Knights have record day
UCF extends nation’s longest winning streak to 22 games
It was just another entry on a long list of highlights during UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton’s stellar career.
Facing third-and-three midway through the second quarter, Milton avoided the Navy rush and scrambled free for a 21-yard gain.
And of his 265 career rushing attempts, this one would take on greater meaning because it gave him 1,032 career rushing yards, moving him ahead of one of the greatest quarterbacks in UCF history — Daunte Culpepper — as the school’s all-time leading rushing quarterback.
“That’s a huge honor,” Milton said of setting the mark during No. 12 UCF’s 35-24 win over Navy on Saturday. “Daunte is obviously a legend, not just here but in the NFL. That’s huge.”
Navy helicopters flew over the stadium at the end of the national anthem.
This country would be a lot better off if Democrats and Republicans treated each other with the same respect as UCF fans, players and coaches treated Navy fans, players and coaches on Saturday afternoon.
Even though Navy is having a down year and has only won two games, the Midshipmen did themselves proud on Saturday. They ran their triple option to near-perfection and were competitive with one of the top teams in the nation. And they did it with a special breed of student-athletes who truly are in college to get an education and contribute to the greater good.
You wonder if Navy players roll their eyes at the media-created narrative about how NCAA football and basketball players are being exploited and deserve more compensation than just a fullride college scholarship. Let us not forget what these Navy players are willing to sacrifice just so they can get their degree. After Navy players graduate from the academy, they are then committed to five years of military service during which they will defend our shores so other college athletes can exercise their unalienable right to make millions by jumping to the NBA or NFL.
“We have a great respect for Navy, what those kids are doing who go there and for what they do for civilians every single day,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said.
Unlike other UCF opponents this season, Navy players didn’t once flop on the field and feign an injury in an attempt to slow down Heupel’s dizzying fast-break no-huddle offense. There were no cheap shots or trash talk either.
In fact, UCF wide receiver Dredrick Snelson admitted he tried to engage one of the Navy cornerbacks in some goodnatured smack talk and was met with utter and complete stone-faced silence.
“I tried to get him out of his game,” Snelson said with a smile splashed across his face. “I was talking to him and telling him, `You can’t cover me one-on-one.’ He didn’t say a word to me. Didn’t talk to me once. It threw me off a little bit. He was poised and composed. I asked him, `You aren’t going to talk to me?’ He just turned his head walked back to the huddle.”
It’s sort of the same focused mentality UCF players and coaches have when we in the media try to engage them in talk about the College Football Playoff. The weekly discussion and debate about which four teams deserve to play for the national championship have enveloped the sport, but the Knights refuse to budge from Heupel’s weekly “just go 1-0” mantra.
“I don’t think about the playoffs and I don’t want to talk about the playoff,” Snelson said.
Give UCF players and coaches credit for not taking part in the seasonlong ranting and raving by fans and those of us in the media who believe the Knights are being slighted by the CFP selection committee. It seems many of us have spent so much time concerning ourselves with what UCF needs to do to make the playoff semifinals that we aren’t fully appreciating another spectacular season.
Last week, all the talk was that the Knights defense gave up nearly 700 yards and UCF beat Temple by 12. This week, the critics will no doubt discuss how a two-win Navy team ran for 374 yards on UCF’s defense and the Knights won by 11.
Instead of complaining about what UCF isn’t doing, shouldn’t we be marveling at what UCF is doing — winning at a euphoric, historic rate? The Knights have now won 22 consecutive games and are four victories away from back-to-back perfect seasons. Do you realize the last team to do that was Tom Osborne’s legendary Nebraska Cornhuskers of 1994-95?
Yes, it would be amazing if UCF somehow, someway got into the playoff semifinals, but don’t let the controversy and consternation suck the joy out of another magical season.
Close your eyes on this beautiful Saturday afternoon, take a deep breath and start humming the Navy fight song.
“That team is a class act,” UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton said of the Midshipmen. “They’re a bunch of great young men who are going to do great things for our country. It’s always a special feeling playing them.”
McKenzie’s words are like music to my ears.
So seldom do we hear the true song of college football anymore.