Knights cope with travel headaches

UCF will face an extra challenge in the Conference USA championship game.

A lengthy trip west combined with an early kickoff — 11 a.m. Central time — means the Knights schedule will start extra early on Saturday. UCF is 1-3 in games that kick off at noon this season.

“It’s the change in time that gets the kids,” UCF coach George O’Leary said when explaining the travel impact. “This weekend it’s a 12 o’clock game back home, but it’s a 6:30 wakeup, 7 a.m. chapel service for us, which is an hour earlier. You got to move your times around whenyou go to destinations like that.”

Tulsa has struggled to sell out games this season, triggering an aggressive marketing campaign for Saturday’s title tilt with UCF. Tulsa mayor Dewey Bartlett proclaimed this “True Blue TUWeek” and urged residents to support the Golden Hurricane Saturday.

UCFOLJordanMcCray said the Knights are eager for a rematch. The Golden Hurricane beat the Knights 23-21 onNov. 17. “Man, we’re itching to play those guys,” McCray said of Tulsa. “We know we left a lot on the field. We’re practicing real hard, the scout team is giving us the best look we’ve had all year. ... and that’s what we need to get a championship.”

UCF has a plus-10 turnover margin, ranking 18th in the country and second in Conference USA behind SMU. Road teams are 3-4 all-time in the C-USA title game. Next game: at Tulsa, Noon, Saturday, ESPN2 Game-day hashtag: #OSUCF