Knights eager to make amends
UCF football players insist they aren’t focused on revenge, but they acknowledge they’re looking forward to facing Tulsa Saturday night at the Bounce House.
“I just know we’ve been waiting for this week, and personally I’ve been waiting for this week, and that’s all I’ve got to say,” Knights quarterback Dillon Gabriel said when asked about the matchup against a Tulsa program that handed UCF one of its three losses last season. “Saturday will come at 7:30 and we’ll see what happens.”
Gabriel dismissed the idea this game means more because of last season’s results.
“I’ve moved past last year. It’s this year now, but I know we’ve all been waiting for this one,” he said.
Added coach Josh Heupel, “I don’t think the revenge factor plays into it as much. This is our next opportunity and we’re a different football team and they are too.”
Tulsa (0-1, 0-0 AAC) has had UCF’s number as of late. The Knights (2-0, 1-0 AAC) have dropped three consecutive games and seven of their past eight meetings in this series dating to the Knights’ stint in Conference USA. The teams have played in the C-USA championship game three times, with the Golden Hurricane earning two titles.
Last year UCF jumped out to a 28-17 halftime lead but was outscored 17-3 during the final 30 minutes. The team committed eight penalties for a loss of 66 yards in the second half and turned the ball over three times, including a pair of Gabriel interceptions.
The true freshman also suffered through a seasonhigh six sacks during the loss.
“Last year was a pretty upsetting game,” UCF defensive back Aaron Robinson said. “... But we looked past it, we learned from it and we’re taking a different approach like we do every week to try and go 1-0.”
Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery praised UCF’s success during the past few seasons and noted his team is ready to be tested Saturday.
“Obviously, this program, especially over the past three years, I think they’ve only lost like four ball games in that span now,” Montgomery said. “I know that we were fortunate to be one of those last year, but this is going to be an exciting game.”
It’s been two weeks since Tulsa last played a football game after a series of positive COVID-19 tests at Arkansas State forced the postponement of the team’s game last week. It wasn’t the first time the coronavirus pandemic hindered the Golden Hurricane.
The season opener against Oklahoma State was pushed back a week after Tulsa instituted a nine-day workout pause during preseason camp due to COVID-19 exposure. The Cowboys eventually earned a 16-7 win over the Golden Hurricane.
Tulsa held Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard to 93 yards and a 3.4 yards per carry average. It was the first time Hubbard didn’t rush for at least 100 yards in a game since Sept. 7, 2019. The Golden Hurricane defense also sacked Cowboys quarterbacks six times during the loss.
Protecting the quarterback is going to be a priority for UCF Saturday.
“I think they’ve done a good job here the first couple of weeks,” Heupel said of the Knights’ ability to protect Gabriel. “… I think Dillon’s growing in just his comfort in understanding protection schemes, where he’s weak and when to get the ball out and move in the pocket.
“All those things play into doing a better job than we did a year ago against Tulsa.”
It is the Knights’ first home game and the latest home opener for the program since 2001 when the Knights hosted UAB on Oct. 6. There will be a limited capacity at the Bounce House due to COVID-19 safety protocols, with about 11,000 fans cleared to watch the game in person.
UCF enters the weekend riding a 21-game home win streak, second only to Clemson (22) and ahead of Ohio State (20).
The Knights last suffered a home loss on Nov. 19, 2016, against Tulsa.