‘It’s always been a dog fight’
UCF expects Memphis to be fired up to snap losing streak in series
They say time heals all wounds, but some cuts are too deep to forget.
Time has marched on since UCF and Memphis last met on the football field — 686 days will have elapsed between games to be exact. For many of those involved in this series, the memories are still fresh.
“For me — and I’m pretty sure a lot of the other guys feel this way
— this is one of those you have circled because of the history,” UCF cornerback Zamari Maxwell said of the Knights’ road game against the Tigers Saturday.
Added redshirt senior receiver Jacob Harris, “I know we have a history with Memphis and it’s always been a dog fight. We expect every game to be a war when we step in on that field.”
UCF and Memphis aren’t necessarily football rivals, but the programs have met 14 times and the Knights hold a 13-1 advantage in the series, including 13 straight victories.
During the past three games in the series, all back-and-forth high stakes matchups, the love-hate relationship blossomed.
In 2017, the two teams accounted for 1,479 yards as UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton passed for 494 yards and five touchdowns and Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson was intercepted by Tre Neal just short of the end zone to secure a 62-55 double-overtime win that gave the Knights the American Athletic Conference championship and a spot in a New Year’s Six Access Bowl.
The two teams met twice the following year, the first time on
Oct. 13 at the Liberty Bowl, where Memphis jumped out to a 30-17 halftime lead only to watch Milton rally the Knights in the second half for a 31-30 win.
Seven weeks later, the teams met again in the AAC title game.
Quarterback Darriel Mack Jr., playing in place of injured Milton, helped rally UCF from 17 points down at the half to score 35 secondhalf points and earn a 56-41 victory. UCF coach Josh Heupel directed the Bounce House crowd to cheer on the Knights during the rally that sealed the Knights’ second consecutive AAC championship and their second straight New Year’s Six Access Bowl bid.
The average score of the past three meetings is 49-42.
“The previous week has nothing to do with this week and the previous game against this opponent has nothing to do with it,” said Heupel, who took over the program in 2018. “… There’s been a lot of great games and there’s been ups and downs in the course of all of those games. We’ve been down three possessions at halftime in this ballgame and our guys have been willing to go out and compete.”
Redshirt senior cornerback Richie Grant had 12 tackles during UCF’s last win at the Liberty Bowl and an interception during the Knights’ win over the Tigers in the 2018 AAC championship game.
“Since I’ve been here, it’s been four close contests decided by one possession. We’ve been fortunate to be on the good end of it all four times,” said Grant, who has 17 tackles during three games against Memphis. “But anybody who’s lost four times in a row is going to be ready to get after us, especially [since] they’ve got some older guys. They want to go out there with a win.”
Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield was an assistant coach under Mike Norvell from 2017-19. He understands how painful the losses to UCF were to the Tigers program.
“I don’t like to talk too much about the past, but I kind of feel like we have a chip on our shoulder because of what’s occurred — especially since we, myself included, and some of these players have had some great series against them and we’ve been on the short end of it,” Silverfield said earlier this week.
“We just got to have that dog mentality because enough is enough, we’re not going to take no more,” Memphis tight end Sean Dykes told The Commercial Appeal this week.
Maxwell said the Knights understand the Tigers will be fired up and fighting for a win Saturday.
“It’s like it’s personal in a sense,” he said. “When you lose the type of games they lost and how they did lose those games, I would be mad, too. That’s what I mean, expect the unexpected.”
Injury update
Heupel was asked Thursday about the status of receiver Marlon Williams, who was treated by athletic trainers on the field after the final play of the Knights’ loss to Tulsa. The senior remained on the ground for several minutes before walking to the locker room.
“I think everybody who was nicked up through the course of play against Tulsa will be available here on Saturday,” Heupel said.
Safety Richie Grant and running backs Greg McCrae, Otis Anderson and Bentavious Thompson were also injured during the game on Oct. 10.
Heupel said he could not provide any additional information on the status of receiver Tre Nixon, who has missed the past two games with an unspecified injury.
“We’ll have another conversation before we jump on the plane and make a final determination,” he said when asked about Nixon.