.
Vedral finished with 91 total yards of offense in the first game of his college career.
Defensively, UCF forced three turnovers and a safety in the game.
Defensive back Tre Neal picked off an Alex McGough pass in the second quarter and returned it 29 yards. Safety Kyle Gibson recovered a fumble in the third quarter.
But the safety in the second quarter truly set the tone for the game. With FIU pinned down on its own 1-yard line, linebacker Pat Jasinski and defensive lineman Trysten Hill powered into the backfield and stuffed Alex Gardner in the end zone.
“I’m pleased with the effort, I’m pleased with the enthusiasm,” Frost said. “That was a cleaner effort than we had last year ago. But we’re going to have to keep ramping it up.”