Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Perfect opportunity
25-0 UCF ready to prove last season was no fluke
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The UCF Knights see their Fiesta Bowl matchup with LSU as one more chance to win a game, one more day to play for their brothers and one more opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.
“We want to show that it wasn’t a fluke,” UCF running back Greg McCrae said of the team’s 25-game win streak and 2018 Peach Bowl win over Auburn. “Some people thought it was a fluke last year — it wasn’t a fluke. We want to show that we’re the real deal. We’re a real team with real competitors.”
No. 8 UCF (12-0) enters Tuesday’s game riding the nation’s longest win streak that spans 25 games, yet the Knights are a touchdown underdog against the No. 11 Tigers (9-3).
The last time this team entered a game as an underdog was a year ago to the day, against Auburn.
“It’s kind of frustrating when you don’t get a lot of recognition,” UCF defensive back Richie Grant said. “We don’t think about that too much because all it will do is bring you down. We’re as positive as we can be.”
UCF receiver Gabe Davis added, “Every game we’re out to prove something. We love playing together. We’ve got each other’s back. We’re family.”
The family’s next test, however, won’t be easy.
When asked to give their assessment of the Tigers, many of the Knights used the words big
and physical.
The five players on LSU’s offensive line are an average of about 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds while the defense features standouts like ends Glen Logan (6-foot-4, 297) and Rashard Lawrence (6-foot-3, 317) and nose tackle Tyler Shelvin (6-foot-3, 362).
All-American linebacker Devin White is 6-foot-1 and weighs 241 pounds.
Preparing for that size advantage has been a point of emphasis for the Knights and coach Josh Heupel.
“I think the line of scrimmage will be a big part of whoever is going to win this football game,” Heupel said. “Their defensive line is big and thick inside, plays multiple fronts, but has the ability off the edge to really get after the passer as well when they get into some of the third-down packages.”
It’s definitely caught the attention of UCF’s offensive line.
“They’ve got a lot of big dudes up front that can hold space and then they’ve got guys who can run all over the place on the back end,” UCF senior guard Tyler Hudanick said. “Probably one of the best linebacking crews out there in the nation.”
Guard Wyatt Miller added, “They’re big and fast and they have some linebackers that can run. They’ve got some guys up front that can hold the point. So we’re just going to have to have our best game.”
LSU clearly features one of the best defenses UCF has faced all season, with the Tigers ranked 26th in the country. Cincinnati featured a top-10 defense and the Knights scored 38 points on the Bearcats.
“No one has really stopped them yet. They wear teams out. They make a lot of plays in the fourth quarter,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said of UCF’s offense, which has scored at least 30 points during 25 consecutive games.
The Tigers, meanwhile, have only allowed 30 points three times since Dave Aranda took over as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2016, including 74 in the team’s seven-overtime loss to Texas A&M on Nov. 24.
LSU will be without a handful of players on defense, including All-American defensive back Greedy Williams and nose tackle Ed Alexander. Quarterback Joe Burrow knows the Tigers’ offense may be called upon to pick up some of the slack.
“They’re a really good offense and we have some guys dinged up on defense, some guys not playing, so we’re going to have to do a good job on offense as far as keeping control of the ball, staying on the field on third downs and just keeping drives alive,” Burrow said.
He is 9-3 as a starter, including a 3-0 record against top-10 teams this season.
Regardless, the Knights believe they’re up for another challenge.
“You prepare the right way, you’ll have the opportunity to make plays that you need to make in order to get a win,” said Grant.