Milton leads most exciting team in state
FAU is where UCF used to be and UCF is where FAU wants to be.
This simple statement pretty much sums up the evolution of the two programs following the 16th-ranked Knights’ 56-36 home victory Friday night over the Owls in a game that, shockingly, was the most intriguing of any game of the weekend involving in-state teams.
Of course, FAU coach Lane Kiffin, the Mouth of the South, makes any game interesting, but especially a game against the state of Florida’s highest-ranked team and a program FAU aspires to be someday.
“You put a different logo on their helmet that says SEC or ACC and they’re probably sixth in the country,” Kiffin says of UCF. “They have the nation’s longest win streak, they beat Auburn in a big bowl game last year and they’ve already had two blowouts this season. … It’s sort of ridiculous that they’re only No. 16 in the country. That’s a really good team.”
Florida-Tennessee tonight in Knoxville may have more history and heritage, but over the years it has devolved into a game between two middle-of-the-pack
SEC teams. UCF vs. FAU actually boasted more star power when you consider Heismanesque UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton and FAU running back Devin “Motor” Singletary, who ran for 131 yards and three TDs Friday night and was fourth in the country with nearly 2,000 rushing yards last season.
Actually, it was Milton who was also “motoring” on Friday night with three touchdown runs, including a spectacular 13-yarder in which he eluded four different tacklers. The nearly packed house of 44,257 roared its approval and those watching at home no doubt replayed it just to see how McKenzie the Magician dodged, darted and ducked his way into the end zone.
Did you ever think there would be a day when UCFFAU would be the primetime Friday night game on ESPN? There was a time not so long ago when UCF-FAU on a Friday night wouldn’t have drawn as many fans as Apopka High vs. Dr. Phillips.
Milton himself was worth the price of admission on this frenetic fast-paced rendition of Friday Night Lights. He accounted for six touchdowns (three running and three passing), threw for 306 yards, ran for a team-high 81 yards and guided UCF’s offense to 545 total yards.
Isn’t it amazing how the dynamics of college football have changed in this pigskin peninsula known as the state of Florida? Florida and Florida State are rebuilding under new coaches and Miami is on the way back under Mark Richt. But a case could be made that the two best teams in the state heading into this season were UCF and USF.
Remarkably, UCF is the Sunshine State’s marquee team, the big boys on the block who have created more national interest over the last six months than Florida, Florida State and Miami combined.
UCF is what Florida and Florida State dream of being — an offensive juggernaut that plays one of the most exciting brands of football in the country. The Knights led the nation in scoring last year at nearly 50 points per game and came into Friday night’s game against FAU ranked second in the nation in total offense with an average of 609 yards per game. Miami, Florida and FSU are ranked 58th, 92nd and 109th nationally in total offense.
It used to be no national media or even state media from outside Orlando ever covered UCF games. On Friday night, Tom D’Angelo, the long-time college football writer from the Palm Beach Post, came up to my seat in the press box and declared, “I’ve been to over 60 college football stadiums and been writing about sports in Florida for 37 years — and I’ve never covered UCF until tonight.”
Welcome to the big time, my friend.
As someone who has covered UCF football for nearly 20 years now, it’s remarkable to see how the status of the program has evolved in recent seasons. Schools such as FAU are in awe of UCF’s facilities and speak with reverence when talking about the Knights’ talent.
“I told the staff, after watching these guys, both sides, I feel like we are playing an SEC team, height, weight, speed, the size of the guys and stuff is like playing an SEC opponent,” Kiffin said.
Singletary, FAU’s senior running back, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel before the game: “They [UCF] definitely had a great year last season. Last season, they did big things. They went undefeated — still undefeated. They still got their winning streak. Them boys balling.”
FAU is where UCF used to be and UCF is where FAU wants to be.
After Friday night, it’s clear UCF has come a long way, baby, while FAU still has a long way to go.